The Opposite House: A Novel — page 124: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Opposite [House. 119 the Kurhaus. Brand followed it with a certain ap- pearance of haste. The trees on the shore hung their leafy boughs low over the water, and at the left two small islands tose abruptly from the surface, one densely wooded, and washed by the waves, the larger one connected with the shore by a bridge. Dainty gondolas, with gay streamers and canopies, moved to and fro over the rippling waves, pausing ever and anon in a shaded cove, or, steered by a lady’s hand, floating in the center of the lake. It was indeed an animated scene as the sun shone so brightly down upon it, casting golden spots upon the white plumage of the swans ; countless ducklings and coots were gathered on the shore, diving, swim- ming, and trustfully emerging on the velvet turf whenever some child’s generous hand scattered crumbs of bread. Two ladies, both tall and slender, whose figures bore a marked resemblance to each other, were standing beside the railing opposite the Kurhaus. Doctor Brand involuntarily stopped and pressed his companion’s arm more closely. “The Von Rotterswyls!” he whispered hastily. “Good heavens, that’s the last thing I expected. Come, Wikke, turn down this path. I’ll go home with you another time; you see that I must speak to the ladies—it is necessary to keep on good terms! CoOmicbook<s 5}