“It is hardly just to make him suffer for his parents’ faults of manner,” said Hamilton; “Zedwitz is extremely gentlemanlike and good-humoured, and has not a particle of pride in his composition. Will you not assist me to defend the absent?” he added, turning somewhat maliciously to Hildegarde. “My defence would be as injudicious as useless,” she said, but in so low a voice that only Hamilton could hear her words; “he is indeed all you have said, and much more—excellent in every respect, I believe.” “You do him justice,” began Hamilton, though he would have preferred praise less warm in its expression; but at this moment they were overtaken by Mr. Rosenberg and Major Stultz, accompanied, to the surprise of all, by Count Zedwitz and Count Raimund. “I have brought you two of the party from whom you ran away,” said Mr. Rosenberg, laughing, as he joined them. “Count Zedwitz came into the room just in time to see Crescenz fly out of the window, and both he and Count Raimund prefer walking home with us to drinking the superlatively excellent Stuberwoll beer, although I praised it as it deserved.” “It was truly delicious,” said Major Stultz. “I should have had no objection to another glass.” “Hildegarde! Crescenz!” cried Mr. Rosenberg, “this is your cousin, Count Raimund.” Crescenz turned round and blushed. Hildegarde took her usual place beside her father, while she said, without hesitation, that she had already made her cousin’s acquaintance at the Hoffmanns’. Hamilton saw a glance of such meaning pass between them as she spoke, that he indignantly walked forward towards Madame Rosenberg. Major Stultz and Crescenz soon joined them; and the former explained that Count Raimund had, in the free-and-easiest manner possible, claimed relationship with Mr. Rosenberg. That he had spoken of his aunt—said that he recollected her perfectly—hoped he would present him to his cousins and his present wife, and allow him occasionally to visit his family. “And Franz was as usual all civility,” said Madame Rosenberg, with considerable irritation. “Why, to tell you the truth, it was not easy to be otherwise,” replied Major Stultz; “his manner was so off-hand and sincere when he said that he trusted Rosenberg would not make him a sufferer for family differences which had occurred when he was a mere child. They shook hands, and I was obliged to do the same, as he congratulated me on my approaching marriage, and said——” here Major Stultz diligently sought for his pocket handkerchief, as he spoke—“said he was particularly happy at the prospect of being so nearly allied to an officer of whose personal bravery he had heard so much—or something to that purport.”