238 A Sportsman at Large 



hut, there to partake of coffee, smoke the calumet of peace, 

 and be introduced to his wife ; the latter ceremony marking 

 me as one highly honoured ; inasmuch as Mussulman etiquette 

 does not, as a rule, permit of such presentation of a Giaour to 

 the fair partners of the devout. 



Mrs. Hassanein (or Farag) duly appeared ; but after 

 affording me a fleeting vision of over-ripe charms, she scuttled 

 back to the seclusion of her lord and master's modest seraglio. 



When only a year later the draw of Cairo brought me back 

 to its wondrous charms, the irrepressible Hassanein again 

 insisted on my partaking of his humble hospitality " chez 

 lui." When, lo and behold ! a smirking damsel of some 

 fourteen or fifteen summers (the Arab girls mature very 

 quickly) was proudly produced by my host. 



" Your daughter, Hassanein ? " I inquired. 



" Not daughter, Ba-sha. This my wife," he said. 



" Indeed ! Then I fear that the " Sit " whom I saw last 

 year is dead ? " I remarked sympathetically. 



" Oh, no, Ba-sha. She not dead. I send her away. I 

 not like her ! Perhaps I like this better, but not sure. If not, 

 I send her away too, and get other one. Blenty ready ! " 



Well, well, well ! 



