“You, too, have your bosom’s foe, Hagar—but it is not now, as you would say, ‘in the ascendant.’ Yes! you are jealous! jealous of Rosalia! Oh! _shameful_, Hagar!” “Alas! it is true; I wish it were not; how can I help it?” said she, as the cloud came over her face, obscuring its glory—“_how_ can I help it? It is gone now, the jealousy—but it will come back again, and nearly madden me! I know it will; and how can I help it, when I see that I cannot give you any pleasure, by all my efforts; you do not like my singing nor my playing—you hang over Rosalia’s chair all the evening, and forget my very existence.” “I do not, Hagar! I never forget you for a single instant; how _can_ I ever forget you, when your spirit clings so closely about me always?” “Does it?” smiled Hagar. “_I_ know it does, and I am glad you feel it, Raymond—glad you feel it, even at her side.” “Nonsense, Hagar! I love Rosalia—or rather I should say I _like_ Rosalia, the fair, gentle girl, as I like her soft music, as I like a summer prospect, as I like the fragrance of growing flowers—as _she_ loves her pet doves. I like her because, like all other fair, sweet, and melodious things, her presence gives me pleasure—a pleasure that I do not choose to give up for your jealousy, Hagar! So I charge you, love, if you cannot exterminate the ‘green-eyed monster,’ do not let him appear before Rosalia, and frighten the poor girl away from me. God! Hagar, if it comes to that, you will exasperate me to phrensy.” He spoke with unwonted energy, but quickly controlling himself, he said in a more gentle tone, “Be on your guard, love—be on your guard; this is extremely absurd, very ridiculous, not to say unjust to me; how you worry yourself and me! Kiss me, my Hagar.” “‘Kiss’ you, Raymond! a thousand, thousand times!” exclaimed she; all her natural wildness rebounding in the spring of her spirits, “a thousand times, dear Raymond; and I will try never to doubt you again,” and she clasped her arms about his neck, and drawing down his head, caressed him freely and gladly as a joyous child might. Her jealousy seemed gone for the time—a weight was lifted off, and that evening and the next day she went about with dancing eyes and with an exultant step, as if the spring of her little foot impelled the earth forward in its orbit! It was the first time Raymond had fully opened his heart to her, and she felt grateful for the confidence; she understood many things that had before been dark to her, she _thought_ she understood _all_.