s reckoned up, the imagination may perhaps conceive what
was the crowd which passed before me in succession, as I stood at the
Casbin gate. When the Shah approached, his long beard floating to his
girdle, with all the terrors of despotism concentrated in his person,
I could not help feeling an odd sort of sensation about my neck; and I
made my lowest prostration to that power, which by a single nod might
have ordered my head to take leave of my shoulders, even before I could
make an objection.

The whole procession having cleared the city gates, I lingered behind
to smoke with the guards who are there stationed; and at that time the
women of one of the viziers who were permitted to accompany him to
camp passing by, brought Zeenab once again to my recollection. I sighed
profoundly, when I reflected on the probable miserable fate which
awaited her. She had been sent (so I heard from Nur Jehan the day before
our departure) to a small summer-house belonging to the Shah, situated
at the foot of the high mountains which surround Tehran, where, with
many other of the bazigers, she was to receive her education of dancing,
music, and tumbling. The Shah had ordered that she was to be mistress of
these accomplishments previously to his return in the autumn; when she
would be honoured by the permission of exhibiting before him. As I rode
away, I could not help turning my head towards the spot where she was
now confined, and which I could just discern a speck at the foot of the
mountain. Perhaps at any other time I should have left every duty to
endeavour to obtain a glimpse of her; but I was called up to head the
procession again, and to be in readiness at Sulimanieh when the king
should alight from his horse.

The day's march, and the attendance at my post being at an end, I
proceeded to the quarters of the chief executioner, where I found a
small tent prepared for me and five other nasakchies, who were destined
to be my companions for the remainder of the journey. I had already
made their acquaintance in the city; but now we were brought into closer
contact, for our tent was not more than six _ghez_[69] long and four
broad, and we were thus thrown almost one upon the other. I, as the
junior, fared of course the worst; but I determined to put the best
face possible upon any present inconveniences, anticipating many future
advantages, which a certain confidence in my own pretty self whispered
to me I should not fail to secure.