"By Allah!" he exclaimed. "This is a houri straight from Paradise you have brought me. Never have I sold such loveliness. There will be high bidding in the market of El-Ammeh this morning."
"I, for one, can't understand why the Sultan has not kept this pearl for himself," the leader of the escort said.
The auctioneer smiled in a peculiar, knowing fashion.
"Our Sultan has been in lands where there are many such," he replied. "Now he gives his subjects a chance to revel in delights that have been his."
Other men appeared from behind, negroes.
At a word from their master they opened the door leading out on the platform. Then they stood on either side whilst he passed through.
Through the open door came a blaze of sunshine, the buzz of a multitude, and presently a long declamation in Arabic as the auctioneer enlarged upon the quality of his wares.
The girls behind the trellis craned their necks to see what was going on, chattering shrilly among themselves.
From where Pansy stood she could see nothing. She did not want to see anything. The horror would be upon her quite soon enough.
One of the negro assistants opened a gate in the trellis and motioned to a girl. As she appeared on the platform, from outside there came a sigh of disappointment, then guttural voices bidding.