"Give me the jeweller's docket," he said at last. Nina hesitated for a moment, and then he repeated his demand in a sterner voice. "Nina, give me the jeweller's docket." Then she put her hand in her pocket and gave it him. She was very averse to doing so, but she was more averse to refusing him aught that he asked of her. "I have got something to tell you, Anton," she said, as soon as he had put the jeweller's paper into his purse. "Well--what is it?" "I have seen every paper and every morsel of everything that is in father's desk, and there is no sign of the deed you want." "And how did you see them?" "He showed them to me." "You told him, then, what I had said to you?" "No; I told him nothing about it. He gave me the key, and desired me to fetch him all the papers. He wanted to find a letter which uncle Karil wrote him ever so long ago. In that letter uncle Karil acknowledges that he has the deed." "I do not doubt that in the least." "And what is it you do doubt, Anton?" "I do not say I doubt anything." "Do you doubt me, Anton?" There was a little pause before he answered her--the slightest moment of hesitation. But had it been but half as much, Nina's ear and Nina's heart would have detected it. "No," said Anton, "I am not saying that I doubt any one." "If you doubt me, you will kill me. I am at any rate true to you. What is it you want? What is it you think?" "They tell me that the document is in the house in the Kleinseite." "Who are they? Who is it that tells you?" "More than one. Your uncle and aunt said so--and Ziska Zamenoy came to me on purpose to repeat the same." "And would you believe what Ziska says? I have hardly thought it worth my while to tell you that Ziska--" "To tell me what of Ziska?" "That Ziska pretends to--to want that I should be his wife. I would not look at him if there were not another man in Prague. I hate him. He is a liar. Would you believe Ziska?" "And another has told me." "Another?" said Nina, considering. "Yes, another." "Lotta Luxa, I suppose." "Never mind. They say indeed that it is you who have the deed." "And you believe them?" "No, I do not believe them. But why do they say so?" "Must I explain that? How can I tell? Anton, do you not believe that the woman who loves you will be true to you?" Then he paused again--"Nina, sometimes I think that I have been mad to love a Christian." "What have I been then? But I do love you, Anton--I love you better than all the world. I care nothing for Jew or Christian. When I think of you, I care nothing for heaven or earth. You are everything to me, because I love you. How could I deceive you?" "Nina, Nina, my own one!" he said. "And as I love you, so do you love me? Say that you love me also." "I do," said he--"I love you as I love my own soul."