had ceased to do so; her father was very rich, and her father-in-law was richer still, so she did not see why she should trouble herself. Then came the jewels, tiaras, aigrettes, rings, earrings, all of diamonds, mostly set as flowers; one or two were in cases, but the greater part were thrown pell-mell on trays, and wanted cleaning sadly. The said bracelets were not much worn by Turkish or Arab ladies. We now recommenced smoking; sherbet was handed round in gold goblets, each slave bearing on her arm a muslin napkin, with the usual gold embroidery, for us to wipe our lips on.
Madame Nateef Pacha next entertained us with a minute account of the late fire at Alexandria; it is quite marvellous how the events of the outer world are so well known in these apparently hermetically-sealed retreats. She then wished us good night, and we tried to leave also, but this was not consented to by the younger ladies, who, returning to their former posts on the more elevated divan, and exclaiming, “Now, let us be comfortable,” began chewing gum mastic, of which they insisted on our also partaking; so we sat and chatted a little longer, and at last succeeded in getting away.
My visits to Ingee Hanum, the Vice-queen, were paid at Alexandria; I was presented to her by the wife of one of the consul-generals. We entered the palace under a lofty gateway, and alighting, traversed a large open courtyard, some vast stone halls, and ascended a wide marble stair-case of several flights, the last of which conducted us into an immense and very lofty room, somewhat in the shape of a cross, and, like most eastern apartments, with a profusion of windows. A large semi-circular window was filled with a divan, beside which, in a white and gold arm-chair, sat the Vice-queen, a lovely woman, very tall and thin, with splendid dark eyes and eyebrows, and a fair, and almost colourless complexion; her slightest movement was grace itself. The second wife was sitting near her, together with an elderly woman, whose face bore the remains of great beauty, and who had been one of Mehemet Ali’s wives, all of whom Saïd Pacha treats with great respect; also a younger lady in deep mourning, the widow of Mehemet Ali Pacha, and her three little girls, one of about two years old, the brightest-looking, chattering little thing I ever saw; another princess whose name I forget, and two European ladies.
Ingee Hanum rose at our entrance, shook hands with Madame R, and saluted me in the usual Oriental style; I was then introduced to the other ladies.
Saïd Pacha’s second wife is the mother of his only son, Tooloom Pacha; she is rather good-looking, but coarse in comparison with the Vice-queen. The European ladies took their leave soon after our arrival, but not before one of them had told us that she had brought her little boy, aged seven years, to see her Highness, but the eunuchs voted him too old to be admitted, in spite of his tears at the sentence of exclusion.
After the first ceremonies were over, I was at leisure to observe my royal hosts. Ingee Hanum wore the usual yebek, but no jacket on account of the heat; it was made of grey barege, broché, with coloured silks, and open nearly to the waist, showing a habit-shirt of cambric, with a small turned-down collar; round her throat was carelessly tied, à la sailor, a rose-coloured ribbon. My friend told her she was sorry she had not on the particularly becoming dress she was wearing when she had seen her a day or two before, to which she answered, with great naïveté, that she had unluckily torn it down the back. The second wife was dressed in a crimson twilled yebek, buttoned to the throat, with an embroidered collar and sleeves. They both wore the usual Stamboul coiffure, with a profusion of diamonds wreathed around. These tiaras seem to be never left off, except in deep mourning; for on a subsequent visit we found her Highness with her face tied up with a white handkerchief, which, surmounted by the diamonds, had the most ludicrous appearance. The Vice-queen had on a purple enamelled bracelet and a Syrian ring, from which were suspended five large pear-shaped diamonds.
The usual ceremonies of coffee and chibouques were duly observed, the only apparent etiquette being that her Highness’s chafing-dish was placed straight before her and ours a little on one side away from her. The cupholder that was presented to me was of gold filagree with a black enamel band, studded with diamonds, a round one alternating with a crescent. Her Highness’s was of plain black enamel with a single circlet of diamonds. Her chibouques, in the same way, were of cherry and jasmine sticks, with amber mouth-pieces, and a narrow row of diamonds; mine were covered with gold-thread, and the diamond border was at least an inch and a half wide.
Nothing could be prettier than seeing the slaves gliding noiselessly about through the spacious apartments; there were no two dressed alike, and their number seemed infinite. One was attired in a Garibaldi shirt, with full white trousers; two or three had gold watches and chains suspended to their girdles. Several little episodes occurred interesting to European eyes. Once, Tooloom Pacha came in with a letter, which he gave the Vice-queen and read to or with her, leaning his head on her shoulder. He is an intelligent-looking boy, with bright eyes, but his features are rather coarse, like his mother’s. He speaks English perfectly, and without the slightest accent. Again a tall eunuch came in with a message, or bearing patterns of brocades for her Highness’s inspection.
One by one the visitors glided out of the room, and Madame R and I were left alone with the two Princesses and their attendants. Ingee Hanum interested us much by giving us a sketch of her early history. The conversation began by the usual inquiries of how I liked Egypt, its scenery, buildings, &c. On my speaking of Mehemet Ali’s mosque at Cairo, she said she had never seen it; that she had the Viceroy’s permission, but that there had always been something to prevent her going. Santa Sofia, its original, having been mentioned, led to Stamboul; and when she found that I had been there, and had spent a day in the hareem of a Pacha whose name both ladies knew well, she was most minute in her inquiries. No
