D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

28 The Petrel Changes Hands. or, rather, bankers, for you know that, spite of the In- quisition, the Jews carry on business in Spain and Por- tugal. The banker of the Brothers of the Coast is one and yet is legion; he is Soleiman, of Silves, in Algarve; but he is Soleiman, of all over the two kingdoms, for one Jew is an atom, which goes to make up his whole. tribe. I can go to any Soleiman, make the sign of rec-_ ognition, and be paid what I desire.” “Many a king, who would starve before he would partake of your chowter,” said the cavalier, “would de- sire acrop of your gold-bearing Soleimans!” “Well, falling behindhand in my dues to the Brother- hood, I had to provide them somehow. I mortgaged to Elizor Solerman my inn, my fish boat, and my share in the salt works. Since I have ‘done no business either as saltmaker or innkeeper, I am forfeit; the property accrues to him. It is fate, as the Mohammedans say; it is fair, say, as a Christian, and an old Christian, too.” “But here you have ten gold pieces!” Pedro looked at the coins without avidity. “That is a special godsend. I do not know thai I shall turn it over to the fund.” “Tt is clear! You think thet hiring the place is a prejudice to the lender on it? The Jew may come down and interfere with my enjoyment?” Here the cavalier luxuriated in suppling his feet in the slippers. “Fh, the rich Soleiman, of Silves? Ha,ha! Half Al- garve is signed away to him! He trouble himself about this scheme? ‘This inn in the rocks? Besides, this is no season to travel! He may be fond of money, but he would not brave the nor’westers, not for the rent of Lisbon Castle!” “T suppose not!” Pedro left him as if there was no more to debate. He went upstairs and the canvas-ceiling roof, though stretched over rafters of spars with seamen’s skill in scaffold-lashing, moved and sagged under his heavy tread. Presently he returned, covered with a second suit of clothes, over which was a voluminous sailor’s dreadnaught, with a hood like a sentry box, and an oil- skin cap over a red nightcap. He was prepared, evi- dently, for the storms he spoke of. Throwing back the Comichooks: com