"Certainly for a year."
"Let us say at once three years. Only his holiness might give back fifteen talents in the course of a year, but not the youthful heir, who must receive young pleasant nobles and beautiful women. Ah, those women! Is it true, with thy permission, that Thou hast taken to thyself Sarah the daughter of Gideon?"
"But what per cent dost Thou wish?" interrupted Ramses.
"A trifle, which thy sacred lips need not mention. For fifteen talents the prince will give five talents yearly, and in the course of three years I will take back all myself, so that thou, worthiness, wilt not even know."
"Thou wilt give me today fifteen talents, and during three years take back thirty?"
"Egyptian law permits percentage to equal the loan," answered Dagon, confusedly.
"But is that not too much?"
"Too much?" cried out Dagon. "Every great lord has a great court, a great property, and pays no per cent save a great one. I should be ashamed to take less from the heir to the throne; if I did the prince himself might command to beat me with sticks and to drive me out of his presence."
"When wilt Thou bring the money?"
"Bring it? O gods, one man would not have strength to bring so much. I will do better: I will make all payments for the prince, so that, worthiness, Thou wilt not need to think of such a wretched matter."