The narrator tells us that he's going to pick up his gondolas at the marketplace. He explains that gondolas are made by specialized craftsmen who spend three months building them and then they last for about twenty years. The gondolas can carry up to six people in one gondola. The narrator is happy that he can still use the gondola for personal use. He's sad that they're going to have to part, but he doesn't want the gondola to disappoint his customers. He tells the narrator to cheer up because he'll be back soon.