No true judge, who desired a charming memento of the victory of his
country's arms, would wish to neglect such an opportunity, especially
as he was informed that the Jewish women were affectionate, docile, well
instructed in many arts, and very hard-working. He had only one more
thing to say, or rather two things. He regretted that this important
sale should be held at so unusual an hour. The reason was that there
was really no place where these slaves could be comfortably kept without
risk of their maltreatment or escape, so it was held to be best that
they should be removed at once to the seclusion of their new homes, a
decision, he was sure, that would meet the wishes of buyers. The second
point was that among them was one lot of surpassing interest; namely,
the girl who had come to be generally spoken of as Pearl-Maiden.
This young woman, who could not be more than three or four-and-twenty
years of age, was the last representative of a princely family of the
Jews. She had been found exposed upon one of the gates of the holy house
of that people, where it would seem she was sentenced to perish for some
offence against their barbarous laws. As the clamours of the populace
that day had testified, she was of the most delicate and distinguished
beauty, and the collar of great pearls which she wore about her neck
gave evidence of her rank.
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