Lycon, who was evidently bent on getting his way, did not suffer his good humour to be disturbed by the Jew’s churlishness. “Ah!” said he, “that reminds me. Stupid fellow that I am, I quite forgot the matter of business that really brought me here. To tell the truth, business and this old Lebanon don’t very well agree. But listen; Neocles, who is manager-in-chief of the whole festival, has quite made up his mind to have your wine, and none but yours, for all the better sort of people. He was to get some skins for the common folks from Zadok—do you know him?”
“Know him?” said Shallum; “I should think I did—hasn’t got a drop of sound wine in his shop.”
“So the Chief said. But we were to come to you for the good wine. What can you let us have? [pg 106]Mind that it must be the very best. We were not to haggle about the price, Neocles said, so long as we got it really good.”
And Lycon pulled out of his pocket a money-bag that was evidently much better furnished than Shallum’s lean and hunger-bitten purse. Untying the neck, he poured into his hand, with an air of careless profusion, some ten or twelve gold pieces.
Shallum’s keen eyes glistened at the sight. Here was enough to pay not only Nahum but all his creditors, and leave him a handsome sum over wherewith to tide over the hard times. His somewhat brusque manner changed in a moment. He was now the most obsequious of tradesmen.
“Everything in my stores is at your disposal. And I have a better wine than this in my cellar, and only ten shekels a skin,” he went on, adding about three to the utmost he expected to get. “But wait a moment, gentlemen, you shall taste it for yourselves.”
He took a small flagon from beneath the counter and disappeared. The two Greeks smiled to each other. “We have the fish fast,” one of them said; “after all there is nothing like a golden bait.”
Shallum shortly reappeared with the wine, which was tasted and approved.
“Well,” said Lycon, “we will say ten skins of this at ten shekels a piece, and five of the other sort at eight—that is the price; is it not?”
Shallum nodded assent. As a matter of fact he would never have expected more than seven. But if these Greeks were so free with their money why should not an honest Jew have the benefit of it?