her. You know it is lawful among us to
marry for as long or as short a time as may be convenient; and in that
case the woman is called _muti_.

"Why then," said I to the chief priest, "why not have a sufficient
number of such like wives in store, for those who know not where to seek
for a companion? The thing is easy to be done, and Nadan the man to do
it."

'The mollah bashi, who, though the cream of blockheads in all other
cases, is very quick-sighted when his interest is concerned, caught
at my idea, for he foresaw a great harvest of gain for himself. He
consequently acquired possession of several small houses of little
value, in which he has installed a certain number of women, who, through
his interference, are married, in the character and with the privileges
of muties, to whoever is ambitious of such a marriage; and as both
parties on such occasion pay him a fee, he has thus very considerably
increased his revenues. So eagerly do the people marry, hat he has
several mollahs at work, wholly engaged in reading the marriage
ceremony. He has entirely excluded me from any share in his profits,--I
who first suggested the plan; and therefore I am determined to undertake
the business myself, and thus add to the public convenience. But we must
be secret; for if the mollah bashi was to hear of my scheme, he would
interpose his authority, overthrow it, and perhaps have me expelled the
city.'

During this exposure of the mollah's plans, I began to look at him from
head to foot, and to question within myself whether this in fact could
be the celebrated pillar of the law, of whom the mushtehed, good man!
had spoken in such high terms. However, I was too new in holy life to
permit any scruples against the fitness of such schemes to come across
my mind; so I continued to applaud all that Nadan had said, and he
continued as follows:--

'I have already three women in readiness, established in a small house
in the neighbourhood, and it is my intention to employ you in the search
of husbands for them. You will frequent the caravanserais, watching
the arrival of merchants and other strangers, to whom you will propose
marriage, upon easier terms than the chief priest can offer, and
according to the riches of the bridegroom you will exact a proportionate
fee. I shall not give you any wages, because you will have opportunities
of acquiring such knowledge from me, that in time you may become
a mollah yourself, and show the road to a