always fancy the Good Samaritan in a tarboosh with a white beard and very
long eyes. I am out of bed to-day for the second time, and waiting for a
warm day to go out. Sally saw the illuminations last night; the Turkish
bazaar she says was gorgeous. The Sultan and all his suite have not
eaten bread here, all their food comes from Constantinople. To-morrow
the Mahmaal goes--think of my missing that sight! _C'est desclant_.

I have a black slave--a real one. I looked at her little ears wondering
they had not been bored for rings. She fancied I wished them bored (she
was sitting on the floor close at my side), and in a minute she stood up
and showed me her ear with a great pin through it: 'Is that well, lady?'
the creature is eight years old. The shock nearly made me faint. What
extremities of terror had reduced that little mind to such a state. She
is very good and gentle, and sews quite nicely already. When she first
came, she tells me, she thought I should eat her; now her one dread is
that I should leave her behind. She sings a wild song of joy to
Maurice's picture and about the little Sitt. She was sent from Khartoum
as a present to Mr. Thayer, who has no woman-servant at all. He fetched
me to look at her, and when I saw the terror-stricken creature being
coarsely pulled about by his cook and groom, I said I would take her for
the present. Sally teaches her, and she is very good; but now she has
set her whole little black soul upon me. De Leo can give no opinion as
to what I ought to do, as he knows little but Egypt, and thinks England
rather like Norway, I fancy. Only don't let me be put in a dreadful
mountain valley; I hear the drip, drip, drip of Eaux Bonnes in bad dreams
still, when I am chilly and oppressed in my sleep. I'll write again
soon, send this to Alick, please.