Pagina 685 di 1116

Thou shouldest do as the merchants do and sell thy merchandise at

credit for a fixed period, on a contract drawn up by a notary and

duly witnessed; and employ a Shroff to take thy dues every Monday

and Thursday. So shalt thou gain two dirhams and more, for every

one; and thou shalt solace and divert thyself by seeing Cairo and

the Nile." Quoth I, "This is sound advice," and carried the

brokers to the Khan. They took my stuffs and went with them on

'Change where I sold them well taking bonds for the value. These

bonds I deposited with a Shroff, a banker, who gave me a receipt

with which I returned to the Khan. Here I stayed a whole month,

every morning breaking my fast with a cup of wine and making my

meals on pigeon's meat, mutton and sweetmeats, till the time came

when my receipts began to fall due.