Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/93

 the much that is made of me in this house, and set myself to work to lay out certain monies which my father gave me wherewith to traffic here, which as yet I have not done," The Moor hearing this answered: "Sir, so long as I live, whenever you are in this country, you shall always receive in my house this little service which I render you now, and I will not suffer that you should go elsewhere until the hour of your departure; and should you have anything to buy, and need my aid for this, I will do all your pleasure, and whatsoever you may send to your country shall be stored in my house. And take heed to send no provision for your voyage on shipboard, for my wife will provide it." The youth thanked him for his favour and said: "Sir, I am not a merchant, and never was, and know nothing of the business; may it please you therefore of your goodness, since you promise me aid and favour, to lay out by the advice of merchants or by your own judgment the three thousand crusadoes which I have here, in any manner which seems good and profitable." The Moor looked on him and said: "If you would take to your own land what will bring honour and profit for you and your father, I counsel you to buy the bones of a holy Christian martyred here, whom the Christians hold in great veneration. These have come down by descent from father to son from him who first had them, and are rated at three thousand crusadoes, and are proved to be relics of the greatest worth; and learned Moors affirm that the Christian who shall ransom them shall have great honour and advantage, and that the Moor who shall cause them to be