232 
AO PUT HIM IN A BOX ! 
and treated generally with much less consideration. As 
soon, therefore, as a thing would be bought, we would be 
more than likely to say, “ Put it in a box,” or, “ Put it in 
paper,” or something of that sort; and their watchful 
ears soon caught these sounds, while their observing 
eyes told them that whenever they were uttered some- 
thing was always bought. So, with a very imperfect 
idea of what “put him in a box” meant, they would 
watch us with their glittering eyes as we lingered over 
their wares, and encourage us to purchase by using that 
expression from time to time as they observed us to 
hesitate. After a while, they arrived at its exact mean- 
ing, but had got so used to it by that time, that, when 
any thing whose quality did not entitle it to a box was 
bought, they could only hold it and remark, in a manner 
of nonplussed inquiry, “Ab put him in a box!” which 
we found to mean that they could only aftbrd to wrap it 
up in paper. 
As we selected the different things in this way, we 
w^ere followed by one, two, or three boys, as the extent 
of our purchase might call for. As fast as an article was 
bought, we entered its name (having often to coin them 
for ourselves) and pi'ice on our list, and passed on to 
something else, while our watchful attendant picked it 
up and followed us around as long as we lingered in his 
particular stall. AVhen we had tired of one merchant, 
we crossed the court to the sitting-room of those who 
had charge of the affair, (the officials,) where we always 
found them sitting d la Turque around a metallic brasier 
containing live coals, at which they, from time to time, 
lit their diminutive pipes or warmed their sugarless tea. 
