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"Thou hast heard, Marzak?" he said. "Sakr-el-Bahr is returned." "Victoriously, I hope," the lad lied glibly. "Victorious beyond aught that was ever known," replied Tsamanni. "He sailed at sunset into the harbour, his company aboard two mighty Frankish ships, which are but the lesser part of the great spoil he brings."
Ayoub departed in all haste to the increasing jeers of the multitude and the taunts of Tsamanni, whilst Sakr-el-Bahr turned him once more to the dalal. "At one thousand and six hundred philips this slave is thine, O Sakr-el-Bahr, thou glory of Islam. May Allah increase thy victories!" "Pay him, Ali," said the corsair shortly, and he advanced to receive his purchase.
Thou shouldst have said so earlier. 'Tis thus I shall answer the Basha should he question me, and the Basha is just." "I would not be thee, Ayoub not for the throne of Istambul." "Nor I thee, Tsamanni; for thou art jaundiced with rage." And so they stood glaring each at the other until the dalal called them back to the business that was to do.
The dalal, who had conceived that the limits of madness had been already reached, stood gaping now in fresh amazement. The mob crowed and cheered and roared between enthusiasm and derision, and even Tsamanni brightened to see another champion enter the lists who perhaps would avenge him upon Ayoub. The crowd parted quickly to right and left, and through it into the open strode Sakr-el-Bahr.
Nor ever again let thyself be seen roving the public places afoot." She obeyed him instantly, without a murmur; and he himself lingered at the gates with Tsamanni until her litter had passed out, escorted by Ayoub and Marzak walking each on one side of it and neither daring to meet the angry eye of the Basha. Asad looked sourly after that litter, a sneer on his heavy lips.
The Basha sat in the shade of an awning enthroned upon a divan, attended by his wazeer Tsamanni and by Marzak, and guarded by a half-dozen janissaries, whose sable garments made an effective background to the green and gold of his jewelled robes. In his white turban glowed an emerald crescent. The Basha's countenance was dark and brooding as he watched the advent of that line of burdened camels.
"How inscrutable are the ways of Allah, that He should suffer so luscious a fruit to hang from the foul tree of infidelity!" Tsamanni watching him craftily, a master-sycophant profoundly learned in the art of playing upon his master's moods, made answer: "Even so perchance that a Faithful of the Prophet's House may pluck it. Verily all things are possible to the One!" And again he sighed.
Surely Allah will burn these people in a fire of more than ordinary heat a furnace that shall never cool. Ah, listen to the prices," The little girl's market-value has gone to forty-four dollars say seven pounds ten shillings in English money at the current rate of exchange. It has risen two dollars at a time, and Tsamanni cannot quite cover his satisfaction.
"May thy sons perish and thy daughters become harlots," roared the eunuch, maddened at once by this evil news and the insult with which it was accompanied. But Tsamanni only laughed, as he answered him over his shoulder "May thy sons be sultans all, Ayoub!"
"Silence, and praise Allah who sends good prices." "One thousand and one hundred," said Ayoub the irrepressible And now Tsamanni not only found himself outbidden, but he had reached the outrageous limit appointed by Asad. He lacked authority to go further, dared not do so without first consulting the Basha. Yet if he left the sok for that purpose Ayoub would meanwhile secure the girl.
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