SHIEAZ TO BUSHIRE. 27 



distinguish to be carried right across in one con- 

 tinuous dark line. Singular as this seems, it by no 

 means marred the strange beauty of the face. The 

 eyes were large and softly brown, as a deer's ; for that 

 one instant they flashed forth a look, Avhich was per- 

 haps more of wonderment than alarm, at the black- 

 coated infidel, over whom, at that very moment, the 

 skirts of her veil were sweeping. The complexion 

 was exquisitely fair. I^o wanton ray of old Sol had 

 ever touched that pale, bloodless cheek, which seemed 

 as if it could never have known a blush. One thought 

 of the lines, 



" In all her veins, 

 No conscious drop, to form a blush, remains." 



Beyond a small blue spot tattooed on the centre of 

 her chin, I can give no further description of a face 

 that haunts me like a dream whenever I think upon 

 it. Instinctively I turned round and watched her 

 as she sped away down the passage, and was then 

 lost to sight amid the crowd of the bazaar. But as 

 the eyes, upon a sudden darkness, retain the image of 

 the object they last gazed upon, so Avas my mind im- 

 pressed for hours afterwards with the beauty of the 

 fair Shirazee. I had observed that my groom, who 

 was riding behind me, had also made way for her to 

 pass, in a way that was quite unusual with him : for, 

 generally, if a woman came in his way, he would 

 screech out an execration at her, but would never 



