common dress of the country;
and making myself up as one come from off a long journey, present myself
at the gate of the poet's house, and there make the best story I could,
which would be a sufficiently easy matter, considering how well I was
acquainted with every circumstance relating to him.

CHAPTER XV

Hajji Baba reaches Tehran, and goes to the poet's house.

I entered Tehran early in the morning by the Shah Abdul Azim gate, just
as it was opened, and immediately exhibited my horse for sale at the
market, which is daily held there, for that purpose. I had proved it to
be a good beast, from the rate at which I had travelled since taking
my hasty leave of the courier; but a horse-dealer, to whom I showed it,
made out so clearly that it was full of defects, that I thought myself
in luck, if I got anything at all for it. It was _chup_--it had the
_ableh_[32]--it was old, and its teeth had been burnt;--in short, it
seemed to have every quality that a horse ought not to have. I was
therefore surprised when he offered me five tomauns for it, provided
I threw him the bridle and saddle into the bargain; and he seemed as
surprised when I took him at his word, and accepted of his offer. He
paid me down one half of the money, and then offered me a half-starved
ass in payment of the remainder; but this I refused, and he promised to
pay me in full when we met again. I was too much in haste to continue
bargaining any longer; so going straightway to the bazaar, I bought a
black cap, laid by my dervish's tiara, and having equipped myself in a
manner to be taken for one come from off a journey, I inquired my way to
the house of the poet.

It was situated in a pleasant quarter of the town, surrounded by gardens
filled with poplars and pomegranate trees, and in a street through which
ran a stream of water, bordered by beautiful _chenars_.[33] But the
house itself seemed indeed to speak the absence of its master: the gate
was half closed; there was no stir about it; and when I entered the
first court, I could perceive but few indications of an inhabitant. This
looked ill for my promised reward. At length, making my way to the upper
room, that was situated over the gate, I there saw a man of about fifty
years old, seated on a felt carpet, smoking his kalian, whom I found to
be the very person I was in search of, viz. the _Nazir_ or steward.

I immediately exclaimed, 'Good news! the khan is coming.'

'_Yani cheh?_ what do you