He entered the garden and went along the great avenue; here he met Louise. One might almost have imagined that she had sought for him: there was no one but her to be seen in the whole avenue.
Otto pressed her hand to his lips. “You have saved my life!” said he.
“Dear Thostrup!” answered she, “do not betray yourself. Yon have come happily out of the affair! Thank God! my little part in it has concealed the whole. For the rest I have a suspicion. Yes, I cannot avoid it. May not the whole be an error? It is possible that she is that which you said! Tell me all that you can let me know. From this seat we can see everybody who comes into the avenue. No one can hear us!”
“Yes, to you alone I can confide it!” said Otto; “to you will I tell it.”
He now related that which we know about the manufactory, which he called the house, in which German Heinrich had first seen him, and had tattooed his initials upon his shoulder; their later meeting in the park, and afterwards by St. Ander’s Cross.
Louise trembled; her glance rested sympathizingly upon Otto’s pale and handsome countenance. He showed her the letter which had been brought to him the last evening, and related to her what Heinrich had told him.
“It may be so,” said Louise; “but yet I have not been able to lose the idea all the morning that you have been deceived. Not one of her features resembles yours. Can brother and sister be so different as you and she? Yet, be the truth as it may, promise me not to think too much about it. There is a good Ruler above who can turn all things for the best.”
“These horrible circumstances,” said Otto, “have robbed me of the cheerfulness of my youth. They thrust themselves disturbingly into my whole future. Not to Wilhelm—no, not to any one have I been able to confide them. You know all! God knows that you were compelled to learn them. I leave myself entirely in your hands!”
He pressed her hand silently, and with the earnest glance of confidence and truth they looked at each other.
“I shall speedily leave my native country,” said Otto. “It may be forever. I should return with sorrow to a home where no happiness awaited me. I stand so entirely alone in the world!”