Since Jarl Óttar could not understand a word of Ishaq-al-Nadir’s language, he would never learn how capable his friend was in commercial negotiations. Before boredom distracted him, the Norseman’s instinct told him that the talks were intricate and convoluted. Had he understood Arabic, doubtless, he’d have thought the deal done on more than one occasion, only to find that the infinitely patient Ishaq was back to square one.
If the jarl imagined that the affair was concluded when Ishaq clasped hands with the silk merchant, he was mistaken. The contract had to be committed to writing in due form, signed, sealed, and registered, and then deposited at the Office of the Registry. Ishaq explained that there were lawyer’s and administrative fees to pay, which added twenty-two per cent to their e
