As he entered the room for the second time he observed an appearance of confusion in it which, in his haste and anxiety about Hildegarde, had before escaped his observation. Her gloves and handkerchief he found near the stove, and not far from them, to his great surprise, a dagger! On the table, beside the small shaded lamp, stood a wine bottle and tumblers, writing materials, and several letters were heaped together; and, on glancing towards them, he found one addressed to Hildegarde, which he immediately put in his pocket, and then prepared to leave; but, to his dismay, he heard the sound of approaching voices, and at once his unpleasant, perhaps dangerous, situation occurred to him. His known enmity to Raimund made it absolutely necessary for him to endeavour to leave the house without being recognised, and, having tied on Hildegarde’s mask, he took refuge in a small wood-room, ready to escape the first opportunity that should offer. The persons whose voices he had heard were servants; one of them, a French girl, was speaking while he gained his hiding-place, and he heard her say, “The old lady desired me to call her son, I would not go into his room for all the world at this time of night.”
“What does she want with him?”
“Oh, she says she heard the report of a gun or pistol a short time ago, and is alarmed. She asked me if I had not heard it too?”
“And did you hear it?”
“How could I when I was not in the house? The best thing I can do is to say that Count Oscar is not yet returned home. I am afraid she won’t believe me, as he never remains late at those Hoffmanns’.”
“But you may tell her that I saw him going to the masquerade at nine o’clock in a black domino. We can knock at the door, and if we get no answer, he is not there.”
“And if he should answer?”
“Why, then, we can speak to him together!”
While they knocked at the door, Hamilton glided out; but not, as he had hoped, unseen, for they turned and ran after him into the street, calling out, “Count Oscar! Count Oscar! Madame la Comptesse wishes to speak to you.”
Hamilton shook his hand impatiently towards them, which made them desist, and then breathlessly joined Hildegarde, who was standing motionless on the spot where he had left her.