I lost no time in conveying Lady Hester's message to them, and, for the short hour I enjoyed the pleasure of their conversation, had every reason to rejoice in the opportunity of making their acquaintance. As this visit of two travellers may serve as a specimen of what occurred, with slight variations, on every similar occasion, when Englishmen came to her house, who were little aware how much trouble their unexpected arrival sometimes caused her, I shall detail what passed as minutely as I can.
I had hardly paid my compliments to them, and inquired whether they would take an English breakfast or something more solid, when a message came from Lady Hester to say she wanted to see me for a moment. This was always her way. The ruling passion of ordering what was to be done and what was to be said on all occasions made her impatient about things passing out of her sight.
"Well, doctor," cried Lady Hester, "what age do they appear to be, and where do they come from?" Having satisfied her on the first head, I told her they were last from the Emir's palace at Btedýn: then, after some trifling observation, I added, the Emir complained to them that M. Lamartine, in his recent work on Syria, had greatly compromised him with Ibrahim Pasha, in having said that he, the Emir, had enterlained the most friendly dispositions
