He did not, however, think it necessary to announce in his letter that he had changed his religion and turned Roman Catholic.
A desire to shine in society, meanwhile, and the difficulty of doing so on a small salary, had led him to employ dishonest and criminal means for replenishing his purse.

He had raised money on his friend Manasseh's forged signature.

After entering the prince's service and finding himself amply supplied with means, he went to his broker to redeem the false note, but, to his consternation, was informed by the money-lender that, in a moment of financial embarrassment, although the note was not yet due he had presented it to Manasseh, who had promptly discounted it.
Benjamin Vajdar felt capable of murdering the broker.

A noose now seemed placed around his neck, and the end of the rope was held by the man whose sister he had just wronged so shamefully.
The new secretary's appearance in the prince's household served to hasten the impending outbreak between the recently married couple.

One afternoon Blanka left the house and fled to a friend of hers in Hungary, whence her petition for a divorce soon led her, her friend, and her lawyer, as we have already seen, to Rome.