Theseia you fed the poor of Athens on sixty oxen washed down with good
Rhodian wine. All that made havoc in your patrimony."

"By Zeus, you speak as if you lived all your life in Athens!"

"I have said 'I have many eyes.' But to continue. You gave the price of
the tackling for six of the triremes with which Themistocles pretends to
believe he can beat back my master. Worse still, you have squandered many
minae on flute girls, dice, cock-fights, and other gentle pleasures. In
short your patrimony is not merely exhausted but overspent. That, however,
is not the most wonderful part of my recital."

"How dare you pry into my secrets?"

"Be appeased, dear Athenian; it is much more interesting to know you deny
nothing of all I say. It is now five months since you were appointed by
your sagacious Athenian assembly as commissioner to administer the silver
taken from the mines at Laurium and devoted to your navy. You fulfilled
the people's confidence by diverting much of this money to the payment of
your own great debts to the banker Pittacus of Argos. At present you are
'watching the moon,' as you say here in Athens,--I mean, that at the end of
this month you must account to the people for all the money you have
handled, and at this hour are at your wits' ends to know whence the
repayment will come."

"That is all you know of me?"

"All."

Democrates sighed with relief. "Then you have yet to complete the story,
my dear Barbarian. I have adventured on half the cargo of a large
merchantman bringing timber and tin from Massalia; I look every day for a
messenger from Corinth with news of her safe arrival. Upon her coming I
can make good all I owe and still be a passing rich man."

If the Cyprian was discomposed at this announcement, he did not betray it.

"The sea is frightfully uncertain, good Democrates. Upon it, as many
fortunes are lost as are made."

"I have offered due prayers to Poseidon, and vowed a gold tripod on the
ship's arrival."

"So even your gods in Hellas have their price," was the retort, with an
ill-concealed sneer. "Do not trust them. Take ten talents from me and
to-night sleep sweetly."

"Your price?" the words slipped forth involuntarily.

"Themistocles's private memoranda for the battle-order of your new fleet."

"Avert it, gods! The ship will reach Corinth, I warn you--" Democrates's
gestures became menacing, as again he rose, "I will set you in
Themistocles's hand as soon--"

"But not to-n