Page:The venture; an annual of art and literature.djvu/98

 on one side, God gives you ten thousand on the other; own, therefore, that all that is laid out thus is laid out well." And on this she spoke with her husband many days, until he yielded, and the chest with the relics was carried to the church with as great procession and solemnity as the other, and greater if it were possible, and put in a fitting place to be venerated as it deserved, so that the land had profit of both, and miracles were not wanting, which the Lord ever works for his Saints. Insomuch that all the diocese took note, and people flocked from all the country, who, having seen the Saints, wished to see the house and person of him at whose cost the relics had come. And as he was a rich merchant, and had all manner of goods in his house, they asked for them and bought freely, deeming that all stuff in that house was blessed, and that somewhat of its holiness accrued to themselves. By reason whereof this man gained so greatly, that if the first year he had had ten thousand crusadoes, this year he had twenty thousand, by which he came to perceive that this happened not by his own industry, but by the grace of God, and, holding this for certain, he forgave his son, and received him again into his house. Then he equipped his son to go yet again to Fez, with great gifts for the Moor, and letters recommending him, with injunctions to him if any more relics were to be found to bring the same over, perceive ing that though he could not sell them our Lord rewarded him with more than he had spent. He also gave him presents for the Moor's wife, and the son, taking gifts from himself for