"The lady was foon informed of it, and fent for Giannetto, who waited on her immediately. She, taking him by the hand, afked him who he was? whence he came? and if he knew the custom of the country? He answered, That the knowledge of that cuftom was his only reafon for coming. The lady paid him great honours, and fent for barons, counts, and knights in great numbers, who were her fubjects, to keep Giannetto company. These nobles were highly delighted with the good breeding and manners of Giannetto; and all would have rejoiced to have him for their lord. "The night being come, the lady faid, it seems to be time to go to bed; Giannetto told the lady, he was entirely devoted to her fervice; and immediately two damfels enter with wine and fweetmeats. The lady entreats him to take the wine: he takes the fweetmeats, and drinks fome of the wine, which was prepared with ingredients to caufe fleep. He then goes into the bed, where he inftantly falls afleep, and never wakes till late in the morning; but the lady rofe with the fun, and gave orders to unload his veffel, which the found full of rich merchandize. After nine o'clock the women-fervants go to the bed-fide, order Giannetto to rife and be gone, for he had loft the fhip. The lady gave him a horse and money, and he leaves the place very melancholy, and goes to Venice. When he ar rives, he dares not return home for fhame: but at night goes to the house of a friend, who is surprised to see him, and enquires of him the cause of his return? He anfwers, his hip had ftruck on a rock in the night, and was broke in pieces. "This friend, going one day to make a vifit to Anfaldo, found him very difconfolate. I fear, fays Anfaldo, fo much that this fon of mine is dead, that I have no reft. His friend told him, that he had been shipwrecked, and had loft his all, but that he himself was fafe. Anfaldo inftantly gets up, and runs to find him. My dear son, said he, you need not fear my dif pleafure; it is a common accident; trouble yourself no no further. He takes him home, all the way telling him to be cheerful and eafy. "The news was foon known all over Venice, and every one was concerned for Giannetto. Some time after his companions arriving from Alexandria very rich, demanded what was become of their friend, and having heard the ftory, ran to fee him, and rejoiced with him for his fafety; telling him, that next spring he might gain as much as he had loft the laft. But Giannetto had no other thoughts than of his return to the lady; and was refolved to marry her, or die. Anfaldo told him frequently, not to be caft down. Gi annetto faid, he should never be happy, till he was at liberty to make another voyage. Anfaldo provided another thip of more value than the firft. He again entered the port of Belmonte, and the lady looking on the port from her bed-chamber, and feeing the fhip, afked her maid, if the knew the ftreamers; the maid faid, it was the thip of the young man who arrived last year. You are in the right, anfwered the lady; he muft furely have a great regard for me, for never any one came a second time: the maid faid, fhe had never feen a more agreeable man. He went to the caftle, and prefented himfelf to the lady; who as foon as the faw him, embraced him, and the day was paffed in joy and revels. Bed-time being come, the lady entreated him to go to reft: when they were feated in the chamber, the two damfels enter with wine and fweet-meats; and having eat and drank of them, they go to bed, and immediately Giannetto falls afleep, the lady undreffed, and lay down by his fide; but he waked not the whole night. In the morning, the lady rifes, and gives orders to ftrip the ship. He has a horfe and money given to him, and away he goes, and never ftops till he gets to Venice; and at night goes to the fame friend, who with astonishment afked him what was the matter? I am undone, fays Giannetto. His friend answered, You are the cause of the ruin of Anfaldo, and your fhame ought to be greater than the lofs you have fuffered. Giannetto lived privately many days. days. At laft he took the refolution of feeing Anfaldo, who rose from his chair, and running to embrace him, told him he was welcome: Giannetto with tears returned his embraces. Anfaldo heard his tale: do not grieve, my dear fon, fays he, we have ftill enough: the fea enriches fome men, others it ruins. "Poor Giannetto's head was day and night full of the thoughts of his bad fuccefs. When Anfaldo inquired what was the matter, he confeffed, he could never be contented till he fhould be in a condition to regain all that he loft. When Anfaldo found him refolved, he began to fell every thing he had, to furnith this other fine fhip with merchandize: but, as he wanted ftill ten thousand ducats, he applied himself to a Jew at Meftri, and borrowed them on condition, that if they were not paid on the feast of St John in the next month of June, that the Jew might take a pound of flesh from any part of his body he pleafed. Anfaldo agreed, and the Jew had an obligation drawn, and witneffed, with all the form and ceremony neceffary; and then counted him the ten thousand ducats of gold, with which Anfaldo bought what was ftill wanting for the veffel. This laft fhip was finer and better freighted than the other two, and his companions made ready for their voyage, with a defign that whatever they gained fhould be for their friend. When it was time to depart, Anfaldo told Giannetto, that fince he well knew of the obligation to the Jew, he entreated, that if any misfortune happened, he would return to Venice, that he might fee him before he died; and then he could leave the world with fatisfaction: Giannetto promised to do every thing that he conceived might give him pleasure. Anfaldo gave him his bleffing, they took their leave, and the ships fet out. "Giannetto had nothing in his head but to fteal into Belmonte; and he prevailed with one of the failors in the night to fail the veffel into the port. It was told the lady, that Giannetto was arrived in port. She saw from the window the veffel, and immediately sent for him. "Giannetta "Giannetto goes to the caftle, the day is spent in joy and feafting; and to honour him, a tournament is ordered, and many barons and knights tilted that day. Giannetto did wonders, fo well did he understand the lance, and was fo graceful a figure on horseback: he pleased fo much, that all were defirous to have him for their lord. "The lady, when it was the ufual time, catching him by the hand, begged him to take his reft. When he paffed the door of the chamber, one of the damfels in a whisper faid to him, Make a pretence to drink the liquor, but touch not one drop. The lady faid, I know you must be thirfty, I muft have you drink before you go to bed: immediately two damfels entered the room, and prefented the wine. Who can refuse wine from fuch beautiful hands? cries Giannetto: at which the lady fmiled. Giannetto takes the cup, and making as if he drank, pours the wine into his bofom. The lady thinking he had drank, fays afide to herself with great joy, you must go, young man, and bring another thip, for this is condemned. Giannetto went to bed, and began to fnore as if he flept foundly. The lady perceiving this, laid herself down by his fide. Giannetto lofes no time, but turning to the lady, embraces her, faying, Now am I in poffeffion of my utmost wishes. When Giannetto came out of his chamber he was knighted, and placed in the chair of state, had the fceptre put into his hand, and was proclaimed fove. reign of the country, with great pomp and splendour; and when the lords and ladies were come to the caftle, he married the lady in great ceremony. "Giannetto governed excellently, and caufed juftice to be administered impartially. He continued fome time in his happy ftate, and never entertained a thought of poor Anfaldo, who had given his bond to the Jew for ten thousand ducats. But one day, as he ftood at the window of the palace with his bride, he faw a number of people pafs along the piazza with lighted torches in their hands. What is the meaning of this? fays he. The lady answered, They are artificers going to to make their offerings at the church of St John, this day being his feftival. Giannetto inftantly recollected Anfaldo, gave a great figh, and turned pale. His lady inquired the caufe of his fudden change. He faid, he felt nothing. She continued to prefs with great earneftnefs, till he was obliged to confefs the caufe of his uneafinefs, that Anfaldo was engaged for the money, that the term was expired; and the grief he was in was, left his father should lote his life for him: that if the ten thousand ducats were not paid that day, he muft lose a pound of his flesh. The lady told him to mount on horfeback, and go by land the nearest way, to fome attendants, and an hundred thousand ducats; and not to stop till he arrived at Venice; and if he was not dead, to endeavour to bring Anfaldo to her. Giannetto takes horfe with twenty attendants, and makes the beft of his way to Venice. "The time being expired, the Jew had feized Anfaldo, and infifted on having a pound of his flesh, He entreated him only to wait fome days, that if his dear Giannetto arrived, he might have the pleasure of embracing him the Jew replied, he was willing to wait; but, fays he, I will cut off the pound of flesh, according to the words of the obligation. Anfaldo anfwered, that he was content. : "Several merchants would have jointly paid the money; the Jew would not hearken to the proposal, but infifted that he might have the fatisfaction of faying, that he had put to death the greatest of the Chriftian merchants. Giannetto making all poffible hafte to Venice, his lady foon followed him in a lawyer's habit, with two fervants attending her. Giannetto, when he came to Venice, goes to the Jew, and (after embracing Anfaldo) tells him, he is ready to pay the money, and as much more as he fhould demand. The Jew faid he would take no money, fince he was not paid at the time due; but that he would have the pound of flesh. Every one blamed the Jew; but as Venice was a place where juftice was ftrictly administered, and the Jew had his pretenfions grounded on publick and received forms, |