They exhibit themselves splendidly attired
and abundantly perfumed, in finely garnished houses, with trains of
waiting-women. These women are extremely accomplished in all the arts of
allurement, and readily adapt their conversation to all sorts of persons,
insomuch that strangers who have once tasted their attractions seem to get
bewitched, and are so taken with their blandishments and their fascinating
ways that they never can get these out of their heads. Hence it comes to
pass that when they return home they say they have been to Kinsay or the
City of Heaven, and their only desire is to get back thither as soon as
possible.[NOTE 6]
Other streets are occupied by the Physicians, and by the Astrologers, who
are also teachers of reading and writing; and an infinity of other
professions have their places round about those squares. In each of the
squares there are two great palaces facing one another, in which are
established the officers appointed by the King to decide differences
arising between merchants, or other inhabitants of the quarter. It is the
daily duty of these officers to see that the guards are at their posts on
the neighbouring bridges, and to punish them at their discretion if they
are absent.
All along the main street that we have spoken of, as running from end to
end of the city, both sides are lined with houses and great palaces and
the gardens pertaining to them, whilst in the intervals are the houses of
tradesmen engaged in their different crafts. The crowd of people that you
meet here at all hours, passing this way and that on their different
errands, is so vast that no one would believe it possible that victuals
enough could be provided for their consumption, unless they should see
how, on every market-day, all those squares are thronged and crammed with
purchasers, and with the traders who have brought in stores of provisions
by land or water; and everything they bring in is disposed of.
To give you an example of the vast consumption in this city let us take
the article of pepper; and that will enable you in some measure to
estimate what must be the quantity of victual, such as meat, wine,
groceries, which have to be provided for the general consumption. Now
Messer Marco heard it stated by one of the Great Kaan's officers of
customs that the quantity of pepper introduced daily for consumption into
the city of Kinsay amounted to 43 loads, each load being equal to 223 lbs.
[NOTE 7]
The houses of the citizens are well built and elaborately finished; and
the delight they take in decoration, in painting and in architecture,
leads them to spend in this way sums of money that would astonish you.
