g
was presently noised abroad throughout the city of Venice; so much so
that the people for days talked of little else save the reappearance in
the land of the living of the long-lost travellers. Many, however,
doubted if these really were the brothers Polo and young Marco; this
last was a mere lad of seventeen when he went away, and now was grown to
be a portly man of forty-odd years. So incredulous were the townsfolk
that the brothers hit upon a scheme to convince the doubting ones. They
made a grand feast to which all the gentry were invited, for the Polo
family were of noble birth and had held station in the state. The
entertainment was served in great splendor with gold and silver dishes,
and the three travellers, when they sat down, were dressed in robes of
the richest crimson satin flowing down to the ground. After some of the
courses had been eaten, they retired to their chamber and came forth
again dressed in other robes of crimson silk damask, very rich, and the
satin garments were cut up and divided among the servants. Again, later
on in the repast, they retired, and when they came again to the table
they wore other robes, of the richest crimson velvet, and the second
garments were cut up and divided as the others had been. When the dinner
was over they took off the velvet robes, and these were disposed of in
like manner. "These proceedings," says the honest Ramusio, "caused much
wonder and amazement among the guests," which we can well imagine.

Next, dismissing all the servants, the younger one of the three, Marco
Polo, went to an inner chamber and brought forth to the table the coarse
and shabby dresses in which the three had arrived in Venice. Then,
taking sharp knives, the travellers ripped open the seams and welts of
the garments, and shook from them a vast profusion of diamonds, rubies,
sapphires, carbuncles, emeralds, and other precious stones. The guests
were dumfounded and amazed. "And now," says Ramusio, "they recognized
that in spite of all former doubts, these were in truth those honored
and worthy gentlemen of the Casa Polo that they claimed to be; and so
all paid them the greatest honor and reverence." Furthermore, we are
told that when the story got wind in Venice, straightway the whole city,
gentle and simple, flocked to the house to embrace the three travellers,
and to make much of them with every conceivable demonstration of
affection and respect.

This was the wonderful home-coming of the