Mademoiselle de Hoffmann had recognised and now addressed them from the window. Raimund was invited to supper, and entered the house with the Rosenbergs, while Mr. Rosenberg, who never spent an evening at home, walked off with Zedwitz. The moonlight was so bright in the drawing-room, that on entering Madame Rosenberg declared it would be folly to light the candles. She gave Crescenz a gentle push into the adjoining room, telling her to “be a good girl, and make up her quarrel with the Major,” and then went to “look after her boys.” Hamilton looked out of the window, and hummed an air from _Fra Diavolo_. “I am very tired,” said Hildegarde, taking off her bonnet; “our walk has been long and dusty: and besides I have talked a great deal, which is always fatiguing,”—she stood beside and leaned out of the window with him. Hamilton’s hum degenerated into a half-suppressed whistle, accompanied by a drumming on the window-cushion, while his upturned eyes were fixed on the moon. They remained several minutes without speaking, until a murmuring of voices from the window beneath them attracted their attention. Hamilton leaned farther out to see the speakers, but on recognising Count Raimund and Mademoiselle de Hoffmann, he drew back with a slightly contemptuous smile, while he said, “Your cousin’s observations this evening on his intended bride were by no means flattering.” “He scarcely knows her yet,” said Hildegarde, seating herself on the window-stool. “Scarcely knows the person to whom he is to be married!” exclaimed Hamilton. “You Germans have the oddest ideas on these subjects.” “I see nothing odd in the matter; it is an acknowledged _mariage de convenance_. Oscar proposes to marry Mademoiselle de Hoffmann because he has debts and she has a large fortune; and she accepts him because she is not very young, and not at all pretty, and wishes for a good connection; they are not, however, to be married until January, and are to endeavour in the meantime to like each other as much as possible. Can anything be more reasonable?” “Nothing, excepting, perhaps, their having delayed their engagement until the trial was over. I should like amazingly to know what the sensations of a man may be who sees, for the first time, a person to whom he is beforehand engaged to be married. A lady in such a situation is still more awkwardly placed.” “There was no awkwardness whatever in this case. Marie was pointed out to Oscar in the theatre, he did not find that her appearance was disagreeable, heard that she was amiable, and consented to marry her. His father made the proposal for him, and Marie was given a whole week to consider before she was required to decide.” “A _whole_ week!” repeated Hamilton, laughing ironically.