[061]
Salabaetto divined the motive that prompted her thus to accommodate
him, and that she was to lend the money herself; which suiting
his purpose well, he first of all thanked her, and then said that, being
constrained by necessity, he would not stand out against exorbitant
terms, [062]adding that, as to the balance, he would secure it upon the
merchandise that he had at the dogana by causing it to be entered in
the name of the lender; but that he must keep the key of the storerooms,
as well that he might be able to shew the goods, if requested,
as to make sure that none of them should be tampered with or
changed or exchanged.
[063]
The lady said that this was reasonable, and
that 'twas excellent security. So, betimes on the morrow, the lady
sent for a broker, in whom she reposed much trust, and having talked
the matter over with him, gave him a thousand florins of gold, which
the broker took to Salabaetto, and thereupon had all that Salabaetto
had at the dogana entered in his name; they then had the script and
counterscript made out, and, the arrangement thus concluded, went
about their respective affairs.
[064]
Salabaetto lost no time in getting
aboard a bark with his five hundred florins of gold, and being come
to Naples, sent thence a remittance which fully discharged his obligation
to his masters that had entrusted him with the stuffs: he also
paid all that he owed to Pietro dello Canigiano and all his other
creditors, and made not a little merry with Canigiano over the trick
he had played the Sicilian lady. He then departed from Naples, and
being minded to have done with mercantile affairs, betook him to
Ferrara.
