“I ought to be, for you have not only confessed your fault, but imposed penance on yourself; and yet I must still say that you have not discovered the error to which I alluded.”
“Then, now you must tell me, for I can think of nothing else.”
“Is it possible,” said Hamilton, the colour as usual, mounting impetuously to his forehead, “is it possible that you are not aware of the impropriety of coming to my room at this hour?”
“I—I—came for—for the candle,” stammered Hildegarde, in painful confusion.
“I know you did; but you have remained here some time, and people——”
“Let me go—let me go,” she cried, impatiently pushing back the hand which he had placed on the lock of the door in order to have time to add a few words. “Let me go; I desire—I insist.”
He drew back, and she rushed past him into the dark passage without turning round or stopping until she reached the door of her room. He merely waited until she entered, and then once more sat down to write.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE AU FAIR, AND THE SUPPER AT THE BREWERY.
“Will you go with us to the Au fair?” said Madame Rosenberg to Hamilton, the next day, after dinner.