This thought had sufficed to comfort her, as the evil of absolute destitution was close upon her.

Surely the day of her marriage would come soon.
But now it seemed to her to be certain that the day of her marriage would never come.

All those expectations must be banished, and she must look elsewhere--if elsewhere there might be any relief.

She knew well that if she would separate herself from the Jew, the pocket of her aunt would be opened to relieve the distress of her father--would be opened so far as to save the old man from perishing of want.

Aunt Sophie, if duly invoked, would not see her sister's husband die of starvation.
Nay, aunt Sophie would doubtless so far stretch her Christian charity as to see that her niece was in some way fed, if that niece would be duly obedient.