“Oscar, who was present, laughed excessively; indeed, he was so amused at her chattering that he became quite gay, and was more amiable than I have known him for a long time, until he came here and saw Crescenz’s bracelets and that watch which Mr. Hamilton gave you.” Hildegarde bent down her head to hide a blush of which she was but too conscious. “I have no intention of keeping the watch longer than this evening,” she said, after a thoughtful pause; “it is a much too valuable present to accept from a—a stranger—but that is of no consequence to Oscar, who might easily have found some better employment than laughing at me with Lina Berger!” “My dear creature, he was laughing at her! He says she was jealous about that little Biedermann!” “Pshaw!” cried Hildegarde, impatiently. “Will you not at least tell me the true state of the case about Count Zedwitz?” “Not now—not now, Marie—in fact I never wish to mention the subject again,” said Hildegarde, arising abruptly and going towards the door, which, however, she had no sooner reached than she was recalled by her mother, and desired to carry round the cake to the expectant company, who had been already supplied with weak tea strongly perfumed with vanilla. Hamilton was so occupied by Madame Berger that he did not observe Hildegarde as she passed him; his companion’s eyes followed her for some time furtively, and then turning to him she observed with a laugh, “Did you not see how Hildegarde’s hand trembled as she offered us the cake? I am sure she has been in a passion, though I cannot imagine about what, as she has only been speaking with her friend Mademoiselle de Hoffmann! Berger has become physician to the Hoffmanns ever since your illness; they took such a fancy to him, and are so civil to me, that I often visit them now. By-the-by, that Count Raimund is charming, but he does not seem to care in the least for his betrothed, who certainly is not at all pretty. She did not look half pleased at his talking so much to me this morning! A little pug-faced person such as she is has no sort of right to be jealous, you know, and the sooner she learns to bear his paying attentions to other women the better!” “How kind of you to give her such a lesson?” “I see, by your manner that you think me ill-natured,” said Madame Berger. “Or malicious!” said Hamilton. “Perhaps I was a little,” said Madame Berger, with an affectation of repentive pensiveness. “After all, Mademoiselle de Hoffmann is a good-natured, a most inoffensive person!” “She is sensible and well-informed, too,” said Hamilton, warmly. “You take your opinion from Hildegarde, who you know has no medium. Pray don’t ask her what she thinks of me, that’s all. See, she will not offer us any cake this time, because we took no notice of her when she passed before.” “I did not see her,” said Hamilton; “I believe I was admiring the ring which you told me had been given you by one of the Doctor’s patients.”