“Your father will return to England.  He informs me that he is now longing to return to his own country, and has for some time been thinking of doing so.  I have proposed to him that he shall act as my agent there.  Hitherto I have not traded direct with England; in future I shall do so largely.  Your father has explained to me somewhat of his transactions, and I see there is good profit to be made on trade with London, by a merchant who has the advantage of the advice and assistance of one, like your father, thoroughly conversant in the trade.  Thus, I hope that the arrangement will be largely to our mutual advantage.  As to yourself, you will probably be reluctant to establish yourself for life in this country; but there is no reason why, in time, when your father wishes to retire from business, you should not establish yourself in London, in charge of the English branch of our house.”

“I am most grateful to you for your offer, signor, which is vastly beyond anything that my ambition could ever have aspired to.  I can only say that I will try my best to do justice to your kindness to me.”

“I have no fear as to that, Francisco,” the merchant said.  “You have shown so much thoughtfulness, in this business, that I shall have no fear of entrusting even weighty affairs of business in your hands; and you must remember always that I shall still consider myself your debtor.  I thoroughly agree with your father’s views as to the necessity for your leaving Venice, as soon as possible.  In a few months this matter will have blown over, the angry feelings excited will calm down, and you will then be able to come and go in safety; but at present you were best out of the town, and I have, therefore, arranged with your father that you shall embark tonight on board the Bonito, which sails tomorrow.  You will have much to say to your father now, but I hope you will find time to come round, and say goodbye to my daughters, this evening.”

“Your adventures, Francis,” Mr. Hammond said when the merchant had left them, “have turned out fortunate, indeed.  You have an opening now beyond anything we could have hoped for.  Signor Polani has expressed himself most warmly.  He told me that I need concern myself no further with your future, for that would now be his affair.  The arrangement that he has made with me, will enable me to hold my head as high as any in the City, for it will give me almost a monopoly of the Venetian trade; and although he said that he had long been thinking of entering into trade direct with England, there is no doubt that it is his feeling towards you, which has influenced him now in the matter.

“My business here has more than answered my expectations, in one respect, but has fallen short in another.  I have bought cheaply, and the business should have been a very profitable one; but my partner in London is either not acting fairly by me, or he is mismanaging matters altogether.  This offer, then, of Signor Polani is in every respect acceptable.  I shall give up my own business and start anew, and selling, as I shall, on commission, shall run no risk, while the profits will be far larger than I could myself make, for Polani will carry it on on a great scale.