"
"You mean that you will not do as I bid you?"
"I cannot do it. Consider of it, Anton. Could you treat your own father
in such a way?"
"I would cling to you sooner than to him. I have told him so, and he
has threatened to turn me penniless from his house. Still I shall cling
to you, because you are my love. I shall do so if you are equally true
to me. That is my idea of love. There can be no divided allegiance."
And this also was Nina's idea of love--an idea up to which she had
striven to act and live when those around her had threatened her with
all that earth and heaven could do to her if she would not abandon the
Jew. But she had anticipated no such trial as that which had now come
upon her. "Dear Anton," she said, appealing to him weakly in her
weakness, "if you did but know how I love you!"
"You must prove your love."
"Am I not ready to prove it? Would I not give up anything, everything,
for you?"
"Then you must assist me in this thing, as I am desiring you." As he
said this they had reached the corner from whence the street ran in the
direction of the bridge, and into this he turned instead of continuing
their walk round the square.
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