She pushed aside her work with a contemptuous shake of the head, and then, leaning her little fresh-coloured face in the palm of her hand, she gently but seriously reproached him for his long neglect of her, and his totally changed manner since he had come to Seon. He assured her, laughingly, that he had been only trying to wean himself from her society, as he was about so soon to lose her altogether. His mother said that moderation should be observed in all things, and though she did not require from him the attentions he had been in the habit of lavishing on his sister, yet she must say the contrast between his former and present manner was too striking not to be most painful to poor Agnes; and, for her part, she thought there must be some secret reason for such conduct. Here she moved uneasily on her chair and coughed. “Secret reason!” he exclaimed; “what can you mean? I am utterly at a loss to——” “Come, Max, you must greatly underrate my intellect or powers of observation, if you imagine that I have not seen what has been going on for the last three weeks.” “Going on?” he repeated. “Yes, going on. You have been paying the most marked attentions to one of those Rosenbergs——” “Which of them?” he asked, with an effort to look unconcerned. His sister laughed and said, “Confess honestly, Max, for if you really are in love, I think I must forgive your neglect.” “Thank you, dear. You know I once forgave you the same offence when proceeding from the same cause.” “It is unnecessary,” she said, glancing towards Hamilton, and growing perceptibly paler; “it is unkind to remind me so lightly of the most painful event of my life.” She was about to leave them, when her brother seized her hand, saying eagerly, “Stay, you dear good creature, and forgive me. I quite forgot that Hamilton was present, but never mind him—pray stay. I confess that I am desperately in love with Hildegarde Rosenberg, and I want you to tell my mother, and ask her to give me her assistance and advice.” His mother, of course, had heard what he had said, and now answered, quickly, “Assistance, Max, you cannot expect from me; my advice is, that you return to Munich to-morrow.” “I am engaged to ascend an alp with the Rosenbergs; indeed, I have promised to make an excursion with them which will last three days.” “You will not find us here on your return,” said his mother, resolutely; “I totally disapprove of your conduct in every respect, and will not afford you the excuse of passing your time with us, in order to continue it.” “But, my dear mother——” “I thought you were too honourable,” she continued, “to pay attentions which could lead to nothing. You know your father will never consent to such a connection!” “I hoped—through your influence—in time, perhaps——” “Hope nothing, in this case, from me; much as I desire to see you happily married, such a daughter-in-law——”