Everything the good man said was full of affection, and I could hardly refrain from tears while he spoke; in short, I took one hundred of the moidores, and called for a pen and ink to give him a receipt for them: then I returned him the rest, and told him if ever I had possession of the plantation I would return the other to him also (as, indeed, I afterwards did); and that as to the bill of sale of his part in his son’s ship, I would not take it by any means; but that if I wanted the money, I found he was honest enough to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to expect, I would never have a penny more from him.
In somma accettai cento dei moidori offertimi, e fattomi dare calamaio e penna, gliene feci la ricevuta. Nel restituirgli il restante lo assicurai che, se fossi tornato a possesso della mia piantagione, avrei considerati come un debito verso di lui anche i cento moidori allora accettati; e così veramente feci da poi. — «Quanto alle carte, continuai, che provano i diritti vostri e di vostro figlio sul vascello mercantile, di cui mi parlate, non voglio nè manco toccarle.