It was on this occasion that he showed me how skilful he was in all the tricks of business. “The truth is,” said he, “you must do here, what I have done myself in similar cases; which is to save the little that remains to you at the cost of others:” then without the least delay, he counterfeited letters of transfer, and false contracts, and I do not know how many similar deeds, all equally worthy of a public reward, if proper justice could always be administered to all honest folks that make use of them. He did not stop here; for in order to establish my credit, which was now become necessary to him, he made me purchase an estate of five hundred ducats a year, which his brother possessed; when I say purchase, I mean only in appearance, for we were not able, both together, to muster a sufficient sum to shew the Notary, that he might witness the payment of the purchase-money. It cost me, however, but fifty crowns to borrow this sum for one day, and thus the sale was apparently completed. At the same time I gave the seller a deed, by which I formally declared that the said estate did not belong to me, but was as much his as ever, to whom I abandoned the enjoyment of it, having no manner of claim. I was well pleased with these shuffling tricks, because they were advantageous to me. Besides, I knew that they were commonly practised in all trading cities. Thanks to my father-in-law, I had now secured something to myself, let fortune be as contrary as it pleased; and being able to trade again upon the faith of this new estate, I went on in my usual courses. Unfortunately this state of things could not last long. People who have been cheated are sure to be undeceived at last: besides, my wife’s always spending more than I gained, was sufficient of itself to ruin me, and I could not hold out against it any longer. Don Andrea was still lucky enough to get himself out of the scrape. As for me, I could no longer keep out of the clutches of a cursed Alguazil, who arrested me on the part of my creditors, and led me to prison; but they found themselves overreached when they set about seizing my effects, and learned that they were secretly made over. I was not so unconscionable as to wish them to lose all; so I paid each a tenth part of what was due, promising to liquidate the remainder in ten years. I was set at liberty again on these terms.