He considered himself under an obligation to go once more to the
Ellrichs', to formally take leave of them; but when he rang at their
door he was told that the family had gone away to Heringsdorf. As
this had occurred, Paul did not think it necessary to tell his
friend what he had heard through Fraulein Marker, namely, that the
Ellrichs were very angry about the affair of the duel, and had given
orders before they went away that Wilhelm was not to be admitted if
he called. Wilhelm now wrote to Loulou (he had avoided doing so
earlier), a short, dignified letter, in which he begged her
forgiveness for having been so long in finding out the state of his
feelings, as the struggle had been hard and painful, but he could
now no longer conceal the fact that their characters were not
sufficiently in harmony to insure happiness together for a lifetime.
He thanked her for the happiest week in his life, and for the
deepest and sweetest feelings he had ever experienced, and which
would always remain the dearest memory of his life. His photograph
was shortly afterward sent back to him, from Ostend; but his letter
remained unanswered. He did not learn therefore, that it had made an
exceedingly bad impression, and that Frau Ellrich had only been
restrained with difficulty by her daughter from writing to tell him
how impertinent she thought it of him to appear to take the
initiative, when her daughter had first refused to receive him.
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