servant, as nimble as
a monkey, as devoted as a dog, and almost dumb by reason of a tongue
split in his youth for misdemeanour, fell on his knees at his feet.

He worshipped his young master, who had one time rescued him from a
savage, baiting crowd in the bazaar and taking him into his service had
made him his own particular servant; he equally loathed his master's
austere bedroom and adjoining dressing-room, with simple furniture
which had lately come from _Bilid el-Ingliz_, a dark, cold country
across the sea, where it rains without ceasing. And he helped strip
his master of the hateful, tight, hot European clothes and trotted
joyfully after him to the swimming-bath, and watched him dive in and
swim the length and climb out the other end, and disappear between
curtains into the luxurious rooms of the East.

Having robed him, agog with curiosity and at a discreet distance, he
followed the resplendent figure in his satin raiment, snow-white turban
glistening with jewels and hooded falcon on wrist, and cursed the dogs
under his breath when they turned and growled softly. But his
curiosity was turned to a great amazement when his master passed into
the court of the empty, luxuriant, perfumed harem, where once had loved
and quarrelled, idled and fought, so many beautiful women.

Under the orders of the Ethiopian eunuch, giant twin of Qatim, in the
service of Zulannah the courtesan, the harem was kept swept and
garnished, adorned with flowers, aglow at nights with a myriad soft
lights hanging from the ceiling in jewelled lamps, to which were flung
the fountain's perfumed drops, to fall and break on marble floor and
silken cushion, inlaid table and bright-hued birds in jewelled cage.

There does exist a different kind of harem--dirty, gaudy,
ill-kempt--somewhat like the inmates--over the whole of which 'tis wise
to draw a veil.

The eunuch's bankings-account--which was kept in a certain secret nook
of the harem court--had become sadly depleted on account of his
master's eccentric views as regarded women, but he still lived in hope,
and, delighting in intrigue, as every native does, had welcomed the
advent of his ebony brother primed with gossip and suggestion.

Therefore, upon the beating of the gong which had not been struck for
many weary moons, he hastened to the court and salaamed to the ground
before his master, who sat upon a pile of cushions, guarded by the two
shaggy dogs of Billi, with the amber mouthpiece