Chapter VII (2)

Upon this she rejoiced, and went forth, taking with her a thousand pieces of gold and visited the sheykhs, and gave alms for the sake of Ghánim:[VII_29] and on the following day she went to the market of the merchants, and gave to the chief of the market some money, saying to him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers. Then again, in the following week, she went forth, taking with her a thousand pieces of gold, and, entering the market of the goldsmiths and jewellers, summoned the chief of the market, and he came, and she gave him the thousand pieces of gold, and said to him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers: whereupon the chief, who was the Sheykh of the market before mentioned, looked at her, and said to her, Wilt thou go with me to my house, to look at a young stranger there, and see how elegant he is, and how perfectly charming? For it is probable that he is Ghánim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love.--But the chief had no knowledge of him, and imagined that he was a poor person involved in debt, whose wealth had been taken from him, or a lover parted from his beloved. And when she heard his words, her heart beat, and her affections were engrossed by him, and she answered, Send with me some one to conduct me to thy house. So he sent with her a young boy, who conducted her to the house where the stranger was lodged, and she thanked him for doing so; and when she entered the house, and saluted the chief's wife, the latter arose, and kissed the ground before her; for she knew her. Then Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob said to her, Where is the sick person who is with you? And she wept, and answered, Here he is, O my mistress: but he is of a respectable family, and exhibiteth traces of former affluence. And Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob looked towards the bed upon which he was lying, and, regarding him narrowly, beheld him as though he were Ghánim himself; but his condition was changed, and he had become so emaciated that he resembled a toothpick, and the truth of his case was disguised from her, so that she did not discover him to be the person whom she sought; but she was moved with compassion for him, and she wept, and exclaimed, Verily, strangers are objects of pity, though they be emeers in their own countries! She then ordered for him supplies of wine and medicines, and sat at his head a while, and mounted, and returned to her palace; and she continued to go forth to every market for the purpose of searching for Ghánim.

Soon after, the chief of the market brought the mother of Ghánim, and his sister Fitneh, and went with them to Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob, and said to her, O most charitable lady, there have entered our city this day a woman and a girl of respectable origin, bearing evident traces of former affluence, but they are clad in garments of hair-cloth, and each of them hath a wallet hung to her neck, and their eyes are weeping, and their hearts sorrowful: so I have brought them unto thee, that thou mayest give them refuge, and preserve them from the disgrace of beggary; for they are not persons suited to ask alms of the sordid; and if it please God, we shall enter Paradise by their means.--By Allah, O my master, she replied, thou hast made me long to behold them! Where are they? Order them to come in.--So, upon this, Fitneh and her mother came in to Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob, who, when she saw them, and observed that they were both distinguished by beauty, wept for them, and said, By Allah, they are persons of an affluent family, and traces of wealth are conspicuous in their appearance.--O my mistress, replied the chief of the market, we love the poor and indigent for the sake of future recompense;[VII_30] and probably the extortioners have oppressed these two persons, and plundered them of their wealth, and ruined their houses. Then these two females wept violently, and, remembering Ghánim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, their wailing increased, and Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob wept with them; and the mother of Ghánim exclaimed, We pray God to unite us with him whom we seek, and he is my son Ghánim the son of Eiyoob. When Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob, therefore, heard these words, she knew that this woman was the mother of her beloved, and that the other was his sister, and she wept until she fell down in a swoon; and when she recovered, she approached them, and said to them, Ye have nothing to fear; for this day is the first of your prosperity, and the last of your adversity: therefore grieve not. She then ordered the chief of the market to take them to his house, and to let his wife conduct them into the bath, and attire them in handsome clothing, and take care of them, and treat them with the utmost honour; and she gave him a sum of money.

Then, on the following day, Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob mounted and went again to the house of the chief of the market, and went in to visit his wife, who rose to her, and kissed the ground before her, and thanked her for her charity; and she saw that his wife had conducted the mother of Ghánim, and his sister, to the bath, and taken off their former clothes, and that the traces of their original affluence had become more conspicuous in consequence; and she sat a while conversing with them; after which she asked the wife of the chief of the market respecting the sick person who was with her. She answered, He is in the same state. And Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob said, Arise, and let us look at him and visit him. So they both arose, with Ghánim's mother and sister, and went in to him, and seated themselves by him; and when Ghánim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, heard one of them mention Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob, emaciated as he was in body and limbs, his soul returned to him, and he raised his head from the pillow, and called out, O Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob! She looked at him, therefore, and knew him, and cried, saying, Yes, O my beloved! He then said to her, Draw near to me. And she asked him, Art thou Ghánim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love? He answered her, Yes: I am he. And upon this, she fell down in a swoon; and when his sister and his mother heard their words, they cried out, Oh, our joy!--and in like manner fainted. And when they recovered, Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob said to Ghánim, Praise be to God who hath united us with thee and with thy mother and sister! Then, approaching him, she related to him all that had happened to her with the Khaleefeh, adding, I said to him, I have declared to thee the truth, O Prince of the Faithful:--and he believed my words, and approved thee; and he is now desiring to see thee. And she said to him, The Khaleefeh hath given me to thee:--whereupon he was filled with the utmost joy: and Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob said to them all, Quit not this place until I come again.

She then arose immediately, and departed to her palace, and removed thence the chest that she had brought from Ghánim's house, and took forth from it some pieces of gold, which she gave to the chief of the market, saying to him, Take these pieces of gold, and buy for each of them four complete suits of dress of the best kinds of stuff, and twenty handkerchiefs, and whatever else they require. And after this, she conducted them to the bath, and gave orders to wash them, and prepared for them boiled meats, and infusion of galangal, and apple-water, after they had come forth from the bath and dressed themselves. For three days she remained with them, feeding them with fowls and with boiled meats, and giving them sherbet of refined sugar to drink; and after the three days their spirits returned to them. Then she conducted them again to the bath, and they came forth, and she changed their clothes, and, leaving them in the house of the chief of the market, went to the Khaleefeh, and kissed the ground before him, and related to him the story, telling him that her master, Ghánim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, had come, and that his mother and sister also had arrived. When the Khaleefeh, therefore, heard these words of Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob, he said to the eunuchs, Bring hither to me Ghánim. And Jaạfar went down with them to bring him: but Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob had gone before him; and she went in unto Ghánim, and said to him, The Khaleefeh hath sent to thee to bring thee before him: have a care then to display eloquence of tongue, and firmness of heart, and sweetness of speech. And she attired him in a magnificent dress, and gave him pieces of gold in abundance, saying to him, Bestow plentifully upon the domestics of the Khaleefeh as thou goest in to him. And lo, Jaạfar approached him, mounted upon his mule, and Ghánim advanced to meet him, and greeted him with a prayer for long life, kissing the ground before him.

The planet of his prosperity had appeared, and the star of his glory had risen aloft, and Jaạfar took him, and they proceeded until they entered into the presence of the Prince of the Faithful; and when Ghánim came before him, he looked towards the wezeers and emeers and chamberlains and lieutenants and the other officers of the court, and the warriours, and, being eloquent of tongue, firm of heart, delicate in the style of his language, and pleasing in the allusions it conveyed, he hung down his head towards the ground, and then looked towards the Khaleefeh, and addressed him in a series of complimentary verses. And when he had finished his recitation, the Khaleefeh was delighted with the graces of his person, and pleased with the eloquence of his tongue and the sweetness of his speech; and he said to him, Approach me. He therefore approached him, and the Khaleefeh said to him, Explain to me thy tale, and acquaint me with the truth of thy history. So Ghánim sat, and related to the Khaleefeh all that had happened to him from beginning to end; and when the Khaleefeh knew that he spoke truth, he bestowed upon him a dress of honour, and admitted him into his favour, and said to him, Acquit me of responsibility.[VII_31] And he did so, and said to him, O Prince of the Faithful, the slave and all that his hands possess belong to his master:--and the Khaleefeh rejoiced. He then gave orders to appropriate a palace to him exclusively, and appointed him abundant pensions and allowances, and removed to him his mother and his sister. And the Khaleefeh, hearing that his sister Fitneh was, in beauty (as her name imported), a temptation, demanded her of him in marriage. Ghánim therefore replied, She is thy handmaid,[VII_32] and I am thy memlook. And the Khaleefeh thanked him, and gave him a hundred thousand pieces of gold,[VII_33] and summoned the Ḳáḍee and witnesses, and they performed the marriage-contract. Then he and Ghánim visited their wives on the same day, the Khaleefeh going to Fitneh, and Ghánim the son of Eiyoob to Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob; and on the following morning, the Khaleefeh ordered that all that had happened to Ghánim, from first to last, should be committed to writing and inserted in the records, that his posterity might consider it, and wonder at the disposals of destiny, and commit their affairs unto the Creator of the night and the day.[VII_34]

NOTES TO CHAPTER SEVENTH.

NOTE 1. Damascus is afterwards mentioned in the original as the abode of this merchant's family; but not here.

NOTE 2. "Ghánim" signifies "a taker of spoil," "a fortunate acquirer of anything;" and "Eiyoob" is the name which _we_ call "Job."

NOTE 3. "Fitneh" signifies "temptation," "seduction," "disturbance," &c.

NOTE 4. By the term "loads" we are always to understand "camel-loads," unless it is otherwise expressed. A camel-load is generally about three hundred-weights.

NOTE 5. Or vesicles of musk. In the original, "nawáfeḥ" is put for "nawáfij."

NOTE 6. A great recompense in the world to come is to be the lot of him who takes part in a funeral-procession.

NOTE 7. The ablution was necessary to qualify Ghánim for joining in the prayer over the dead.

NOTE 8. "Ṣawáb" signifies "rectitude."

NOTE 9. "Káfoor" is the Arabic for "camphor." Instances of antiphrasis in the names given to black slaves are very common.

NOTE 10. "Bakheet" signifies "fortunate," from "bakht" ("fortune"), a word borrowed from the Persian.

NOTE 11. I am not sure that this is to be understood as a jest; for I have been assured, by a slave-dealer and other persons in Cairo, that sometimes slaves brought to that city are found to be cannibals; and that a proof lately occurred there; an infant having been eaten by its black nurse. I was also told that these cannibals are generally distinguished by an elongation of the os coccygis; or in other words, that they have tails!

NOTE 12. The story here alluded to is inserted in the original; but, being extremely objectionable, and too short and simple to be abridged, I have been compelled to omit it altogether.

NOTE 13. This story is not in the old version; but I think the reader will consider it worthy of insertion in the present series, as an amusing illustration of the customs which are often observed by the Arabs on the occasion of the death of the master of a family. I can bear testimony to the general correctness of the picture which it presents; or rather state, that the greatest of the extravagances which it describes are not unfrequently practised in the present day.

NOTE 14. As the Arab women are much more reluctant to uncover the upper and back part of the head than they are to shew the face, before strange men, such a scene as that which is here described is very seldom witnessed; but I have seen not so unfrequently a woman with her face uncovered, and besmeared with mud, on her receiving the news of the sudden death of a near relation.

NOTE 15. This, to some readers, may require explanation. To free a slave who has no means of providing for himself, and not to grant him any means to do so, is almost the heaviest punishment that can be inflicted upon him; and to do this, unless for a heinous crime, is considered disgraceful.

NOTE 16. This is not just; for as soon as the slave is emancipated he is legally free, without doubt: but it is inserted in the tale as a jest.[354]

NOTE 17. See Note 46 to Chapter ii.--This mode of disposing of a rival in the ḥareem is said to have been not very unfrequently adopted.

NOTE 18. I suspect that the original presents here an error, which I have endeavoured to correct.--The names which the lady ejaculates are to be understood as those of female slaves, her attendants. "Zahr-el-Bustán" signifies "Flower of the Garden;" "Ṣabeeḥah," "Beautiful;" "Shejeret-ed-Durr," "Tree of Pearls" (this is the vulgar mode of pronouncing "Shejer-ed-Durr," which was the name of the wife of the Sulṭán Eṣ-Ṣáleḥ Nejm-ed-Deen, afterwards Queen of Egypt); "Noor-el-Hudà," "Light of Day," or "Light of Guidance;" "Nejmet-eṣ-Ṣubḥ," "Star of the Morning;" "Nuzheh," "Delight;" "Ḥulweh," "Sweet;" and "Ẓareefeh," "Elegant."

NOTE 19. From this point, to the relation of the stratagem employed by Zubeydeh, I omit much that is unsuitable for insertion in the translation, as approaching to licentiousness.

NOTE 20. Perhaps it is unnecessary to mention, that "the Prophet's Uncle" here alluded to was El-'Abbás; and that the "descendant" was Hároon Er-Rasheed.

NOTE 21. "Ḳoot-el-Ḳuloob" signifies "Food (or Sustenance) of Hearts."

NOTE 22. As black, which was the distinguishing colour of the banners and dress of the 'Abbásee Khaleefehs, was originally assumed in token of mourning for such of their relations as were victims of the Umawees, it may have continued for a long time to be used for a similar purpose: but the modern colour of mourning among the Arabs is blue; and it is remarkable that the term which properly signifies "black" is commonly applied by them to dark blue.--On the subject of mourning, see Note 52 to Chapter ii.

NOTE 23. "Kheyzurán" and "Ḳaḍeeb" signify respectively, "a Cane" (particularly "Indian Cane"), and "a Rod," or "a long and slender Branch."

NOTE 24. See note 85 to Chapter iii.

NOTE 25. By "the Sulṭán" is meant the Viceroy of Damascus, though the title is improperly used in this sense.

NOTE 26. The account of the disgusting treatment of Ghánim's mother and sister, which follows in this place in the old version, is not in either of the copies of the original which I possess, containing this tale. Hence, and as it is extremely inconsistent with Arab customs and feelings, I have little doubt of its being an interpolation by some ignorant copyist.

NOTE 27. See Note 18 to Chapter vi.

NOTE 28, By Ghánim's ḥareem, we are here to understand his mother and sister; the term "ḥareem" being often used to signify a man's female relations residing in his house.

NOTE 29. It is implied that she visited the sheykhs (by which are here meant the devotees) to request the aid of their prayers; and gave alms for the sake (or in the name) of Ghánim in order to propitiate Providence in his favour.

NOTE 30.--_On the Charitable Disposition of the Arabs._ Some remarks which I have made on this subject with reference to the Egyptians, in a former work, are equally applicable to the Arabs in general. "Benevolence and charity to the poor are virtues which the Egyptians possess in an eminent degree, and which are instilled into their hearts by religion; but from their own profession it appears that they are as much excited to the giving of alms by the expectation of enjoying corresponding rewards in heaven, as by pity for the distresses of their fellow-creatures, or a disinterested wish to do the will of God. It may be attributed, in some measure, to the charitable disposition of the inhabitants, that beggars are so numerous in Cairo. The many handsome Sebeels, or public fountains (buildings erected and endowed for the gratuitous supply of water to passengers), which are seen in this city, and the more humble structures of the same kind in the villages and fields, are monuments of the same virtue."[355] So also the numerous Kháns for the reception of travellers, in countries occupied by the Arabs, bear testimony to the charity of this people.

NOTE 31. This is often said by an Arab to a person against whom he knows or fears himself to have committed an offence. The most urgent reason for doing so may be seen by reverting to No. 9 of the notes to Chapter iv.

NOTE 32. This compliment has occasioned, in the old version, an error of the most serious kind, by its having been understood in its literal sense. Ghánim is made to propose that the Khaleefeh should take his sister as one of his favourites (_i. e._ concubines); which, as she was a free woman, would be a crime of the foulest nature.

NOTE 33. We are to understand this sum of money as being Fitneh's dowry.--Here it may be mentioned, that the Khaleefeh, by marrying Fitneh, severely punished Zubeydeh: for he thus gave her a wife, instead of a concubine, as a rival.

NOTE 34.--_On the Passion of Love among the Arabs._ A few remarks on this subject may be inserted to justify the picture of love presented in the foregoing tale. That sensual passion is most prevalent among the Arabs cannot be doubted; but I think it unjust to suppose them generally incapable of a purer feeling, worthy, if constancy be a sufficient test, of being termed true love. That they are not so, appears evident to almost every person who mixes with them in familiar society; for such a person must have opportunities of being acquainted with many Arabs sincerely attached to wives whose personal charms have long vanished, and who have neither wealth nor influence of their own, nor wealthy nor influential relations, to induce their husbands to refrain from divorcing them. It very often happens, too, that an Arab is sincerely attached to a wife possessed, even in the best portion of her age, of few charms; and that the lasting favourite among two or more wives is not the most handsome. This opinion, I am sorry to observe, is at variance, as far as the Arabs of the _towns_ are concerned, with that entertained by one of the most intelligent and experienced of modern travellers, who long resided among this people,--the justly-celebrated Burckhardt:[356] but it is confirmed by numerous facts related by respectable Arab authors (and therefore not regarded by them as of an incredible nature), as well as by cases which have fallen under my own observation. The tale of Leylà and Mejnoon, "the Juliet and Romeo of Arabia," is too well known to be here repeated; but among many other anecdotes of strong and constant love, the following may be inserted:--

The Khaleefeh Yezeed the son of 'Abd-El-Melik, it is said, had two female slaves; one of whom was named Ḥabbábeh, and the other, Selámeh; to the former of whom he was most ardently attached: he had purchased her for a hundred thousand dirhems; and the other, for ten thousand. In the company of these two females he sometimes shut himself up for three months together, utterly neglecting the affairs of his people. At length, being reproved for this conduct by his brother Meslemeh, he promised to return to his duty: but the two slaves diverted him from his purpose; and on the following morning, excited by their songs and caresses, and by wine, he became frantic with pleasure, and danced and sang like a madman, till a fatal accident put a stop to his joy: Ḥabbábeh, eating a pomegranate, was choked by one of the grains, and immediately died. The grief of Yezeed was so poignant that he would not quit the corpse, but continued to kiss and fondle it until it became putrid. Being then admonished by his attendants that proper respect required its burial, he consented to commit it to the earth: after five days, however, his desire again to behold the object of his love induced him to open the grave, and though the corpse had become hideous, he declared that it was lovely as ever in his eyes. At the earnest request of Meslemeh, he ordered the grave to be closed again; but he was unable to exist when deprived of the sight of the remains of her who was at the same time his slave and his mistress: he threw himself upon his bed, speechless; and after lingering seventeen nights, expired, and was buried by the side of Ḥabbábeh. "May God," says the narrator, "have mercy on them both!"[357]

In the same work from which the above is taken, it is related that Hároon Er-Rasheed, visiting Suleymán the son of Aboo-Jaạfar, one of his chief officers, saw with him a female slave, named Ḍa'eefeh, of excessive beauty, and being smitten by her charms, demanded her as a present. His request was granted; but Suleymán from grief at the loss of his mistress, fell sick; and during his illness was heard to exclaim,--

"I appeal unto God against the affliction which He hath sent
upon me through the Khaleefeh.
The world heareth of his justice; but he is a tyrant in the affair
of Ḍa'eefeh.[358]
Love of her is fixed in my heart as ink upon the surface of paper."

Er-Rasheed, being informed of his complaint, restored to him his mistress, and, with her, his peace of mind.--This anecdote is given as a proof of strong love; but perhaps may not be thought much to the purpose. The following, from the same work, is more apt.

During the hottest hour of an excessively sultry day, the Khaleefeh Mo'áwiyeh the son of Aboo-Sufyán was sitting in a chamber which was open on each side to allow free passage to the air, when he beheld a barefooted Bedawee approaching him. Wondering what could induce this man to brave the scorching heat, he declared to his attendants that, if he were come to demand of him any favour or aid or act of justice, his request should be granted. The Bedawee addressed him, in verse, with a pathetic appeal for justice against the tyranny of Marwán the son of El-Ḥakam (afterwards Khaleefeh, Mo'áwiyeh's fourth successor), by whom he had been forcibly deprived of his beloved wife, named Soạdà. The Khaleefeh requiring a more particular account of his case, he related the following facts. He had a wife, the daughter of his paternal uncle, excessively beloved by him, and he possessed a number of camels, which enabled him to live in comfort; but a year of terrible drought deprived him of his property, and reduced him to utter want: his friends deserted him, and his wife was taken away from him by her father. To seek redress, he repaired to Marwán, the Governor of his district, at El-Medeeneh, who, having summoned the father of his wife, and herself, was so smitten by the beauty of the woman that he determined to obtain her for himself in marriage; to accomplish which, he threw the husband into prison, and offered the father of the woman a thousand deenárs and ten thousand dirhems for his consent to his marriage with her, promising to compel her actual husband to divorce her; and this latter object, having obtained the father's approval, he gained by severely torturing the unfortunate Bedawee. It would have been vain for the woman to attempt resistance; and so she became the wife of Marwán.--The oppressed Bedawee, having related these circumstances, fell down in a swoon, and lay on the floor senseless, coiled up like a dead snake. As soon as he recovered, the Khaleefeh wrote a poetical epistle to Marwán, severely reproaching him for his baseness, and commanding him, on pain of death, to divorce the woman and send her with his messenger. She was accordingly divorced and sent, with an answer composed in the same measure and rhyme, assuring the Khaleefeh that the sight of Soạdà would convince him that her charms were irresistible; and this proved too true. Mo'áwiyeh himself no sooner saw her than he coveted the possession of her, and offered to give the Bedawee, if he would resign her to him, three virgins from among his female slaves, together with a thousand deenárs, and an ample annual pension. The Bedawee shrieked with dismay, as though he had received his death-blow; and indignantly rejected the offer. The Khaleefeh then said to him, "Thou confessest that thou hast divorced her, and Marwán has married her and acknowledged that he has divorced her: we will therefore give her her choice: if she desire any other than thee as her husband we will marry her to him, and if she prefer thee we will restore her to thee." She however preferred the destitute Bedawee, and the Khaleefeh gave her up to him, with a present of ten thousand dirhems.

Numerous instances of unreasonable love are recorded in the writings of Arabs. It is related that a man fell in love with a female from seeing the impression of her hand upon a wall; and being unable to obtain possession of her, died. Many men are said, to have conceived a violent passion for females seen in dreams: others, again, to have been thus affected merely by the ear. An author relates his having been acquainted with an accomplished schoolmaster who lost his heart from hearing a man sing the praises of a woman named Umm-'Amr, and two days after, shut himself up in his house to mourn for her death, in consequence of his hearing the same man sing,--

"The ass went away with Umm-'Amr; and she returned not, nor did
the ass return."[359]

But a few anecdotes may be considered as rare exceptions to a general rule. I think, however, that strong evidences of the existence of true love among all classes of the Arabs are afforded by their very numerous tales of fiction descriptive of this passion.

[354] Marginal note by my sheykh.

[355] Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. xiii.

[356] I may suffer in public estimation for my differing in opinion from
this accomplished traveller and most estimable man; but I cannot, on
that account, abstain from the expression of my dissent. Our difference,
I think, may be thus explained. He conformed, in a great degree, to the
habits of the Arabs; but not to such an extent as I consider necessary
to obtain from them that confidence in his sympathy which would induce
them to lay open to him their character; and when a man is often treated
with coldness and reserve, I doubt whether the people from whom he
experiences such treatment can be judged by him with strict
impartiality. To be received on terms of equality by Arabs of the more
polished classes, an undeviating observance of their code of etiquette
is absolutely indispensable: but Burckhardt, I have been assured, often
violated this code, by practices harmless enough to our notions, and
probably, also, in the opinion of the Arabs of the Desert, but extremely
offensive to the people who enjoyed the least share of his esteem: his
most intimate acquaintances in Cairo generally refused, in speaking of
him, to designate him by the title of "sheykh" which he had adopted; and
yet the heaviest charge that I heard brought against him was his
frequent habit of _whistling_!--This fact has been mentioned, as
corroborating an observation of the same kind, by Mr. Urquhart ("Spirit
of the East," vol. i. pp. 417 and 418), all of whose opinions relating
to the East, expressed in the work here referred to, and especially
those regarding the characteristics of the Eastern _mind_, are entitled
to the highest respect.

[A very remarkable instance, confirming Mr. Lane's opinion of the existence of true love among the Arabs, occurred during my residence with him in Cairo. The wife of a man of good birth, and holding a high position in that city, was accused of carrying on an intrigue while visiting the tombs of her relations. Her family claimed her in accordance with the law, and threatened to put her to death, as the law would undoubtedly have justified them in doing, if the case were proved against her. Her husband was much attached to her--she was his first and only wife--and he believed, with reason, that the accusation was false: at the same time he knew that she would in all likelihood find it impossible to clear herself in a court of law, where justice is only accidentally awarded, and had good cause to fear that her male relations would put her to death without a hearing. He therefore adopted the extraordinary expedient of taking her secretly to the house of a married European gentleman of his acquaintance. There she remained concealed for some time, her husband visiting her daily, and shewing the most perfect confidence in his friend; while the latter was almost confined to one room, never venturing into the ḥareem without calling "Permission!" at every few steps. In the mean time, the indignation of the lady's friends cooled, and the affair was cleared up. She has since lived in perfect happiness with her husband.

To any one familiar with Eastern customs and modes of thought, a stronger proof of sincere love could scarcely be given, than that a man should thus set aside the strongest prejudices of his nation to save the honour, and perhaps the life, of his wife, disbelieving a report which, from its plausibility, might have been accepted without hesitation. The facilities afforded by the visits to the cemeteries are notorious, and the state of morals among the women of Egypt unfortunately makes their defence difficult in a suspicious case.--ED.]

[357] Kitáb el-'Onwán fee Mekáïd en-Niswán (MS. in my
possession).

[358] This word slightly varied (changed to ḍa'eefih) bears
another meaning; namely, "his weak one:" the final vowel being
suppressed by the rule of waḳf.

[359] Kitáb el-'Onwán, &c.