Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 165: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE HARP OF lake, wherein swam the most beautiful and proudest of swans, ‘ Arimida agreed with the opinion of her mistress about the garden, but she gazed out of the window a longer time than the princess. Perhaps the fleecy clouds sug- gested it, or the soft blooms in the garden, or the velvety surface of the little lake, but she bethought herself that the princess had some time before expressed the intention of making a splendid robe for her father, the great Khan, so that all the world might see the handiwork of Roxanna, the dutiful daughter. “Therefore she addressed his mistress, saying: ‘ Most benign princess, was it not thy intention to make for thine illustrious father a gorgeous robe?’ ‘'* Even so,’ answered the princess. ‘ But why speak of it now, soul of laziness?’ ‘“* Because,’ replied Arimida, ‘if thou wilt give me wherewithal, I shall aid thee in the work. Let us go into the garden and sew on the robe, and I will help thee with it so that thou canst catch butterflies and amuse thyself while I sew.’ ““< Scatterbrain,’ scolded Roxanna. ‘I have neither the silks nor the fine woolens necessary for the robe, so how can I give them to thee? Have patience and I shall send a slave with money to purchase them.’ ‘““* How? Shall a common slave purchase the silks that the majestic Princess Roxanna will, with her own hands, transform into a robe, which her father, the great Khan Adir Kuri, will wear? Nay. None but the clever- est, most Joyal and most beautiful of ladies in waiting, the Lady Arimida herself, will go to the bazaar to choose the goods for the robe.’ “* Nay,’ said the princess. ‘I shall go myself. Not even the Lady Arimida is worthy of purchasing the silks and fine woolens for the robe of my _ illustrious father.’ ‘““* And may the unseemly chambermaid Arimida accompany the princess?’ “* Indeed, yes. Though she be unseemly, yet Arimida knows good silks. She may come to the bazaar.’ “Therefore everything was made in readiness. The great elephant of the prin- cess was harnessed and her guard of thirty fe YOSUF ABRAM. 637 trusted sword bearers were called out to attend her. Presently she and the Lady Arimida were swaying on the back of the royal elephant, high over the heads of the common men who crowded the ways of the city, while all around them the thirty trusti- est kept sharp lookout lest some harm befall the apple of the great Khan’s eye and they lose their lives in consequence. “ Finally, the cortége arrived in the heart of the bazaar and in front of the booth of the princess’s favorite merchant. “ This fortunate man, one Pira Bahkru, had, upon perceiving the approach of the royal elephant, made everything in readiness for the reception of his illustrious client. He cleared his shop of other customers, put softer cushions upon his two divans and dis- played his costliest silks as skillfully as time and situation permitted. When the prin- cess had dismounted he met her at the door and ushered her to the most comfortable of the divans. “ Reclining at her ease, the princess re- quested that Arimida make known their wishes to the merchant so that he might dis- play his wares accordingly. ‘Said Arimida: ‘ The great princess hath come to purchase silks and fine woolens for a robe which she contemplates making for her illustrious father. Show us therefore only goods worthy of being worn upon the person of the greatest man in the land. And, merchant, see that we are not inter- rupted by any beggar musicians. It has been brought to our ears that one Yosuf Abram disturbs the bazaar with his harp- ings. The princess will not have her ears offended by the vile music of the fellow. Indeed, she was loath to come for fear the tasteless beggar might intrude.’ “ Pira Bahkru bowed low. ‘ Have no fear. Without stands the guard of the prin- cess. Thirty men, brave and strong. The beggar will not come within many yards of my shop. But, pray, excuse me for a moment.’ Again Pira Bahkru bowed and, bowing, smiled upon them. “Then he turned his back to the ladies and smiled to himself. He strode to the rear of the shop where his assistant stood humbly awaiting the commands of his mas- ter. ‘Fetch me Yosuf Abram,’ he whis- CoOnmicoookks.conn Se —Ps ah a Ca CD WE CO Senne CO