you should start at a shadow? for such are your
fears.'

'Tell me then,' said I, 'who is the lady I have just seen, and what am I
to do?'

'Be not in such a hurry,' answered she; 'nothing can be done to-night,
and you must have patience. Time and place are not now convenient; but
meet me to-morrow at noon, at the cemetery of Eyub, and you will hear
all that you wish to know. I shall be seated at the foot of the tomb of
the first emir on your right hand, and you will recognize me from any
other woman by a red shawl, thrown over my left shoulder. Go, and Allah
go with you!'

Upon this we parted, and I returned to my room in the caravanserai to
ruminate over what had happened. I did not doubt that something good was
in store for me; but I had heard terrible accounts of the jealousy
of Turkish husbands, and could not help imagining that I might fall
a victim to the fury of some much-injured man. Zeenab and her tower,
Mariam and her Yusuf, Dilaram and her pimple, all the instances of
unfortunate loves, came across my mind in succession, and damped any
desire that I might at first have felt in prosecuting this adventure.
However, my blood was yet young and warm enough to carry me forwards,
and I determined, though reluctantly, to proceed.

On the noon of the ensuing day I faithfully kept my engagement, looked
for the first green-turbaned tomb, which I duly found on my right
hand, where I discovered the old woman with her red shawl over her left
shoulder. We retired from the roadside, and retreated to the shade of
some of the loftiest cypress trees in the burial-ground; where,
seated on the ground, with the magnificent view of the harbour of
Constantinople before us, we calmly entered upon the subject of our
conference.

She first complimented me upon my punctuality, and then again assured
me, that I had nothing to fear from what she was about to propose. She
had all the garrulity of her age, and spoke for some time but to little
purpose, making professions of her attachment, and of her desire to
serve me; all of which I foresaw would ultimately diminish the profits
of my pipe-sticks, and I therefore stopped her progress, and requested
her at once to let me know the history of the fair lady at the window.

Divesting her narrative of all her repetitions and circumlocutions, she
spoke nearly to the following effect:--

'The lady whom you saw, and whose servant I am, is the only daughter of
a rich Aleppo merchant, who, b