32 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



" sham," or evening meal, had approached. The 

 gholaum and his attendant duly made their appear- 

 ance at our gate. The Pardoner, who had taken 

 upon himself the duties of host for the occasion, had 

 paid some attention to his own personal appearance. 

 He wore his pea-green coat, and he had wound his 

 gayest-coloured shawl around his waist. He went 

 forward, took the gholaum by the hand, and led him 

 to the carpet, which had been spread on the ground 

 preparatory to the feast. He then assured his guest 

 that "Bismillah" "In the name of God he was 

 welcome," and requested him to be seated. Here- 

 upon arose a strife between them as to who should 

 outdo the other in civility. The gholaum, with an 

 admirably assumed modesty, would insist upon show- 

 ing a wish to take the lowest seat on the carpet ; 

 the Pardoner vehemently remonstrated ; and from 

 the little garden-house where I was sitting, I could 

 overhear him say, as he pointed to the highest seat, 

 " Bismillah, Bismillah " " In the name of God, be 

 seated here." The gholaum, though anxious for the 

 seat of honour, found himself only able to exclaim, 

 " Az-iltifaut-shumau" "By your kindness may 

 your kindness never be less : " and at length, swear- 

 ing that he would never consent, consented. Now 

 the Pardoner had no intention whatever in his own 

 mind of allowing the new-comer to take precedence 

 of him ; for such conduct on his part would have 

 been acknowledging the superior rank of the gholaum, 



