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If the court of Morocco was astonished at my refusal 
of these ladies, it was not less surprized at the manner 
in which I had received them. The thing could not be 
kept a secret, on account of the servants and others that 
had been witness to the transactions. It therefore be- 
came public in less than four-and-twenty hours; and 
every one in town was informed of the most trifling cir- 
cumstance relating to it. 
* I continued frequenting the Sultan's and Muley Abd- 
sulem's society as if nothing had happened; for decorum 
requires that Mahometans never speak of women. 
At length J declared that I should set off for Mecca,, 
and had, upon this subject, several discussions with the 
Sultan, with Muley Abdsulem, and with my friends, 
who all united to dissuade me from this journey. They 
observed that even the Sultan had never made it; that 
their religion did not require it to be made personally; 
and that 1 might hire a pilgrim, who, making it in my 
name, would confer on me the same merit as if I had per- 
formed it myself. All these objections, and others use- 
less to mention, did not alter my determination. 
The Sultan, who from the bottom of his heart wished 
to make me stay, came to me one day, accompanied by 
his brother Muley Abdsulem, by his cousin Mulei Ab- 
delmelek, and by the first people of the court. The 
Sultan arrived at about nine in i he morning, and staid 
with me till half past four in the evening. During 
this time my journey became several times the topic 
of the conversation, but I was not to be persuaded. I 
had a repast served to my guests on their arrival, and 
again before their departure. The Sultan gave me a 
proof of his attachment and unbounded confidence, in 
partaking of both meals; he took coffee, tea, and lemon- 
