mself?'
'Because he could not come with money, since he has none, and he could
not come for money, because I have none.' At that moment we bowed down
both of us to the worthy Tutmosis. But when he told us that it was
thou, most worthy lord, who desirest fifteen talents from thy slave, I
asked my wife, 'Tamara, did my heart teach me badly?' 'Dagon, Thou art
so wise that Thou shouldst be an adviser to the heir,' replied my
Tamara."

Ramses was boiling with impatience, but he listened to the banker, he,
Ramses, who stormed in the presence of his own mother and the pharaoh.

"When we, lord, stopped and understood that Thou wert desirous of my
services, such delight entered my house that I ordered to give the
servants ten pitchers of beer, and my wife Tamara commanded me to buy
her new earrings. My joy was increased so that when coming hither I did
not let my driver beat the asses. And when my unworthy feet touched thy
floor, O prince, I took out a gold ring, greater than that which the
worthy Herhor gave Eunana, and presented it to thy slave who poured
water on my fingers. With permission, worthiness, whence came that
silver pitcher from which they poured the water?"

"Azarias, the son of Gaber, sold it to me for two talents."

"A Jew? Erpatr, dost Thou deal with Jews? But what will the gods say?"

"Azarias is a merchant, as Thou art," answered Ramses.

When Dagon heard this, he caught his head with both hands, he spat and
groaned,

"O Baal Tammuz! O Baaleth! O Astoreth! Azarias, the son of Gaber, a
Jew, to be such a merchant as I am. Oh, my legs, why did ye bring me
hither? Oh, my heart, why dost Thou suffer such pain and palpitation?
Most worthy prince," cried the Phoenician, "slay me, cut off my hand if
I counterfeit gold, but say not that a Jew can be a merchant. Sooner
will Tyre fall to the earth, sooner will sand occupy the site of Sidon
than a Jew be a merchant. They will milk their lean goats, or mix clay
with straw under blows of Egyptian sticks, but they will never sell
merchandise. Tfu! tfu! Vile nation of slaves! Thieves, robbers!"

Anger boiled up in the prince, it is unknown why, but he calmed himself
quickly. This seemed strange to Ramses himself, who up to that hour had
not thought self-restraint needed in his case in presence of any one.

"And then," said the heir on a sudden, "wilt thou, worthy Dagon, loan
me fifteen talents?"

"O Astoreth! Fifteen talents? That is such a great weight that I sho