"Gentlemen, if you will pardon a stranger for interfering in your
dispute, I would suggest that the best and most effectual mode of
deciding as to the relative merits and value of your two slaves would
be to call in some disinterested man as umpire between you. Now I and
my friend are merchants, not only very well qualified to judge of the
beauty and accomplishments of your slaves, but also quite ready to
offer you a good price for them, because, as we have the entrance to
the palace of the Caliph, the Grand Vizier, and other great personages,
we are in a position to bring them to the very best market, and obtain
a higher price for them than any one else."
The two merchants who had acted their parts in the pretended quarrel
with no other object than to elicit some such proposal, now willingly
accepted it.
"Come with us then," they exclaimed, "and your verdict shall decide our
dispute. The slave for whom you are willing to bid the highest price,
she shall be judged to be incontestably the better."
On this the two merchants rose, and conducting the Caliph and Giafer
through many narrow streets and lanes in a part of the town they did
not remember to have been in before, they stopped at length before a
great gateway, on the door of which they gave three peculiar knocks.
The door was opened by a huge black African slave, who grinned horribly
as he saw his masters and the two strangers, and who, having admitted
them, carefully closed and fastened the door behind them.
They were ushered at first into a large room, having a wide and
handsome divan, on which the merchants begged them to be seated.
Another African slave, as large, black, and, if possible, even more
hideous than the first, brought them refreshments and sweetmeats,
together with silver goblets, into which he poured very good wine.
After they had sat some time in this room, the Caliph proposed that
they should proceed to inspect and pass judgment on the two beautiful
female slaves. The slave merchants therefore conducted the Caliph and
Giafer to a smaller apartment elegantly fitted up, where, on a divan of
the richest materials and most exquisite workmanship, was seated an
Indian slave of the rarest beauty.
The Caliph, who was ever an enthusiastic admirer of lovely women, stood
for some moments lost in astonishment and delight.
"Surely," said he, at length, "you have nothing more beautiful that you
can show us. I must have this slave, and will give you ten thousand
pieces of gold for her."
"If you are pleased with this slave," said one of the merchants,
without noticing the Caliph's offer, "what will you say of the other?"
Then leading the way from the room of the beautiful Indian, which was
splendidly upholstered with hangings and furniture in crimson and gold,
he led the way through a short passage to another room, where all the
fittings were of silver and dark blue. In this room, instead of the
black-haired and dark-eyed Indian, sat a Persian beauty, whose hair was
light and fine as new spun silk, and whose lustrous blue eyes and
absolutely perfect form defy description.