the precept it contained, they either prostrated themselves
on the earth or lightly bounded upwards, as though to take a place among
the houris of Mohammed's heaven.

But what was remarkable, and what struck Alcide, was that the Persians
appeared rather indolent than fiery. Their passion had deserted them,
and, by the kind of dances as well as by their execution, they recalled
rather the calm and self-possessed nauch girls of India than the
impassioned dancers of Egypt.

When this was over, a stern voice was heard saying:

"Look while you may!"

The man who repeated the Emir's words--a tall spare Tartar--was he who
carried out the sentences of Feofar-Khan against offenders. He had taken
his place behind Michael, holding in his hand a broad curved saber, one
of those Damascene blades which are forged by the celebrated armorers of
Karschi or Hissar.

Behind him guards were carrying a tripod supporting a chafing-dish
filled with live coals. No smoke arose from this, but a light vapor
surrounded it, due to the incineration of a certain aromatic and
resinous substance which he had thrown on the surface.

The Persians were succeeded by another party of dancers, whom Michael
recognized. The journalists also appeared to recognize them, for Blount
said to his companion, "These are the Tsiganes of Nijni-Novgorod."

"No doubt of it," cried Alcide. "Their eyes, I imagine, bring more money
to these spies than their legs."

In putting them down as agents in the Emir's service, Alcide Jolivet
was, by all accounts, not mistaken.

In the first rank of the Tsiganes, Sangarre appeared, superb in her
strange and picturesque costume, which set off still further her
remarkable beauty.

Sangarre did not dance, but she stood as a statue in the midst of the
performers, whose style of dancing was a combination of that of all
those countries through which their race had passed--Turkey, Bohemia,
Egypt, Italy, and Spain. They were enlivened by the sound of cymbals,
which clashed on their arms, and by the hollow sounds of the "daires"--a
sort of tambourine played with the fingers.

Sangarre, holding one of those daires, which she played between her
hands, encouraged this troupe of veritable corybantes. A young Tsigane,
of about fifteen years of age, then advanced. He held in his hand a
"doutare," strings of which he made to vibrate by a simple movement of
the nails. He sung. During the singing of each couplet, of very peculiar
rhythm,