heavy sky-blue silk skirt with trousers to match, and a yellow velvet
sacque open in front, displaying a lace chemisette and a handsome
turquoise necklace. Large gold hoops pulled her pretty ears quite out
of shape, and her long black hair was braided in broad plaits and tied
with a gilt ribbon, which was also wound about her head several times.
Altogether, she was quite gorgeous, and rather threw the other wife
into the shade. Wife No. 2 was arrayed in a dark-green velvet skirt
and a pink silk jacket trimmed with silver braid. She had a garnet
necklace and pretty earrings of small pearls and diamonds. Not to be
outdone by her mother-in-law on the _mouchoir_ question, she displayed
a white muslin handkerchief thickly embroidered with gold thread--more
ornamental than useful.

They were all curled up on divans sipping coffee and smoking
cigarettes when I entered. Madame B---- presented me, and they
received me very graciously, asked my age, examined my clothes and
inquired if I had any jewels at home. I wore none, and suppose my
black silk walking-suit did not impress them greatly. Dress is of the
first importance in their eyes, and that and their husbands are the
chief topics of interest when they visit each other. Conversation was
not brisk, as the necessity of an interpreter is not favorable for
a rapid exchange of ideas. After sitting in this room for an hour,
Madame B---- informed me that Turkish etiquette required that she
should now invite her guests into another room and offer other
refreshments, then, after sitting there a while, to still another, and
so on through the whole suite of apartments, refreshments (generally
coffee, sweetmeats or sherbet) with cigarettes being offered in each.
As they would probably remain till four or five in the afternoon, I
excused myself, and reached the hotel in time to join a party going
to the bazaar, thankful that I did not reside in Constantinople, and