“But when she was here last week, she was just what she used to be; I could have fancied we had gone back two or three years of our lives.”
“So she was quite cheerful!” said Hamilton, with a constrained smile. “It seems she felt no regret at quitting the Iron Works?”
“Not much, I should think, when you were no longer there,” answered Crescenz.
“What! What do you mean?” asked Hamilton, eagerly.
“Why, as you were the only person who could talk to her—she must have found it very dull after you were gone, I suppose.”
“Oh!” said Hamilton, “is that all? Perhaps she did not say as much—did not speak of me at all?”
“Oh yes; we often spoke of you,” said Crescenz, nodding her head.
“I flattered myself, at one time, that Hildegarde liked me——” began Hamilton.
“She does like you—she said so repeatedly, and quite agreed with me in everything about you, but she does not like you as Blazius thought she would when you first went to the Iron Works. He said then it was very inconsiderate of mamma to take you there—that she ought to have insisted on your leaving the house when papa died!”
“She did propose my leaving,” said Hamilton.