Avoiding, as the Captain now did, being alone with Charlotte, the more industriously did he labor to hurry forward the preparations for keeping her rapidly-approaching birthday with all splendor.  While he was bringing up the new road from below behind the village, he made the men, under pretence that he wanted stones, begin working at the top as well, and work down, to meet the others; and he had calculated his arrangements so that the two should exactly meet on the eve of the day.  The excavations for the new house were already done; the rock was blown away with gunpowder; and a fair foundation-stone had been hewn, with a hollow chamber, and a flat slab adjusted to cover it.

This outward activity, these little mysterious purposes of friendship, prompted by feelings which more or less they were obliged to repress, rather prevented the little party when together from being as lively as usual.  Edward, who felt that there was a sort of void, one evening called upon the Captain to fetch his violin—­Charlotte should play the piano, and he should accompany her.  The Captain was unable to refuse the general request, and they executed together one of the most difficult pieces of music with an ease, and freedom, and feeling, which could not but afford themselves, and the two who were listening to them, the greatest delight.  They promised themselves a frequent repetition of it, as well as further practice together.  “They do it better than we, Ottilie,” said Edward; “we will admire them—­but we can enjoy ourselves together too.”

CHAPTER IX

The birthday was come, and everything was ready.  The wall was all complete which protected the raised village road against the water, and so was the walk; passing the church, for a short time it followed the path which had been laid out by Charlotte, and then winding upward among the rocks, inclined first under the summer-house to the right, and then, after a wide sweep, passed back above it to the right again, and so by degrees out on to the summit.  A large party had assembled for the occasion.  They went first to church, where they found the whole congregation assembled in their holiday dresses.  After service, they filed out in order; first the boys, then the young men, then the old; after them came the party from the castle, with their visitors and retinue; and the village maidens, young girls, and women, brought up the rear.

At the turn of the walk, a raised stone seat had been contrived, where the Captain made Charlotte and the visitors stop and rest.  From here they could see over the whole distance from the beginning to the end—­the troops of men who had gone up before them, the file of women following, and now drawing up to where they were.  It was lovely weather, and the whole effect was singularly beautiful.  Charlotte was taken by surprise, she was touched, and she pressed the Captain’s hand warmly.