10- Noor ad Deen and the Fair Persian - Page 2

concurred in this opinion, and accordingly
ordered Khacan to buy him a slave, of perfect beauty, mistress of
all the qualifications they had enumerated, and possessed, above
all things, of an enlightened understanding.

Saouy, jealous of the honour the king had done Khacan, and
differing widely with him in opinion, said, "Sire, it will be
very difficult to find a slave so accomplished as your majesty
requires; and should such a one be discovered, which I scarcely
believe possible, she will be cheap at ten thousand pieces of
gold." "Saouy," replied the king, "I perceive plainly you think
the sum too great; it may be so for you, though not for me." Then
turning to his high treasurer, he ordered him to send the ten
thousand pieces of gold to the vizier's house.

Khacan, as soon as he had returned home, sent for all the brokers
who used to deal in women-slaves, and strictly charged them,
that, if ever they met with one who answered the description he
gave them, they should immediately apprise him. The brokers,
partly to oblige the vizier, and partly for their own interest,
promised to use their utmost endeavours to procure for him one
that would accord with his wishes. Scarcely a day passed but they
brought him a slave for his inspection, but he always discovered
in each something defective.

One day, early in the morning, as Khacan was mounting his horse
to go to court, a broker came to him, and, taking hold of the
stirrup with great eagerness, told him a Persian merchant had
arrived very late the day before, who had a slave to sell, so
surprisingly beautiful that she excelled all the women his eyes
had ever beheld; "And for wit and knowledge," added he, "the
merchant engages she shall match the most acute and learned
persons of the age."

Khacan, overjoyed at this intelligence, which promised him a
favourable opportunity for making his court, ordered him to bring
the slave to his palace against his return, and departed.

The broker failed not to be at the vizier's at the appointed
hour; and Khacan, finding the lovely slave so much beyond his
expectation, immediately gave her the name of the fair Persian.
As he had himself much wit and learning, he soon perceived by her
conversation, that it was in vain to search further for a slave
that surpassed her in any of the qualifications required by the
king; and therefore he asked the broker at what sum the Persian
merchant valued her.

"Sir," replied the broker, "he is a man of few words in
bargaining, and he tells me, that the very lowest price he will
take for her is ten thousand pieces of gold: he has also sworn to
me, that, without reckoning his care and