"THREE HIDEOUS NEGROES."
"Where does this one come from?" asked one of them, after examining me attentively.
"She is a Circassian. She has cost me a lot of money, for I bought her four years ago and have been bringing her up carefully. She is very intelligent and will be very pretty. Bir elmay (quite a diamond)," she added, in a whisper. "Féliknaz, dance for us, and show us how graceful you can be."
I drew back, blushing, and murmured, "There is no music for me to dance to."
"That doesn't matter at all. I'll sing something for you. Come, commence at once!"
I bowed silently and went back to the end of the room, and then came forward again dancing, bowing to the right and left on my way, whilst my mistress beat time on an old drum and sang the air of the yassédi dance in a hoarse voice. In spite of my pride and my terror, my dancing appeared to please these men.
"We will certainly buy Féliknaz," said one of them; "how much will you take for her?"
"Twelve Késatchiés[A]! not a fraction less."
The negro drew a large purse out of his pocket and counted the money over to my mistress. As soon as she had received it she turned to me and said:—