"Be it so!" said the crier, veiling the maid anew; "you have seen her,
anyhow, bring your money and take the girl!"

Halil went in for his purse, handed it over to the crier (it held the
exact amount to a penny), and took the odalisk by the hand--there she
stood alone with him.

Halil Patrona now lost not a moment in locking up his shop, and taking
the odalisk by the hand led her away with him to his poor lonely
dwelling-place.

All the way thither the girl never uttered a word.

On reaching the house Halil made the girl sit down by the hearth, and
then addressed her in a tender, kindly voice.

"Here is my house, whatever you see in it is mine and yours. The whole
lot is not very much it is true, but it is all our own. You will find no
ornaments or frankincense in my house, but you can go in and out of it
as you please without asking anybody's leave. Here are two piastres,
provide therewith a dinner for us both."

The worthy Mussulman then returned to the bazaar, leaving the girl alone
in the house. He did not return home till the evening.

Meanwhile Gül-Bejáze had made the two piastres go as far as they could,
and had supper all ready for him. She placed Halil's dish on the
reed-mat close beside him, but she herself sat down on the threshold.