inted, and then there was a lamentation; they carried him down past my
house, with a crowd of women all shrieking like mad creatures, especially
his wife, who yelled and beat her head and threw dust over it, _more
majorum_, as you see in the tombs. The humours of tax-gathering in this
country are quite _impayable_ you perceive--and ought to be set forth on
the escutcheon of the new Knight of the Bath whom the Queen hath
delighted to honour. Cawass battant, Fellah rampant, and Fellaha
pleurant would be the proper blazon. Distress in England is terrible,
but, at least, it is not the result of extortion, as it is here, where
everything from nature is so abundant and glorious, and yet mankind so
miserable. It is not a little hunger, it is the cruel oppression which
maddens the people now. They never complained before, but now whole
villages are deserted. The boat goes to-morrow morning so I must say
goodbye.

April 12, 1867: Mrs. Austin

_To Mrs. Austin_.

LUXOR,
_April_ 12, 1867.

DEAREST MUTTER,

I have just received your letters, including the one for Omar which I
read to him, and which he kissed and said he should keep as a _hegab_
(talisman). I have given him an order on Coutts' correspondents for the
money, in case I die. Omar proposes to wait till we get to Cairo and
then to buy a little house, or a floor in one. I am to keep all the
money till the house is found, so he will in no way be tempted to do
anything foolish with it. I hope you approve?

Janet's visit was quite an _Eed_ (festival), as the people said. When I
got up on the morning she was expected, I found the house decked with
palm branches and lemon blossoms, and the holy flags of Abu-l-Hajjaj
waving over my balcony. The mosque people had brought them, saying all
the people were happy to-day, because it was a fortunate day for me. I
suppose if I had had a mind to _testify_, I ought to have indignantly
torn down the banners which bore the declaration, 'There is no God but
God, and Mohammed is His Prophet.' But it appeared to me that if Imaams
and Muezzins could send their banners to decorate a Christian house, the
Christian might manage to endure the kindness. Then there was fantasia
on horseback, and all the notables to meet the boat, and general welcome
and jubilation. Next day