really
treated me as an equal." On taking leave, a second cup of sherbet was
presented--"This is always intended as a distinguishing mark of honour.
Several ladies accompanied us to the door; and the treasurer followed me
with an embroidered handkerchief from her highness. Do not think me
egotistical, because I describe thus minutely my reception; I consider it
important in a description of manners, especially as the receiving and
paying visits is the everyday business of an Eastern lady."

This was not, however, the first occasion on which Mrs Poole had visited
the Kasr-ed-Dubarah, as she had some months previously been present, in
company with her invaluable chaperon, Mrs Sieder, at an entertainment
there given by the Pasha's hareem; when she had formed the acquaintance of
the mother[23] of Mohammed Ali Bey, and of another wife of the Pasha,
"both young; the one a dignified and handsome person, and the other
especially gentle and very lovely." At the time, she supposed that these
were the _only_ wives of his highness; but, on a subsequent visit to the
hareem in the citadel, she was introduced to a third, the mother of a son
named Haleem Bey--and she shrewdly conjectured that the full number of
four was not incomplete. These ladies, with the daughter of Mohammed Ali,
the widow of Toosoon, (a deceased son of the Pasha, whose son, Abbas, is
the reputed successor to the pashalik,) and Abbas Pasha's fostermother,
were the only persons at table, with the exception of the French
guests--the widow of Toosoon Pasha, in virtue of her seniority, leading
the way to the _salle-a-manger_, and taking the place of honour at "a very
large round silver tray, covered with small silver dishes filled with
various creams, jellies, &c., and most tastefully garnished with exquisite
flowers; in the centre was a forequarter of lamb, on pilav. The lamb was
succeeded by stew; the stew by vegetables; the vegetables by savoury
cream, &c.; sweet dishes, most delicately prepared, succeeded these in
rapid succession; and each was removed, and its place filled, when perhaps
only tasted. Ladies attended close to our divan with fly-whisks; behind
them about thirty formed a semicircle of gaily dressed, and in many cases
beautiful women and girls; those near the door held large silver trays, on
which the black slaves, who stood without, placed the dishes." During the
repast, Mrs Poole frequently received morsels from the hand of Toosoon
Pasha's widow--one