I felt it hard that such an expense should fall upon me; and
several times had planned a departure from Ispahan unknown to anybody,
in order that the burden might fall upon the akhon and my mother, to
whom I had intended the honour of payment; but my better feelings got
the mastery, and reflecting that by acting thus I should render myself
fully entitled to the odious epithet _peder sukhteh_[86] (one whose
father is burnt) without further combat, I went round to each of the
attendants, namely, mollahs, mourners, and washers of the dead, and paid
them their dues.

CHAPTER LII

Hajji Baba quits his mother, and becomes the scribe to a celebrated man
of the law.

I took leave of my mother without much regret, and she did not increase
the tenderness of our parting by any great expression of sorrow. She had
her plans, I had mine; and, considering how we stood circumstanced, the
less we ran in each other's way the better. I mounted my mule at break
of day, and, ere the sun had past its meridian, was already considerably
advanced on my road to Kom. I loitered but little on my journey,
notwithstanding the pleasures which a halt at Kashan might have afforded
me, and on the ninth day I once again saw the gilded cupola of the tomb
of Fatimeh.

Alighting at a small caravanserai in the town, I saw my mule well
provided, and then, with my present to the mushtehed under my arm, I
proceeded to his house. His door was open to every one, for he made no
parade of servants to keep the stranger in awe, as may be seen at the
houses of the great in Persia; and, leaving my carpet at the door with
my shoes, I entered the room, in one corner of which I found the good
man seated.

He immediately recognized me, and, giving me a welcome reception, he
desired me to seat myself, which I did, with all proper respect, at the
very edge of the felt carpet.

He asked me to relate the history of my adventures since I left Kom, for
he professed himself interested in my fate; and, having made him all the
necessary acknowledgments for procuring my release from the sanctuary, I
related all that had befallen me. I also told him what a calling I felt
within me to devote myself to a holy life, and entreated his help
to procure me some situation in which I might show my zeal for the
interests of the true faith.

He reflected for a moment, and said, 'that very morning he had received
a letter from one of the principal men of the law of Tehran, the Mol