y was the emporium for all
vessels, but now for the most part they only run in to pay the toll
and to take in supplies for their crews. This populous place has a big
stomach, and many trades drive a considerable business here, but most of
those that fail here are still carried on in Alexandria."

"It is the sea that is lacking," interrupted the Jew; "Memphis trades
only with Egypt, and we with the whole world. The merchant who sends
his goods here only load camels, and wretched asses, and flat-bottomed
Nile-boats, while we in our harbors freight fine seagoing vessels. When
the winter-storms are past our house alone sends twenty triremes with
Egyptian wheat to Ostia and to Pontus; and your Indian and Arabian
goods, your imports from the newly opened Ethiopian provinces, take
up less room, but I should like to know how many talents your trade
amounted to in the course of the past year. Well then, farewell till we
meet again on my boat; it is called the Euphrosyne, and lies out there,
exactly opposite the two statues of the old king--who can remember these
stiff barbarian names? In three hours we start. I have a good cook on
board, who is not too particular as to the regulations regarding food by
which my countrymen in Palestine live, and you will find a few new books
and some capital wine from Byblos."

"Then we need not dread a head-wind," laughed the Lesbian. "We meet
again in three hours."

The Israelite waved his hand to his travelling companion, and proceeded
at first along the shore under the shade of an alley of sycamores with
their broad unsymmetrical heads of foliage, but presently he turned
aside into a narrow street which led from the quay to the city. He stood
still for a moment opposite the entrance of the corner house, one side
of which lay parallel to the stream while the other--exhibiting the
front door, and a small oil-shop--faced the street; his attention had
been attracted to it by a strange scene; but he had still much to attend
to before starting on his journey, and he soon hurried on again without
noticing a tall man who came towards him, wearing a travelling-hat and a
cloak such as was usually adapted only for making journeys.

The house at which the Jew had gazed so fixedly was that of Apollodorus,
the sculptor, and the man who was so strangely dressed for a walk
through the city at this hour of the day was the Roman, Publius Scipio.
He seemed to be still more attracted by what was going on in t