re both very anxious to know what had become of our respective
properties--he of his house and effects, I of my clothes, my money, and
mule,--it was determined that I should return and gain the necessary
intelligence.

I entered Tehran in the evening, and, making myself as little
recognizable as possible, I slunk through the streets to the mollah's
house. At the first glimpse I discovered that we were entirely ruined;
for it was in possession of a swarm of harpies who made free property of
everything that fell under their hands. One of the first persons whom I
met coming from it was the very ferash who had been sent by the Shah to
conduct us to his presence; and he was mounted on my mule, with a bundle
in his lap before him, doubtless containing my wardrobe, or that of the
mollah.

So borne down was I by this sight, and so fearful of being discovered,
that I hurried away from the spot; and, scarcely knowing whither I was
bending my steps, I strolled into a bath, situated not far from the
house of our enemy the chief priest. I went in, undressed myself, and it
being almost dark, I was scarcely perceived by the bathing attendants.
Going from the first heated room into the hottest of all, I there took
my station in a dark recess, unseen by any one, and gave free course to
my thoughts. I considered to what I could now possibly turn my hands for
a livelihood: for fortune seemed to have abandoned me for ever, and it
appeared that I was marked out for the stricken deer, as the choice game
of misfortune.

'I no sooner fall in love,' said I, musing, 'than the king himself
becomes my rival, slays my mistress, and degrades me from my employment.
I am the lawful heir to a man of undoubted wealth: he lives just long
enough to acknowledge me; and although everybody tells me that I ought
to be rich, yet I have the mortification to see myself cheated before
my face, and I turn out a greater beggar than ever. The most devout and
powerful man of the law in Persia takes a fancy to me, and secures to
me what I expect will be a happy retreat for life: my master in an evil
hour prays for the blessings of heaven to be poured upon us, instead of
which we are visited with its vengeance, driven as exiles from the
city, and lose all our property.' Never did man count up such a sum
of miseries as I did when seated in the corner of the bath. The world
seemed for ever gone from me, and I wished for nothing better than to
die in the very spot in w