登陆注册
5421900000027

第27章 The Wine Merchant(6)

"Ay, and will never taste better if you live as long as the Wandering Jew.Well, sirs, may I take your orders? If you are wise you will make them large, since no such chance is likely to come your way again, and that wine, yellow or red, will keep a century."Then the chaffering began, and it was long and keen.Indeed, at one time they nearly left the place without purchasing, but the merchant Georgios called them back and offered to come to their terms if they would take double the quantity, so as to make up a cartload between them, which he said he would deliver before Christmas Day.To this they consented at length, and departed homewards made happy by the gifts with which the chapman clinched his bargain, after the Eastern fashion.To the Prior he gave a roll of worked silk to be used as an edging to an altar cloth or banner, and to Wulf a dagger handle, quaintly carved in olive wood to the fashion of a rampant lion.Wulf thanked him, and then asked him with a somewhat shamed face if he had more embroidery for sale, whereat the Prior smiled.The quick-eyed Cypriote saw the smile, and inquired if it might be needed for a lady's wear, at which some neighbours present in the room laughed outright.

"Do not laugh at me, gentlemen," said the Eastern;"for how can I, a stranger, know this young knight's affairs, and whether he has mother, or sisters, or wife, or lover? Well here are broideries fit for any of them." Then bidding his servant bring a bale, he opened it, and began to show his goods, which, indeed, were very beautiful.In the end Wulf purchased a veil of gauze-like silk worked with golden stars as a Christmas gift for Rosamund.

Afterwards, remembering that even in such a matter he must take no advantage of his brother, he added to it a tunic broidered with gold and silver flowers such as he had never seen--for they were Eastern tulips and anemones, which Godwin would give her also if he wished.

These silks were costly, and Wulf turned to the Prior to borrow money, but he had no more upon him.Georgios said, however, that it mattered nothing, as he would take a guide from the town and bring the wine in person, when he could receive payment for the broideries, of which he hoped to sell more to the ladies of the house.

He offered also to go with the Prior and Wulf to where his ship lay in the river, and show them many other goods aboard of her, which, he explained to them, were the property of a company of Cyprian merchants who had embarked upon this venture jointly with himself.This they declined, however, as the darkness was not far off; but Wulf added that he would come after Christmas with his brother to see the vessel that had made so great a voyage.

Georgios replied that they would be very welcome, but if he could make shift to finish the repairs to his rudder, he was anxious to sail for London while the weather held calm, for there he looked to sell the bulk of his cargo.He added that he had expected to spend Christmas at that city, but their helm having gone wrong in the rough weather, they were driven past the mouth of the Thames, and had they not drifted into that of the Crouch, would, he thought, have foundered.So he bade them farewell for that time, but not before he had asked and received the blessing of the Prior.

Thus the pair of them departed, well pleased with their purchases and the Cypriote Georgios, whom they found a very pleasant merchant.Prior John stopped to eat at the Hall that night, when he and Wulf told of all their dealings with this man.Sir Andrew laughed at the story, showing them how they had been persuaded by the Eastern to buy a great deal more wine than they needed, so that it was he and not they who had the best of the bargain.Then he went on to tell tales of the rich island of Cyprus, where he had landed many years before and stayed awhile, and of the gorgeous court of its emperor, and of its inhabitants.These were, he said, the cunningest traders in the world--so cunning, indeed, that no Jew could overmatch them; bold sailors, also, which they had from the Phoenicians of Holy Writ, who, with the Greeks, were their forefathers, adding that what they told him of this Georgios accorded well with the character of that people.

Thus it came to pass that no suspicion of Georgios or his ship entered the mind of any one of them, which, indeed, was scarcely strange, seeing how well his tale held together, and how plain were the reasons of his presence and the purpose of his dealings in wines and silks.

同类推荐
  • 相宗八要

    相宗八要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 耒耜经

    耒耜经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鸣鹤余音

    鸣鹤余音

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 朱元璋御制文集

    朱元璋御制文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中山诗话

    中山诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 考古质疑

    考古质疑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 居易录

    居易录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 高而基考研心理学:教育心理学分册(统考版)

    高而基考研心理学:教育心理学分册(统考版)

    比邻学堂高而基考研心理学系列是针对心理学考研进行编写的标准的教辅书。本书对知识进行了深度和全面的梳理与整合,覆盖全部核心考点,同时在312考试大纲的基础上进行了调整、完善、充实,对自主命题的考生也同样适用。全书逻辑性强,条理清晰,能帮助考生在较短时间内进行有效学习。
  • 鲤鱼双枕

    鲤鱼双枕

    制伞世家的二女儿一直很有名,被传为世间第一丑女。但尽管名声如此之大,却从来没有谁能具体描述出她究竟长什么样。她的名字在整个长安城都如雷贯耳:王灵韵。一个糊涂的雀仙,一座空无一人的玫瑰园,一对神奇的枕头,一场双方互不情愿的婚约。互相残杀、相互猜忌的未婚夫妇,那聪明的两个人,究竟什么时候才能分出个高低?然而,当活在旧梦里的初恋少年,再一次犹如天神一般,出现在她的面前时,一切都出乎了自己的预料。还有那个与死去的故人十分相似的女子……鲤鱼双枕,乃是绣工精致的一对枕头。古书上记载,此为妖邪所带来世间之物,其名又为:鸳鸯。但谁也不知道,这双对枕为何名叫鸳鸯。
  • 我一开口,就能说服所有人

    我一开口,就能说服所有人

    古人说:“三寸不烂之舌,强于百万之师。”本书以马云的真实事例作为写作的主体,向读者展示了马云口才的惊人力量。你既可以欣赏其中的精彩绝妙之处,也可以从中寻觅到自我提升的方法与路径。
  • 相和歌辞·采莲曲

    相和歌辞·采莲曲

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 女君天下

    女君天下

    从被遗弃,到女扮男装入朝为官,朝堂上佞臣诸侯裨天,硬要与她做对,好不容易驻扎边关,远离朝堂,却抢亲,抢了陆国皇子公子卿,而天南朝大将无谷歌,却又对她纠缠不休。权利、地位、财富的漩涡,融入了情爱的纠葛,她又将何去何从……——情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 改变性格改变一生

    改变性格改变一生

    在这个充满机遇与挑战的时代里,我们只有不断地调试、改变自己的性格,使之与社会群体相适应,才能跟上时代的节拍,获得和谐健康的发展。性格孤僻的人,不妨变得活跃一点点,涌入欢快的人流,随跃动的节拍起舞。性格悲观的人,不妨变得乐观一点点,让窗外的阳光驱散心底的阴霾,性格暴躁的人,不妨变得沉静一点点,一杯清茶,一本好书,伴着书香体味人生的静谧……人只有不断尝试着改变自己的性格,才会发现自己身上的可塑性,拥有更多成功的机会。
  • 徒弟很不乖

    徒弟很不乖

    都说徒弟是个软萌听话的生物,多少年都不愿收徒的墨染仙君好不容易打算试一把,准备收个看起来比较有趣的徒弟,不过貌似他这个徒弟好像不怎么领情啊……
  • 比汗水更重要的是选择

    比汗水更重要的是选择

    很多人因为一个正确的选择而大放异彩,如司马迁、鲁迅、比尔·盖茨。我们可以设想一下,假如司马迁在死刑和宫刑之间没有选择令男人最为耻辱的宫刑并含羞忍耻地活着、假如鲁迅舍不得放弃医学、假如比尔·盖茨选择了拿哈佛的镀金文凭……那些彪炳千秋的辉煌还会由他们来谱写吗?在美国历史上享有极高声誉的林肯总统认为:所谓聪明的人,就在于他懂得如何去选择。做出正确的选择的确需要智力、眼光与勇气,人在选择时,常常要面对很大的变数、超强的诱惑、艰苦的困难……然而正是因为做正确选择之难,才会有强者与庸夫。