kindly." He said, "God be praised that Arrabeh has found favor with you!"
Then he went away, and at sunset my brother accompanied me to his house. Two kawasses and lantern-bearers led the way. We were conducted into a vast open court, paved with marble, and the governor came out to meet us, and led me into the divan, or reception-hall, where a number of Moslem gentlemen were assembled. They rose from the raised divans, which were ranged on three sides of the room, and stood still till my brother and myself had taken the places prepared for us on the chief divan. The governor arranged an embroidered cushion for me, and sat by my side, and then said to the standing guests, "Itfuddal"—a word of wide significance, corresponding with the Italian "favorisca," and meaning, in this instance, "Be seated."
The room was very lofty. The white walls were ornamented with blue arabesque borders, painted in fresco. The arched windows and large doorway were of Saracenic form. A part of the floor was raised a few inches, to form a dais, and was spread with handsome carpets, and in the center stood a tall brass candelabrum supporting an oil lamp. In the lower part of the room a number of servants waited. They were the attendants and lantern-bearers of the several guests. Richly-dressed Abyssinian slaves handed round the coffee, flavored with ambergris, and others carried silver trays of sweetmeats. A costly narghile, the mouthpiece of which was set with diamonds and sapphires, was brought for me.
I had expected to be conducted only to the harem, and was rather taken by surprise on being ushered into the midst of this company. I did not venture, in the presence of men, to speak to Mahmoud Bek about his wives, for it is not considered delicate to do so, and my brother could on no account allude to the object of my visit. I waited impatiently for a long time, hoping that a messenger would come for me.
In the mean time an interesting discussion on civilization
