my money. I was in a position to accept any offer; I thanked him for his
kindness.

Happening during the conversation to state that I was a Venetian, he told
me that he was my subject, since he came from Zante. I acknowledged his
polite compliment with a reverence.

"I have," he said, "some very excellent muscatel wine 'grown in the East,
which I could sell you cheap."

"I might buy some, but I warn you I am a good judge."

"So much the better. Which do you prefer?"

"The Cerigo wine."

"You are right. I have some rare Cerigo muscatel, and we can taste it if
you have no objection to dine with me."

"None whatever."

"I can likewise give you the wines of Samos and Cephalonia. I have also a
quantity of minerals, plenty of vitriol, cinnabar, antimony, and one
hundred quintals of mercury."

"Are all these goods here?"

"No, they are in Naples. Here I have only the muscatel wine and the
mercury."