"What did I say? I said that I had many things that I valued greatly,
but that I had one thing that I valued more than gold or houses--more
even than my right."
"And what is that?" said Nina, stopping suddenly, so that she might
hear clearly every syllable of the words which were to come. "What is
that?" She did not even yet add an ounce to the pressure; but her
fingers were ready.
"A poor thing," said Anton; "just the heart of a Christian girl."
Then the hand was tightened, or rather the two hands, for they were
closed together upon his arm; and his other arm was wound round her
waist; and then, in the gloom of the dark colonnade, he pressed her
to his bosom, and kissed her lips and her forehead, and then her lips
again. "No," he said, "they have not bribed high enough yet to get from
me my treasure--my treasure."
"Dearest, am I your treasure?"
"Are you not? What else have I that I make equal to you?" Nina was
supremely happy--triumphant in her happiness. She cared nothing for her
aunt, nothing for Lotta Luxa and her threats; and very little at the
present moment even for St Nicholas or St John of the Bridge.
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