f persuasion on his part would cause the banker to
swerve from his determination. The money would be forthcoming on the
morrow but not before, and there were ten picked men somewhere in the
house at the present moment to prevent Diogenes from settling this
matter in a primitive and efficient way by using his fists.

So in this instance too--disappointed though he was--he quickly regained
his good humour. After all, the Jew was right: a night's delay would not
spell a loss, and was well compensated for by a good supper and cosy
bed.

With his habitual light-hearted laugh and careless shrug of the
shoulders, he folded the paper up again and once more slipped it
carefully into the inner lining of his doublet.

"You are right, sir," he said, "'twere foolish to allow choler to spoil
the appetite. I am as hungry as the dog of a Spaniard. By your leave
I'll test the strength of your ale and to-morrow ere I leave your house
you shall pay me over the money in the presence of your trusting
brother-in-law. Until then the bond remains with me, and I hold myself
responsible for the safety of the jongejuffrouw. So I pray you be not
surprised if I forbid her removal from this house until I have exchanged
this bond for the sum of 3,000 guilders."

After which he drew his chair close to the table, and fell to all its
good cheer with a hearty will. Ben Isaje, hospitable and affable to the
last, waited on him with his own hands.

CHAPTER XXX

A NOCTURNE

It was only natural that, though tired as he was and enjoying an
unusually contented mind, Diogenes was nevertheless unable to get to
sleep.

He had had a very good supper and had parted at an early hour from his
host. Ben Isaje had been amiable even deferential to the last, and
indeed there had been nothing in the Jew's demeanour to arouse
misgivings in the most suspicious mind.

The lean and towzled serving woman had prepared a clean and comfortable
bed in the narrow alcove within the wall panelling of the small room
which adjoined the shop, but though the weary philosopher wooed sleep
with utmost persistence, it resolutely refused to be lured to his
pillow. At first the arrival of the night watchmen had kept him awake:
for they made their entrance with much jangling of swords and loud and
lusty talk. There was apparently a good solid partition between his room
and the shop because as soon as the watchmen were settled at their post
their voices only reached Diogenes'