w, and began: "Most gracious baron, have the
condescension to forgive my coming to you on matters of business. I have
a commission from Mr. Pinkus, empowering me to receive the money for the
bill of exchange. I would most humbly inquire whether you will be so
gracious as to pay it me?"

The sad seriousness of the hour was for a moment lost upon the baron
when he saw the lank figure twisting and turning before him, making
faces and attempting to be polite. "Who are you?" inquired he, with all
the dignity of his race.

"Veitel Itzig is my name, gracious sir, if you will permit me to
announce it to you."

The baron started on hearing the name of Itzig. That was the man of whom
he had been warned--the invisible, the merciless.

"I was till now book-keeper at Ehrenthal's," modestly continued Itzig;
"but Ehrenthal was too haughty for me. I have come into a small sum of
money, and I have invested it in Mr. Pinkus's business. I am on the
point of establishing myself."

"You can not have the money at present," said the baron, more
composedly. This helpless creature could hardly be a dangerous enemy.

"It is an honor to me," said Veitel, "to be told by the gracious baron
that he will pay me later in the afternoon; I have plenty of time." He
drew out a silver watch. "I can wait till evening; and that I may not
inconvenience the baron by coming at an hour that might not suit him, or
when he chanced to be out, I will take the liberty to place myself on
his steps. I will stand there," said he, as if deprecating the baron's
refusal to let him sit. "I will wait till five o'clock. The baron need
not inconvenience himself on my account." And Veitel bowed himself out,
and retired from the room backward like a crab. The baron recalled him,
and he stood still in that bent and ridiculous attitude. At that moment
he looked the weakest and oddest of men. The warning letter must have
confounded the poor book-keeper with his master. At all events, it was
easier to deal with this man than with any other.

"Can you tell me of any way in which I may satisfy your claim without
paying down the sum this day?"

Veitel's eyes flashed like those of a bird of prey, but he shook his
head and shrugged his shoulders long in pretended reflection. "Gracious
baron," said he, at length, "there is one way--only one way. You have a
mortgage of twenty thousand on your property, which mortgage belongs to
yourself, and is kept in Ehrenthal's office. I will p