"About that paper, Nina ?" Accursed document, that it should be brought again between them to dash the cup of joy from her lips at such a moment as this! She disengaged herself from his embrace, almost with a leap.
"Well! what about the paper ?" she said.
"Simply this, that I would wish to know where it is." "And you think I have it ?" "No; I do not think so; I am perplexed about it, hardly knowing what to believe; but I do not think you have it; I think that you know nothing of it." "Then why do you mention it again, reminding me of the cruel words which you spoke before ?" "Because it is necessary for both our sakes.

I will tell you plainly just what I have heard: your servant Souchey has been with me, and he says that you have it." "Souchey!" "Yes; Souchey.

It seemed strange enough to me, for I had always thought him to be your friend." "Souchey has told you that I have got it ?" "He says that it is in that desk," and the Jew pointed to the old depository of all the treasures which Nina possessed.
"He is a liar." "I think he is so, though I cannot tell why he should have so lied; but I think he is a liar; I do not believe that it is there; but in such a matter it is well that the fact should be put beyond all dispute.

You will not object to my looking into the desk ?" He had come there with a fixed resolve that he would demand to search among her papers.

It was very unpleasant to him, and he knew that his doing so would be painful to her; but he told himself that it would be best for them both that he should persevere.
"Will you open it, or shall I ?" he said; and as he spoke, she looked into his face, and saw that all tenderness and love were banished from it, and that the hard suspicious greed of the Jew was there instead.
"I will not unlock it," she said; "there is the key, and you can do as you please." Then she flung the key upon the table, and stood with her back up against the wall, at some ten paces distant from the spot where the desk stood.