“This,” said Amram solemnly, “comes of not locking one’s office. Do not misunderstand me; it was no fault of mine. A certain apprentice is to blame, to whom I shall have a word to say. In fact, I think that I will say it at once,” and he stepped towards the door.
“Indeed you will not,” interrupted Nehushta.
“And pray, my Libyan friend, how will you prevent me?”
“By putting a knife into your gizzard, as I did through that of the renegade Rufus an hour or two ago! Ah! I see you have heard the story.”
“In that case,” said Nehushta, “draw it, and we will see which is the better, man or woman. Merchant, your weapon is your pen. You have not a chance with me, an Arab of Libya, and you know it.”
“Yes,” answered Amram, “I think I do; you desert folk are so reckless and athletic. Also, to be frank, as you may have guessed, I am unarmed. Now, what do you propose?”
“I propose that you get us safely out of Cæsarea, or, if you prefer it, that we shall all die here in this grain-store, for, by whatever god you worship, Phœnician, before a hand is laid upon my mistress or me, this knife goes through your heart. I owe no love to your people, who bought me, a king’s daughter, as a slave, and I shall be quite happy to close my account with one of them. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly, perfectly. Why show such temper? The affair is one of business; let us discuss it in a business spirit. You wish to escape from Cæsarea; I wish you to escape from my grain-store. Let me go out and arrange the matter.”
“On a plank; not otherwise unless we accompany you,” answered Nehushta. “Man, why do you waste words with us. Listen. This lady is the only child of Benoni, the great merchant of Tyre. Doubtless you know him?”
“To my cost,” replied Amram, with a bow. “Three times has he overreached me in various bargains.”
“Very well; then you know also that he is rich and will pay him liberally who rescues his daughter from great peril.”
“I am sure,” answered Nehushta, “and for this service my mistress here will give you a bill for any reasonable sum drawn upon her father.”
“Yes, but the question is—will he honour it? Benoni is a prejudiced man, a very prejudiced man, a Jew of the Jews, who—does not like Christians.”