The Governor, coming to hear of it, might reasonably feel aggrieved.' He argued so ridiculously, yet so gravely, that in the end I was obliged to yield.

And so, a little before ten o'clock, we sauntered through the narrow streets to the Government offices--a red-roofed, whitewashed building near which soldiers loitered, in a dusty square.
There we waited for a long while in an ante-room--spacious, but rather dingy, with cushionless divans around the walls, on which a strange variety of suitors sat or squatted.

Some of these appeared so poor that I admired their boldness in demanding audience of the Governor.
Yet it was one of the most wretched in appearance who was called first by the turbaned, black-robed usher.

He passed into an inner room: the door was shut.
Then Suleyman went over to the usher, who kept guard upon that door, and held a whispered conversation with him.

I know not what he said; but, when the wretched-looking man came out again, the usher slipped into the inner room with reverence and, presently returning, bowed to us and bade us enter.