as to this world or the next. But she thought that her
priest ought to have done more for her in such a crisis than simply
giving her such ordinary counsel. Things were not as they used to be,
she knew; but there was even yet something of the prestige of power
left to the Church, and there were convents with locks and bars, and
excommunication might still be made terrible, and public opinion, in
the shape of outside persecution, might, as Madame Zamenoy thought,
have been brought to bear. Nor did she get much more comfort from
Father Jerome. His reliance was placed chiefly on operations to be
carried on with the Jew; and, failing them, on the opposition which
the Jew would experience among his own people. "They think more of it
than we do," said Father Jerome.

"How can that be, Father Jerome?"

"Well, they do. He would lose caste among all his friends by such a
marriage, and would, I think, destroy all his influence among them.
When he perceives this more fully he will be shy enough about it
himself. Besides, what is he to get?"

"He will get nothing."

"He will think better of it. And you might manage something with those
deeds. Of course he should have them sooner or later, but they might be
surrendered as the price of his giving her up. I should say it might be
managed."

All this was not comfortable for Madame Zamenoy; and she fretted and
fumed till her husband had no peace in his house, and Ziska almost
wished that he might hear no more of the Jew and his betrothal. She
could not even commence her system of persecution, as Nina did not go
near her, and had already told Lotta Luxa that she must decline to
discuss the question of her marriage any further. So, at last, Madame
Zamenoy found herself obliged to go over in person to the house in the
Kleinseite. Such visits had for many years been very rare with her.
Since her sister's death and the days in which the Balatkas had been
prosperous, she had preferred that all intercourse between the two
families should take place at her own house; and thus, as Josef Balatka
himself rarely left his own door, she had not seen him for more than
two years. Frequent intercourse, however, had been maintained, and aunt
Sophie knew very well how things were going on in the Kleinseite. Lotta
had no compunctions as to visiting the house, and Lotta's eyes were
very sharp. And Nina had been frequently in the Windberg-gasse, having
hitherto believed it to be her duty to attend to