Then he returned to his slave-girland indeed his concern was doubledand she said to him'O my lorddid I not tell thee that they would not profit thee aught？'By Allah，'replied he，'not one of them would show me his face or take any notice of me！'O my lord！said she'sell some of the furniture and household stufflittle by littleand live on the proceed，against God the Most High provide.'So he sold all that was in the housetill there was nothing leftwhen he turned to her and said'What is to be done now？'O my lord，'replied she'it is my advice that thou rise and take me down to the market and sell me. Thou knowest that thy father bought me for ten thousand dinars；perhaps God may help thee to near that priceand if it be His will that we be reunitedwe shall meet again.'O Enis el Jelis，'replied Noureddin'by AllahI cannot endure to be parted from thee for a single hour！'By AllahO my lord，'rejoined she'nor is it easy to me；but necessity compelsas says the poet：
Necessity in life oft drives one into ways That to the courteous mind are foreign and abhorred.
We do not trust our weight unto a ropeunless It be to do some thing adapted to the cord.'
With thishe rose to his feet and took herwhilst the tears streamed down his cheeks like rain and he recited with the tongue of the case what follows：
Stay and vouchsafe me one more look before our parting hourTo soothe the anguish of a heart well-nigh for reverence slain！
Yetif it irk thee anywise to grant my last requestFar rather let me die of love than cause thee aught of pain！
Then he went down to the market and delivered the damsel to a brokerto whom he said'O Hajj HassanI would have thee note the value of her thou hast to offer for sale！'O my lord Noureddin，'replied the broker'I have not forgotten my business. Is not this Enis el Jeliswhom thy father bought of me for ten thousand dinars？'Yes，'said Noureddin.
Then the broker went round to the merchantsbut found they were not all assembled；so he waited till the rest had arrived and the market was full of all kinds of female slavesTurks and Franks and Circassians and Abyssinians and Nubians and Egyptians and Tartars and Greeks and Georgians and others；when he came forward and said'O merchants！O men of wealth！every round thing is not a walnut nor every long thing a banana；every thing red is not meat nor everything white fat. O merchantsI have here this unique pearlthis unvalued jewel！What price shall I set on her？'Say four thousand five hundred dinars，'cried one. So the broker opened the biddings for her at that sum and as he was yet callingbeholdthe Vizier Muin ben Sawa passed through the market and seeing Noureddin standing in a cornersaid to himself'What doth the son of Khacan here？ Has this gallows-bird aught left to buy girls withal？'Then he looked round and seeing the broker crying out and the merchants round himsaid to himself'Doubtless he is ruined and has brought the damsel Enis el Jelis hither to sell her！What a solace to my heart！'Then he called the crierwho came up and kissed the ground before him，and he said to him'Show me the girl thou art crying for sale.'
The broker dared not cross himso he answered'O my lordin the name of God！'And brought the damsel and showed her to him.
She pleased him and he said'O Hassanwhat is bidden for this damsel？'Four thousand five hundred dinars，'replied the broker，'as an upset price.'Quoth the Vizier'I take that bid on myself.'When the merchants heard thisthey hung back and dared not bid another dirhemknowing what they did of the Vizier's tyranny. Then Muin looked at the broker and said to him'What ails thee to stand still？ Go and offer four thousand dinars for herand the five hundred shall be for thyself.'So the broker went to Noureddin and said to him'O my lordthy slave is gone for nothing！'How so？'said he. The broker answered'We had opened the biddings for her at four thousand five hundred dinars，when that tyrant Muin ben Sawa passed through the market and when he saw the damselshe pleased him and he said to me'Call me the buyer for four thousand dinarsand thou shalt have five hundred for thyself.'I doubt not but he knows she belongs to theeand if he would pay thee down her price at onceit were well；but I knowof his avarice and uprighthe will give thee a written order on some of his agents and will send after thee to say to them'Give him nothing.'So as often as thou shalt go to seek the moneythey will say'We will pay thee presently，'and so they will put thee off day after dayfor all thy high spirit，till at lastwhen they are tired of thine importunitythey will say'Show us the bill.'Thenas soon as they get hold of it，they will tear it upand so thou wilt lose the girl's price.'
When Noureddin heard thishe looked at the broker and said to him'What is to be done？'I will give thee a counsel，'answered he'which if thou followit will be greatly to thine advantage.'What is that？'asked Noureddin. 'Do thou come to me presently，'said the broker'when I am standing in the midst of the market and taking the girl from my handgive her a cuff and say to her'O baggageI have kept my vow and brought thee down to the marketbecause I swore that I would put thee up for sale and make the brokers cry thee.'If thou do thisit may be the device will impose upon the Vizier and the folkand they will believe that thou broughtest her not to the market but for the quittance of thine oath.'This is a good counsel，'said Noureddin. Then the broker left him and returning to the midst of the markettook the damsel by the hand；then beckoned to Muin and said to him'O my lordhere comes her owner.'With this up came Noureddin and snatching the girl from the brokergave her a cuff and said to her'Out on theethou baggage！I have brought thee down to the market for the quittance of my oath；so now begone home and look that thou cross me not again. Out on thee！
