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Updated: June 7, 2025
The aspect of the place is such as to strike with wonder a stranger to Prague that in the heart of so large a city there should be an abode so sequestered, so isolated, so desolate, and yet so close to the thickest throng of life. But there are others such, perhaps many others such, in Prague; and Nina Balatka, who had been born there, thought nothing of the quaintness of her abode.
"I suppose I shall be dead soon," said old Balatka, "and then it will not matter. You will become one of them, and I shall be forgotten." "Father, have I ever forgotten you?" said Nina, throwing herself upon him on his bed. "Have I not always loved you? Have I not been good to you? Oh, father, we have been true to each other through it all. Do not speak to me like that at last."
"And what has come of such giving? Josef Balatka is poor, and Karil Zamenoy bids fair to be as rich as any merchant in Prague. But no matter about that. Will you give a helping hand? There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Souchey, if we could manage this between us." "Would you now?" And Souchey drew near, as though some closer bargain might be practicable between them.
It was dated seven or eight years back, at a time when Balatka was only on his way to ruin not absolutely ruined, as was the case with him now and contained an offer on Zamenoy's part to give safe custody to certain documents which were named, and among which the deed now sought for stood first. "And has he got all those other papers?" Nina asked. "No! he has none of them, unless he has this.
Anton Trendellsohn believed that he would be rich, and was sure that he knew the ways of trade; and therefore he nursed his ambition, and meditated what his action should be when the days of his freedom should come to him. Then Nina Balatka had come across his path. To be a Jew, always a Jew, in all things a Jew, had been ever a part of his great dream.
"You want, of course, to be made right about those houses?" "My father, to whom they belong, wishes to be made right, as you call it." "It is all the same thing. Now, look here. The truth is this. Everything shall be settled for you, and the whole thing given up regularly into your hands, if you will only give over about Nina Balatka." "But I will not give over about Nina Balatka.
If some one does not take pity on her, she will starve soon." "Take pity on her! Do not we all take pity on her?" "No," said Josef Balatka, turning angrily against his nephew; "not a scrap of pity not a morsel of love. You cannot rid yourself of her quite of her or me and that is your pity." "You are wrong there." "Very well; then let me be wrong. I can understand what is before my eyes.
The elder Jew had then expressed his opinion that Josef Balatka should be required to make the demand as a matter of business, to enforce a legal right; but to this Anton had replied that the old man in the Kleinseite was not in a condition to act efficiently in the matter himself.
Then Souchey took the note, which was as follows: My father is dead, and the house will be empty to-morrow. You may come and take your property without fear that you will be troubled by NINA BALATKA. When Souchey left the room with the note, Nina went to the door and listened.
Then, not waiting for a word, she started away so quickly that Lotta had not a chance of speaking to her, no power of uttering an audible word of abuse. When Ziska opened the parcel thus brought to him, he found it to contain all the notes which he had given to Josef Balatka. When Nina returned to her father after Ziska's departure, a very few words made everything clear between them.
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