I Thanked His Majesty For His
Condescension, And Then Presented Him With A Patent Pistol, With Seven
Barrels, Which He Examined Very Attentively In Every Part, And
Appeared Highly Pleased With Its Construction.
He commanded the hall to be cleared, and in a very friendly and
familiar way told me the nature of his complaint; after which he
summoned the chief eunuch, and desired me to follow him to the
seraglio, to prescribe for his favourite Sultana, who was seriously
indisposed.
On leaving the hall of audience, we turned to the left,
and arrived at a gate, which terminated the piazza on the right side
of the square. Through this gate we entered a large passage, paved
with marble; on each side were marble benches, upon which the eunuch
informed me, the inferior eunuchs and the female attendants of the
seraglio slept. This passage conducted us to another square, on the
right of which is the Imperial bath. It is almost impossible to form
an idea of the elegance and convenience of this structure, which is
used only by the Emperor.
Adjoining the bath is a refectory, which is constantly supplied with
every kind of refreshment. The other sides of this square contained
the apartments of two or more ladies of His Imperial Majesty. It would
be tedious to enumerate the several squares through which I passed;
they differ only in splendour and magnificence, according to the rank
and taste of those ladies to whom they belong: they all communicate
from one piazza to another, by means of passages, such as I have
described.
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