Chapter III

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

highly skilled

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

personal knowledge or information about someone or something

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

anew

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

the act of burning something

From this reading The ground seemed to be burning under his feet.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.)

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The ground seemed to be burning under his feet.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

-ing form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

a man of refinement

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

highest in quality

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading The ground seemed to be burning under his feet.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a German man; used before the name as a title equivalent to Mr in English

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

immediately past

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

a formally arranged gathering

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

Recollections of past events.

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

of lesser importance or stature or rank

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

according to the clock

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

by chance

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a companion at play

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

more desirable than another

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

cause to move back by force or influence

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

past form of “rouse” — become active

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The ground seemed to be burning under his feet.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

feeling a need to see others suffer

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

a large gathering of people

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

in the direction of

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading As he passed down the quiet street towards the house of his business acquaintance, he paused several times under the dark trees, gasping for breath, and made a defiant gesture, as if he could thus repel the ghostly throng of memories that hovered around him.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The ground seemed to be burning under his feet.

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Then the minor object of his journey would be accomplished and he could set out again early the next morning; he would have preferred to go on that night.

but in spite of that

From this reading Gotthold had expected to reach P. at an early hour; it was now nearly ten o'clock, too late to pay the visit he had promised Herr Wollnow by letter, yet in spite of the time the gentleman might perhaps be waiting, and what he had to settle with him could be despatched in a few minutes.

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading The events of the last few hours, the meeting with the playmate of his youth, and his communications, had roused the greatest agitation in his mind.