"We would not take it from her. But we will not speak of that, sir. Can I have the money?" Then the jeweller gave her a receipt for the necklace and took her receipt for the sum he lent her. It was more than Nina had expected, and she rejoiced that she had so well completed her business. Nevertheless she wished that the jeweller had known nothing of her aunt. She was hardly out of the shop before she met her cousin Ziska, and she so met him that she could not escape him. She heard his voice, indeed, almost as soon as she recognised him, and had stopped at his summons before she had calculated whether it might not be better to run away. "What, Nina! is that you?" said Ziska, taking her hand before she knew how to refuse it to him. "Yes; it is I," said Nina. "What are you doing here?" "Why should I not be in the Grosser Ring as well as another? It is open to rich and poor." "So is Rapinsky's shop; but poor people do not generally have much to do there." Rapinsky was the name of the jeweller who had advanced the money to Nina. "No, not much," said Nina. "What little they have to sell is soon sold." "And have you been selling anything?" "Nothing of yours, Ziska." "But have you been selling anything?" "Why do you ask me? What business is it of yours?" "They say that Anton Trendellsohn, the Jew, gives you all that you want," said Ziska. "Then they say lies," said Nina, her eyes flashing fire upon her Christian lover through the gloom of the evening. "Who says so? You say so. No one else would be mean enough to be so false." "All Prague says so." "All Prague! I know what that means. And did all Prague go to the Jews' quarter last Saturday, to tell Anton Trendellsohn that the paper which he wants, and which is his own, was in father's keeping? Was it all Prague told that falsehood also?" There was a scorn in her face as she spoke which distressed Ziska greatly, but which he did not know how to meet or how to answer. He wanted to be brave before her; and he wanted also to show his affection for her, if only he knew how to do so, without making himself humble in her presence. "Shall I tell you, Nina, why I went to the Jews' quarter on Saturday?" "No; tell me nothing. I wish to hear nothing from you. I know enough without your telling me." "I wish to save you if it be possible, because--because I love you."