Zaleukos. Neither could I
find customers for my father's goods, for all had gone elsewhere after
his death, and new ones come but slowly. Once sadly reflecting on my
situation it occurred to me that I had often seen in France men of my
native land, who travelled through the country, exposing their goods in
the market-places of the towns; I remembered that they easily found
customers because they came from a foreign country, and that by such
traffic one might profit a hundred-fold. My resolution was soon taken.
I sold my father's house, gave part of the money I received for it to a
tried friend to keep for me, and with the rest I purchased such things
as are seldom seen in the west--viz: shawls, silks, ointments, and
perfumes. Having engaged a berth in a ship, I thus set out on my
second voyage to France. As soon as I had turned my back on the
castles of the Dardanelles it seemed as if fortune would again smile on
me. Our passage was short and prosperous.

I travelled through large and small towns, and found everywhere ready
purchasers of my goods. My friend in Constantinople supplied me
constantly with fresh goods, and I daily became more wealthy.

When at length I thought I had saved enough to risk a greater
enterprise, I went to Italy. But I must here mention that I derived no
small additional profit from the healing art. Whenever I entered a
town, I announced, by bills, that a Greek physician had arrived, who
had already cured many; and truly my balsams and medicines brought me
in many a zechino. I now reached the city of Florence, in Italy, where
I purposed remaining for some time, as I liked it much, and wished to
recover from the fatigues of my travels. I hired a shop in the quarter
called Santa Croce, and in an inn not far from thence two beautiful
rooms which led to a balcony. Having made these arrangements, I had my
bills placarded about, announcing myself as a physician and merchant.
I had no sooner opened my shop than I had crowds of customers, and
though my prices were rather high, I sold more than others, because I
was civil and obliging to my customers. When I had thus pleasantly
spent four days in Florence, I was one evening about closing my shop,
and only had to examine my stock of boxes of ointments, as was my
custom, when I found in a small jar a piece of paper which I did not
recollect to have put there. On opening it I discovered that it was an
invitation for me to appear that night a