"Four hundred thousand drachmae, and it is yours." The governor's wife clasped her hands at such a sum and made warning signals to her husband, shaking her head disapprovingly, when Orion, making a great effort to show that he too took an interest in this important transaction, said: "It may be worth three hundred thousand." "Four hundred thousand," repeated the merchant coolly.

"Your father wished to know the lowest price, and I am asking no more than is right.

The rubies and garnets in these grapes, the pearls in the myrtle blossoms, the turquoises in the forget-me-nots, the diamonds hanging as dew on the grass, the emeralds which give brilliancy to the green leaves--this one especially, which is an immense stone--alone are worth more." "Then why do you not cut them out of the tissue ?" asked Neforis.
"Because I cannot bear to destroy this noble work," replied the Arab.

"I will sell it as it is or not at all." At these words the Mukaukas nodded to his son, heedless of the disapprobation his wife persisted in expressing, asked for a tablet which lay near the chessboard, and on it wrote a few words.
"We are agreed," he said to the merchant.

"The treasurer, Nilus, will hand you the payment to-morrow morning on presenting this order." A fresh emotion now took possession of Orion, and crying: "Splendid! Splendid!" he rushed up to his father and excitedly kissed his hand.
Then, turning to his mother, whose eyes were full of tears of vexation, he put his hand under her chin, kissed her brow, and exclaimed with triumphant satisfaction: "This is how we and the emperor do business! When the father is the most liberal of men the son is apt to look small.
Meaning no harm, worthy merchant! As far as the hanging is concerned, it may be more precious than all the treasures of Croesus; but you have something yet to give us into the bargain before you load your camels with our gold: Tell us what the whole work was like before it was divided." The Moslem, who had placed the precious tablet in his girdle, at once obeyed this request.
"You know how enormous were its length and breadth," he began.