“Oh yes, rank, riches, station, and somebody to love her exclusively—and Count Zedwitz can give her all these things, you know!”
“Very true—your arguments are conclusive,” said Hamilton, “and now it is time for me to go——”
“But you will come again!” said Crescenz; “you will come to take leave of Blazius?”
Hamilton shook his head.
“Are you really going away forever?” asked Crescenz, and her eyes filled with tears as she added, in a slightly tremulous voice, “Hildegarde said we should never hear of, never see you again!”
“And she said it, I am sure, with less regret than you do!” exclaimed Hamilton, bitterly.
“I dare say you think me very foolish,” said Crescenz, trying to smile, while large tears coursed each other down her cheeks.
“I think you very kind,” said Hamilton.
“If Blazius were at home, you would have stayed a little longer, perhaps. I wish Blazius were here.”
Hamilton thought it was quite as well he was not, but did not say so; and after taking leave of her, much more affectionately than he had dared to do of her sister, he left the house considerably more thoughtful than he had entered it.