To crush the prejudice which had dealt so hardly with his people--to make a Jew equal in all things to a Christian--this was his desire; and how could this better be fulfilled than by his union with a Christian?
One thing at least was fixed with him--one thing was fixed, even though it should mar his dreams.

He had taken the Christian girl to be part of himself, and nothing should separate them.

His father had spoken often to him of the danger which he would incur by marrying a Christian, but had never before uttered any word approaching to a personal threat.
Anton had felt himself to be so completely the mainspring of the business in which they were both engaged--was so perfectly aware that he was so regarded by all the commercial men of Prague--that he had hardly regarded the absence of any positive possession in his father's wealth as detrimental to him.

He had been willing that it should be his father's while his father lived, knowing that any division would be detrimental to them both.

He had never even asked his father for a partnership, taking everything for granted.