and life in towns and villages and tents was carried on. Our host showed us a plan for the completion of his house, and asked my advice about the interior decorations and details. He had evidently a strong natural taste and talent for architectural construction, and was a good judge of building materials. He told me that he could judge whether stone was of a durable nature or not, by its taste. I have often seen an Arab touch newly-quarried stone with the tip of his tongue, and I suppose that he could by this means ascertain its quality. There are some fine quarries in Palestine, but the stone generally preferred by builders is that which is brought from the ruins of some ancient building, and which has already stood the test of centuries.
More than an hour passed, and still I had no summons to the harem. I said to Mahmoud softly, "I came to-night in consequence of your especial invitation;" he answered, "I am greatly honored by your presence, O my lady! you have given me great pleasure, and I have profited by your words and your counsel—this room, which no woman has ever before entered, is yours."
A special messenger from the Pasha came to seek my brother, and we took leave of Mahmoud Bek. He attended us to the outer door with much deference and a great many compliments, but he did not make the slightest effort to detain me to visit his harem. I suppose he was afraid that I should "reveal the secrets of his prison-house," or on consideration he may have thought it actually dangerous for any of his ladies to have their portraits taken. It was rumored that he had recently married a very beautiful girl, and that in his establishment there were some fair young slaves from Constantinople. The fact was, I believe, I had answered his many questions about my sojourn at Arrabeh rather too unreservedly, and had unwisely showed him the portrait of his cousin Saleh's pretty wife Helweh. I was always on my guard afterward under similar circumstances. This governor, Mahmoud Bek, was an elderly man with a long gray beard. He was full of energy and enterprise,
