thing no persecution should drive her. They might kill her, perhaps. Yes, they might kill her; and then there would be an end of it. But to that end she would force them to come before she would yield. So much she swore to herself as she walked home on that morning to the Kleinseite.  

Madame Zamenoy, when Nina left her, sat in solitary consideration for some twenty minutes, and then called for her chief confidant, Lotta Luxa. With many expressions of awe, and with much denunciation of her niece's iniquity, she told to Lotta what she had heard, speaking of Nina as one who was utterly lost and abandoned. Lotta, however, did not express so much indignant surprise as her mistress expected, though she was willing enough to join in abuse against Nina Balatka.  

"That comes of letting girls go about just as they please among the men," said Lotta.  

"But a Jew!" said Madame Zamenoy. "If it had been any kind of a Christian, I could understand it."  

"Trendellsohn has such a hold upon her, and upon her father," said Lotta.  

"But a Jew! She has been to confession, has she not?"  

"Regularly," said Lotta Luxa.  

"Dear, dear! what a false hypocrite! And at mass?"  

"Four mornings a-week always."  

"And to tell me, after it all, that she means to marry a Jew. Of course, Lotta, we must prevent it."  

"But how? Her father will do whatever she bids him."  

"Father Jerome would do anything for me."  

"Father Jerome can do little or nothing if she has the bit between her teeth," said Lotta. "She is as obstinate as a mule when she pleases. She is not like other girls. You cannot frighten her out of anything."  

"I'll try, at least," said Madame Zamenoy.  

"Yes, we can try," said Lotta.  

"Would not the mayor help us — that is, if we were driven to go to that?"  

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