nd one of the
officers sent some one to inform her of this incident. She was then with
her father, to whom she spoke concerning us. The emperor ordered us to
be admitted, and assigned us a house near that of the princess.
Furthermore, he wrote, in our favor, an order prohibiting any one from
interrupting us in whatever part of the city we might go, and this was
proclaimed in the markets. We remained three days in our residence,
whither they sent us provisions, namely, flour, bread, sheep, fowls,
butter, fish and fruits, also money and carpets.

'On the fourth day after our arrival at Constantinople the princess sent
to me the eunuch Sunbul, the Indian, who took me by the hand and
conducted me into the palace. We passed four gates, near each one of
which were benches, with armed men, the captain occupying a raised
platform covered with carpets. When we had reached the fifth gate, the
eunuch Sunbul left me and entered; then he returned, accompanied by four
Greek eunuchs. These latter searched me, for fear lest I might have a
knife about me. The chief said to me, "Such is their custom; we can not
dispense with a minute examination of whoever approaches the emperor,
whether a high personage or one of the people, a stranger or a native."
This is also the custom in India.

'After I had submitted to this examination, the guardian of the gate
arose, took my hand, and opened. Four individuals surrounded me, two of
whom took hold of my sleeves, while the other two held me from behind.
They conducted me into a grand audience-hall, the walls of which were in
mosaic; the figures of natural productions, whether animal or mineral,
were there represented. In the middle of the hall there was a brook,
both banks of which were bordered with trees; men stood on the right and
on the left, but no one spoke. In the centre of the hall of reception
stood three other men, to whom my four conductors confided me, and who
took me by the garments as the first had done. Another individual having
made a sign to them, they advanced with me. One of them, who was a Jew,
said to me in Arabic, "Fear not; it is their custom to act thus towards
strangers. I am the interpreter, and am a native of Syria." I demanded
of him what salutation I ought to make, and he replied, "Say--May
blessing be upon you!"

'I arrived, finally, at the grand dais, where I beheld the emperor
seated on his throne, having before him his wife, the mother of the
princess. The latter