"There she is, and you will speak to her yourself
now," said Balatka.
Ziska got up to go, but as he did so he fumbled in his pocket and
brought forth a little bundle of bank-notes. A bundle of bank-notes in
Prague may be not little, and yet represent very little money. When
bank-notes are passed for two-pence and become thick with use, a man
may have a great mass of paper currency in his pocket without being
rich. On this occasion, however, Ziska tendered to his uncle no two-
penny notes. There was a note for five florins, and two or three for
two florins, and perhaps half-a-dozen for a florin each, so that the
total amount offered was sufficient to be of real importance to one
so poor as Josef Balatka.
"This will help you awhile," said Ziska, "and if Nina will come round
and be a good girl, neither you nor she shall want anything; and she
need not be afraid of mother, if she will only do as I say." Balatka
had put out his hand and had taken the money, when the bedroom door was
opened, and Nina came in.
"What, Ziska," said she, "are you here?"
"Why not? why should I not see my uncle?"
"It is very good of you, certainly; only, as you never came before--"
"I mean it for kindness, now I have come, at any rate," said Ziska.
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