CHAPTER IX
THE PILGRIM EXAMINES THE ORDER OF THE TRADESMEN
(What he saw there Publicly.)
Then walking on, we arrive in a street where trades were carried on; this street was again divided into many smaller streets and squares, and everything was full of various halls, workshops, forges, working-rooms, shops, and booths, with various wondrous tools; the people turned round them in a strange fashion, with much crashing, banging, piping, blowing, hulloaing, rattling, and scrubbing in various ways. I saw here that some scraped the earth and opened mines in it, either ripping it up on the surface or digging deep into its interior like moles. Others paddled in the water, on rivers, or on the sea; others stirred fires; others gaped at the air; others busied themselves with wild beasts; others with stones and wood; others conveyed various goods to and fro. And the interpreter said to me: "See what ingenious and pleasant work this is; well, what here pleases thee most?" I said, "It may be that there is here somewhat of merriment; but with it I see much toiling, I hear much moaning." "Not all labour is so arduous," he said: "let us
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