I want to speak with him
about this curious painting." Keraunus signed to his daughters, who
immediately left the room. Before the door was closed upon them the
dealer called after them:

"It is already growing dark, might I ask you to send me as bright a
light as possible by one of your slaves."

"What about the picture?" asked Keraunus.

"Till the light is brought let us talk of something else," said
Gabinius.

"Then take a seat on the couch," said Keraunus. "You will be doing me a
pleasure and perhaps yourself as well."

As soon as the two men were seated on the divan, Gabinius began:

"Those little things which we have collected with particular liking, we
do not readily part with--that I know by long experience. Many a man who
has come into some property after he has sold all his little antiquities
has offered me ten times the price I have paid him to get them back
again, generally in vain, unfortunately. Now, what is true of others
is true of you, and if you had not been in immediate need of money you
would hardly have offered me these things."

"I must entreat you," began the steward, but the dealer interrupted him,
saying:

"Even the richest are sometimes in want of ready money; no one knows
that better than I, for I--I must confess--have large means at my
command. Just at present it would be particularly easy for me to free
you from all embarrassment."

"There stands my Apelles," exclaimed the steward. "It is yours if you
make a bid that suits me."

"The light--here comes the light!" exclaimed Gabinius, taking from the
slave's hand the three-branched lamp which Selene had hastily supplied
with a fresh wick, and he placed it, while he murmured to Keraunus, "By
your leave," down on the centre of the mosaic. The steward looked at the
man on his left hand, with puzzled inquiry, but Gabinius heeded him not
but went down on his knees again, felt the mosaic over with his hand,
and devoured the picture of the marriage of Peleus with his eyes.

"Have you lost anything?" asked Keraunus.

"No-nothing whatever. There in the corner--now I am satisfied. Shall I
place the lamp there, on the table? So--and now to return to business."

"I beg to do so, but I may as well begin by telling you that in my case
it is a question not of drachmae but of Attic talents."--[ The Attic
talent was worth about L200, or $1000 dollars in the 1880 exchange
rate.]

"That is a matter of course, and I will offer you five; that is