Page 177 - A Jacobite Exile

With the Jewish traders his success was less decided. They admitted that it
would be a great misfortune, were Warsaw taken by the Swedes, but, as

Poles, they retained their confidence in the national army, and were
altogether sceptical that a few thousand Swedes could withstand the host

that could be put in the field against them.

Several of them pointedly asked what interest they had in the matter, and,

to some of these, Charlie was obliged to use his power of promising sums
of money, in case of success.

There were one or two, however, of whom he felt doubtful. Chief among
these was Ben Soloman Muller, a man of great influence in the Jewish

community. This man had placed so large a value upon his services, that
Charlie did not feel justified in promising him such a sum. He did not like

the man's face, and did not rely upon the promises of silence he had given,
before the mission was revealed to him. It was for this reason, principally,
that he determined to go into lodgings. Should he be denounced, serious

trouble might fall upon Allan Ramsay, and it would at least minimize this
risk, were he not living at his house when he was arrested. Ramsay himself

was disposed to make light of the danger.

"I believe myself that Ben Soloman is an old rogue, but he is not a fool. He

cannot help seeing that the position of the king is precarious, and, were he
to cause your arrest, he might get little thanks and no profit, while he would

be incurring the risk of the vengeance of Charles, should he ever become
master of the town. Did he have you arrested, he himself would be forced
to appear as a witness against you, and this he could hardly do without the

matter becoming publicly known.

"I do not say, however, that, if he could curry favour with the king's party
by doing you harm, without appearing in the matter, he would hesitate for a
moment.

"Even if you were arrested here, I doubt whether any great harm would

befall me, for all the Scotch merchants would make common cause with
me, and, although we have no political power, we have a good deal of