The cries of the company redoubled at sight of the sums exactly as I had stated them, and every one pressed the Bargello to give me up the casket and bag; which the officer would immediately have acceded to, if I had not declared that I would not receive my money except at the hands of justice, since we were in a city where, thank God, upright judges were to be found. The banker, being once more called upon to say what he had to allege against such positive proof, answered, more dead than alive, and not knowing what to think of an adventure which appeared so natural; “that it was all magic to him, and that the devil must assuredly have had a hand in it.” “If you have no better argument than that to bring forward,” said the officer to him, “you have every chance of losing your cause, and being punished severely to boot.” Thus saying, he left the casket and bag in the custody of a rich merchant in the neighbourhood, and went to make his report to the Judges, who cited Signor Plati and me to appear before them the next morning. The banker was himself so ill that he found it impossible to attend, and contented himself by sending his wife and clerk with some of his friends. As for me, I appeared boldly accompanied by Sayavedra, my landlord and landlady, all three of whom were interrogated alternately, and asserted a great deal, especially the two last, more than they had either seen or heard. The judges heard Aguilera and his mistress in their turns, who confessed that not having been in the counting-house the whole of the day on which I stated that I had brought the money, they could not conscientiously swear that I had not been there. Upon all these depositions the magistrates condemned my adversary to restore my gold and silver, and pay all costs, prohibiting him from ever practising the profession of banker again in Milan. The Bargello, in execution of this sentence, conducted me to the merchant with whom he had left the casket and bag, and having restored them to me, I returned triumphantly to my inn. When I arrived there, I was not a little time occupied in receiving congratulations on my success. The landlord and his wife among the rest could not moderate their joy. To testify my gratitude I made them some trifling presents, and all their servants had reason to praise my generous disposition. CHAP. XLII. _What share of the booty Guzman gives to his associates, and the resolution he takes of leaving Milan._