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