simply the aroussa—a show, a sight, a thing
on which to hang gorgeous jewels, gold,
glittering stuffs, feathers, embroidery—nothing
more.

She sat upright, supported and surrounded by
cushions, her legs tucked or crossed under her,
her hands folded on her lap, her eyes drooped.
This position she never changed during the
whole time—about an hour and a half—that we
remained there. I shall never forget the cold
handsome scornful weary face I then gazed
on, nor the suggestions it conveyed to me of
the struggles between the external and internal
life some of these women must undergo,
before they settle down into the usual routine
of the harem existence.

There was this young creature, passively and
silently submitting to what, to any woman, must
have been a frightful penance, physical as well
as moral—submitting without a murmer
expressed, while her face was one persistent
protest against the enthralment she was enduring,
and which must have been inexpressibly painful,
for her finely-cut closed lips were nearly colourless,
and all her face was wan with the fatigues
and constraint of her position, maintained daily
during many consecutive hours.

Her dress consisted of a pale yellow silk
robe, stiff and heavy with gold embroidery.
Her head-dress was a mass of diamonds; at
one side of her head were two feathers, a pink
and an azure; on the other, falling on the neck,
a dark blue feather: while a sort of lappet of
some gold fabric hung down on either shoulder.
Round her neck was a gorgeous necklace of
pearls, emeralds, and diamonds; and, strange to
see, on her chin, and on either cheek, diamonds
were stuck in little clusters I suppose with
some paste or gum.

In addition to the innumerable lights in the
room, there was placed on the floor, on either
side of the bride, a brass candlestick, between
three and four feet high, containing a huge
candle with flowers painted on it. Cushions
and mattresses were laid around, and on these
the ladies coming and going, sat and chatted:
their attention divided between the bride and
us. While we stared, as it was evidently
expected we should stare, at the unhappy aroussa,
and discussed the fresh pipes and coffee that were
brought. And now, by degrees, the tone of
decorum that had hitherto prevailed began to relax.
A third fat shabby elderly lady—the fattest we
had yet seen—having imprudently squatted on
the floor beside my friend, for the greater
convenience of conversing and inspecting us
and our dresses, finding it impossible to get
on her feet again by her own unassisted
efforts, beckoned to one of her younger
companions to aid her in the operation, who
responded by seizing her ankle, and
dragging her forward, displaying, in so doing,
a leg of curious proportions. Considerable
mirth was excited by this sally, and the dame,
who good humouredly joined in the laugh,
having been hoisted to her feet, a fourth fat
shabby lady took the place just vacated,
and, having called our attention afresh to the
bride—who but for the perpetual flashing glitter
of gold and diamonds, caused by her respiration
as the glare of light fell on her, showed no
signs of life—she began to question my
companion as to bridal customs and etiquette in
England.

This old lady, who, in addition to being fat
and shabby, was, as her subsequent conduct
proved, so very jovial as to awaken a suspicion
touching the use of stimulants, evidently
considered that the answers indicated a very
backward state of civilisation. Did they sing
at the wedding? she inquired, beginning
herself one of the tuneless monotonous chants
of which Eastern song consists. No. She
tossed her chin with an air of pitying
contempt. Did they dance? And here, scrambling
to her feet, she began a slow swaying
rhythmed movement, twisting her arms and
her head in a manner that would have been
graceful had some twenty years been taken off
the lady's age, and some four or five stone off
her figure, accompanying the dance with a
slow song (to which, however, she gave
anything but a "slow" expression, in the slang
acceptation of the word), and a clapping of the
hands in time to the measure. And now, for
the first and only time, did the bride indicate
that she was a living woman, and not a
deaf and dumb and blind and senseless image.
At the first movement of the old lady, the
shadow of a smile flickered over her fine set
features, and was gone; but when the dance
and song actually commenced, the passive scorn
of her face changed for an instant into an
indignant sneer; up went the chin, still lower
dropped the lids, and a little, inarticulate sound,
indicative of contemptuous impatience, escaped
her lips; then again her face became rigid
Meanwhile, considerable sensation was
produced in the harem by the conduct of the old
lady; and though some laughed, it was evident,
from the demeanour of the ladies in general, that
they were greatly scandalised by the proceeding.
Many remonstrances were uttered, and
various attempts made to put an end to the scene.
But in vain. The dancer wavered and
quavered on unheeding, addressing both dance and
song especially to us, and, for the first time
since my entrance into the harem, I began to
acknowledge that there were cases where
ignorance might be bliss; for there were evidently
portions of the song so little suited to ears
polite, that some of the women uttered
exclamations of horror, and one or two covered their
faces with their hands.

Presently, however, on the old dame's ceasing
her movement and melody, and attempting to
take a seat between us, apparently with the
intention of enlightening our minds on the
subject of the exhibition we had just witnessed,
a tall handsome woman whom we had not
before perceived, with a resolute face, firm,
richly cut mouth, and splendid large bold
eyes, came forward, pushed her away, and
took the chair she was preparing to