He sat there gazing right and left and amusing himself with watching the merchants and passers-by, and as he was thus engaged behold, there came into the bazar a Persian riding on a she-mule and carrying behind him a damsel; as she were argent of alloy free or a fish Balti[FN#447] in mimic sea or a doe-gazelle on desert lea. Her face outshone the sun in shine and she had witching eyne and breasts of ivory white, teeth of marguerite, slender waist and sides dimpled deep and calves like tails of fat sheep;[FN#448] and indeed she was perfect in beauty and loveliness, elegant stature and symmetrical grace, even as saith one, describing her,[FN#449] "'Twas as by will of her she was create * Nor short nor long, but Beauty's mould and mate: Rose blushes reddest when she sees those cheeks * And fruits the bough those marvel charms amate: Moon is her favour, Musk the scent of her * Branch is her shape:Â she passeth man's estate: 'Tis e'en as were she cast in freshest pearl * And every limblet shows a moon innate." Presently the Persian lighted down from his she-mule and making the damsel also dismount loudly summoned the broker and said to him as soon as he came, "Take this damsel and cry her for sale in the market." So he took her and leading her to the middlemost of the bazar disappeared for a while and presently he returned with a stool of ebony, inlaid with ivory, and setting it upon the ground, seated her thereon. Then he raised her veil and discovered a face as it were a Median targe[FN#450] or a cluster of pearls:[FN#451] and indeed she was like the full moon, when it filleth on its fourteenth night, accomplished in brilliant beauty. As saith the poet, "Vied the full moon for folly with her face, * But was eclipsed[FN#452] and split for rage full sore; And if the spiring Bán with her contend * Perish her hands who load of fuel bore!"[FN#453] And how well saith another, "Say to the fair in the wroughten veil * How hast made that monk-like worshipper ail? Light of veil and light of face under it * Made the hosts of darkness to fly from bale; And, when came my glance to steal look at cheek. * With a meteor-shaft the Guard made me quail."[FN#454] Then said the broker to the merchants,[FN#455] "How much do ye bid for the union-pearl of the diver and prize-quarry of the fowler?" Quoth one, "She is mine for an hundred dinars." And another said, "Two hundred," and a third, "Three hundred"; and they ceased not to bid, one against other, till they made her price nine hundred and fifty dinars, and there the biddings stopped awaiting acceptance and consent.[FN#456]—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-first Night,