This vexed me, and the
criers observing I was dissatisfied, If you will take our advice,
said they, we will put you in a way of selling your stuffs
without losing by them. The brokers and criers having thus
promised to put me in a way of losing nothing by my goods, I
asked them what course they would have me take? Divide your
goods, said they, among several merchants, and they will sell
them by retail; and twice a week, that is, on Mondays and
Tuesdays, you may receive what money they take: by this means you
will gain instead of losing, and the merchants will gain by you:
in the mean time, you will have time to take your pleasure, and
walk up and down the town, or to go upon the Nile. I took their
advice, and carried them to my warehouse, from whence I brought
all my goods to the bezestein, and divided them among the
merchants, whom they represented as most reputable and able to
pay: the merchants gave me a formal receipt before witnesses,
stipulating withal that I should not make any demands upon them
for the first month.
Having thus regulated my affairs, my mind was taken up with other
sort of things than ordinary pleasures. I contracted friendship
with divers persons of almost the same age with myself, who took
care I did not want company. The first month expired, I began to
visit my merchants twice a week, taking along with me a public
officer to inspect their books of sale, and a banker to see they
paid me in good money, as well as to regulate the value of the
several species; so that every pay-day I had a good sum of money
to carry home to my lodging.
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