“That was very kind of you, Crescenz,” said her father, “but Hildegarde does not care for ornaments of that kind.”
“But look at that ugly little hair-bracelet which she insists upon wearing,” said Crescenz, laughing. “If she had bracelets of her own, she would wear them, I am sure. Everyone must like bracelets!”
Mr. Rosenberg took Hildegarde’s hand, and raised her passive arm towards his eyes, in order to inspect the bracelet. “It is not ugly, nor ill chosen either,” he observed, smiling; “a black bracelet makes an arm look fairer still; but I own I did not think my treasure studied such things!”
Hildegarde, with a look of annoyance, hastily unclasped the bracelet, and threw it into her work-basket.
“Don’t be offended, Hildegarde. Every woman should endeavour to improve her appearance as much as possible. Your arm is round and white, and the bracelet pretty; it ought, perhaps, to have been a little broader, but the horsehair was scarce, it seems! However, you can wear it very creditably; at a little distance, people will think it the hair of some very dear friend!”
Madame Rosenberg made her appearance at this moment, in a state of ludicrous distress; she had tried to force her large hands into a pair of small French gloves. One, from its elasticity, had been drawn somewhat over the half of one hand, leaving the other half and the wrist quite bare; but the other had burst asunder across the palm, and she now held it towards her husband, with a look of mock despair.
“Try another and a larger pair,” he said, laughing.
“I have not another pair in the house. You know I never want white gloves, and I was obliged to send to Schultz for these, after I had begun to dress!”
“Oh, I can mend it in a moment,” cried Crescenz, bringing a needle and thread. “Only keep it on your hand—it will never do if you pull it off again.”
Hamilton had in the meantime been playing with the discarded bracelet; Hildegarde attempted to take it out of his hand, but he held it nearer the light, observing in a low voice, “This is not horse hair. It cannot be your father’s or your sister’s, for they have brown hair; nor your cousin’s; nor——”