"Very well. Then I shall know how to act. You will not be a bit nearer marrying him; I can promise you that. You are mistaken if you think that in such a matter as this a girl like you can do just as she pleases." Then she turned again upon the poor man in bed. "Josef Balatka, I am ashamed of you. I am indeed--I am ashamed of you." "Aunt Sophie," said Nina, "now that you are here, you can say what you please to me; but you might as well spare father." "I will not spare him. I am ashamed of him--thoroughly ashamed of him. What can I think of him when he will lie there and not say a word to save his daughter from the machinations of a filthy Jew?" "Anton Trendellsohn is not a filthy Jew." "He is a robber. He has cheated your father out of everything." "He is no robber. He has cheated no one. I know who has cheated father, if you come to that." "Whom do you mean, hussey?" "I shall not answer you; but you need not tell me any more about the Jews cheating us. Christians can cheat as well as Jews, and can rob from their own flesh and blood too. I do not care for your threats, aunt Sophie, nor for your frowns. I did care for them, but you have said that which makes it impossible that I should regard them any further." "And this is what I get for all my trouble--for all your uncle's generosity!" Again Nina smiled. "But I suppose the Jew gives more than we have given, and therefore is preferred. You poor creature--poor wretched creature!" During all this time Balatka remained silent; and at last, after very much more scolding, in which Madame Zamenoy urged again and again the terrible threat of eternal punishment, she prepared herself for going. "Lotta Luxa," she said, "--where is Lotta Luxa?" She opened the door, and found Lotta Luxa seated demurely by the window. "Lotta," she said, "I shall go now, and shall never come back to this unfortunate house. You hear what I say; I shall never return here. As she makes her bed, so must she lie on it. It is her own doing, and no one can save her. For my part, I think that the Jew has bewitched her." "Like enough," said Lotta. "When once we stray from the Holy Church, there is no knowing what terrible evils may come upon us," said Madame Zamenoy. "No indeed, ma'am," said Lotta Luxa. "But I have done all in my power." "That you have, ma'am." "I feel quite sure, Lotta, that the Jew will never marry her. Why should a man like that, who loves money better than his soul, marry a girl who has not a kreutzer to bless herself?" "Why indeed, ma'am! It's my mind that he don't think of marrying her." "And, Jew as he is, he cares for his religion. He will not bring trouble upon everybody belonging to him by taking a Christian for his wife." "That he will not, ma'am, you may be sure," said Lotta.