Part 29 (1/2)
She offered no least resistance, advancing in a singularly lifeless way, like a sleep-walker or one who had been drugged In the heat and glare of the open market she stood by the dalal's side at the head of the well, whilst he dilated upon her physical ua franca which he used since it was current coin ae which the knowledge of French that her residence in France had taught her she was to her increasing horror and shame able to understand
The first to ht to purchase the two Nubeans He rose to scrutinize her closely, and ood one, and he offered it with contemptuous assurance that he would not be outbidden
”One hundred philips for the h Consider ht loveliness of her face,”
said the dalal as he il was ever half so fair”
”One hundred and fifty,” said the Levantine Turk with a snap
”Not yet enough Behold the stately height which Allah hath vouchsafed her See the noble carriage of her head, the lustre of her eye! By Allah, she is worthy to grace the Sultan's own hareenized to be true, and exciteh their usually iareen Moor named Yusuf offered at once two hundred
But still the dalal continued to sing her praises He held up one of her arms for inspection, and she subn of resentment beyond the slow flush that spread across her face and vanished again
”Behold me these limbs, smooth as Arabian silks and whiter than ivory
Look at those lips like poranate blossoive, O Hainal bid should so speedily have been doubled ”By the Koran, I have purchased three sturdy girls from the Sus for less”
”Wouldst thou coirl frolory of womanhood?” scoffed the dalal
”Two hundred and ten, then,” was Harunt
The watchful Tsamanni considered that the time had come to buy her for his lord as he had been bidden
”Three hundred,” he said curtly, to make an end of matters, and--
”Four hundred,” instantly piped a shrill voice behind hi face of Ayoub A h the ranks of the buyers, the people craned their necks to catch a gliareen rose up in a passion He announced angrily that never again should the dust of the sok of Algiers defile his slippers, that never again would he come there to purchase slaves
”By the Well of Zem-Zem,” he swore, ”all men are bewitched in this irl! May Allah increase your wealth, for verily you'll need it” And in his supreh the crowd, and so vanished from the sok
Yet ere he was out of earshot her price had risen further Whilst Tsa from his surprise at the competitor that had suddenly appeared before him, the dalal had lured an increased offer from the Turk
”'Tis a madness,” the latter deplored ”But she pleaseth ood to Allah the Merciful to lead her into the True Faith she ht of my hareem Four hundred and twenty philips, then, O dalal, and Allah pardon ality”
Yet scarcely was his little speech concluded than Tsamanni with laconic eloquence rapped out: ”Five hundred”
”Y'Allah!” cried the Turk, raising his hands to heaven, and ”Y'Allah!”
echoed the crowd
”Five hundred and fifty,” shrilled Ayoub's voice above the general din
”Six hundred,” replied Tsaeneral hubbub provoked by these unprecedented prices that the dalal was forced to raise his voice and cry for silence
When this was restored Ayoub at once raised the price to seven hundred