"
[Footnote 125: Such abrupt departures were characteristic of Goethe.
We shall find him taking similar unceremonious leave of another of his
loves. Goethe, wrote Frau von Stein to her son (May, 1812), "kann das
Abschied nehmen nicht leiden, er ging ohne Abschied neulich von mir."]
From this record of the Wetzlar episode, directly reproducing the
relations of all the persons concerned, it is clear that Lotte was for
Goethe more than the pleasant companion he represents her in his
Autobiography. If his own words and those of Kestner have any meaning,
his feeling towards her amounted to a passion which only the singular
self-control of her and Kestner prevented from breaking bounds.
Strange as it may appear, neither Lotte nor Kestner regarded one whose
presence was a menace to their own peace with other feelings than
esteem, and apparently even affection. He parted from Lotte, he says,
"with a clearer conscience" than from Friederike, and the statement is
at least borne out by what we know of the sequel to the "splendid
idyll." As we shall see, he continued to remain on the most cordial
terms with the two lovers, and, though with mingled feelings, he gave
them his best blessing on the day which saw them united as husband and
wife.
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