“’Last spring most of this stuff was in the hands of a Cossack.  The stupid fellow didn’t know what he ought to expect for it, and he needed money—­this gander!  I brought him home with me; had brandy, bread, and ham set out; and, after a little talk back and forth, I bought 400 chests at half price.  Half I paid in cash, the rest in eighteen months.  Now, wasn’t that a good trade?  If I don’t make my 3,000 rubles out of it, I shall be a fool.  If you like, I will send you some of these goods.  Put it in your shop or in your shed and let it lie there; it eats and drinks nothing.  Now, I tell you, if you do not make 100 per cent, out of it, spit in my face.  Shall I send you a few chests of it?’

“‘By heaven, I cannot go into it,’ answered Sarkis.  ’Do you know, I am afraid to undertake a new trade?  If the stuff does not go off or spoils on my hands or the price falls, what shall I do?  You know that our capital consists of only a few kopecks.  We spend as we earn.  If I run after the rubles and lose the kopecks thereby, who will give me something to eat?’ concluded the poor wretch, as if he scented some evil.

“But could he free himself from that Satan of a Hemorrhoid Jack?  Like a leech he had fastened himself on his neck and demanded that he should buy the goods.

“‘Now, Sarkis,’ he began again, ’the thing is settled.  I am to send you in the morning manufactured goods, tea, and tobacco.  Well?’

“‘I will see; I must turn it over in my mind,’ stammered Sarkis.  He wanted to be rid of him, but he knew not how to begin.

“‘What does that “I will see!” mean?  Nothing,’ the other continued.  ’You may see a thousand times and you will not find again such good goods and such a favorable opportunity.  I speak from experience.  You must not let this chance slip by or you will throw gold out of the window with your own hands.  I am talking about great gains, great profits; do you think it is a joke?’

“‘We shall see,’ said poor Sarkis.  ’We have many days before us.  Yes, we will surely do something.’

“‘What you do now is not worth much,’ cried Hemorrhoid Jack.  ’I see that if I leave the thing to your decision, in five years you will not have reached one.  Isn’t that true?  In the morning I will send you one load of goods and the rest later.’

“With these words he seized his cap, quickly made his adieus, and went away.

“It was nearly one o’clock; Mairam and Takusch were sitting there asleep and I also was very sleepy, but I fought against my sleepiness to watch that devil of a Hemorrhoid Jack.  Mankind can be a priest to mankind—­also a Satan!

“When he was in the street, Sarkis said to me:  ’What a wonderful conversation we have had this evening.  Of all this man has said, I understand nothing.  His purposes are not exactly bad, but I don’t know how it happens—­my heart presages something of evil.’

“I was just going to answer him when suddenly I sneezed; but only once.