“That—is—better—than—nothing,” said Hildegarde, slowly, “and as I am acting for the benefit of another, I ought not to refuse a compromise. If you promise,” she added, hesitatingly, “I—I think I may trust you.” “And are you satisfied without my leaving the house?” “I suppose I must be,” she replied, stooping to raise the chair she had thrown down; Hamilton moved it from her, and leaning on the back of it, asked if he might not now hope, in case he conscientiously performed his promises, that she would in future be at least commonly civil to him. “You have advised me to make no rash vows,” said Hildegarde. “The wisest thing we could both do would be never to look at or speak to each other again.” “Perhaps you are right,” said Hamilton, gravely, “but such wisdom is too great for me——” She left the room while he was speaking, without even looking at him. “Zedwitz and his sister were totally mistaken,” thought Hamilton, “but I am determined, since they have put it into my head, to make her like me!” --------------------- CHAPTER XIII. A TRUCE. “DOES Mr. Rosenberg never spend his evenings at home?” asked Hamilton, after having waited three weeks in expectation of becoming better acquainted with him. “Oh, no; what could he do at home?” asked his wife, seemingly surprised at the question. Hamilton was silent; he remembered that he had never seen Mr. Rosenberg converse with his wife. “He never drinks his beer or reads the papers at home,” she continued; “but you can go out with him whenever you like—I wonder you do not, for it is very natural that you should find it dull here when you cannot go to the theatre.” “I do not find it dull,” said Hamilton; “and I should not go so often to the theatre if I had not heard that it was the best means to perfect one’s self in a foreign language. By-the-by, I received a letter from my father this morning, and he desires me forthwith to engage a German master; he expects me to write German as well as English when I return home, and says I should study German literature. I wished to have asked Mr. Rosenberg to recommend me to someone, for as I am not quite a beginner, I should like to have a person really capable of directing my studies during the winter. One can read a good deal in six months when the dictionary is no longer in requisition.” “If you wish to study French, Hildegarde could give you instructions, for she understands it thoroughly; but German has been rather neglected in her education. I really think I must let her take lessons at the same time with you.” “I shall be very much obliged to you,” said Hildegarde, bestowing, for the first time, a look of regard on her step-mother; “very much obliged indeed.” “That will be delightful,” said Hamilton, eagerly. “I have always received my German lessons with my sister, and am particularly fond of learning in company.”