Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 2.djvu/230

208 is a cell and therein a damsel pale of colour. What is her price in money and how much dost thou ask for her?,her?’ [sic] Quoth the slave-dealer, ‘She whom thou mentionest is called Tuhfet el Hemca.’ ‘What is the meaning of El Hemca?’ asked Ishac, and the old man replied, ‘Her price hath been paid down an hundred times and she still saith, “Show me him who desireth to buy me;” and when I show her to him, she saith, “This fellow is not to my liking; he hath in him such and such a default.” And in every one who would fain buy her she allegeth some default or other, so that none careth now to buy her and none seeketh her, for fear lest she discover some default in him.’ Quoth Ishac, ‘She seeketh presently to sell herself; so go thou to her and enquire of her and see her price and send her to the palace.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Said,Saïd, [sic] ‘her price is an hundred dinars, though, were she whole of this paleness that is upon her face, she would be worth a thousand; but folly and pallor have diminished her value; and behold, I will go to her and consult her of this.’ So he betook himself to her, and said to her, ‘Wilt thou be sold to Ishac ben Ibrahim el Mausili?’ ‘Yes,’ answered she, and he said, ‘Leave