onage, the now widow of the deceased; and I dreaded
lest the slaves should conduct me thither. But, aided by my good stars,
I must have fallen upon a most propitious moment, when the mollah bashi
and his wife had quarrelled; an event which seemed to be understood
by my conductors, who, seeing me unwilling to proceed to the lighted
apartment, drew me on to a door which led into a small inner court,
where I found a khelwet, or retiring room, into which they introduced
me. How to get rid of them was my next care; for as they had walked
before me, they could not have got a sight of my face, and had they
entered the room with me, perhaps they would have made a discovery fatal
to my safety. I took the light from the hand of one, and dismissed the
other, with a sign of the head. Had I been the same inconsiderate youth
as at the time of my acquaintance with Zeenab, perhaps I should have
committed some act of imprudence that might have led to my discovery;
but now I eyed the two young slaves with apprehension and even with
terror; and certainly one of the most agreeable moments of my existence
was, when I saw them turn their backs upon me and leave me to my own
meditations. The change in my fortune, which had taken place during
the last hour, was so unexpected, that I felt like one treading between
heaven and earth; and my first impulse, upon finding myself in safety,
after having got over the most difficult part of the imposture, was
at one moment to exult and be joyful, and at another to shiver with
apprehension lest my good fortune might abandon me.

[Illustration: Hajji in the mollah bashi's house. 32.jpg]

CHAPTER LVIII

Of the consequences of the adventure, which threaten danger, but end in
apparent good fortune.

I carefully fastened the inside of my door as soon as I was left to
myself, and put my candle in so remote a corner of the room, that if
any one was curious to look through the painted glass window, they could
never discover that I was not the mollah bashi.

Having done this, it then struck me that something more might be
elicited from this adventure than I had at first imagined. 'Let me
inspect the good man's pockets,' said I, 'and the roll of paper in his
girdle; perhaps they may contain the history of my future plans.' In his
right-hand pocket were two notes, a rosary, and his seals. In the left
his ink-stand, a small looking-glass, and a comb. His watch was kept in
the breast of his coat, and in