th a voice now
calmed completely.

"He will tell this himself, but first he must see thee."

"Well, let him come to me."

"He thinks that Thou shouldst go to him. He, as is known to thee, is a
member of the chief council of Tyre."

"He will perish before I go to him," cried the banker, enraged a second
time.

The guest drew an armchair to the couch, and slapped Dagon's thigh.

"Dagon," said he, "have sense."

"Why have I not sense, and why dost thou, Rabsun, not say to me
worthiness?"

"Dagon, be not foolish!" answered the guest. "If Thou wilt not go to
him and he will not come to thee, how will ye do business?"

"Thou art foolish, Rabsun!" burst out Dagon again. "Before I go to
Hiram let my hand wither; with that politeness I should lose half the
profit."

The guest thought awhile.

"Now Thou hast uttered a wise word," said he; "so I will tell thee
something. Come to me and Hiram will come also; ye can talk of that
business in my house."

Dagon bent his head, and half closing his eyes, inquired roguishly,

"Ei, Rabsun! Tell outright how much did he give thee?"

"For what?"

"For this, that I should come to thy house and transact business with
him, the mangy scoundrel."

"This business interests all Phoenicia, so I need no profit on it,"
replied the indignant Rabsun.

"That is as true as that all thy debtors will pay thee."

"May they fail to pay me if I make anything in this! Only let not
Phoenicia lose!" cried Rabsun, in anger.

They took farewell of each other.

Toward evening the worthy Dagon seated himself in a litter carried by
six slaves. He was preceded by two outrunners with staffs, and two with
torches; behind the litter went four men armed from head to foot. Not
for security, but because for a certain time Dagon loved to surround
himself with armed men, like a noble.

He came out of the litter with great importance, supported by two men;
a third carried a parasol over him. He entered Rabsun's house.

"Where is that Hiram?" inquired he, haughtily.

"He is not here?"

"How is this? Must I wait for him, then?"

"He is not in this room, but he is in the third one talking with my
wife," answered the host. "He is making a visit to my wife."

"I will not go there!" said the banker, sitting down on a couch.

"Thou wilt go to the next chamber, and he will enter it at the same
time with thee."

After a short resistance Dagon yielded, and a moment later, at a sign
from the master o