lted Sheykh Yussuf, who promised him a reward hereafter for good
conduct to me, and who told me of it as a good joke, adding that he was
_raghil ameen_, the highest praise for fidelity, the sobriquet of the
Prophet. Do not be surprised at my lack of conscience in desiring to
benefit my own follower _in qualunque modo_; justice is not of Eastern
growth, and _Europeo_ is 'your only wear,' and here it is only base not
to stick by one's friends. Omar kisses the hands of the _Sidi-el-Kebeer_
(the great master), and desires his best salaam to the little master and
the little lady, whose servant he is. He asks if I, too, do not kiss
Iskender Bey's hand in my letter, as I ought to do as his Hareem, or
whether 'I make myself big before my master,' like some French ladies he
has seen? I tell him I will do so if Iskender Bey will get him his
_warak_ (paper), whereupon he picks up the hem of my gown and kisses
that, and I civilly expostulate on such condescension to a woman. Yussuf
is quite puzzled about European women, and a little shocked at the want
of respect to their husbands they display. I told him that the outward
respect shown to us by our men was _our veil_, and explained how
superficial the difference was. He fancied that the law gave us the
upper hand. Omar reports yesterday's sermon 'on toleration,' it appears.
Yussuf took the text of 'Thou shalt love thy brother as thyself, and
never act towards him but as thou wouldest he should act towards thee.'
I forget chapter and verse; but it seems he took the bull by the horns
and declared _all men_ to be brothers, not Muslimeen only, and desired
his congregation to look at the good deeds of others and not at their
erroneous faith, for God is all-knowing (_i.e._, He only knows the
heart), and if they saw aught amiss to remember that the best man need
say _Astafer Allah_ (I beg pardon of God) seven times a day.

I wish the English could know how unpleasant and mischievous their manner
of talking to their servants about religion is. Omar confided to me how
bad it felt to be questioned, and then to see the Englishman laugh or put
up his lip and say nothing. 'I don't want to talk about his religion at
all, but if he talks about mine he ought to speak of his own, too. You,
my Lady, say, when I tell you things, that is the same with us, or that
is different, or good, or not good in your mind, and that is the proper
way, not to look like thinking "all nonsense."'