unpleasant experience. A Persian, who called himself a gentleman, was
inside, and kissed her all the way up. She, poor little idiot! saw no
way out of the transaction, but came and threw herself on Richard's
protection several days after, and there was an ugly row. She had the
Persian arrested, and tried him. If anybody had tried that sort of game
on with me, I should have made an example of him myself, and taken the
law in my own hands, whoever he was. An escort was therefore necessary.
I can understand how some consuls' wives, sometimes vulgar, ill-
conditioned women, might get elated at this newly acquired importance,
and presume upon it until they became unbearable. I found the lack of
privacy very trying at first, but I was anxious to bear it because I
saw that English influence at Damascus required lifting a great many
pegs higher than our predecessor left it. The only member or our
English _noblesse_ the people had hitherto known in Damascus was Lady
Ellenborough, of whom more anon.

As soon as we were settled down I had to begin my receptions. I fixed my
reception day on Wednesday; and it was no trifle, for the visitors came
all day long. One native lady told me indignantly that she had been to
see me three times on my reception day, and had been refused. I said,
"When did you come? and how could it happen that I had never heard of
it?" She answered almost angrily, "I came at daylight, and again at
sunrise, and again at eight o'clock." I said it was rather early; and
though I was an early riser, it was just possible that I had not made
a suitable toilet to receive her. On my reception day the dragomans
interpreted for me. The kawwasses, in full dress of scarlet and gold,
kept guard by turns, and the servants were engaged incessantly in
bringing up relays of narghilehs, chibouques, cigarettes, sweet-meats,
sherbet, Turkish coffee and tea. My visitors sat on the divans, cross-
legged or not, according to their nation, and smoked and chatted. If