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On one of these days old Trendellsohn went to the office of Karil Zamenoy, in the Ross Markt, with the full determination of learning in truth what there might be to be learned as to that deed which would be so necessary to him, or to those who would come after him, when Josef Balatka might die.
In this frame of mind he went to the Ross Markt, and there he was assured over and over again by Ziska Zamenoy for Karil Zamenoy was not to be seen that Nina Balatka had the deed in her own keeping. The name of Nina Balatka was becoming very grievous to the old man.
Nothing more had been said about the lady, and there, when Trendellsohn went into the room, he found the lady, who was no other than Madame Zamenoy herself. A little family council had been held, and it had been settled among them that the Jew should be seen and heard.
Things were not as they used to be, she knew; but there was even yet something of the prestige of power left to the Church, and there were convents with locks and bars, and excommunication might still be made terrible, and public opinion, in the shape of outside persecution, might, as Madame Zamenoy thought, have been brought to bear. Nor did she get much more comfort from Father Jerome.
There was a something of doubtful futurity in the word engaged, which gave a slight feeling of relief to Madame Zamenoy, and taught her to entertain a hope that there might be yet room for escape. "Marry a Jew, Nina," she said; "it cannot be possible!" "It is possible, aunt. Other Jews in Prague have married Christians." "Yes, I know it.
"It is impossible that Nina should have them," said Trendellsohn. "How should she have got them?" "That is nothing to us," said Madame Zamenoy. "The whole thing is nothing to us. You have heard all that we can tell you, and you had better go." "You have heard more than I would have told you myself," said Ziska, "had I been left to my opinion."
Souchey had only heard Nina's report of what Father Jerome had said, but he was listening with his own ears while the other priest declared his opinion that things would go very badly with any Christian girl who might marry a Jew. This sufficed for him; and then having been so far enlightened by Madame Zamenoy herself he accepted a little commission, which took him to the Jew's house.
Madame Zamenoy and her son no doubt understood each other's purposes, and there was another person in the house who understood them Lotta Luxa, namely; but Karil Zamenoy had been kept somewhat in the dark.
There was the chance, and he could not bear to be deceived. He felt assured that Ziska Zamenoy and Lotta Luxa believed that this deed was in Nina's keeping. Indeed, he was assured that all the household of the Zamenoys so believed. "If there be a God above us, it is there," Lotta had said, crossing herself.
There were two tables crowded with things needed for household purposes, half-a-dozen chairs of different patterns, a box of sawdust close under the wall, placed there that papa Zamenoy might spit into it when it pleased him.
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