"What are they smiling at?" asked Mole, somewhat indignantly.
"Only at the felicitous ingenuity of your highness's idea," answered the interpreter, pointing to the placard.
"Well, I hope they understand, and will abide by it," said Mole, venturing to step off the sofa.
But the moment he did so, the foremost, who, he understood was the Lady Alme, and was certainly of an impulsive disposition, sprang forward as if to embrace Mole.
"Save me!" he cried. "To the rescue, guards, attendants, Jack, Harry. Where can they have got to? Help, help! Mrs. Mole, come to the rescue of your poor Mole."
The old interpreter, with some dexterity, flung himself between them, just in the nick of time to avert from Mole the fair Circassian's effusive greeting.
"'Tis our Eastern custom," explained the dragoman. "Her ladyship is only expressing her delight at beholding her new lord and master."
"Tell them I am nothing of the kind, and I have got a wife in England," answered the pasha.
Abdullah did so, whereupon the ladies set up a series of piercing shrieks and lamentations.
"What in the world's the matter with them?" asked Mole, greatly dismayed.