was a keen edge when he regarded Bhanavar, but the sight of the Jewel
sharpened it tenfold, and he tossed his arms, exclaiming, 'A jewel,
this!'

So Bhanavar cried to him, 'Fix a price for it, O thou broker!'

And Boolp, the old miser, debated, and began prating,

'O lady! the soul of thy slave is abashed by a double beam, this the
jewel of jewels, thou truly of thy sex; and saving thee there's no jewel
of worth like this one, and together ye be--wullahy! never felt I aught
like this since my espousal of Soolka that 's gone, and 'twas nothing
like it then! Now, O my Princess, confess it freely--this is but a
pretext, this valuation of the Jewel, and Ukleet our go-between; and
leave the rewarding of him to me. Wullahy! I can be generous, and my
days of favour with fair ladies be not yet over. Blessed be Allah for
this day! And thinkest thou those eyes fell on me with discriminating
observation ere my sense of perception was struck by thee? Not so, for I
had noted thee, O moon of hearts, from my window yonder.'

In this fashion Boolp the broker went on prating, and bowing, and
screwing the corners of his little acid eyes to wink the wink of common
accord between himself and Bhanavar. Meantime she had spoken aside to
one of her women, and a second black slave entered the chamber, bearing
in his hand a twisted scourge, and that slave laid it on the back of
Boolp the broker, and by this means he was brought quickly to the
valuation of the Jewel. Then he named a sum that was a great sum,
but not the value of the Jewel to the fiftieth part, nay nor the five-
hundredth part, of its value; and Ukleet remonstrated with him, but he
was resolute, saying, 'Even that sum leaves me a beggar.'