t to
fetch my baggage from the hotel. Before leaving the banker I asked him to
shew me some way of making twenty thousand florins in the short time I
was going to stay in Holland.

Taking me quite seriously he replied that the thing might easily be done
and that he would think it over.

The next morning after breakfast, Boaz said,

"I have solved your problem, sir; come in here and I will tell you about
it."

He took me into his private office, and, after counting out three
thousand florins in notes and gold, he told me that if I liked I could
undoubtedly make the twenty thousand florins I had spoken of.

Much surprised at the ease with which money may be got in Holland, as I
had been merely jesting in the remarks I had made, I thanked him for his
kindness, and listened to his explanation.

"Look at this note," said he, "which I received this morning from the
Mint. It informs me that an issue of four hundred thousand ducats is
about to be made which will be disposed of at the current rate of gold,
which is fortunately not high just now. Each ducat will fetch five
florins, two stivers and three-fifths. This is the rate of exchange with
Frankfort. Buy in four hundred thousand ducats; take them or send them to
Frankfort, with bills of exchange on Amsterdam, and your business is
done. On every ducat you will make a stiver and one-ninth, which comes to
twenty-two thousand, two hundred and twenty-two of our florins. Get hold
of the gold to-day, and in a week you will have your clear profit. That's
my idea."

"But," said I, "will the clerks of the Mint trust me with such a sum?"

"Certainly not, unless you pay them in current money or in good paper."

"My dear sir, I have neither money nor credit to that amount."

"Then you will certainly never make twenty thousand florins in a week. By
the way you talked yesterday I took you for a millionaire."

"I am very sorry you were so mistaken."

"I shall get one of my sons to transact the business to-day."

After giving me this rather sharp lesson, M. Boaz went into his office,
and I went to dress.

M. d'Afri had paid his call on me at the "Hotel d'Angleterre," and not
finding me there he had written me a letter asking me to come and see
him. I did so, and he kept me to dinner, shewing me a letter he had
received from M. de Boulogne, in which he was instructed not to let me
dispose of the twenty millions at a greater loss than eight per cent., as
peace was imminent. We