The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 2 | Page 7

had heard of my arrival. I
gave patterns of my stuffs to several of the criers, who shewed them all
over the bazaar; but none of the merchants offered near so much as
prime cost and carriage. This vexed me, and the criers observing I was
dissatisfied, said, "If you will take our advice, we will put you in a way
to sell your goods without loss."
The brokers and the criers, having thus promised to put me in a way of
losing nothing by my goods, I asked them what course they would have
me pursue . "Divide your goods," said they, among several merchants,
they will sell them by retail; and twice a week, that is on Mondays and
Thursdays, you may receive what money they may have taken. By this
means, instead of losing, you will turn your goods to advantage, and
the merchants will gain by you. In the mean while you will have time
to take your pleasure about the town or go upon the Nile."
I took their advice, and conducted them to my warehouse; from whence
I brought all my goods to the bazaar, and there divided them among the
merchants whom they represented as most reputable and able to pay;

and the merchants gave me a formal receipt before witnesses,
stipulating that I should not making any demands upon them for the
first month.
Having thus regulated my affairs, my mind was occupied with ordinary
pleasures. I contracted acquaintance with divers persons of nearly the
same age with myself, which made the time pass agreeably. After the
first month had expired, I began to visit my merchants twice a week,
taking with me a public officer to inspect their books of sale, and a
banker to see that they paid me in good money, and to regulate the
value of the several coins. Every pay-day, I had a good sum of money
to carry home to my lodging at the khan of Mesrour. I went on other
days to pass the morning sometimes at one merchant's house, and
sometimes at that of another. In short, I amused myself in conversing
with them, and seeing what passed in the bazaar.
One Monday, as I was sitting in a merchant ‘s shop, whose name was
Buddir ad Deen, a lady of quality, as might easily be perceived by her
air, her apparel, and by a well-dressed slave attending her, came into
the shop, and sat down by me. Her external appearance, joined to a
natural grace that shone in all her actions, prepossessed me in her
favour, and inspired me with a desire to be better acquainted with her. I
know not whether she observed that I took pleasure in gazing on her,
and whether this attention on my part was not agreeable to her; but she
let down the crepe that hung over the muslin which covered her face,
and gave me the opportunity of seeing her large black eyes; which
perfectly charmed me. In fine, she inflamed my love to the height by
the agreeable sound of her voice, her graceful carriage in saluting the
merchant, and asking him how he did since she had seen him last.
After conversing with him some time upon indifferent subjects, she
gave him to understand that she wanted a particular kind of stuff with a
gold ground; that she came to his shop, as affording the best choice of
any in all the bazaar; and that if he had any such as she asked for, he
would oblige her in showing them. Buddir ad Deen produced several
pieces, one of which she pitched upon, and he asked for it eleven
hundred dirhems of silver. "I will," said she, "give you your price for it,
but I have not money enough about me; so I hope you will give me
credit till to- morrow, and in the mean time allow me to carry home the
stuff. I shall not fail," added she, "to send you tomorrow the eleven

hundred dirhems." "Madam," said Buddir ad Deen, "I would give you
credit with all my heart if the stuff were mine; but it belongs to the
young man you see here, and this is the day on which we settle our
accounts." "Why," said the lady in surprise, "do you use me so? Am not
I a customer to your shop And when I have bought of you, and carried
home the things without paying ready money for them, did I in any
instance fail to send you your money next morning?" "Madam," said
the merchant, "all this is true, but this very day I have occasion for the
money." "There," said she, throwing the stuff to him, "take your stuff, I
care not for you nor any of the