NATHAN.
Bags?
HAFI.
Bags of money: bring the weightiest forth:
The money thou’rt to lend the sultan, Nathan.
NATHAN.
And is that all?
HAFI.
Novice, thou’st yet to learn
How he day after day will scoop and scoop,
Till nothing but an hollow empty paring,
A husk as light as film, is left behind.
Thou’st yet to learn how prodigality
From prudent bounty’s never-empty coffers
Borrows and borrows, till there’s not a purse
Left to keep rats from starving. Thou mayst fancy
That he who wants thy gold will heed thy counsel;
But when has he yet listened to advice?
Imagine now what just befell me with him.
NATHAN.
Well—