e she knows it," said the father.

"I will ask her nothing of the kind," said the son.

"It would be of no use," said Ruth.

After this Rebecca rose to take her leave, saying something of the
falseness of her brother Samuel, who had promised to come for her and
to take her home. "But he is with Miriam Harter," said Rebecca, "and,
of course, he will forget me."

"I will go home with you," said Anton.

"Indeed you shall not. Do you think I cannot walk alone through our own
streets in the dark without being afraid?"

"I am well aware that you are afraid of nothing; but nevertheless, if
you will allow me, I will accompany you." There was no sufficient cause
for her to refuse his company, and the two left the house together.

As they descended the stairs, Rebecca determined that she would
have the first word in what might now be said between them. She had
suggested that this marriage with the Christian girl might be abandoned
without the disgrace upon Anton of having broken his troth, and she had
thereby laid herself open to a suspicion of having worked for her own
ends--of having done so with unmaidenly eagerness to gratify her own
love. Something on the subject must be said--would be said by him if
not by her--and therefore she would explain herself at once. She spoke
as soon as she found herself by his side in the street. "I regretted
what I said up-stairs, Anton, as soon as the words were out of my
mouth."

"I do not know that you said anything to regret."

"I told you that if in truth you thought this marriage to be wrong--"

"Which I do not."

"Pardon me, my friend, for a moment. If you had so thought, I said that
there was a mode of escape without falsehood or disgrace. In saying so
I must have seemed to urge you to break away from Nina Balatka."

"You are all urging me to do that."

"Coming from the others, such advice cannot even seem to have an
improper motive." Here she paused, feeling the difficulty of her task--
aware that she could not conclude it without an admission which no
woman willingly makes. But she shook away the impediment, bracing
herself to the work, and went on steadily with her speech. "Coming from
me, such motive may be imputed--nay, it must be imputed."

"No motive is imputed that is not believed by me to be good and healthy
and friendly."

"Our friends," continued Rebecca, "have wished that you and I should be
husband and wife. That is now impossible."

"It is impossible--be