of the house was at
home. The Moldavian clerk replied with his usual guttural, and, opening
his desk, ensconced his head therein.

"It does not much matter," said I, "I suppose I shall find him at home
after 'Change; it does not much matter, I can return."

I was turning away with the intention of leaving the room; at this
moment, however, the head of the Moldavian clerk became visible, and I
observed a letter in his hand, which he had inserted in the desk at the
same time with his head; this he extended towards me, making at the same
time a side-long motion with his head, as much as to say that it
contained something which interested me.

I took the letter, and the Moldavian clerk forthwith resumed his
occupation. The back of the letter bore my name, written in Armenian
characters; with a trembling hand I broke the seal, and, unfolding the
letter, I beheld several lines also written in the letters of Mesroub,
the Cadmus of the Armenians.

I stared at the lines, and at first could not make out a syllable of
their meaning; at last, however, by continued staring, I discovered that,
though the letters were Armenian, the words were English; in about ten
minutes I had contrived to decipher the sense of the letter; it ran
somewhat in this style:--

"MY DEAR FRIEND,--The words which you uttered in our last conversation
have made a profound impression upon me; I have thought them over day
and night, and have come to the conclusion that it is my bounden duty
to attack the Persians. When these lines are delivered to you, I
shall be on the route to Ararat. A mercantile speculation will be to
the world the ostensible motive of my journey, and it is singular
enough that one which offers considerable prospect of advantage has
just presented itself on the confines of Persia. Think not, however,
that motives of lucre would have been sufficiently powerful to tempt
me to the East at the present moment. I may speculate, it is true,
but I should scarcely have undertaken the journey but for your pungent
words inciting me to attack the Persians. Doubt not that I will
attack them on the first opportunity. I thank you heartily for
putting me in mind of my duty. I have hitherto, to use your own
words, been too fond of money-getting, like all my countrymen. I am
much indebted to you; farewell! and may every prosperity await you."

For some time after I had deciphered the epistle, I