ed the
youth, "and I am to have a ducat for myself."

"All right! you shall have the money; but first I must see Pinkus."

Veitel hastened to his lodgings, and found Pinkus still much excited,
and revolving all Ehrenthal's injurious speeches.

In a few decided words, he gave him to understand that he was quietly to
accept a hundred dollars, and to help Ehrenthal in this matter, else he,
Veitel, would give the police a hint of the mysterious chamber in the
next house, and of the smuggling guests; and further, that henceforth he
must have a comfortable room on reasonable terms, and be treated no
longer like a poor devil, but an equal. The result of which address was,
that, after a good deal of useless fuming and fretting, Pinkus
accompanied Veitel to Ehrenthal's house, where both worthies shook hands
and came to terms; soon after which Veitel opened the door for
Loewenberg, the wine-merchant, and was politely dismissed. This time he
did not care to listen, but returned to enjoy his supper in his new
apartment.

Meanwhile Ehrenthal said, over a glass of wine, to Loewenberg, "I have
heard that Councilor Horn has written for information respecting this
mortgage to Commissary Walter, in your town. Is there any thing to be
made of him?"

"Not by money," answered the stranger, thoughtfully, "but possibly by
other means. He does not know that I have been authorized by the count's
attorney to sell this mortgage. I shall go to him, as if on business of
my own, and take some opportunity of praising the property."

"But if he knows it himself, of what use is that?" said Ehrenthal,
shaking his head.

"There will still be some use; for, after all, those lawyers must trust
to us traders for details. How can they know, as we do, how wool and
grain sell on estates? At all events, we must do what we can."

Ehrenthal sighed, "You can believe, Loewenberg, that it makes me
anxious."

"Come, come," said the other, "it will be a profitable concern. The
buyer you have in view pays ninety per cent., and seventy is sent to the
count in Paris; of the twenty per cent. remaining, you pay the count's
attorney five, and me five for my trouble, and you keep ten. Four
thousand dollars is a pretty profit where no capital has been risked."

"But it makes me anxious," said Ehrenthal. "Believe me, Loewenberg, it
excites me so much that I can not sleep at night; and when my wife asks
me, 'Are you asleep, Ehrenthal?' I have always to say, 'I can n