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with silver buckles。 On his head he wore a high…peaked hat； he was
tall； had a hooked nose； and in age was about fifty。
'Welcome； Rabbi Manasseh；' said the Armenian。 'I know your knock …
you are welcome； sit down。'
'I am welcome；' said Manasseh； sitting down； 'he … he … he！ you
know my knock … I bring you money … BUENO！'
There was something very peculiar in the sound of that bueno … I
never forgot it。
Thereupon a conversation ensued between Rabbi Manasseh and the
Armenian； in a language which I knew to be Spanish； though a
peculiar dialect。 It related to a mercantile transaction。 The
Rabbi sighed heavily as he delivered to the other a considerable
sum of money。
'It is right；' said the Armenian； handing a receipt。 'It is right；
and I am quite satisfied。'
'You are satisfied … you have taken money。 BUENO； I have nothing
to say against your being satisfied。'
'Come； Rabbi；' said the Armenian； 'do not despond； it may be your
turn next to take money； in the meantime； can't you be persuaded to
taste my Cyprus？'
'He … he … he！ senor； you know I do not love wine。 I love Noah
when he is himself； but； as Janus； I love him not。 But you are
merry； BUENO； you have a right to be so。'
'Excuse me；' said I； 'but does Noah ever appear as Janus？'
'He … he … he！' said the Rabbi； 'he only appeared as Janus once …
una vez quando estuvo borracho； which means … '
'I understand；' said I； 'when he was 。 。 。' and I drew the side of
my right hand sharply across my left wrist。
'Are you one of our people？' said the Rabbi。
'No；' said I； 'I am one of the Goyim； but I am only half
enlightened。 Why should Noah be Janus when he was in that state？'
'He … he … he！ you must know that in Lasan akhades wine is janin。'
'In Armenian； kini；' said I； 'in Welsh； gwin； Latin； vinum； but do
you think that Janus and janin are one？'
'Do I think？ Don't the commentators say so？ Does not Master Leo
Abarbenel say so in his DIALOGUES OF DIVINE LOVE'？
'But；' said I； 'I always thought that Janus was a god of the
ancient Romans； who stood in a temple open in time of war； and shut
in time of peace； he was represented with two faces； which … which
… '
'He … he … he！' said the Rabbi； rising from his seat； 'he had two
faces； had he？ And what did those two faces typify？ You do not
know； no； nor did the Romans who carved him with two faces know why
they did so； for they were only half enlightened； like you and the
rest of the Goyim。 Yet they were right in carving him with two
faces looking from each other … they were right； though they knew
not why； there was a tradition among them that the Janinoso had two
faces； but they knew not that one was for the world which was gone
and the other for the world before him … for the drowned world and
for the present； as Master Leo Abarbenel says in his DIALOGUES OF
DIVINE LOVE。 He … he … he！' continued the Rabbi； who had by this
time advanced to the door； and； turning round； waved the two
forefingers of his right hand in our faces； 'the Goyims and
Epicouraiyim are clever men； they know how to make money better
than we of Israel。 My good friend there is a clever man； I bring
him money； he never brought me any； BUENO； I do not blame him； he
knows much； very much； but one thing there is my friend does not
know； nor any of the Epicureans； he does not know the sacred thing
… he has never received the gift of interpretation which God alone
gives to the seed … he has his gift； I have mine … he is satisfied；
I don't blame him； BUENO。'
And； with this last word in his mouth； he departed。
'Is that man a native of Spain？' I demanded。
'Not a native of Spain；' said the Armenian； 'though he is one of
those who call themselves Spanish Jews； and who are to be found
scattered throughout Europe； speaking the Spanish language
transmitted to them by their ancestors； who were expelled from
Spain in the time of Ferdinand and Isabella。'
'The Jews are a singular people；' said I。
'A race of cowards and dastards；' said the Armenian； 'without a
home or country； servants to servants； persecuted and despised by
all。'
'And what are the Haiks？' I demanded。
'Very different from the Jews；' replied the Armenian； 'the Haiks
have a home … a country； and can occasionally use a good sword；
though it is true they are not what they might be。'
'Then it is a shame that they do not become so；' said I； 'but they
are too fond of money。 There is yourself； with two hundred
thousand pounds in your pocket； craving for more； whilst you might
be turning your wealth to the service of your country。'
'In what manner？' said the Armenian。
'I have heard you say that the grand oppressor of your country is
the Persian； why not attempt to free your country from his
oppression … you have two hundred thousand pounds； and money is the
sinew of war？'
'Would you； then； have me attack the Persian？'
'I scarcely know what to say； fighting is a rough trade； and I am
by no means certain that you are calculated for the scratch。 It is
not every one who has been brought up in the school of Mr。
Petulengro and Tawno Chikno。 All I can say is； that if I were an
Armenian； and had two hundred thousand pounds to back me； I would
attack the Persian。'
'Hem！' said the Armenian。
CHAPTER LI
The one half…crown … Merit in patience … Cementer of friendship …
Dreadful perplexity … The usual guttural … Armenian letters … Much
indebted to you … Pure helplessness … Dumb people。
ONE morning on getting up I discovered that my whole worldly wealth
was reduced to one half…crown … throughout that day I walked about
in considerable distress of mind； it was now requisite that I
should come to a speedy decision with respect to what I was to do；
I had not many alternatives； and； before I had retired to rest on
the night of the day in question； I had determined that I could do
no better than accept the first proposal of the Armenian； and
translate under his superintendence the Haik Esop into English。
I reflected； for I made a virtue of necessity； that； after all；
such an employment would be an honest and honourable one； honest；
inasmuch as by engaging in it I should do harm to nobody；
honourable； inasmuch as it was a literary task； which not every one
was capable of executing。 it was not every one of the booksellers'
writers of London who was competent to translate the Haik Esop。 I
determined to accept the offer of the Armenian。
Once or twice the thought of what I might have to undergo in the
translation from certain peculiarities of the Armenian's temper
almost unsettled me； but a mechanical diving of my hand into my
pocket； and the feeling of the solitary half…crown； confirmed me；
after all； this was a life of trial and tribulation； and I had read
somewhere or other that there was much merit in patience； so I
determined to hold fast in my resolution of accepting the offer of
the Armenian。
But all of a sudden I remembered that the Armenian appeared to have
altered his intentions towards me： he appeared no longer desirous
that I should render the Haik Esop into English for the benefit of
the stock…jobbers on Exchange； but rather that I should acquire the
rudiments of doing business in the Armenian fashion； and accumulate
a fortune； which would enable me to make a figure upon 'Change with
the best of the stock…jobbers。 'Well；' thought I； withdrawing my
hand from my pocket； whither it had again mechanically dived；
'after all； what would the world； what would this city； be without
commerce？ I believe the world； and particularly this city； would
cut a very poor figure without commerce； and then there is
something poetical in the idea of doing business after the Armenian
fashion； dealing with dark…faced Lascars and Rabbins of the
Sephardim。 Yes； should the Armenian insist upon it； I will accept
a seat at the desk； opposite the Moldavian clerk。 I do not like
the idea of cuffs similar to those the Armenian bestowed upon the
Moldavian clerk； whatever merit there may be in patience； I do not
think that my estimation of the merit of patience would be
sufficient to induce me to remain quietly sitting under the
infliction of cuffs。 I think I should； in the event of his cuffing
me； knock the Armenian down。 Well； I think I have heard it said
somewhere； that a knock…down blow is a great cementer of
friendship； I think I have heard of two people being better friends
than ever after the one had received from the other a knock…down
blow。'
That night I dreamed I had acquired a colossal fortune； some four
hundred thousand pounds； by the Armenian way of doing business； but
suddenly awoke in dreadful perplexity as to how I should dispose of
it。