"Perchance he comes to pay his debt," he added.
The Arab departed, and presently the Roman was ushered in.
"Greetings, Benoni," he said, with his pleasant smile.

"Here am I, yet alive, for all your fears; so you see your money is still safe." "I am glad to hear it, my lord Marcus," answered the Jew, bowing low.
"But if it will please you to produce it, with the interest, I think," he added drily, "it may be even safer in my strongbox." Marcus laughed pleasantly.
"Produce it ?" he said.

"What jest is this?
Why, I come to borrow more to defray my costs to Rome." Benoni's mouth shut like a trap.
"Nay," said Marcus, holding up his hand, "don't begin.

I know it all.
The times are full of trouble and danger.

Such little ready cash as you have at command is out at interest in safer countries--Egypt, Rome, and Italy; your correspondent at Alexandria has failed to make you the expected remittance; and you have reason to believe that every ship in which you are concerned is now at the bottom of the ocean.