Has she your sanction for--for--for this accursed abomination ?" Then there was silence in the room for a few moments.

"You can at any rate answer a plain question, Josef," continued Madame Zamenoy.

"Has Nina your leave to betroth herself to the Jew, Trendellsohn ?" "No, I have not got his leave," said Nina.
"I am speaking to your father, miss," said the enraged aunt.
"Yes; you are speaking very roughly to father, and he is ill.

Therefore I answer for him." "And has he not forbidden you to think of marrying this Jew ?" "No, he has not," said Nina.
"Josef, answer for yourself like a man," said Madame Zamenoy.

"Have you not forbidden this marriage?
Do you not forbid it now?
Let me at any rate hear you say that you have forbidden it." But Balatka found silence to be his easiest course, and answered not at all.