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 thou art more likely to make a profit of twenty pieces if thou dost get anyone to buy the glittering tinsel at thy price. Come, come, be reasonable, dear, for I like the women of Amber, and the Amber Queen, the aunt of Raja Man Singh, has ever been kind to me. They say it was her physicians who healed the Bengal Chief when he came to Agra wounded and unconscious. Wilt thou have fifteen pieces? Yes or no, for I have some valuable purchases to make, and cannot spend the whole night over thy tawdry things."

"And well hath the Bengal Chief repaid the kindness he received, for he stole the fairest slave the palace ever had. And a Tartar girl too, though the Chief himself is a Hindu. But in Bengal these Hindus are strange creatures, my Queen; the women wear sarees instead of petticoats, and the men have not learnt to tie a headdress yet. But go thy way, Queen, this bracelet is not for thee, nor shalt thou get it unless thou hast twenty-five pieces in thy purse, which I doubt very much."

"I suppose I must go elsewhere, where I can find honester vendors. Methinks I see a woman in saree in yonder stall; I wonder if she has brought some jewellery from Bengal to our Imperial City."

"Ay, ay, the Bengal lady may sell you her silver filigree works for a trifle, for they are light as feather. I deny not they make wonderful fine works in the East, both in muslins and in silver, but if thou wouldst have solid enamelled gold work come to Amber, my Queen. For twenty gold pieces thou mayst have this bracelet, and that is my last word. And if thou canst not find that sum in thy purse, go