--she having
written a note in a fair hand, delivered it to me, and said, "There
is a _Tirpauliya_ [130] near the fort; in the adjoining street is a
large mansion, and the master of that house is called _Sidi Bahar_;
[131] go and deliver this note to him."

I went according to her commands, and by the name and address she had
given me, I soon found out the house; by the porter I sent word of
the circumstance [of my having brought] a letter. The moment he heard
[my message,] a handsome young negro, with a flashy turban on his
head, came out to me; though his colour was dark, his countenance was
full of animation. He took the note from my hand, but said nothing,
asked no questions, and at the same pace [without a pause] entered
the house. In a short time he came out, accompanied by slaves, who
carried on their heads eleven sealed trays covered with brocade. He
told the slaves, "Go with this young man, and deliver these trays." I,
having made my salutation, took my leave of him, and brought [the
slaves with their burdens] to our house. I dismissed the men from
the door, and carried in the trays entrusted to me to the presence
of the fair lady. On seeing them she said, "Take these eleven bags
of gold pieces and appropriate the money to necessary expenses;
God is most bountiful." I took the gold, and began to lay it out in
immediate necessaries. Although I became more easy in my mind, yet
this perplexity continued in my heart. "O God, [said I to myself,]
what a strange circumstance is this! that a stranger, whose person
is unknown to me, should, on the mere sight of a bit of paper, have
delivered over to me so much money without question or inquiry. I
cannot ask the fair lady to explain the mystery, as she has beforehand
forbidden me." Through fear, I was unable to breathe a syllable.

Eight days after this occurrence, the beloved fair one thus addressed
me:--"God has bestowed on man the robe of humanity which may not be
torn or soiled; and although tattered clothes are no disparagement to
his manhood, yet in public, in the eyes of the world he has no respect
paid to him [if shabbily clothed]. So take two bags of gold with thee,
and go to the _chauk_, [132] to the shop of _Yusuf_ the merchant,
and buy there some sets of jewels of high value, and two rich suits
of clothes, and bring them with thee." I instantly mounted my horse,
and went to the shop described. I saw there a handsome young man,
clothed in a saffron-coloured