September 19th, 1839.
Pastor Kavel was with me, who suggested that I take Friedrich Krummnow(146) with me to Encounter Bay, which of course I had little hope for.

September 22nd, 1839. Sunday.
I was invited to lunch by Mr. Fiedler, which is why I left around 9 a.m. in order to be early enough for the service. When I arrived, I caught Bertha in her morning dress, just about to decorate herself. A bashful blush flashed over her at the sight of me, which showed me her peculiar beauty.

( 138 ) In addition to me, Mr. Meyer was invited to the table and in the afternoon Kleinschmidt and Schlinke, along with several others, also came, so that the afternoon was pretty much lost. But during the evening service, Bertha and I had the house alone. Intimate conversations, some poems from [Theodor] Körner(147), [among others "Lützows wild hunt"(148)] and Ferdinnd Kavel's master sheet for Bertha, as well as the end of the accompanying letter, were the subjects of our conversation. Later Fritz and Ferdinand Kavel came and over a glass of wine and a pipe of tobacco we chatted until half past one o'clock. All this time Bertha sat on my right side, drinking from one glass with me. When the talk came about Mr. Fiedler's trip to Hahndorf, I promised to accompany him. On the way I told Kleinschmidt my relationship with Bertha on the condition that he not reveal it.

September 23rd, 1839.
I was in Klemzig at 11 a.m. Mr. Fiedler had felt a little bit uncomfortable last night; he thought we had sinned. As we were leaving, Bertha asked: Are you coming back via Klemzig? --

The journey to Hahndorf was not strange in any respect, nor was it the stay in Hahndorf itself, except that I told Pastor Kavel that I would not take Krummnow with me to Encounter Bay.

September 24th, 1839.
On the way back, Mr. Fiedler and I talked about my love and his, since we were alone. He said how uncomfortable he felt when a day went by without seeing his beloved, and how very understandable he found it when me and Bertha weren't feeling better. ( 139 ) I asked him what I had already learned from Bertha, whether Pastor Kavel knew my relationship with her, which he replied in the affirmative. He only carefully inquired whether Schlinke had any reason to insist on it, and I didn't raise any other objections. When I drew his attention to it, Mr. Fiedler said that I need not have any reservations or concerns about the step I have taken; in fact, I would be more free in my job with an assistant than without one. Those were comforting words.

In the evening we came home with wet feet; Bertha, pleased that we were no longer expected to arrive, not only handed me a clean pair of stockings, but also