do not always love best those women whom they have known the longest.
Anton Trendellsohn had known her long enough to find that he loved her
best. Why then should this Jewish girl come to her and throw in her
teeth the shortness of her intimacy with the man who was to be her
husband? If she, Nina, had also been a Jewess, Rebecca Loth would not
then have spoken in such a way. As she thought of this she turned her
face away from the stranger, and looked out among the sparrows who were
still pecking among the dust in the court. She had told Rebecca at the
beginning of their interview that she would be delighted to find a
friend in a Jewess, but now she felt sorry that the girl had come to
her. For Anton's sake she would bear with much from one whom he had
known so long. But for that thought she would have answered her visitor
with short courtesy. As it was, she sat silent and looked out upon the
birds.

"I have come to you now," said Rebecca Loth, "to say a few words to you
about Anton Trendellsohn. I hope you will not refuse to listen."

"That will depend on what you say."

"Do you think it will be for his good to marry a Christian?"

"I shall leave him to judge of that," replied Nina, sharply.

"It cannot be that you do not think of it. I am sure you would not
willingly do an injury to the man you love."

"I would die for him, if that would serve him."

"You can serve him without dying. If he takes you for his wife, all his
people will turn against him. His own father will become his enemy."

"How can that be? His father knows of it, and yet he is not my enemy."

"It is as I tell you. His father will disinherit him. Every Jew in
Prague will turn his back upon him. He knows it now. Anton knows it
himself, but he cannot be the first to say the word that shall put an
end to your engagement."

"Jews have married Christians in Prague before now," said Nina,
pleading her own cause with all the strength she had.

"But not such a one as Anton Trendellsohn. An unconsidered man may do
that which is not permitted to those who are more in note."

"There is no law against it now."

"That is true. There is no law. But there are habits stronger than law.
In your own case, do you not know that all the friends you have in the
world will turn their backs upon you? And so it would be with him. You
two would be alone--neither as Jews nor as Christians--with none to aid
you, with no friend to love you."

"For myself I care no