minded to return to Florence without speaking a word to Messer Ansaldo. But at last he determined to seek him. And when Anseldo beheld him, he arose and ran to him and embraced him, saying, “Welcome to you, my son.” And Giannetto embraced him, weeping the while.
Then, when he had learnt all, Messer Ansaldo said, “Listen to me, Giannetto, and give over grieving; for, as long as I have you back again, I am contented. We still have enough to allow us to live in modest fashion. The sea is always wont to give to one and to take fromanother.”
It was soon noised abroad in Venice what had happened, and all men were much grieved over the loss which Messer Ansaldo had suffered, for he was obliged to sell many of his chattels in order to pay the creditors who had supplied him with goods.
It happened that the adventurers who had set sail with Giannetto returned from Alexandria with great profit. And as soon as they landed, they heard how Giannetto had come back broken in fortune. Wherefore they were greatly amazed and said, “This is the strangest matter that ever was.” Then they went with great laughter and merriment to Messer Ansaldo and Giannetto and said, “Messere, be not cast down, for we have settled to go next year to trade on your account, seeing that we have been in a way the cause of your loss in that we persuaded Giannetto to go with us. Fear nothing, for as long as we have anything you may treat it as your own.”