202 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
played, until she began to wonder what manner of 
man could he possessed of such immense riches, and 
yet have learnt so little gallantry among his courtly 
customers. Upon that thought she turned her eyes 
upon the countenance of the merchant, whom, hitherto, 
her modesty had prevented her from regarding. At 
that moment both were smitten with the shaft of love. 
Never before had Vanadosini beheld so handsome and 
so graceful a youth. 
But the moment after love had entered the soul of 
the beautiful girl, that uncourtly speech of the mer- 
chant, which had for a moment only touched her 
vanity, now wounded her pride, and with hitter mor- 
tification she feigned anger at the earnest gaze of the 
stranger. At the same moment she determined to 
abash him by assuming to herself the importance 
which she enjoyed among all who were acquainted 
with her father’s wealth. 
“ Sir merchant,” said she with a haughty air of 
superiority before unknown to her, “ Sir merchant, 
which call you the most costly of these glittering 
trinkets ?” 
The merchant, immediately selecting a superb 
chaplet of exquisite workmanship and most tasteful 
design, representing an intertwisted wreath of jessa- 
mine and orange flowers, wrought with the most 
splendid pearls of Kondatchi, answered, “ This, fair 
lady, is the most precious. Its price would purchase 
this whole village, and make slaves of all the inhabi- 
