Jewish Blood (Continued) [Volume: 2, Issue: 9, June, 1896, pp. 447-453]

JEWISH BLOOD.

449

tell her that he had given their secret to his father. He did not
know why he shrank from telling her. He felt rather grateful
to Aaron for having urged him to hasten events. Upon calm
reflection, he forgave his brother for his interference, which had
been obnoxious at first. Iis heart was light and full of happiness.
He had no fears as to his father's decision. He trusted to the
old man's love for himself and Clara, and he thought it quite
natural that Abraham had asked time to think. His mother had
always praised Clara, declaring her the best and prettiest girl in
town. Besides, did not the old lady always give her consent to
everything her husband proposed? Jacob was the last man to
underrate the obstacles of conflicting religious views, but he did
not believe them insurmountable. Such matters had never been
alluded to, and he fancied that there was no reason why they
should be discussed in the future. What mattered it that he was
a Jew? He was liberal and fully emancipated from social and
religious prejudices.
His father came home early. At the tea-table the old gentleman appeared in the best of spirits and proposed that they all pass
the evening together. Jacob took the hint and gave up his usual
evening walk with Clara, although it cost him a pang to lose the
happy hour.
VI.
"Come to my room," said Abraham Nieder the next morning
after breakfast; "come to my room and I will give you my
answer."
When father and son were alone the old man continued: "My
boy, sit down and let us talk over your affairs deliberately, and
that will take time. Sit down, I say. There-take this comfortable chair, for one should be comfortable to be calm, and who
knows but that we both shall find it necessary to force ourselves
to be calm? So make yourself quite at ease. Now then, Jacob,
have vou two children been in love for some time?"
"Yes, father; 1 think we have," said Jacob. "I think we have
always loved each other, although, of course, unconsciously."
"And you are convinced that she returns your affection fullythat she is wholly devoted to you from the bottom of her heart?"
"You know Clara as well as I do, father; you know that she is
genuine in everything. If she loves me as I am sure she does,
she must love me truly and faithfully."
"Yes; I know that Clara is of true and genuine metal-so her
love is also true. Having been with us since she was a child, our
home has been her world, and she feels herself so completely a