The House by the Medlar-Tree by Giovanni Verga

The worst part of it was that the lupins had been bought on credit, and Uncle Crucifix was not content with "fair words and rotten apples. " He was called Dumb-bell because he was deaf on one side, and turned that side when people wanted to pay him with talk, saying, "the payment can be arranged. " He lived by lending to his friends, having no other trade, and for this reason he stood about all day in the piazza, or with his back to the wall of the church, with his hands in the pockets of that ragged old jacket that nobody would have given him a soldo for; but he had as much money as you wanted, and if any one wanted ten francs he was ready to lend them right off, on pledge, of course -- "He who lends money without security loses his friends, his goods, and his wits" -- with the bargain that they should be paid back on Sunday, in silver, with the account signed, and a carlino more for interest, as was but right, for, in affairs, there's no friendship that counts.

He also bought a whole cargo of fish in the lump, with discount, if the poor fellow who had taken the fish wanted his money down, but they must be weighed with his scales, that were as false as Judas's, so they said. To be sure, such fellows were never contented, and had one arm long and the other short, like Saint Francesco: and he would advance the money for the port taxes if they wanted it, and only took the money beforehand, and half a pound of bread per head and a little quarter flask of wine, and wanted no more, for he was a Christian, and one of those who knew that for what one does in this world one must answer to God.