The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-08
the merchants Of Venice applied to him he
was intieyiblc.
GIANNErro OFFERED nm

the merchants of Venice applied to him III
was intexiblc,
GIANNETrO OFFERED nm
Twenty thousand; afterwards forty, fifty, anC
at last one hundred thousand ducats The Jew
told him that If he would give him as much
gold rs tae city OF Venice was worth he would
not accept it. And says he, You know hui,
\ of me if you think will dcslSt from my de
/, mand''
!, While matters thus stood there alightcd a,
an inn in Venice a young man, described by
r his servant ~ ~ lawyer (,H gCHtW hUno g,H
:, dirt) who had finished his studies al Bologna
aud was returning to his own country And
what followed | must give from HE old story
without abridgemcnt
g., The landlord upon this shows his guest
great clvlllty; and when lac attended ut dinner
> the lawyer lnqurng how justice was admin
I i>tcred in that city, he answered, "JuSticc in
! this place j. too severe" How comes that :"
say, the lawyer II will tell you how says
4 the landlord. You must know that some
4 wears ago there came here young man from
I Florence whose name was Gianpetto; he was
4 recommended to the care Of "A relation, who is
called Ansaldp. He behaved here so well a.
! To possess the esteem and affection of every
living creature, and never was a youth sc well
beloved, Now, this Ansaldo sent him out
I three times each time with "a ship of great
value. lie every time was unfortunate and TO
| furnish the last AnsadO was forced to borrow
D. 10000 ducas Of "a jew, on condition that if he
did not repay them in June at the feast of st.
John, the jew mi ght take pound of his flesh.
! This excellent young man is now returned,
and offers to pay hundred thousand duCats
The wicked Jew wont take them, although the
best merchants in the city have applied to him,
but to no purpose Says the lawyer: This
question may be easily answered. "If you
can answer it," says the landlord, "and will
/ take the trouble to do II, and save this worthy
man from death, you will get The love ana es-
TEEN of a most deserving young man ana Of
all the best men Of this city" The lawyer
caused proclamation to be made that whoever
had any law matters to determine they should
! have recourse 10 him. SO 1t was told to Clan
| nCttO that
FAMOUS LAWYER
| Was come from Bologna, who could decide all
cases in law. Gannc,o proposed to the jew
to apply to this lawyer. with all my heart"
says the Jew; but, let who will come, | will
stick to my bond" Giannetto and the jew
each told the merits Of the case to the Judge
who, when he had taken the bond and read 1t,
said to the jew. Il must have you take the hun.
drcd Thousand ducats and release this honest
man, who will always have a grateful sense of
The favor done to him The jew replied, II
will do no such thing" The Judge answered,
I 1t VIII be better for YOU The jew was pos
4 tive 10 yield nothing. Upon this they 90 to he
| tribunal appointed for such judgments; and
/ our judg 70 speaks in favor of AnsadO, and, de
Sring that The Jew may stand forth Now"
| says he. "do you 10 the Jew "cut off Il pound
cf this man, flesh where you choose The
jew ordered him 10 be stripped naked, and
takes in his hand II razor which had been
made ON purpose Gianuctto seeing this, turn.
| ing to the judge. This" says he. sis not the
luyor asked of you." BE quiet says he
"t.e pound Of flesh is not vet cut of" As soon
"a, The jew was going to begin, Take care
Whal you do,' says the judge; IF you take
more cor less than pound ! will order your
head To be struck off, and tell yon, besides,
that if You shed one drop of blood you shall
be put To death. Your paper makes no men
ton of the shedding Of blood bat says cX.
Iplcsoiy that you may take
rOUND ur FLESH,
| Ncllhcr more nor less; and if YOU are wise
you will take great care what yOudo.' He i'm.
mcdiatcly sent for the cycculion"r TO bring the
/ block and az. and now" says he, eff | see
one drop Of blood of goes your head The
/ jew began Ia be IN great fear ana trlannctto IN
| great Joy. AZ length the jew, after much
wrangling, told him: you are more cunning
| lhan | can pretend to be; however, giyc me
| the hundred thousand duCas and am con
tent" No. says the Judge, "Cut of your
poJnd Of flesh, according to your bond | win
not give you a iarlhng. Why did you not
take the money when 1t was offered :" The
jew came down to ninety and then to eighty
thousand; but the Judge was still rcsoutc.
Gonnctto told the judge to give what hc n
CURED, that Ansaldo might have his liberty
but hc replied Let us manage him Then
the Jew would have taken fifty thousand. He
sad II Will not give you "A penny Give
me at least said the jew, my own ten thOus-
and ducals, and curse COniound you all,'
The Judge replies II will give you nothing.
If you Will have the pound of flesh, take 1t; IfI
not viii order your bond to be protested and
annullcd.' Every one present was greatly
pleased, and, dcrlding the jew, sald, "ile who
land traps for others i, caught HIMSELF The.
jew, seeing he could gain nothing, tore inI
pieces the bond in II great rage. Ansaldo was
released and conducted home with great joy
by GaunCttO.
The lady arrived some days before, and gave
orders 10 have everything prepared, and the
streets lined with tapestry and filled with men
armed for the lltlng and exercises; and, WHEN
GIannCttD and AusaldO were landed, all the
court went out to meet them, crying, Long
live our sovereign lord Long live our soy
crcgn lord" When they arrived at the pal
nee the lady ran to embrace Ansaldo, but lcign-
cd anger against Gianncto though she loved
him excessively; yet the Hastings tilts and di-
versions went on Is usual at which all the
lords and ladies' assisted. GianncttO, seeing
that his wife did not receive him with her &C
cuStomed good COuntcnancc, called her and in.
quiring the reason woald have sululcd her.
She told him she wanted no Carcsscs ~ am
sure" says she, you have been lavish of them
To some ofyour former mlSlrrssc- nj Venice
Glanncto began to make excuses She asked
linn
WHERE WAS THE RING
She had gwen him at is no more than what
/ | expected cries Gianncito, "aul was in The
right to say you would he angry with me, but