and enter the hareem. His old mother, who looked a hundred, and his
pretty wife, were very friendly; but, as I had to leave Omar at the door,
our talk soon came to an end, and Girgis took me out into the divan,
without the sacred precincts of the hareem. Of course we had pipes and
coffee, and he pressed me to stay some days, to eat with him every day
and to accept all his house contained. I took the milk he offered, and
asked him to visit me in the boat, saying I must return before sunset
when it gets cold, as I was ill. The house was a curious specimen of a
wealthy man's house--I could not describe it if I tried, but I felt I was
acting a passage of the Old Testament. We went to the church, which
outside looked like nine beehives in a box. Inside, the nine domes
resting on square pillars were very handsome. Girgis was putting it into
thorough repair at his own expense, and it will cost a good deal, I
think, to repair and renew the fine old wood panelling of such minute and
intricate workmanship. The church is divided by three screens; one in
front of the eastern three domes is impervious and conceals the holy of
holies. He opened the horseshoe door for me to look in, but explained
that no Hareem might cross the threshold. All was in confusion owing to
the repairs which were actively going on without the slightest regard to
Sunday; but he took up a large bundle, kissed it, and showed it me. What
it contained I cannot guess, and I scrupled to inquire through a Muslim
interpreter. To the right of this sanctum is the tomb of a Muslim saint!
enclosed under the adjoining dome. Here we went in and Girgis kissed the
tomb on one side while Omar salaamed it on the other--a pleasant sight.
They were much more particular about our shoes than in the mosques. Omar
wanted to tie handkerchiefs over my boots like at Cairo, but the priest
objected and made me take them off and march about in the brick and
mortar rubbish in my stockings. I wished to hear the service, but it was
not till sunset, and, as far as I could make out, not different on Sunday
to other days. The Hareems are behind the screen furthest removed from