“You are a new arrival as well as myself, I hear. All my people in Nuremberg tried to persuade me to stay there in order to be out of the way of the cholera, and they would, perhaps, have succeeded, had not my impatience to see Crescenz again been so great; besides, I hope to hurry matters by my presence, and that in about a fortnight at furthest, Madame Rosenberg——” “I have no objection, my dear Major, but Franz has taken it into his head that Crescenz ought to wait until after her birthday, and go to one ball with her sister before her marriage. We do not yet know when the first museum ball will take place.” “Pooh, nonsense! She can go to the ball after our marriage, just as well as before it; eh, Crescenz?” Crescenz smiled unmeaningly, and Hildegarde turned the conversation by telling her mother that the Hoffmanns had requested permission to come to the Christmas-tree in the evening, to see the presents. “You have invited them, of course. The Bergers are coming too, and old Madame Lustig; I invited her because I intend to ask her to take charge of you all some day next month, as I have promised to visit my father at the iron-works; besides, she has taken a deal of trouble about workwomen for Crescenz, and all that sort of thing; I expect her to offer to stay here to-night and take care of the children until we return from the midnight mass. I hope, Major, you can remain awake until twelve o’clock.” “In Crescenz’s society I can answer for myself; otherwise I must say I consider nine o’clock as the most rational hour for retiring to rest.” “But you will go with us to hear the high mass at midnight, won’t you?” “Oh, of course.” “Come, girls, assist me to arrange the tea things; we will not, however, employ Mr. Hamilton to make tea this time, but he may help to carry the long table out of the next room for us.” Hamilton and Major Stultz carried in the table, and everything was soon arranged for the expected guests. --------------------- CHAPTER XXIV. THE CHRISTMAS-TREE, AND MIDNIGHT MASS.