And her
father spoke to her, saying more to her than he had done for days past,
thanking her for her care, patting her hand with his, caressing her,
and bidding her still be of good cheer, as God would certainly be good
to one who had been so excellent a daughter. "But I wish, Nina, he were
not a Jew," he said suddenly.
"Dear father, we will not talk of that now."
"And he is a stern man, Nina."
But on this subject she would speak no further, and therefore she left
the bedside for a moment, and offered him a cup, from which he drank.
When he had tasted it he forgot the matter that had been in his mind,
and said no further word as to Nina's engagement.
As soon as she had taken the cup from her father's hand, she returned
to the parlour. It might be that Anton was still there. She had left
him in the room, and had shut her ears against the sound of his steps,
as though she were resolved that she would care nothing ever again for
his coming or going. He was gone, however, and the room was empty, and
she sat down in solitude, with her back against the wall, and began to
realise her position.
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