I hope you will be satisfied with the quality of the merchandise， <br >said Hakam smoothly.<br > His companion， who was looking down into the courtyard<br >below， did not bother to answer， but a peremptory gesture<br >indicated that Hakam should help himself from the tray of<br >sherbet and sweetmeats ;:on the table between them. Hakam<br >sighed and took a porcelain cup. The Aga of the Girls was<br >watching the newly purcfiftsed slaves clamber down from the<br >wagons and cross the courtyard to the door， shepherded by<br >impassive black eunuchs. If Mehmed saw anything he did not<br >care for， he would stop the whole procedure， and was quite cap-<br >able of having some unfortunate girl returned to the hands of<br >the Istanbul dealers. When he had seen enough and had some-<br >thing to say， he would say it. As now.<br > I hope you remembered that the Lady Hafise wants a compe-<br >tent embroideress? <br > Hakam was careful not to sigh again. He had heard it said<br >that the first quality of an administrator is an instinct for smell-<br >ing out the shortcomings of lesser mortals. In which case old<br >Mehmed was wasting his time in this provincial headquarters of<br >Manissa， even if he did serve the crown prince and his awe-<br >inspiring mother. He said shortly， I always remember the<br >Sultana Hafise s needs and I have brought her needlewoman. <br > Since he didn t seem inclined to elaborate， Mehmed looked at<br >him in surprise and asked， Is she capable? <br > Hakam was a master of the dramatic gesture. Now he pro-<br >duced from the folds of his girdle an embroidered handkerchief<br >which he shook out and spread across the cushion beside him.<br >Mehmed leaned forward to look and finally picked up the<br ><br >