Page 155 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

If
12 NEGLECTED A KAMA

“Khadt, Khadt,” which acted as ar “Open Sesame.” Another high, I
wooden door was leisurely opened at the head of our first flight of I
stairs. Here we were greeted by a gleaming smile that little I
betrayed it belonged to a discarded concubine of the Sultan’s. Again
skirting the flagpole we entered another “dark stair” and beyond I
that an even more ladder-like flight, where we were met by a bevy I
of softly stepping, gaily garbed slaves, who led up into an open I
verandah, overlooking the harbor. Real, bent wood, cane-seated I
chairs appeared mysteriously; to our great relief the Dowager I
Sultana came to greet us. Such charming dignity and cordiality!
No jewels, simply holes in her ears ; clean cotton scarfs rather than
soiled silks, a black cotton kerchief, deftly wound about her jet
locks, which were each tipped with gray where they met her scalp
and had outgrown the henna! Her fingernails, too, revealed her
loyalty to the adage, “Eat. drink and be merry for tomorrow wc
dye.” But oh! such simple charm and courtesy.
The Dowager had made her pilgrimage to Mecca, and there, so
runs the story, she contracted small-pox and lost the first finger of
her right hand. But larger than her pilgrimage looms the memory A
< » f her trip to Bombay. She insisted that Miss 1.niton should tell
us about it. Then, straight from King Tul’s tomb, came her slaves
bringing us the rose water in tall glasses. “Never mind the sweet-
ness,” murmured Miss I.niton, “that is what makes it aseptic." ,
hollowing this came clear thick black colTee in liny bowls which wc
drank with much greater enthusiasm. Then, seeing tin* captain’i
boat approaching the shore, we bade a hasty adieu, but not before -I
our delightful Dowager had brought perfume which she lavished i
on our hankies. To our smiles of grateful appreciation she replied,
with sweet deliberateness, “Aythan cue,” which we decoded to mean
“l thank you,” and to which we replied in kind, to her exceeding
great joy.
Balancing our way down the perilous flights of stairs, we were
let out into the street, and hurriedly picked our way to the shore.
Imagine our dismay to find the tide so low that our boat could nut
come to shore! But Miss Lullon was most matter of fact, as bhc
said: “'file sailors will carry you out.’’ And before we could demur
Mother was frantically clutching a brown neck in each elbow and
found herself at the end of her cruise, with a sailor’s ilill
bugged close to her.

J
—**i I

•■A

-