her father on her return with the sight of the money. But she had it not, and she went home empty-handed. "And now, Nina, I suppose we may starve," said her father, whom she found sitting close to the stove in the kitchen, while Souchey was kneeling before it, putting in at the little open door morsels of fuel which were lamentably insufficient for the poor man's purpose of raising a fire. The weather, indeed, was as yet warm--so warm that in the middle of the day the heat was matter of complaint to Josef Balatka; but in the evening he would become chill; and as there existed some small necessity for cooking, he would beg that he might thus enjoy the warmth of the kitchen. "Yes, we shall starve now," said Souchey, complacently. "There is not much doubt about our starving." "Souchey, I wonder you should speak like that before father," said Nina. "And why shouldn't he speak?" said Balatka. "I think he has as much right as any one." "He has no right to make things worse than they are." "I don't know how I could do that, Nina," said the servant. "What made you take that money back to your aunt?" "I didn't take it back to my aunt." "Well, to any of the family then? I suppose it came from your aunt?" "It came from my cousin Ziska, and I thought it better to give it back. Souchey, do not you come in between father and me. There are troubles enough; do not you make them worse." "If I had been here you should never have taken it back again," said Souchey, obstinately. "Father," said Nina, appealing to the old man, "how could I have kept it? You knew why it was given." "Who is to help us if we may not take it from them?" "To-morrow," said Nina, "I can get as much as he brought. And I will, and you shall see it." "Who will give it you, Nina?" "Never mind, father, I will have it." "She will beg it from her Jew lover," said Souchey. "Souchey," said she, with her eyes flashing fire at him, "if you cannot treat your master's daughter better than that, you may as well go." "Is it not true?" demanded Souchey. "No, it is not true; it is false. I have never taken money from Anton; nor shall I do so till we are married." "And that will be never," said Souchey. "It is as well to speak out at once. The priest will not let it be done." "All the priests in Prague cannot hinder it," said Nina. "That is true," said Balatka.