He Always Addressed The Beast In Language
Which Implied That He, As A Christian And Saint, Had Been
Personally Insulted And Oppressed By A Mahometan Mule.
Dthemetri,
however, on the whole, proved to be a most able and capital
servant.
I suspected him of now and then leading me out of my way
in order that he might have the opportunity of visiting the shrine
of a saint, and on one occasion, as you will see by-and-by, he was
induced by religious motives to commit a gross breach of duty; but
putting these pious faults out of the question (and they were
faults of the right side), he was always faithful and true to me.
I left Saide (the Sidon of ancient times) on my right, and about an
hour, I think, before sunset began to ascend one of the many low
hills of Lebanon. On the summit before me was a broad, grey mass
of irregular building, which from its position, as well as from the
gloomy blankness of its walls, gave the idea of a neglected
fortress. It had, in fact, been a convent of great size, and like
most of the religious houses in this part of the world, had been
made strong enough for opposing an inert resistance to any mere
casual band of assailants who might be unprovided with regular
means of attack: this was the dwelling-place of the Chatham's
fiery granddaughter.
The aspect of the first court which I entered was such as to keep
one in the idea of having to do with a fortress rather than a mere
peaceable dwelling-place. A number of fierce-looking and ill-clad
Albanian soldiers were hanging about the place, and striving to
bear the curse of tranquillity as well as they could: two or three
of them, I think, were smoking their tchibouques, but the rest of
them were lying torpidly upon the flat stones, like the bodies of
departed brigands. I rode on to an inner part of the building, and
at last, quitting my horses, was conducted through a doorway that
led me at once from an open court into an apartment on the ground
floor. As I entered, an Oriental figure in male costume approached
me from the farther end of the room with many and profound bows,
but the growing shades of evening prevented me from distinguishing
the features of the personage who was receiving me with this solemn
welcome. I had always, however, understood that Lady Hester
Stanhope wore the male attire, and I began to utter in English the
common civilities that seemed to be proper on the commencement of a
visit by an uninspired mortal to a renowned prophetess; but the
figure which I addressed only bowed so much the more, prostrating
itself almost to the ground, but speaking to me never a word. I
feebly strived not to be outdone in gestures of respect; but
presently my bowing opponent saw the error under which I was
acting, and suddenly convinced me that, at all events, I was not
YET in the presence of a superhuman being, by declaring that he was
not "miladi," but was, in fact, nothing more or less god-like than
the poor doctor, who had brought his mistress's letter to Beyrout.
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