The last part of it with which he made me acquainted was that
of lending money to those in high places, and even to the State itself,
but at length I was taught this also and came to know sundry of these
men, who in private were humble borrowers, but if they met us in the
street passed us with the nod that the great give to their inferiors.
Then my uncle would bow low, keeping his eyes fixed upon the ground and
bid me do the same. But when they were out of hearing he would chuckle
and say,
"Fish in my net, goldfish in my net! See how they shine who presently
must wriggle on the shore. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity, and
doubtless Solomon knew such in his day."
Hard I worked, and ever harder, toiling at the mill of all these large
affairs and keeping myself in health during such time as I could spare
by shooting at the butts with my big bow where I found that none could
beat me, or practising sword play in a school of arms that was kept by
a master of the craft from Italy. Also on holidays and on Sundays after
mass I rode out of London to visit my uncle's estates where sometimes I
slept a night, and once or twice sailed to Holland or to Calais with his
cargoes.
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