"That story about the five-and-twenty millions of ready money at Cronstadt is all bosh.

They won't believe it in Europe.

You understand me, Count Grogomoffski ?" "But his Imperial Majesty said four millions, and I shall get the knout unless--" "Go and speak to Mr.Shadrach, in room Z 94, the fourth court," said Mendoza good-naturedly.

"Leave me at peace, Count: don't you see it is Friday, and almost sunset ?" The Calmuck envoy retired cringing, and left an odor of musk and candle-grease behind him.
An orange-man; an emissary from Lola Montes; a dealer in piping bullfinches; and a Cardinal in disguise, with a proposal for a new loan for the Pope, were heard by turns; and each, after a rapid colloquy in his own language, was dismissed by Rafael.
"The queen must come back from Aranjuez, or that king must be disposed of," Rafael exclaimed, as a yellow-faced amabassador from Spain, General the Duke of Olla Podrida, left him.

"Which shall it be, my Codlingsby ?" Codlingsby was about laughingly to answer--for indeed he was amazed to find all the affairs of the world represented here, and Holywell Street the centre of Europe--when three knocks of a peculiar nature were heard, and Mendoza starting up, said, "Ha! there are only four men in the world who know that signal." At once, and with a reverence quite distinct from his former nonchalant manner, he advanced towards the new-comer.
He was an old man--an old man evidently, too, of the Hebrew race--the light of his eyes was unfathomable--about his mouth there played an inscrutable smile.