Her song finished, the veiled Asti rose, and bowing to all the company gathered in the street, bade her servants shut up the coffers and remove the goods.
"But I would buy pearls, Merchant, if you have such to sell," said Janees.
"Then you must return this afternoon, Purchaser," replied Asti, scanning his pale and haughty face, "for even if you were the King of Tat I would not sell to you out of my hours." "You speak high words, Woman," exclaimed Janees angrily.
"High or low, they are what I mean," answered Asti, and went away.
The end of it was that this King Janees returned at the evening hour, led thither more by a desire to hear that lovely voice again than to purchase gems.

Still he asked to see pearls, and Asti showed him some which he thrust aside as too small.

Then she produced those that were larger, and again he thrust them aside, and so it went on for a long while.

At length from somewhere in her clothing Asti drew two of the biggest that she had, perfect pearls of the size of the middle nail of a man's finger, and at the sight of these the eyes of Janees brightened, for such gems he had never seen before.

Then he asked the price.