for the Christians; in which respect it seems to me that they bear some resemblance to the men of other creeds."
Sidi Hassan felt that there was an intended sarcasm in the last remark, but the thought of the dollars induced him to waive further discussion.
"Do you wish to sell the girl?" said Bacri in a casual way, as though it had just occurred to him.
"Ay, but I must have a good price for her," replied the Turk.
"Name it," said the Jew; "my wife has need of a handmaiden just now."
Hassan named a sum much larger than he had any expectation the Jew would give. To his surprise, the other at once agreed to it.
"Why, Bacri," he said, with a smile, as with his right hand he tenderly caressed his injured nose, "you must have been more than usually successful in swindling of late."
"God has recently granted me more than deserved prosperity," returned the other.
Without further palaver the bargain was struck. Hassan accompanied the Jew to his residence in one of the quaint Moorish houses of the old town. Angela was handed over to Bacri's wife, a pleasant-visaged woman of forty, and Hassan returned home with his pockets well lined, his nose much swelled, and his temper greatly improved.
