the arms unless I give him 10,000 piastres. Now, if you will pay
these people for me, my Besso, and deduct the expenses from my Lebanon
loan when it is negotiated, that would be a great service. Now, now, my
Besso, shall it be done?' he continued with the coaxing voice and with
the wheedling manner of a girl. 'You shall have any terms you like, and
I will always love you so, my Besso. Let it be done, let it be done! I
will go down on my knees and kiss your hand before the Frenchman, which
will spread your fame throughout Europe, and make Louis Philippe take
you for the first man in Syria, if you will do it for me. Dear, dear
Besso, you will pay that old camel Scheriff Ef-fendi for me, will you
not? and please the Rose of Sharon as much as me!'

'My prince,' said Besso, 'have a fresh pipe; I never can transact
business after sunset.'

The reader will remember that Sidonia had given Tancred a letter of
credit on Besso. He is the same Besso who was the friend at Jerusalem of
Contarini Fleming, and this is the same chamber in which Contarini, his
host, and others who were present, inscribed one night, before their
final separation, certain sentences in the panels of the walls. The
original writing remains, but Besso, as we have already seen, has had
the sentences emblazoned in a manner more permanent and more striking
to the eye. They may, however, be both seen by all those who visit
Jerusalem, and who enjoy the flowing hospitality and experience the
boundless benevolence of this prince of Hebrew merchants.

CHAPTER XXV.

_Gethsemane_

THE Christian convents form one of the most remarkable features of
modern Jerusalem. There are three principal ones; the Latin Convent
of Terra Santa, founded, it is believed, during the last crusade, and
richly endowed by the kings of Christendom; the Armenian and the Greek
convents, whose revenues are also considerable, but derived from the
numerous pilgrims of their different churches, who annually visit the
Holy Sepulchre, and generally during their sojourn reside within the
walls of their respective religious houses. To be competent to supply
such accommodation, it will easily be apprehended that they are of
considerable size. They are in truth monastic establishments of the
first class, as large as citadels, and almost as strong. Lofty stone
walls enclose an area of acres, in the centre of which rises an
irregular mass of buildings and enclosures; courts of all shapes,