"He is stronger than I had expected to find him," said
Father Jerome.
"He has rallied a little, Father, because you were coming. You may be
sure that he is very ill."
"I know that he is very ill, but I think that he may still last some
days. Should it be so, I will come again." After that Nina thought that
the priest would have gone; but he paused for a few moments as though
hesitating, and then spoke again, putting down his hat, which he had
taken up. "But what is all this that I hear about you, Nina?"
"All what?" said Nina, blushing.
"They tell me that you have engaged yourself to marry Anton
Trendellsohn, the Jew."
She stood before him confessing her guilt by her silence. "Is it true,
Nina?" he asked.
"It is true."
"I am very sorry for that--very sorry. Could you not bring yourself to
love some Christian youth, rather than a Jew? Would it not be better,
do you think, to do so--for your soul's sake?"
"It is too late now, Father."
"Too late! No; it can never be too late to repent of evil."
"But why should it be evil, Father Jerome? It is permitted; is it not?"
"The law permits it, certainly.
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