ven than the literature. He did not dare to ask Joseph
to come down to the counting-house, afraid lest by trying to influence
him in one direction he might influence him in the opposite direction.
He deemed it better to leave everything to fate, and while putting his
trust in God Dan applied himself to meditate on the young man's
character and his tastes, which seemed to have taken a sudden turn; for,
to his father's surprise, Joseph had begun to put questions to him about
the sale of fish, and to speak of visiting Tyre and Sidon with a view to
establishing branch houses--extensions of their business. His father,
while approving of this plan, pointed out that Tyre and Sidon being
themselves on the coast of the sea could never be as good customers as
inland cities, sea fish being considered, he thought mistakenly,
preferable to lake. He had been doing, it is true, a fair trade with
Damascus, but whereas it was impossible to reckon on Damascus it seemed
to him that their industry might be extended in many other directions.
And delighted with the change that had come over his son he said that he
would have tried long ago to extend his business, if he had had
knowledge of the Greek language.

He spoke of Heliopolis, and proposed to Joseph that he should go there
and establish a mart for salt fish as soon as he had mastered all the
details of the trade, which would be soon: a very little application in
the counting-house would be enough for a clever fellow like Joseph.

As he said these words his eyes met Rachel's, and as soon as Joseph left
the room she asked him if he believed that Joseph would settle down to
the selling of salt fish: a question which was not agreeable to Dan, who
was at that moment settling himself into the conviction that Joseph had
begun to evince an aptitude for trade that he himself did not acquire
till many years older, causing him to flame up as might be expected
against his mother, telling her that her remarks were most mischievous,
whether she meant them or not. He hoped Joseph was not the young man
that she saw in him. Before he could say any more Joseph returned, and
linked his arm into his father's, and the twain went away together to
the counting-house, Dan enamoured of his son but just a little afraid
all the same that Joseph might weary of trade in the end, just as he had
wearied of learning. He was moved to speak his fear to Joseph, but on
consideration he resolved that no good could come o