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have sold bundles and bundles of these；〃 said Rafael。 〃My little
brother is now out with oranges in Piccadilly。 I am bringing him
up to be head of our house at Amsterdam。 We all do it。 I had
myself to see Rothschild in Eaton Place this morning； about the
Irish loan； of which I have taken three millions： and as I wanted
to walk； I carried the bag。
〃You should have seen the astonishment of Lauda Latymer； the
Archbishop of Croydon's daughter； as she was passing St。 Bennet's；
Knightsbridge； and as she fancied she recognized in the man who was
crying old clothes the gentleman with whom she had talked at the
Count de St。 Aulair's the night before。〃 Something like a blush
flushed over the pale features of Mendoza as he mentioned the Lady
Lauda's name。 〃Come on；〃 said he。 They passed through various
warehousesthe orange room； the sealing…wax room； the six…bladed
knife department； and finally came to an old baize door。 Rafael
opened the baize door by some secret contrivance； and they were in
a black passage； with a curtain at the end。
He clapped his hands； the curtain at the end of the passage drew
back； and a flood of golden light streamed on the Hebrew and his
visitor。
CHAPTER XXIV。
They entered a moderate…sized apartmentindeed； Holywell Street is
not above a hundred yards long； and this chamber was not more than
half that lengthit was fitted up with the simple taste of its
owner。
The carpet was of white velvet（laid over several webs of Aubusson；
Ispahan； and Axminster； so that your foot gave no more sound as it
trod upon the yielding plain than the shadow did which followed
you）of white velvet； painted with flowers； arabesques； and classic
figures； by Sir William Ross； J。 M。 W。 Turner； R。 A。； Mrs。 Mee； and
Paul Delaroche。 The edges were wrought with seed…pearls； and
fringed with Valenciennes lace and bullion。 The walls were hung
with cloth of silver； embroidered with gold figures； over which were
worked pomegranates； polyanthuses； and passion…flowers； in ruby；
amethyst； and smaragd。 The drops of dew which the artificer had
sprinkled on the flowers were diamonds。 The hangings were overhung
by pictures yet more costly。 Giorgione the gorgeous； Titian the
golden； Rubens the ruddy and pulpy （the Pan of Painting）； some of
Murillo's beatified shepherdesses； who smile on you out of darkness
like a star； a few score first…class Leonardos； and fifty of the
master…pieces of the patron of Julius and Leo； the Imperial genius
of Urbino； covered the walls of the little chamber。 Divans of carved
amber covered with ermine went round the room； and in the midst was
a fountain； pattering and babbling with jets of double…distilled
otto of roses。
〃Pipes； Goliath！〃 Rafael said gayly to a little negro with a silver
collar （he spoke to him in his native tongue of Dongola）； and
welcome to our snuggery； my Codlingsby。 We are quieter here than
in the front of the house； and I wanted to show you a picture。 I'm
proud of my pictures。 That Leonardo came from Genoa； and was a
gift to our father from my cousin； Marshal Manasseh： that Murillo
was pawned to my uncle by Marie Antoinette before the flight to
Varennesthe poor lady could not redeem the pledge； you know； and
the picture remains with us。 As for the Rafael； I suppose you are
aware that he was one of our people。 But what are you gazing at？
Oh！ my sisterI forgot。 Miriam！ this is the Lord Codlingsby。〃
She had been seated at an ivory pianoforte on a mother…of…pearl
music…stool； trying a sonata of Herz。 She rose when thus
apostrophized。 Miriam de Mendoza rose and greeted the stranger。
The Talmud relates that Adam had two wivesZillah the dark beauty；
Eva the fair one。 The ringlets of Zillah were black； those of Eva
were golden。 The eyes of Zillah were night； those of Eva were
morning。 Codlingsby was fairof the fair Saxon race of Hengist
and Horsathey called him Miss Codlingsby at school； but how much
fairer was Miriam the Hebrew！
Her hair had that deep glowing tinge in it which has been the
delight of all painters； and which； therefore； the vulgar sneer at。
It was of burning auburn。 Meandering over her fairest shoulders in
twenty thousand minute ringlets； it hung to her waist and below it。
A light blue velvet fillet clasped with a diamond aigrette （valued
at two hundred thousand tomauns； and bought from Lieutenant
Vicovich； who had received it from Dost Mahomed）； with a simple bird
of paradise； formed her head…gear。 A sea…green cymar with short
sleeves； displayed her exquisitely moulded arms to perfection； and
was fastened by a girdle of emeralds over a yellow satin frock。
Pink gauze trousers spangled with silver； and slippers of the same
color as the band which clasped her ringlets （but so covered with
pearls that the original hue of the charming little papoosh
disappeared entirely） completed her costume。 She had three
necklaces on； each of which would have dowered a Princessher
fingers glistened with rings to their rosy tips； and priceless
bracelets； bangles； and armlets wound round an arm that was whiter
than the ivory grand piano on which it leaned。
As Miriam de Mendoza greeted the stranger； turning upon him the
solemn welcome of her eyes； Codlingsby swooned almost in the
brightness of her beauty。 It was well she spoke； the sweet kind
voice restored him to consciousness。 Muttering a few words of
incoherent recognition； he sank upon a sandalwood settee； as
Goliath； the little slave； brought aromatic coffee in cups of opal；
and alabaster spittoons； and pipes of the fragrant Gibelly。
〃My lord's pipe is out；〃 said Miriam with a smile； remarking the
bewilderment of her guestwho in truth forgot to smokeand taking
up a thousand pound note from a bundle on the piano； she lighted it
at the taper and proceeded to re…illumine the extinguished chibouk
of Lord Codlingsby。
IV。
When Miriam； returning to the mother…of…pearl music…stool； at a
signal from her brother； touched the silver and enamelled keys of
the ivory piano； and began to sing； Lord Codlingsby felt as if he
were listening at the gates of Paradise； or were hearing Jenny
Lind。
〃Lind is the name of the Hebrew race； so is Mendelssohn； the son of
Almonds； so is Rosenthal； the Valley of the Roses： so is Lowe or
Lewis or Lyons or Lion。 The beautiful and the brave alike give
cognizances to the ancient people： you Saxons call yourselves
Brown； or Smith； or Rodgers；〃 Rafael observed to his friend； and；
drawing the instrument from his pocket； he accompanied his sister；
in the most ravishing manner； on a little gold and jewelled harp；
of the kind peculiar to his nation。
All the airs which the Hebrew maid selected were written by
composers of her race； it was either a hymn by Rossini； a polacca
by Braham； a delicious romance by Sloman； or a melody by Weber；
that； thrilling on the strings of the instrument； wakened a harmony
on the fibres of the heart； but she sang no other than the songs of
her nation。
〃Beautiful one！ sing ever； sing always；〃 Codlingsby thought。 〃I
could sit at thy feet as under a green palm…tree； and fancy that
Paradise…birds were singing in the boughs。〃
Rafael read his thoughts。 〃We have Saxon blood too in our veins；〃
he said。 〃You smile！ but it is even so。 An ancestress of ours
made a mesalliance in the reign of your King John。 Her name was
Rebecca； daughter of Isaac of York； and she married in Spain；
whither she had fled to the Court of King Boabdil； Sir Wilfred of
Ivanhoe； then a widower by the demise of his first lady； Rowena。
The match was deemed a cruel insult amongst our people but Wilfred
conformed； and was a Rabbi of some note at the synagogue of
Cordova。 We are descended from him lineally。 It is the only blot
upon the escutcheon of the Mendozas。〃
As they sat talking together； the music finished； and Miriam having
retired （though her song and her beauty were still present to the
soul of the stranger） at a signal from Mendoza； various messengers
from the outer apartments came in to transact business with him。
First it was Mr。 Aminadab； who kissed his foot； and brought papers
to sign。 〃How is the house in Grosvenor Square； Aminadab； and is
your son tired of his yacht yet？〃 Mendoza asked。 〃That is my
twenty…fourth cashier；〃 said Rafael to Codlingsby； when the
obsequious clerk went away。 〃He is fond of display； and all my
people may have what money they like。〃
Entered presently the Lord Bareacres； on the affair of his
mortgage。 The Lord Bareacres； strutting into the apartment with a
haughty air； shrank back； nevertheless； with surprise on beholding
the magnificence around him。 〃Little Mordecai；〃 said Rafael to a
little orange…boy； who came in at the heels of the noble； 〃take
this gentleman out and let him have ten thousand pounds。 I can't
do more for you； my lord； than thisI'm busy。 Good…by！〃 And