they were really so beautiful as they were reported to be. Having made up my mind as to the necessity of obeying the order of his majesty, that I should attend his women, (and God forbid that I should fail to obey his order, even if it extended to my life,) I waited with some impatience, at the same time not without some fear, until I should .be called to the Haram. I had not long to wait, for early one morning, just as I had finished my morning prayer, and was anointing my beard, and lamenting over its increasing greyness, I heard a strange shrill voice screeching to my servants that I was wanted. On looking from the window of my apartment, which opened into the inner court of my house, where no man had any right to be; and while I was preparing myself to be in a great rage at the intruder, I saw a large negro, whom, from his voice and appearance, I instantly knew to be one of the Eunuchs. I got up and received him courteously, for the Eunuchs of the royal household are not to be slighted with impunity; and my late master had taught the world, that an Eunuch was not to be despised. The negro perceiving where I was, came close up to the window, and told me to make all haste, as one of the women was ill. I thought it best to begin well with them, and I accordingly continued to anoint my beard, telling the negro with an air of dignified indifference and composure, that I should follow him presently; for I had by this time discovered that he was not a person of any rank or importance. He was just turning to go, when another voice, still more slender, was heard asking what had come of the doctor. The person who made this noise soon presented himself. He was a tall slender Georgian Eunuch, much younger than the other, and inuch more nimble in his movements. Ile came rapidly up to where I was seated, conversing with the negro, and having delivered his message to me, demanded of the other what he had been about so long a time as he had been absent. This attack was repelled manfully, and they set up such a squeaking jabber, as two old women could scarcely have equalled. From this I perceived that they were of the same rank, and I knew how to address the Georgian. But all my efforts to stop their tongues were unavailing. I at last got up and told them to lead the way, that I should follow. They then moved off, squalling and scolding till they got into the street. Having passed the guard-rooms and come to the inner gate of the Serai, my guides ran into the court before me, making a horrible noise with their shrill voices, desiring the women to retreat into their apartments. I remained outside for a minute or two, and when I thought sufficient time had been allowed, I entered. My foot was scarcely inside the curtain which covered the wicket of the gate, when I was surrounded by a host of Eunuchs, who endeavoured to force me out again. They all spoke at once, and áll spoke so loud, that I could not comprehend what they wanted, till looking into the square, I saw about a hundred women scampering in different directions; some without their veils, some even more uncovered, all of them making a great noise, and all peeping at me from behind their veils, or from behind one another, or between their fingers. Many Eunuchs and old women were at the same time employed in pushing or dragging them along to their respective apartments, and in shutting the doors and windows to prevent their being seen. When they were all housed, I was led by one side of the square to the habitation of the invalid who was to become my patient. As I moved along, every door was opened the moment I had passed it, and three or four heads, old and young together, were thrust out to see the Hakeem, (doctor,) for my fame was even there great, and they had heard of me, though few of them had seen me till now. When I had passed several doors in this way, some of the most distant ventured to stand beyond the threshold, (so great was their desire to look upon me,) but they were immediately pushed and driven in again by the Eunuchs. All this surprised me, for I had never seen women so conduct themselves in private families, nor even in the Harams of nobles; but I reflected that these were the King's women, and were therefore entitled to do as they pleased. Walking slowly, and with becoming dignity, I reached the dwelling of the sick lady. She was a person of rank by birth, and had many women slaves to attend up on her; but they had been at the other end of the court when I enter ed, and in the confusion had been thrust into the apartments nearest to where they stood. I entered the house, and was received by an Eunuch, who was in special attendance on this lady, and had in deed been presented to her a short time before by the King. He was used to see doctors, particularly myself, who had attended in the family in which he was brought up. He accordingly arose when I entered, and requested me to sit down, and take a cup of coffee and a kaleoon. I did as he bid me, and when I had taken one kaleoon only, I got up, and excusing myself on account of the nature of my business, which admitted of no delay, requested permission to see my patient. The Eunuch, not knowing that the women slaves were all out, told me that the lady was in her room, and left me to find my way thither. I went to her room alone-she was lying upon a bed asleep-her bedclothes were as white as snow. The large pillow, which supported her head and shoulders, was of scarlet brocade, the beautiful colour of which was mellowed by the covering of thin white muslin, which lay over it. She had that morning been at the bath, and her long, black, silky hair, yet scarcely dry, rolled down in rich clustering folds upon the bed-clothes. The morning was warm, and therefore, perhaps, it was that the sheet had been pushed down so as to uncover her bosom. Her left hand still holding her thin crape chemise, which she had been too drowsy to put on, lay under her head. Her right arm, fair, round, and full, was stretched over the dark carpet beyond the bed. Her fingers were newly dyed with hennah, and a fan of brilliant Indian feathers, which had fallen from her hand as she fell asleep, was lying on the floor. Perceiving that her face was turned from the door, I approached her more nearly. Her cheek was a little flushed, or it might have been a reflection from the pillow. Its youthful downy softness-the uncovered temple-the long, white, veinless neck,* without one line to break its smoothness-the swelling shoulder beaming from be tween the dark thick locks of her hair her virgin bosom, half girl half wo man-her fine form, scarcely concealed by the thin sheet which covered it, and which seemed to take a pleasure in clinging closely to every turn of her limbs-all this, and ten thousand other beauties, rivetted me to the spot. I gazed and gazed, and scarcely dared to draw my breath-and strained my sight till my eyes grew dim. I might have remained I know not how long, had not one of the slave girls returned, and fearing that she might come to her lady's apartment, I went back to the outer hall, told them that the sick person was asleep, and cautioned them not to go into her room, nor disturb her till she called. While I was standing in the outerchamber, my eye chanced to fall on a mirror, in which my own visage was reflected. When I saw my grey beard and deep wrinkles, I could not help being astonished to find myself so much agitated; but after fully considering the matter, I came to the conclusion, that in spite of these I must on the whole be an exceeding young man of my years. Aga Jewah, since so well known for the beauty of his horses, purchased at large prices, and brought from all parts of Arabia and Toorkistan; also for the fleetness of his falcons, from which not even the eagle is safe; but still better known for the condescension which his majesty the King of Kings has the benignity to show towards him, was the Eunuch who was in attendance on my patient. Having, as I mentioned, been formerly acquainted with one another, (though he was then in an inferior situation,) he again requested me to sit down and take another kaleoon, saying, that perhaps his mistress might wake before we had finished, and that I should be saved another walk. I accordingly sat down, and Aga Jewah being an intelligent and conversable man, well read in poetry and religion, we had a good deal of discussion, in which he shewed his modesty as well as his judgment, by paying a becoming deference to my superior learning. We agreed that he should commence the study of physic under my tuition. "I promise you, Aga," said I, "that if you become • Literally, without one sinew in it. my pupil, I shall make you in six months a better physician than any now in Teheran, or in all Persia, except myself. You are a sensible man, Aga; you know what fools they are; they are mere quacks; which of them has read, as I have done, the 20,000 maxims of Aboo Allee, without which no man can be a physician? Aboo Allee was a man of extraordinary genius. Have you heard, Aga, how he silenced those who wished him to set himself up for a prophet?"-"No," said the Aga, "but I wish you would tell me about it." You must know, then, that Aboo Allee was one morning, before day-light, lying in bed, conversing with a friend and pupil who was living in his house; and his friend said to him, Aboo Allee, why do you not set yourself as a prophet? all the people will follow you, and your name will endure for ever. Áboo Allee said, What is this you advise me to do? you know no one will follow me if I do call myself a prophet; and for my name, I have already done enough to hand it down to the latest posterity; and his friend said, You do not know how much you are venerated, or you would not doubt of your having plenty of followers. Aboo Allee made no reply, but desired his friend to rise and give him a cup of water; and his friend said, Why would you set me out of bed this cold morning to fetch you water, when in a few minutes you must rise at any rate, and then you can have water. His friend had scarcely said this, when the Mouzzint called the Azau, and they both started up, and got water, and washed, and were going to prayer. Then Aboo Allee said, Why would you persuade me to set up for a prophet? Even you refused to get up when I asked you. He only is to be considered a prophet, whose name, at the distance of centuries after his time, called from the house-tops, can make us all leave our beds without hesitation. Was not this a noble reply, Aga? Did it not shew how great a man he was? No man should pretend to be a physician, who has not read the works of Aboo Allee." "Certainly, you are right," replied the Aga; for the Aga was a sensible man, and attended to all I said, and never differed in opinion from me, as he knew how much I had seen, and how much I had read. I was going to recount to the Aga how Aboo Allee told his mother where to find the golden necklace that had been taken off his neck by a crow when he was six weeks old; for he perfectly recollected the circumstance, though he was a man before he told it to any one. But, just as I was beginning, a slave girl came to tell me that the lady was now awake-that she found herself quite well, and that she did not now want the doctor. Meerza, said Aga Jewah, what a lucky foot yours must be, that even your coming into the house cures your patients! And it was very true that the Aga said, for I have been much troubled by people sending for me merely because my foot was lucky, without any intention of taking medicine. And I one day cured the Sudder (prime minister) of a severe pain in his stomach, which had attacked him in consequence of his eating too many melons, merely by happening to call upon him that morning. Aga Jewah and the slave both expressed their astonishment at the wonderful manner in which I had cured their mistress, and they showered blessings upon me when I took my leave. All the way home I could think of nothing but the beautiful lady I had seen, and her image was perfect in my mind when I got to my own house; so that I forgot where I was going, and, instead of walking into my own room, I went into my great wife's room, (she was then alive,) and I saw her sitting against a dark-coloured greasy old pillow, and she was muffled up in flannel, and she had not been to the bath for a long time; and I looked at her, and thought of the beautiful lady in the Haram. I went immediately to my friend, Hagee Hussein, in the Bazar, and I ordered a pillow of scarlet brocade, and a muslin cover for it, and white bedclothes, and a fan of Indian feathers; and when they came to my house, Í said to my wife, I have ordered these Aboo Allee Sennaee, called in Europe Avicenna. + Mouzzin, the man who calls people to prayer, from the top of the mosque. Azau, the call to prayer. fine things for you, and now you will go to the bath, and you will dye your fingers with hennah, and when you come from the bath, you will lie down on the white bed and the brocade pillow, and you will take off your crape chemise, and put your left hand under your head, and stretch out your right hand with the Indian fan upon the carpet, and push down the sheet, and I will come into the room, and you will turn your head from the door, and pretend to be asleep. Then my wife said, Meerza Ahmed, you are surely mad, to desire me to do these things now that you are an old grey-bearded man-which you never desired me to do in your youth. But I said to her, I am not so old as you take me to be; at this she smiled, but she did as I bid her. And when I came into the room she was lying just as the beautiful lady in the Haram had been lying; but my wife was dark-skinned and shrivelled, and, moreover, she was very old; so I went out of the room again, and she got up, and was somewhat angry with me; but I soothed her, and told her how well she looked on the new bed; and then I said to her, I wish, my life, that you would send Sheereen, the young slave girl, to the bath, and make her lie down as you did. But I had no sooner said this, than she seized me by the beard, and pulled it till I was forced to call out, and the tears ran from my eyes; and she abused me bitterly, calling me ill names, so that I was glad to escape to my own room. VISIT SECOND. THE day after these things occurred, I was sitting in my Khulvut, reflecting on the events of the day before, and considering how I was to make up matters with my wife, when it was announced to me by one of my people, that Aga Jewah was wishing to see me, and if I was disengaged would be with me presently. I had just then nearly arranged in my own mind a very good plan for settling my differences with my wife, without any undue concession on my part, and had summoned all my courage to carry it into effect-so that I was already enjoying the sweets of our anticipated triumph when Aga Jewah's intended visit was announced-It is natural to imagine that I was disconcerted at being interrupted at such a time-but I don't know how it was -whether I was somewhat wanting in nerve that morning to carry my plan into effect-or what else it might have been-this, however, I well recollect, that I was not at all so sorry as one might suppose, to hear of the Aga's intended visit. Determined to act a very dignified part, I sent for breakfast to my own room, and did not that morning enter my wife's apartments. I had not got finished my repast when Aga Jewah made his appearance. Irose when he entered, and made many polite inquiries after his health, to shew my regard for him, for the Aga was a sensible man. After we had exchanged the politest compliments, in which the Aga shewed taste, learning, and good manners, and after we had eaten our excellent Ispahan mellau, which Hagee Mahommed Hoossein Khan had sent to me, from the Dar il Sultanut,+ and after we had smoked a kaleoon of the finest Shiraz tobacco, (with which my friend Meerza Ahady always supplied me plentifully from his own lands of Darab)-"You see," said I to the Aga, "how well I manage my women-I keep them at a proper distance. Here I have a breakfast of the finest fruits and best viands of the season; but I never permit my females to intrude upon my morning hours, which I always devote to religion and to study." "Pray," said the Aga, " may I beg to know what book has occupied the attention of Meerza Ahmed this morning? There must be instruction even in the knowledge of what may be the morning's study of a person so learned as Meerza Ahmed." • Khulvat-a private room, not in the female's apartments, generally occupying a space between the public part of the house and the inner or women's part. Dar il Sultanut-The place of the Sultans-an epithet of 1sphaham, as Dar il Elm, the place of learning, is of Shiraz. "Aga," said I, somewhat disconcerted by the question, "you must know that study does not always consist in reading, more than reading always constitutes study-two very common mistakes, against which I warn you, Aga. I have been reflecting-morali zing, Aga—I have been considering the difference between man and woman, and I find it to be very great." "Assuredly," said the Aga, we can easily perceive that it is very great-it does not require much consideration to discover that." At the simplicity of this remark of the Aga, I laughed heartily, so that I could not restrain myself, but perceiving that he was displeased, I thus addressed him" Aga Jewah, you wonder at my laughing; but you must know that I mean the moral difference between man and woman-the difference between the mind of man and the mind of woman, (which I shall explain to you,) not the more apparent difference that you mean, Aga. "Ah!" interrupted he, I perceive, Meerza, that your mind is never occupied with frivolous things, or with vanities, but that you are ever engaged in philosophical inquiries. How vast must the intelligence of that man be, who for several hours each day, seriously thinks on what he has seen and read-But I had nearly forgotten the object of my coming your conversation, Meerza, is so delightful, that one can think of nothing else than that of which you are speaking." "And the presence of Aga Jewah," replied I, "brings to one's mind so many agreeable subjects, that one cannot choose to be silent." Upon this the Aga drew from his pocket a very large and beautiful apple, and presenting it to me in a graceful manner, said, "My mistress sends you this apple, with many compliments, and begs you will come to her in an hour. She does not find herself very well, and she has so much confidence in you, that she would not take any medicine until she should have seen you. Moreover, she has given orders that no one be admitted to her room, that she may have the pleasure of seeing you alone." 66 "Aga," said I, your mistress does me much honour. God give her long life, she is a sweet lady. How fortunate are you, Aga, to have so good a mistress!" The Aga rose to take his leave, but I would not suffer him to go until he had smoked another kaleoon, after which, he departed. As soon as he was gone, I began to reflect upon the message he had brought to me, and I could not help thinking that there was something very strange in the manner of it. Her sending me the apple, and her wishing to see me alone, appeared to me suspicious circumstances. One of the ladies of the Royal Haram too! I was not at all satisfied that all was right, and determined, if I perceived anything amiss, to acquaint my Royal Master. However, I put myself into the hands of God, ordered my horse, and set out towards the Haram Khoua.* I alighted at the outer-gate, and as the Eunuchs knew me again, I was admitted without difficulty. The word was passed from one to another, that it was only the Hakeem,† and I walked into the great square amongst all the women, without their now taking the trouble to veil themselves at my approach. Some indeed turned away their heads, which gave me an oppor tunity to observe the beauty of their cheeks or necks, and some (whose shrivelled hands betrayed the secret of their advance in years) hurriedly pulled down their roobunds when they saw me enter. There were there many beautiful women, collected from all parts of the empire-Georgians, Armenians, and Mahommedans; but I saw not one so lovely as my patient. I moved slowly along to her apartment, and found Aga Jewah ready to receive me. He conducted me at once to his mistress's room, and left me there alone with her. A strange tremor came over me as I took my seat close to her. I began to fear that her beauty was too strong for my sense of duty, and I sat for some time desirous to speak, and (for the first time in my life) not knowing what to say. At length she broke the silence, and said " Meerza Ahmed, I have heard much of your learning and talents, as + Hakeem-Doctor. Haram-forbidden;-Khoua-house. |