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How to Shop in Cairo 103<br />

adjured, the merchant generally gives in. He docs not<br />

of course return you a commission in money, but offers<br />

you some worthless article among the goods which you<br />

have been examining. Say right<br />

that— it is not worth anything."<br />

out " : No ; I don't want<br />

Choose a thing of about<br />

the value which you consider you ought to get, and you<br />

will generally get it. If you do, promise to come back again,<br />

and the next time the prices he asks will be more moderate.<br />

In dealing with the "fixed-price" Indian, the best plan<br />

is first of all to make your choice of all the turquoises or<br />

other articles that you require, then to make up your mind<br />

as to the price at which }'0U would consider them a<br />

sufficiently tempting bargain, and offer it. He will at once<br />

attempt to bargain with you. He will tell you that a lady<br />

paid him for one piece, the exact counterpart of one of<br />

the objects which you have selected, more money than you<br />

offer him for all the pieces together. He will pick out<br />

this and the other piece and tell you how specially good<br />

it is— that the price is going up for this kind of thing,<br />

that if you came back in a fortnight's time he could not<br />

sell it for the same price as he could take now, etc. Let<br />

him talk himself out and use up as many of his arguments<br />

as he can before you commence talking again. It weakens<br />

him in answering you back. Then say :<br />

" I'm very sorry ; but so much (naming the sum you<br />

offered him before) is all that these things are worth to<br />

me," and get up to go.<br />

If it gives him a moderate profit to take your price, he<br />

will take it, saying, " You will come back again. You will<br />

recommend me to your friends. But I cannot take the<br />

same prices from them. I only take them from you because<br />

you are very clever. Nothing escapes you. It is a pleasure<br />

to deal with such a person," etc., etc. "You are so different<br />

from Americans."<br />

'• How ? " you ask.<br />

" They are my best customers," he replies, with a beautiful<br />

Oriental smile. " But it is no pleasure to serve them,<br />

though I take much money out of them, for they do not

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