but he would be
very discreet, would learn more than he told, and, above all, would not
betray his master or mistress.

Soon after he was gone, Anton Trendellsohn came over to the Kleinseite,
and, ringing at the bell of the house, received admission from Nina
herself. "What! you, Anton?" she said, almost jumping into his arms,
and then restraining herself. "Will you come up? It is so long since I
have seen you."

"Yes--it is long. I hope the time is soon coming when there shall be no
more of such separation."

"Is it? Is it indeed?"

"I trust it is."

"I suppose as a maiden I ought to be coy, and say that I would prefer
to wait; but, dearest love, sorrow and trouble have banished all that.
You will not love me less because I tell you that I count the minutes
till I may be your wife."

"No; I do not love you less on that account. I would have you be true
and faithful in all things."

Though the words themselves were assuring, there was something in the
tone of his voice which repressed her. "To you I am true and faithful
in all things; as faithful as though you were already my husband. What
were you saying of a time that is soon coming?"

He did not answer her question, but turned the subject away into
another channel. "I have brought something for you," he said--"something
which I hope you will be glad to have."

"Is it a present? she asked. As yet he had never given her anything
that she could call a gift, and it was to her almost a matter of pride
that she had taken nothing from her Jew lover, and that she would take
nothing till it should be her right to take everything.

"Hardly a present; but you shall look at it as you will. You remember
Rapinsky, do you not?" Now Rapinsky was the jeweller in the Grosser
Ring, and Nina, though she well remembered the man and the shop, did
not at the moment remember the name. "You will not have forgotten this
at any rate," said Trendellsohn, bringing the necklace from out of his
pocket.

"How did you get it?" said Nina, not putting out her hand to take it,
but looking at it as it lay upon the table.

"I thought you would be glad to have it back again."

"I should be glad if--"

"If what? Will it be less welcome because it comes through my hands?"

"The man lent me money upon it, and you must have paid the money."

"What if I have? I like your pride, Nina; but be not too proud. Of
course I have paid the money. I know Rapinsky, who deals with us often.
I went to