odwill and honour in the world, feigning the
utmost love for him. But he, having a mind to return her cheat for
cheat, being one day sent for by her to sup and sleep with her, went
thither so chapfallen and so woebegone that it seemed as he would die.
Biancofiore, embracing him and kissing him, began to question him of
what ailed him to be thus melancholy, and he, after letting himself be
importuned a good while, answered, 'I am a ruined man, for that the
ship, wherein is the merchandise I expected, hath been taken by the
corsairs of Monaco and held to ransom in ten thousand gold florins,
whereof it falleth to me to pay a thousand, and I have not a farthing,
for that the five hundred pieces thou returnedst to me I sent
incontinent to Naples to lay out in cloths to be brought hither; and
should I go about at this present to sell the merchandise I have here,
I should scarce get a penny for two pennyworth, for that it is no time
for selling. Nor am I yet so well known that I could find any here to
help me to this, wherefore I know not what to do or to say; for, if I
send not the monies speedily, the merchandise will be carried off to
Monaco and I shall never again have aught thereof.'

The lady was mightily concerned at this, fearing to lose him
altogether, and considering how she should do, so he might not go to
Monaco, said, 'God knoweth I am sore concerned for the love of thee;
but what availeth it to afflict oneself thus? If I had the monies, God
knoweth I would lend them to thee incontinent; but I have them not.
True, there is a certain person here who obliged me the other day
with the five hundred florins that I lacked; but he will have heavy
usance for his monies; nay, he requireth no less than thirty in the
hundred, and if thou wilt borrow of him, needs must he be made secure
with a good pledge. For my part, I am ready to engage for thee all
these my goods and my person, to boot, for as much as he will lend
thereon; but how wilt thou assure him of the rest?' Salabaetto readily
apprehended the reason that moved her to do him this service and
divined that it was she herself who was to lend him the money;
wherewith he was well pleased and thanking her, answered that he would
not be put off for exorbitant usance, need constraining him. Moreover,
he said that he would give assurance of the merchandise he had in the
customhouse, letting inscribe it to him who should lend him the money;
but that needs must be kept the key