l6o	IMAGINARY CONVERSATIONS
a single maravedi for my labour and skill, or for the wear and tear of my pantoufle. My reward will be in Paradise, where a Houri is standing in the shade, above a vase of gold an'd silver! fish, with a kiss on her lip, and an unbroken pair of green slippers in her hand for me.' Saying which, he took off his foot again the one he had been using, and showed the sole of it, first to the master, then to all the crew, and .declared it had become (as they might see) so smooth and oily by the application, that it was dangerous to walk on deck in it.
Eugenms. See! what notions these creatures have, both of their fool's paradise and of our holy faith i The seven sacraments, I warrant you, go for nothing] Purgatory, purgatory itself, goes for nothing!
Filippo. Holy Father 1 we must stop there. That does not gtf* for nothing, however.
Eugenms. Filippo! God forbid I should suspect thee of any. heretical taint; but this smells very like it. If thou hast it now, tell me honestly- I mean, hold thy tongue. Florentines are rather lax. Even Son Cosimo might be stricter: so they say; perhaps his enemies. The great always have them abundantly, beside those by whom they are served, and those also whom they serve. Now would I give a silver rose with my benediction on it, to know of a certainty what became of those poor creatures the abbates. The initiatory rite of Mahometanism is most diabolically^ malicious. According to the canons of our catholic Church, if^ disqualifies the neophyte for holy orders, without going so far as adapting him to the choir of the pontifical chapel. They limp ; they halt.
Fitippa.   Beatitude! which of them?
Eugenius.   The unbelievers:   they surely are found wanting.
Filippo.   The unbelievers too?
Eugenius* Ay, ay, them half renegade! Couldst not thou go over with a purse of silver, and try whether the souls of these captives be recoverable? Even if they should have submitted to such unholy rites, I venture to say they have repented.