No, I think I can do no better than pursue the old career; who knows but I may make the two hundred thousand three or four ?--there is already a surplus, which is an encouragement; however, we will consider the matter over a goblet of wine; I have observed of late that you have become partial to my Cyprus." And it came to pass that, as we were seated over the Cyprus wine, we heard a knock at the door.

"Adelante!" cried the Armenian; whereupon the door opened, and in walked a somewhat extraordinary figure--a man in a long loose tunic of a stuff striped with black and yellow; breeches of plush velvet, silk stockings, and shoes with silver buckles.

On his head he wore a high-peaked hat; he was tall, had a hooked nose, and in age was about fifty.
"Welcome, Rabbi Manasseh," said the Armenian.

"I know your knock--you are welcome; sit down." "I am welcome," said Manasseh, sitting down; "he--he--he! you know my knock--I bring you money--_bueno_!" There was something very peculiar in the sound of that _bueno_--I never forgot it.
Thereupon a conversation ensued between Rabbi Manasseh and the Armenian, in a language which I knew to be Spanish, though a peculiar dialect.

It related to a mercantile transaction.