142 CONSTANTINOPLE. 
ended in words only. It is impossible, how- 
ever, to hear the cause of so much agitation 
without laughter. — "Sir, this is my place! 
I am to dance with Prussia /" — " You'll pardon 
me. Sir! Russia goes down another set." — 
*' Gentlemen, I must beg you will give way : 
England is my partner!" Admitted to the 
supper-table, he sees with surprise some of 
the ladies wrapping-up roasted woodcocks, and 
other edibles, and putting them into their pockets' . 
If attracted towards a corner of the room, 
where the number of calpacs and whiskered 
faces announce a party of the Dragomans^ he 
finds them bartering some antique medal or gem, 
or settling the price of a shawl, or offering for 
sale an embroidered handkerchief; or perhaps 
two Greek physicians disputing about their 
mode of practice. Upon the sofas round the 
room, the elder Greek women, with heads and 
hands in constant motion, displaying their long 
ringlets of false or dyed hair, are bawling to 
each other in Romaic, and in a tone of voice the 
most shrill and inharmonious. This description 
of one evening assembly in the apartments of an 
( 1 ) This happened at the entertainment given by the British Ambas- 
sMor. In Italy, the practice, among the poorer nobility, of carrying 
pffconfectionary in this manner, is very common. 
