here are the women? and, if they are not here, how shall I
escape the doctor?'

'Do not fear,' she repeated again; 'I have barred all the doors; and
should any one come, you will have time to escape before I open them:
but there is no fear of that; all the women are gone to the funeral; and
as for Mirza Ahmak, my mistress has taken care to dispose of him in such
a manner, now that I am left by myself, that he will not dare to come
within a parasang of his own house. You must know then,' said she, 'for
I see you are all astonishment, that our destinies are on the rise, and
that it was a lucky hour when we first saw each other. Everything plays
into our hands. My rival, the Georgian, put it into the khanum's head,
that Leilah, who is a professed weeper at burials, having learned the
art, in all its branches since a child, was a personage absolutely
necessary on the present occasion, and that she ought to go in
preference to me, who am a Curd, and can know but little of Persian
customs: all this, of course, to deprive me of my black handkerchief,
and other advantages. Accordingly, I have been left at home; and
the whole party went off an hour ago to the house of the deceased. I
pretended to be very angry, and opposed Leilah's taking my place with
apparent warmth; but, thank Heaven, here we are, and so let us make the
most of our time.'

Upon which she went into the kitchen to prepare a tray, containing a
breakfast for me, whilst she left me to explore that which is hidden
from all bachelors, namely, the interior of the harem.

I first went into the apartments of the khanum herself. It opened upon
the garden by an immense sash-window, composed of stained glass; and in
the corner was the accustomed seat of the lady, marked by a thick felt
carpet, folded double, and a large down cushion, covered with cloth of
gold, with two tassels at the extremities, and veiled by a thin outer
covering of muslin. Near this seat was a looking-glass, prettily
painted, and a box containing all sorts of curiosities; the _surme_
(collyrium) for the eyes, with its small instrument for applying it;
some Chinese rouge; a pair of armlets, containing talismans; a _tou
zoulfeh_, or an ornament to hitch into the hair, and hang on the
forehead; a knife, scissors, and other things. A guitar and a tambourine
lay close at hand. Her bed, rolled up in a distant corner, was enclosed
in a large wrapper of blue and white cloth. Several pictures, without
frame