‘Stay,’ he replied, as his look of disgust relapsed once more into its former superciliousness; ‘I don’t question your taste for one moment, but I take leave to challenge your memory—you must surely be mistaken as to the price you put on these wonderful specimens. In my humble opinion it is quite prohibitive, and out of all proportion to the intrinsic value of the things.’ ‘I have done as you desired me to do.’ ‘Yes, yes; but the cost?’ ‘Is what I have already told you, and I cannot alter it one penny.’ ‘It is out of reason, and on that account, much as I would wish to profit by your judgment, I shall be compelled to forego it.’ ‘Ah!’ snarled Cestus. ‘And truly,’ continued Afer, ‘the sum required is so large, that I doubt whether my slave’s purse contains sufficient to discharge the debt, even supposing I think right to incur it.’ ‘Pah!’ was the muttered commentary of the Suburan, given with fathomless contempt, ‘the liar! He knows to a farthing what the fellow’s pouch has in it—nothing beyond a few copper coins, I’ll warrant; and woe betide him if he can’t square his reckoning when he gets home.’ ‘In that case, I suppose, I should be right in saying that such a poor wretch as myself could never hope for credit,’ continued Afer, with a sneer. ‘You are a perfect stranger, sir,’ replied Neæra. ‘Exactly—with no recommendation. I shall, therefore, be compelled to select something more in keeping with my humble resources of ready coin, which, I am afraid, will be an impossible task, if prices are all levied at the same modest computation.’ ‘This, then, perhaps you may approve of,’ said Neæra promptly; and going to the opposite end of the shop, she took and handed to him a small brown vessel, two or three inches high, without any more pretension to beauty than any ordinary glass bottle. ‘Ah, now you have hit my taste exactly,’ exclaimed Afer, receiving the plainest of plain articles in his hand with the blandest smile of exquisite irony; ‘you have indeed gauged my ideas to a nicety. The other articles were really as much beyond my artistic appreciation as their cost was above my poor purse; but this is delightful in its beautiful simplicity—I wait to hear you name its price.’ Neæra informed him. ‘Good! I accept,’ said he; ‘it is modest indeed. It is, I think, within my means, and I am relieved in mind. Hither, Erotion! Take this, and pay what is asked of you.’ While the young Greek was producing the two or three copper coins which were needed, his master arranged his cloak and took his leave. Neæra took the money from the slave, who bestowed upon her an admiring gaze, with something of the same license as his master. ‘I am glad to find your father’s fame has not been belied,’ observed Afer; ‘it is only too evident. The next time I come I shall come better provided; yet, even with this little treasure which I have been fortunate enough to secure, I shall no doubt be able to induce many others to follow my example.’