Sixteen years of an artist's life in Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands/Chapter 4
When we had proceeded some distance, the sounds of the Tomtom coming upon our ears indicated that the scene of rejoicing was close at hand. My companion stopped at a house with a mean little door, through which, having entered, she led the way in to a large open Patio, shaded on one side by a trellis of cane-work, supporting heavy bunches of luscious grapes. In the midst of the court grew, in full vigour, a verdant fig-tree, spreading abroad its expansive branches, and affording an agreeable shelter from the oppressive rays of the noonday sun. The vine and the fig-tree are invariably found in the Moorish Patio; the family grow up under their shade; the little ones sport with the thoughtless glee of childhood among the foliage; and the graver elders pass the greater part of their time there in more serious conversation, and sometimes, doubtless, in mere trifling gossip. They dwell under their own vine and fig-tree, none daring to make them afraid.
There was a perfect uproar of voices as we entered; the mirth was, as Burns would describe it, fast and furious. What a monotonous and discordant din the Tomtom keeps up! What screams of delight, what shrill whistlings, what piercing yells, what bursts of laughter, and yet―you will not believe it, you self-satisfied gentlemen of Europe, who consider your presence so indispensable at such gatherings―there was not a man in the party. All the countenances and all the toilets were feminine. There was not a bearded visage, not a turbaned head, in the group. The whole getting up of these female guests, the crimsoning of the cheeks, the staining of the hands, eyes, and feet, the display of costly jewelry, and the selection of embroidered robes, had been the work of so much time, thought, and labor attracting the admiration―or if, in your charity, you choose rather to think so―the envy of each other. About thirty or forty women, in all, were sitting along the sides of the square court. As all were dressed much much after the same fashion, the long description I have already given of the lady with whom I came will apply equally well to the others. It would be impossible to describe the ludicrous effect of so many not very expressive faces, all painted alike, with the same bright crimson hue, which contrasted strongly with the accompanying daubing of white.
In the midst of the assembly sat two or three old hags, the professional musicians engaged for the occasion, who, if they beat any harmony out of their Tomtoms, the instrument which they professed, most effectually drowned it in the noise. Story-tellers were there to amuse the guests by their long-winded narratives of heroic exploits, unmerited suffering, unsympathetic fathers, love suffering and at last triumphant, and the other stock subjects which are laid up as materials for telling fictions, as old scenes are stored up in a theatre to afford original decorations for new dramas. A Moorish Sheridan might probably have gleaned abundant materials for a new School for Scandal, for the commodity was there, and its eager tittle tattle was mellifluously whispered into many a willing ear. My entrance into their midst, which was quite unexpected, was the signal for the expression of undisguised astonishment among what I may term the rabble in the middle of the party; but whatever sensation my appearance might create for a moment in the more select portion of this assembly, viz., the painted and jewelled ladies, they did not consider it becoming their dignity, or consistent with the rules of etiquette―which has its code here as elsewhere―to make any display of their surprise or emotion. However, an expression of eager curiosity, and anxious looks of enquiry, were plainly visible through the transparent gauze scarfs which fell down over every face. One poor demented woman, or Santa, who had come to countenance the festivities by her presence and who had a weak turn for such jollifications, made her way to me with a patronising air, and expressed her wish and intention to befriend me. She insisted on my taking off my hat, and other parts of my dress, in order that she might examine them; but as there was no saying where her curiosity would stop, I was determined not to yield to her wishes, and it was with the greatest difficulty, and by the display of some resolution, that I could keep my clothes upon my back. The irrepressible curiosity of the crowd to see whether a Nazarene woman was made of the same flesh and blood as themselves, was added to the intrusive officiousness of the maniac, whose hands were still itching to seize and appropriate some portion of my dress.
It was altogether a strange scene, and notwithstanding the rather disagreeable circumstances with which it was attended, I could not help regarding all that passed before me with the greatest interest. In addition to the ludicrous absurdities of human nature, I was surrounded by much that was exquisite in art, graceful in form, and even beautiful in nature. The appearance of the mosaic pavement, as, chequered by the rays of the sun which fell upon it, it shone through the fig-leaves and the cane-work trellis, was exceedingly brilliant. Then, there were the rich and variegated colours of the magnificent flowers which were disposed about the Patio, as the heliotrope and the jasmin, the odours of which, in the sultry heat of the afternoon sun, were so oppressive as to produce a kind of languid faintness. To these was added the sweet and powerful scent of the datura, which as evening drew on, filled the surrounding air with its delightful fragrance. It was altogether of of those attractive spots, in which, but for the company with which the place was filled, one would delight to linger and to meditate.
But, as time wore on, nature became exhausted, and the noise and mirth began somewhat to abate. The din of the Tomtom even was no longer heard so incessantly, and the musical enthusiasm of the professional who handled it evidently began to abate. Indeed, I continued myself to be the only object that had still attraction enough to excite some curiosity, and but for my presence, the wearied guests would probably have been dispersing to their several homes by this time. Longing eyes, however, were still cast on me, my clothes continuing to be the principal object to which their attention was directed. as their incessant curiosity was rather troublesome, I fortunately thought of a method by which I could both deliver myself from the persecution to which I was subjected, and do something to re-awake the flagging spirit of enjoyment. I had brought with me, in the expectation of finding an opportunity to introduce it, and knowing that it would contribute greatly to their amusement, one of those little toys so well known to children in France and England. To their eyes it was at first only a plain little box; but when I opened the lid, and out flew a little black frizzly devil, with horns and a tail, and a scarlet and white mouth, the sensation produced could only be compared to the effect of a spark of fire falling. into a barrel of gunpowder. All order was instantaneously lost; they shouted and screamed like maniacs; they pressed close to each other, and huddled together in apparent terror. Had Milton's Satan appeared bodily among them, he could not have been received with more awe that that which was for a short time evoked by the unexpected appearance of my little toy-devil. It is impossible to describe the excessively ludicrous appearance of all these fat women, bedizened with gold and paint, and glittering with costly jewels, endeavouring to press themselves together into the smallest possible space, in order to get out of the way of the "gin" which was the object of their terror. It was only after the lapse of a little time, and by degrees, that their agitation calmed down. First one raised her head, and gave a timorous and distrustful peep. Then another, and another, until several eyes were doubtingly cast upon the toy. But when I held it out to them, that they might examine it closely, a herd of frightened deer could not have started off with more alarm. However, by coaxing and persuasion, they at last ventured to look upon it with less fear and suspicion. If familiarity did not quite breed contempt, it at least inspired confidence. At last they even ventured to touch it, to handle it, to pass it from one to another, to turn it over and over. They were now completely like a parcel of overgrown children. How they struggled and scrambled to get it into their hands! Their exclamations of terror were succeeded by shouts of admiration and delight. The complete childishness of their character was more clearly displayed by their next suggestion. What was inside was now the question. It must be broken open in order that the mystery might be disclosed. This was no sooner said that done; and when the external parts were removed, and lo, only a small piece of twisted wire was found within, it would be impossible to describe the look of blank disappointment which was apparent in every face. The poor little devil had lost all his terrors; completely crestfallen, he was thrown carelessly into a corner of the apartment, where he lay neglected for the rest of the evening.
The introduction of this toy, however, was of great service to me. It acquired for me the confidence of these Moorish ladies; and I became a great favourite henceforth with several of them. The intimacy thus arising gave me many opportunities of becoming acquainted with the inner life and domestic regulations of families in this country, which, without so simple a mode of introduction, I might never have obtained. I was asked to their houses, and used frequently to go and see them, when I was always able to supply them with amusement, by the exhibition of some European wonder, or by the display of some acquirement never possessed by women in Mohammedan countries.
I eagerly availed myself, of course, of the opportunity of taking sketches of all that I saw, and of thus preserving the impression of scenes and faces which might otherwise have slipped from memory, or have left only a shadowy recollection behind. In painting the portraits of these ladies, and in sketching the scenes of their domestic life, I at once found an ample source of amusement for myself, and contributed to their gratification, at the same time, as usual, exciting their wonder, and evoking many curious questions. But they were most particularly anxious to know all about my condition in my own country, and they would keep up an unintermitting series of questions in order to draw me out on that subject. Assuming that I must have left a husband behind in England, they were very anxious to know how many wives he had besides myself. How were our children tended and brought up? Were they fed on the milk of pigs? Judging of beauty by their own standard, they inquired if the English ladies were fat, as fat as they ere, and what was the process by which they were fattened? Were they very beautiful, and did they paint themselves with crimson and white, as the ladies of Morocco did? They were also very curious to know all about the Sultana of England, and such questions as, Was she beautiful? how did she dress? and did she go about with both eyes visible? had each to be answered by me in turn.