“‘When did he start?’

“’About two hours ago.  He will not be back for two months, for he has very important business in the courts.’

“It could not be doubted now that this villain of a John had already begun his tricks; but that innocent Sarkis did not see through his devilish purposes.  Had I been in his place I would have run immediately to the City Hall and told every detail of the business, and the thing would have come out all right.  But Sarkis was not the man for that.

“’Well, if that is the case drive into the yard and unload.  The goods cannot stand in the street.  When Jack comes back from Taganrog I will arrange things with him in some way.’

“The wagons came into the yard with a clatter and the driver unloaded the goods and piled them up in the coach-house.  I stood as if turned to stone and silently watched this move in their game.  ’What will come of it?’ I thought to myself.

“Ah, but I would rather have died than see what did come of it!

“When the goods were unloaded the clerk demanded a receipt, which Sarkis gave him without hesitation, whereupon the clerk went away satisfied.

“Later we heard that Jack had not gone to Taganrog at all, and had only ordered the clerk to say so.

“That same day when we were sitting at dinner, Sarkis turned to me and said:  ’See, Hripsime, your sneeze has cheated you.  Did you not say that Jack was going to play a trick on me?  You see something very different has happened.  This forenoon four or five persons came into my shop who wished to buy tea and tobacco.  I told them the matter was not yet settled; that we had not agreed on the price; as soon as the agreement was made I would begin business.  Do you see?  I have not advertised that I was going to handle the goods, yet everybody knows it and one customer after another comes into my store.  How will it be when the goods are put on sale?—­they will fight for them.  It will give me a great deal to do; I must only go to John and settle on the terms.  Yes, little mother, such a wholesale trade is not to be despised; the wholesaler can often make more money in a moment than the retailer makes in two years.  Yes, my love, in business that is really so!’

“‘God grant that it may be so!’ I said, and nothing more was said about Jack.

“Several months passed by and November came.  One evening we were sitting together chatting comfortably when the door opened softly and an old woman entered.  I knew immediately that she was a matchmaker.  In three days Takusch was betrothed to a plain, middle-rate man.  The wedding was to take place the next winter on her father’s name-day.  As a dowry her parents promised 3,000 rubles—­1,500 in cash, and the rest in jewels.

“Tagusch was at that time fifteen years old.  Although I had lived in her parents’ house I had never looked right attentively at her face, scarcely knew, in fact, whether she was beautiful or ugly; but when on her betrothal day she put on a silk dress and adorned herself as is customary at such a festive time; when she had put on her head a satin fez with gold tassels and a flower set with brilliants, I fairly gaped with admiration.  I am almost eighty years old, but in all my life I have never seen a more beautiful girl.