She thought that so great an insight into himself and so clear a perception of his own position and that of his friends was a good sign.

Conversation during their first hours together was lively, almost exhausting, as it usually is among friends who have not seen one another for some time. Towards evening Charlotte took them for a walk in the new park. The Captain was very pleased with it and noticed every beautiful sight and spot which the new paths had for the first time opened up. He had a practised eye but it was one that was easily pleased. He recognized very well what shortcomings there were but he refrained (many do not refrain) from making those who were conducting him round ill-humoured by demanding more than circumstances allowed or (which is worse) by recalling something more perfect he had seen somewhere else.

When they reached the moss-hut they discovered it very gaily decked out. The materials were, to be sure, only artificial flowers and evergreens, but fine sheaves of natural wheat and other products of field and tree were mixed with them and the arrangement did credit to the artistic sense of whoever had carried it out. ‘Although my husband hates to have any fuss made over his birthday or nameday, I know he will not take it amiss if today I dedicate these few garlands to a threefold celebration,’ Charlotte said.

‘A threefold celebration?’ Eduard exclaimed. ‘Yes indeed!’ Charlotte said. ‘We may fairly treat our friend’s arrival as an occasion for celebration; and then, has it occurred to neither of you that today is your nameday? Are you not both called Otto?’

The two friends took hands across the little table. ‘You bring back to my mind,’ said Eduard, ‘that youthful deed of friendship. As children we both bore that fine, laconic name; but when we were at school together and confusion arose, I voluntarily resigned it to him.’

‘In doing which you were not actuated entirely by generosity,’ said the Captain. ‘For I recall quite well you preferred the name Eduard, which does indeed sound uncommonly pleasing when uttered by fair lips.’

The three were now sitting around the little table at which Charlotte had exclaimed so passionately against the guest’s coming. Contented as he was, Eduard had no wish to remind his wife of that occasion, but he could not refrain from saying: ‘I do not doubt there would be room for a fourth too.’

At that moment there came from the mansion the sound of horns. It was like a confirmation that our friends were right to be together like this, and they listened to the sound in silence and each of them was sunk into himself and was doubly conscious of his own happiness in being together with the others.

Eduard first interrupted the interval by getting up and stepping out in front of the moss-hut. ‘Let us take our friend right to the top of the hill,’ he said to Charlotte, ‘in case he should think this narrow valley comprises our whole home and estate. Up there the view is more open and there is more room to breathe.’

‘Then we shall still have to clamber up the old footpath,’ Charlotte replied. ‘It is rather hard going, but I hope the steps and paths I am having constructed will very soon make an easy way right to the top.’

By this route, over rocks and through brushwood and thickets, they reached the top of the hill, which was not a plateau but a continuous fertile ridge. Village and mansion to the rearward could no more be seen. Ahead and far below lay a chain of lakes. Beyond them lay tree-covered hills with the lakes stretching towards them. Finally, steep cliffs cut off the farthest of the lakes perpendicularly and threw their massive image down onto the water’s surface. Across in the ravine, where a rushing stream fell down into the lakes, stood a half-hidden mill which, together with the ground surrounding it, appeared to be a good resting-place. The whole visible semi-circle was filled with a great variety of hills and gullies and of woods and thickets whose early greenery promised a luxuriant prospect later in the year. In many places there stood out isolated clumps of trees, and in particular a mass of poplars and plane-trees, green and full-grown, their branches striving up and outward, on the edge of the middle lake at the feet of our friends as they stood gazing down.

Eduard drew special attention to these trees. ‘I planted those myself in my youth,’ he said. ‘I rescued them as young shoots when my father had them uprooted while he was laying out a new section of the big walled garden one midsummer. They are clearly going to show their gratitude again this year by putting out more buds!’

They went back home feeling very happy and contented. The guest was given cheerful roomy quarters in the right wing of the mansion. He soon set up his books, papers and instruments so as to carry on with his normal life. But during the first few days Eduard would not leave him in peace.