“I hope so, most sincerely.”
“He gave me a great deal of good advice the day we were at Chiem See.”
“Indeed! On what subject?”
“He said it was very foolish to trust very young men—that they were very faithless, and good for nothing.”
“All! Did he say all?” cried Hamilton, in a tone of mock deprecation.
“Yes, all,” she answered, petulantly. “He advised me neither to trust them in words nor actions!”
“What extraordinary knowledge of the world he must have! Altogether a remarkable person!”
“You are laughing at me—or—at him.”
“Laughing! What an idea! Only look at me for a moment, and you will be convinced of the contrary.”
And she did look at him, and her eyes filled with tears as they met the calm, unembarrassed gaze of his. A heavy step on the gravel-walk announced the approach of someone, and on turning round they perceived Major Stultz blowing the ashes out of his meerschaum pipe, as he leisurely walked towards a bank in the garden. Crescenz started as if she had been detected committing a crime, and, with heightened colour, rose to join him.