Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/92

 thanked him much for these good words, mounted the horse with great agility, and gave two courses and a volt in the field of exercise, showing that he understood what he was speaking of, for he did it with such grace and dash that all deemed him worthy of their company and conversation, though before they had despised him as but a merchant. And the old man and his sons rode with him to his hostelry, where all alighted, and at the old man's importunity be removed to his house, where he gained the love of the sons until death, as though they had been brothers, and the old man treated him as a son, and gave him to eat of our dishes that are not made in Barbary, and showed him as much honour as if he had been a prince. And in truth the young man was of noble nature, and well trained and fit for any company, and well seen of all, and thus he spent in the Moor's house all the time that his companions were buying their merchandise and preparing for their voyage home. But it now being time for them to return to the ship lying in the harbour ready to sail, they came to tell him: "Sir, despatch your goods and victuals, for we depart in three days." Hearing this he spoke to his host, and said: "Sir, I know not how I can repay the favours and great honours which you have done me, and pray you to hold me at your service and command me at your discretion, for, saving in what concerns the Faith, there is nothing you could require of me that I would not do. I say this, inasmuch as my companions are departing, and I would return with them, and I have provided nothing; wherefore it behoves me to quit