unless our heroine made two journeys to Karbala, is it not the easiest
way of understanding the facts? The object of the 'sage of Kazwin'
was, of course, to prevent his daughter from traversing the country as
an itinerant teacher. That object was attained. I will quote from an
account which claims to be from Haji Muhammad Hamami, who had been
charged with this delicate mission by the family.

'I conducted Kurratu'l 'Ayn into the house of her father, to whom I
rendered an account of what I had seen. Haji Mulla Taki, who was
present at the interview, showed great irritation, and recommended all
the servants to prevent "this woman" from going out of the house under
any pretext whatsoever, and not to permit any one to visit her without
his authority. Thereupon he betook himself to the traveller's room,
and tried to convince her of the error in which she was entangled. He
entirely failed, however, and, furious before that settled calm and
earnestness, was led to curse the Bab and to load him with
insults. Then Kurratu'l 'Ayn looked into his face, and said to him,
"Woe unto thee, for I see thy mouth filling with blood."'

Such is the oral tradition which our informant reproduces. In
criticizing it, we may admit that the gift of second sight was
possessed by the Babi and Bahai leaders. But this particular
anecdote respecting our heroine is (may I not say?) very
improbable. To curse the Bab was not the way for an uncle to
convince his erring niece. One may, with more reason, suppose that
her father and uncle trusted to the effect of matrimony, and committed
the transformation of the lady to her cousin Mulla Muhammad. True,
this could not last long, and the murder of Taki in the mosque of
Kazwin must have precipitated Kurratu'l 'Ayn's resolution to divorce
her husband (as by Muhammadan law she was entitled to do) and leave