SHIRAZ TO BUSHIBE. 17 



were deaf as the ruined pillars of the Chehal Minaar." 

 Several times during the conferences with the Prince's 

 people, the Pardoner might be seen working himself 

 into a frenzy, or at least a very fair semblance of it. 

 With his head thrown back, and his beard pushed 

 scornfully forward into the faces of the opposing 

 party, he would sometimes, finding that a milder 

 eloquence was of no avail, try to bully them into 

 civility. Among other delicate attentions which he 

 vowed he would pay to their relations, male and 

 female, he swore with a sonorous oath that he would 

 most assuredly burn their fathers. But it was all to 

 no purpose ; the Prince's people, acting under orders, 

 were evidently not inclined to come to terms, and the 

 Pardoner was always to be seen retiring from the 

 conflict of words much discomfited, and adjusting 

 his tall lambskin cap, which had been shaken by his 

 energy a little out of its orthodox slanting position. 

 He and all our other servants were especially in- 

 terested in this wise. On the establishment of ami- 

 cable relations, it would have been etiquette to ex- 

 change presents. The present from our side would 

 have had to have been taken to the Prince by our 

 head servant. He would have been presented with 

 a shawl or a gold piece for himself. This is the 

 universal custom, and a very handsome perquisite it 

 usually is to your head-man in this country. Had 

 affairs been arranged as our Persians wished them to 

 be that is to say, an interchange of visits and 



VOL. VI. B 



