Issachar listened with attention, and remained for some time after I had finished speaking lost in thought.  Then he said, “I see that yours is no common case.  Honour, Religion, and Love make a strong partnership and hard taskmasters to a young journeyman.  Perhaps I am too little of a casuist to maintain that the lady will not be gratified by your efforts to gain her esteem.  My experiences have been few, and I am no lady’s man, but I own I should have thought that she would have preferred a more dashing return to her feet—­something on horseback, say, with a hand on your thigh and a kiss of the finger-tips.  Ha! you might say, ha! fair enchantress, do we meet again?  A nonchalant mien!  I believe few ladies can resist it.  But it is not for me to say.  I am, however, convinced of one thing, which is that if you stray about the country at random, proclaiming in a resolute voice that you are a criminal, in a very short time you will be taken at your word and clapped into gaol—­ there or in a madhouse.  Either will be uncomfortable—­but in neither will you meet your lady.  Of that I am positive.”  He grew warm, he grew declamatory.  “Why, this is extraordinary!” he cried.  “Why, sir, how will you get out of this State and into another without a passport?  How will you live when you have spent your money?  How can you approach your lady, or anybody’s lady, without a coat on your back or a quattrino in your pocket?  I am ashamed to put you questions so elementary, but if you can answer one of them I shall have done with them.”

As I had no answer ready, Issachar proceeded—­briskly, confidentially, and with alacrity.  “It is indeed lucky for you,” he said, “that you have fallen into my hands; Fra Palamone—­that old tusker with the useful foot—­would have flayed you alive and sold the skin.  Now, I have everything here that a man of honour can want—­a neat jacket”—­he produced it—­“shoes, stockings, garters?”—­he put them on the bed.  “A hat?” He held up a broad-brimmed felt, with a draggled feather which conferred no benefit upon it.  “And now,” he continued, “for your trade.  Short of chivalry, which involves horse exercise and is to be condemned on the score of expense, peddling is the very thing for you.  I understand your requirements perfectly:  put shortly they are:  (a) piety, (b) travel, (c) gallantry; beyond those you need health, reasonable protection from law or lawlessness, honest profit.  Well, take peddling.  It is safe, it is easy; you have company, you may make money; you see all the sights and hear all the news, and you may repent as diligently as you please through all.  But my assistance will be better than you can dream of.  I am myself a pedlar, with a small stock left, which (as I am going home to Venice) I shall make over to you at cost price.  In addition to that, I will hand my passport over to you, just as I have given you my coat and hat.  Read it, and you will see how exactly your wheels fall into my ruts.”