but if she were to be induced to abandon him
--for his sake, so that he might not be ruined by his love for her--
why, in that case, should he not take the other girl for his wife? In
such a case Nina told herself that there would be no world left for
her. There would be nothing left for her beyond the accomplishment of
Lotta Luxa's prophecy. But yet, though she thought of this, though in
her misery she half resolved that she would give up Anton, and not
exact from Rebecca the oath which the Jewess had tendered, still, in
spite of that feeling, the dread of a rival's success helped to make
her feel that she could never bring herself to yield.

"Shall it be as I say?" said Rebecca; "and shall we, dear, be friends
while we live?"

"No," said Nina, suddenly.

"You cannot bring yourself to do so much for the man you love?"

"No, I cannot. Could you throw yourself from the bridge into the
Moldau, and drown yourself?"

"Yes," said Rebecca, "I could. If it would serve him, I think that I
could do so."

"What! in the dark, when it is so cold? The people would see you in the
daytime."

"But I would live, that I might hear of his doings, and see his
success."

"Ah! I could not live without feeling that he loved me."

"But what will you think of his love when it has ruined him? Will it be
pleasant then? Were I to do that, then--then I should bethink myself of
the cold river and the dark night, and the eyes of the passers-by whom
I should be afraid to meet in the daytime. I ask you to be as I am. Who
is there that pities me? Think again, Nina. I know you would wish that
he should be prosperous."

Nina did think again, and thought long. And she wept, and the Jewess
comforted her, and many words were said between them beyond those which
have been here set down; but, in the end, Nina could not bring herself
to say that she would give him up. For his sake had she not given up
her uncle and her aunt, and St John and St Nicholas--and the very
Virgin herself, whose picture she had now removed from the wall
beside her bed to a dark drawer? How could she give up that which was
everything she had in the world--the very life of her bosom? "I will
ask him--him himself," she said at last, hoarsely. "I will ask him, and
do as he bids me. I cannot do anything unless it is as he bids me."

"In this matter you must act on your own judgment, Nina."

"No, I will not. I have no judgment. He must judge for me in
everything. If he says i