picked up the piece of paper carelessly, but behold, on
it these words were written: "Bring the cloak at the appointed hour
to-night to the Ponte Vecchio, four hundred sequins are thine." I stood
thunderstruck. Thus I had lost my fortune and completely missed my aim!
Yet I did not think long. I picked up the two hundred sequins, jumped
after the one who had bought the cloak, and said: "Dear friend, take
back your sequins, and give me the cloak; I cannot possibly part with
it." He first regarded the matter as a joke; but when he saw that I was
in earnest, he became angry at my demand, called me a fool, and finally
it came to blows.

However, I was fortunate enough to wrench the cloak from him in the
scuffle, and was about to run away with it, when the young man called
the police to his assistance, and we both appeared before the judge. The
latter was much surprised at the accusation, and adjudicated the cloak
in favor of my adversary. I offered the young man twenty, fifty, eighty,
even a hundred sequins in addition to his two hundred, if he would
part with the cloak. What my entreaties could not do, my gold did. He
accepted it. I, however, went away with the cloak triumphantly, and had
to appear to the whole town of Florence as a madman. I did not care,
however, about the opinion of the people; I knew better than they that I
profited after all by the bargain.

Impatiently I awaited the night. At the same hour as before I went with
the Cloak under my arm towards the Ponte Vecchio. With the last stroke
of twelve the figure appeared out of the darkness, and came towards me.
It was unmistakably the man whom I had seen yesterday. "Hast thou the
cloak?" he asked me. "Yes, sir," I replied; "but it cost me a hundred
sequins ready money." "I know it," replied the other. "Look here, here
are four hundred." He went with me towards the wide balustrade of
the bridge, and counted out the money. There were four hundred; they
sparkled magnificently in the moonlight; their glitter rejoiced my
heart. Alas, I did not anticipate that this would be its last joy. I put
the money into my pocket, and was desirous of thoroughly looking at my
kind and unknown stranger; but he wore a mask, through which dark eyes
stared at me frightfully. "I thank you, sir, for your kindness," I said
to him; "what else do you require of me? I tell you beforehand it must
be an honorable transaction." "There is no occasion for alarm," he
replied, whilst winding th