Page 197 - Malay sketches

A MALAY ROMANCE

When out of doors, the Raja Maimtinah would
wear a veil of darkest blue, black or white gossamer
embroidered with very narrow gold ribbon, a most
becoming head-dress, the product of Arabian skill.
Over this, again, was held coquettishly, to conceal
the face from male a scarf of rich
eyes, Malay-red
silk, heavy with interwoven threads of gold, while
one or two more silken of colour
sarongs varying
and richness of material were worn over the under-
skirt.
Jewels depend upon the wealth and station of
the wearer, but Maimunah's jacket was fastened
with buttons that matched the She was
hairpins.
seldom seen without diamond solitaires in the ears
and a number of diamond rings on her fingers,
while on State occasions she wore heavy gold
bangles on her wrists and one or more gold neck-
laces.
I cannot draw an attractive of
equally picture
Raja Iskander, the husband of this lady. He was
about thirty years of age, while she was one-and-
He was short and for a
twenty. spare Malay, and
his distinguishing features were a large ugly mouth
with a downward turn at the corners and an almost
perpetual expression of extreme discontent.
His vanity was inordinate, his extravagance
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