"Then dost Thou know my debts?"
"I know them a little," answered Dagon, carelessly.
"The prince wishes to send six talents to the Eastern army; that will be done by our bankers. Three talents to the worthy Nitager and three to the worthy Patrokles; that will be done here immediately. Sarah and her father I can pay through that mangy Azarias even better to pay them thus, for they would cheat the prince in reckoning."
Ramses began to walk through the room impatiently.
"Then am I to give a note for thirty talents?"
"What note? why a note? what good would a note be to me? The prince will rent me for three years lands in the provinces of Takens, Ses, Neha-Meut, Neha-Pechu, in Sebt-Het, in Habu."
"Rent them?" said the prince. "That does not please me."
"Whence then am I to get back my money, my thirty talents?"
"Wait! I must ask the inspector of my granaries how much these properties bring me in yearly."
"Why so much trouble, worthiness? What does the inspector know? He knows nothing; as I am an honest Phoenician, he knows nothing. Each year the harvest is different, and the income different also. I may lose in this business, and the inspector would make no return to me."