204 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
not help remarking the unfeigned surprise of the mer- 
chant, which delighted her child-like heart. The 
pearl-merchant did not sit silent, hut so well did he 
employ the time until Purwatti arrived with the money, 
that Vanadosini could not but confess within herself 
that he could talk quite as prettily as her father, and 
when any thing escaped him which betokened untaught 
manners, she could not but attribute it to the natural 
frankness and honest independence of his nature. 
Although the pearl-merchant was greatly surprised 
at the readiness with which the bargain had been made 
and the immediate promise of payment, he could 
scarcely believe that a grain merchant living in so 
humble a cottage could possess wealth sufficient for 
the purchase of the chaplet, and he therefore expected 
that the bania would make some excuse for declin- 
ing the bargain, when he should see its exceeding- 
costliness and learn its price. What then was his sur- 
prise, when, in a short time, the bania and the banker 
arrived at the door, driving yoked oxen, with the full 
amount of his demand. His attendance was desired 
to see the money counted, and he could not but wonder 
that no attempt was made to abate the amount of his 
demand, or even the chaplet examined to ascertain 
its real value. Now it happened that the pearl- 
merchant, unlike most of his trade, was a truly honest 
and conscientious man, having these, rare good qualities 
in addition to many other excellent endowments. 
In mentioning the price of a lakh of rupees for the 
