I knew to be Spanish, though a peculiar dialect. It
related to a mercantile transaction. The Rabbi sighed heavily as he
delivered to the other a considerable sum of money.

"It is right," said the Armenian, handing a receipt. "It is right; and I
am quite satisfied."

"You are satisfied--you have taken money. _Bueno_, I have nothing to say
against your being satisfied."

"Come, Rabbi," said the Armenian, "do not despond; it may be your turn
next to take money; in the meantime, can't you be persuaded to taste my
Cyprus?"

"He--he--he! senor, you know I do not love wine. I love Noah when he is
himself; but, as Janus, I love him not. But you are merry, _bueno_; you
have a right to be so."

"Excuse me," said I, "but does Noah ever appear as Janus?"

"He--he--he!" said the Rabbi, "he only appeared as Janus once--_una vez
quando estuvo borracho_; which means--"

"I understand," said I; "when he was--" and I drew the side of my right
hand sharply across my left wrist.

"Are you one of our people?" said the Rabbi.

"No," said I, "I am one of the Goyim; but I am only half enlightened. Why
should Noah be Janus, when he was in that state?"

"He--he--he! you must know that in Lasan akhades wine is janin."

"In Armenian, kini," said I; "in Welsh, gwin; Latin, vinum; but do you
think that Janus and janin are one?"

"Do I think? Don't the commentators say so? Does not Master Leo
Abarbenel say so in his _Dialogues of Divine Love_?"

"But," said I, "I always thought that Janus was a god of the ancient
Romans, who stood in a temple open in time of war, and shut in time of
peace; he was represented with two faces, which--which--"

"He--he--he!" said the Rabbi, rising from his seat; "he had two faces,
had he? And what did those two faces typify? You do not know; no, nor
did the Romans who carved him with two faces know why they did so; for
they were only half-enlightened, like you and the rest of the Goyim. Yet
they were right in carving him with two faces looking from each
other--they were right, though they knew not why; there was a tradition
among them that the _Janinoso_ had two faces, but they knew not that one
was for the world which was gone, and the other for the world before
him--for the drowned world, and for the present, as Master Leo Abarbenel
says in his _Dialogues of Divine Love_. He--he--he!" continued the
Rabbi, who had by this time advanced to the door, and, turning round,
waved the two forefin