iful Persian.

"My lord," she said, "I know that the late vizir, your father, bought
me for 10,000 gold pieces, and though I have diminished in value since,
I should still fetch a large sum. Do not therefore hesitate to sell
me, and with the money you obtain go and establish yourself in business
in some distant town."

"Charming Persian," answered Noureddin, "how could I be guilty of such
baseness? I would die rather than part from you whom I love better
than my life."

"My lord," she replied, "I am well aware of your love for me, which is
only equalled by mine for you, but a cruel necessity obliges us to seek
the only remedy."

Noureddin, convinced at length of the truth of her words, yielded, and
reluctantly led her to the slave market, where, showing her to a dealer
named Hagi Hassan, he inquired her value.

Taking them into a room apart, Hagi Hassan exclaimed as soon as she had
unveiled, "My lord, is not this the slave your father bought for 10,000
pieces?"

On learning that it was so, he promised to obtain the highest possible
price for her. Leaving the beautiful Persian shut up in the room
alone, he went out to seek the slave merchants, announcing to them that
he had found the pearl among slaves, and asking them to come and put a
value upon her. As soon as they saw her they agreed that less than
4,000 gold pieces could not be asked. Hagi Hassan, then closing the
door upon her, began to offer her for sale--calling out: "Who will bid
4,000 gold pieces for the Persian slave?"

Before any of the merchants had bid, Saouy happened to pass that way,
and judging that it must be a slave of extraordinary beauty, rode up to
Hagi Hassan and desired to see her. Now it was not the custom to show
a slave to a private bidder, but as no one dared to disobey the vizir
his request was granted.

As soon as Saouy saw the Persian he was so struck by her beauty, that
he immediately wished to possess her, and not knowing that she belonged
to Noureddin, he desired Hagi Hassan to send for the owner and to
conclude the bargain at once.

Hagi Hassan then sought Noureddin, and told him that his slave was
going far below her value, and that if Saouy bought her he was capable
of not paying the money. "What you must do," he said, "is to pretend
that you had no real intention of selling your slave, and only swore
you would in a fit of anger against her. When I present her to Saouy
as if with your consent you must step in, and