He tells me that you have become quite an anchorite, and that, save at your meals and for an occasional bout-at-arms, you are seldom to be seen.

I was glad to hear of your devotion to study, and thought it better to leave you undisturbed at it.

Yesterday evening I sent for your instructor.

He is a man of influence in Syria, and I wished to learn how he was affected towards us, now that he is about to return there.

We talked for some time, and I then asked him what progress you had made, and was surprised and pleased to find that in his opinion you could pass anywhere as a native, and that you were perfectly capable of drawing up and writing any document I might desire to send to the sultan or any of his generals.