s among the finest Greek MSS. that I had ever seen--perhaps, next to
the uncial MSS., the finest to be met with anywhere.

I asked the monks whether they were inclined to part with these three
books, and offered to purchase them and the parchment rolls. There was a
little consultation among them, and then they desired to be shown those
which I particularly coveted. Then there was another consultation, and
they asked me which I set the greatest value on. So I said the rolls, on
which the three rolls were unrolled, and looked at, and examined, and
peeped at by the three monks who put themselves forward in the business,
with more pains and curiosity than had probably been ever wasted upon
them before. At last they said it was impossible, the rolls were too
precious to be parted with, but if I liked to give a good price I should
have the rest; upon which I took up the St. Chrysostom, the least
valuable of the three, and while I examined it, saw from the corner of
my eye the three monks nudging each other and making signs. So I said,
"Well, now what will you take for your two books, this and the big one?"
They asked five thousand piastres; whereupon, with a look of indignant
scorn, I laid down the St. Chrysostom and got up to go away; but after a
good deal more talk we retired to the divan, or drawing-room as it may
be called, of the monastery, where I conversed with the three exiled
bishops. In course of time I was called out into another room to have a
cup of coffee. There were my friends the three monks, the managing
committee, and under the divan, imperfectly concealed, were the corners
of the three splendid MSS. I knew that now all depended on my own tact
whether my still famished saddle-bags were to have a meal or not that
day, the danger lying between offering too much or too little. If you
offer too much, a Greek, a Jew, or an Armenian immediately thinks that
the desired object must be invaluable, that it must have some magical
properties, like the lamp of Aladdin, which will bring wealth upon its
possessor if he can but find out its secret; and he will either ask you
a sum absurdly large, or will refuse to sell it at any price, but will
lock it up and become nervous about it, and examine it over and over
again privately to see what can be the cause of a Frank's offering so
much for a thing apparently so utterly useless. On the other hand, too
little must not be offered, for it would be an indignity to suppose that
pe