chanted spot, when signs of habitation, in the shape of a multitude of red and yellow slippers, showed themselves. Two more rooms, and a heavy damask was pushed aside, and we entered a large apartment, at the further end of which was a divan, on which sat two ladies, both young, and one very handsome. They were the two married daughters of Nateef Pacha; the tallest and handsomest was the widow of Shereef Pacha’s eldest son, the richest proprietor, not of the royal family, in all Egypt. She had lost her husband a few months ago, and on his death had returned to her father’s house. They both rose at our entrance, shook hands with us, put their hands to their foreheads, and finally made us sit down by them. As I had come unannounced, they were in their home négligé, which I was very glad of. The widow was in a dress of deep red Broussa gauze, and her sister in a pink and white print. For coiffure they wore a Stamboul crape handkerchief, covering the top of the head and part of the forehead: the ends are brought back and tied in front; the hair is cut short, and is either braided or hangs down to the ears. One slave girl had a long plait down the back, but that is no longer the fashion—in fact, they cut off nearly all their hair for the convenience of the bath, and almost all the braids are false.
After a few inquiries had been made as to who I was, how many children I had, and what I thought of Eastern manners, the widow began showing us her dress, which she said was a new stuff just come from Stamboul. I told her I had been there, and had seen the material; I did not say that it was four years ago. By this time cigarettes and chafing-dishes had been brought us, and the room, large as it was, seemed more than half filled with slaves, standing, sitting, or crouching in different positions on the ground, or on the low divan which ran down the two sides of the room. A table on which stood some candelabra with lights, and a sort of sideboard over which hung a large mirror, completed the furniture. On either side of the mirror was a cupboard, in the doors of which were inserted panels of carved wood. The walls were glazed white, and round the top ran a border, painted with all sorts of impossible trees, houses, and flowers. A nice little boy, about five years old, who was running about, soon became very friendly: he was the son of the younger sister, a fat little girl, who was also brought in to see us. The boy was dressed in a white blouse, full white trousers, and the usual crimson tarboosh; the girl in a blue jacket and trousers, but her tarboosh was embroidered in gold and pearls. Her nurse returned again with her in a few minutes, carrying over her head a blue silk parasol, which her mother, the widow, took and gazed at with almost as much pride as at her child. I asked how long the boy would be allowed to be present when they received female visitors, and was told till he was eight years old, after which a woman would be considered immodest who permitted him to see her face unveiled.
Coffee was now brought on a silver plateau; the slave who carried it had thrown over her shoulder a scarlet cloth, richly embroidered in gold. Another bore what in a church would be called a censer, in the centre of which a coffee-pot rested on live ashes; the beautiful little cups were filled and offered us in their exquisite filagree holders. The Turks have no sets of things, each cup and holder is different: the handsomest is offered to the most honourable guest, and the simplest to the lady of the house. Coffee over, a tall, thin slave, who had been pointed out as the buffoon of the hareem, approached and began examining my bracelets. I had put on all the ornaments I could, and I now proceeded to take them off. Just as I was doing this, everybody started up, and a short, stout, but still young-looking woman, the wife of Nateef Pacha, entered the room. She was dressed in the same style as her daughters, except her head-dress, which consisted of a tarboosh, round which was rolled a stripe of white muslin. I was duly presented, my history again related, and we re-seated ourselves as before, except that the two younger ladies quitted the high divan and took their places on the lower, out of deference to their mother. The examination of my things then proceeded, and was not discontinued till every person present had fingered or tried them on. Madame C then told them that I was very desirous of seeing some of their gala attire, and the slaves were immediately despatched for some specimens. They returned with piles of most gorgeous dresses, which, after I had looked at them, were put on a very pretty slave, that I might see how they were worn; and the delight of the girl, as she walked up and down the room, looking over her shoulder at us, was most amusing. All the dresses were en suite, and consisted of a pair of very full trousers, joined together half way up the leg, a robe called a yebek, with tight sleeves, and either opening half-way down the chest and then buttoning to the waist, or closed from the throat; the skirt is divided into three parts, the back hanging down so as to form a long train, the two front ones coming off into points which, as they showed me, they tuck into the scarf: this is twisted as a belt round the waist when they sit down, and held between their ankles when they walk; and as they shuffle along, never raising their feet from the ground, the ends do not drop down, as they would infallibly do with us. A polka jacket completes the costume. The embroidery on the dresses was literally sumptuous; what I most admired was a dove-coloured watered silk with a deep embroidery of wheat-ears in pure gold, the finest jeweller’s gold laid on in solid pieces for the leaves and ears, the stalks in gold thread. Another was a yellow satin embroidered all over in coloured silks. A third was of crimson satin, embroidered in gold; the materials of this one cost two hundred and forty pounds. But they prized most the last new fashion, an amber Broussa gauze, trimmed with rows of black velvet. Madame Nateef Pacha told us these dresses did not cost in the end so much as they seemed to do, because the silks cleaned, and the gold, being solid, was washed with soap and water.
Next were brought towels and pillow-cases, with deep embroideries, also of pure gold, so that they washed like any common muslin. The widow said she used to embroider, but that she
