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 gave me a foot bath; When I wanted to pour out the water, she snatched the vessel out of my hand and did it herself. Later she prepared a wonderful bed for me, on which I rested like a prince. When she said goodnight to me, I would have liked to talk to her for a few hours, but consideration for the little ones prevented it. Mr. Fiedler told me in the afternoon that he had repeatedly reproached Bertha for the distance and the discomfort that I would cause her to experience, but that she had explained that she was happy to endure everything.

September 25th, 1839.
I stayed in Klemzig until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Fiedler had already invited me to lunch the day before, and when this was eaten, Bertha sat down to sew again while her father slept. Although we had already spoken to each other a lot in the morning, ( 140 ) it was impossible for me to leave now. We talked and drank, or rather sipped, until three o'clock, she always forcing me to stay. When I complained to Mr. Fiedler about my long neglect, he told me as a consolation that the same thing had happened to him under the same circumstances. Bertha accompanied me a few steps on the way, and when I jokingly asked her if she wanted to go with me, she said there was no lack of good will. Every day she develops a great wealth of intelligence and feeling; Some time ago, when we were talking about the impending future and correspondence, she reminded me of a passage in my first letter where I said that dead paper was a very inadequate means of communicating my feelings to her, adding that she was of a different opinion, that my letters were so dear to her, and so on.