A young dancing-girl from Shiraz, named Tootee,[133] was raised from a humble rank to a place in the royal seraglio. Tootee, who from her profession must in her earliest years have been seen by many, is said to have been of an elegant and delicate form, with a fine voice, and a face that indicated feeling and intelligence. She gained the heart of her royal lover, and, according to fame, gave him all her own in return. While she lived, others were neglected; but this fair flower soon drooped and died. The grief of the king was excessive. He directed her to be interred near the shrine of the holy Shâh Abd-ool-Azeem, which is within five miles of the capital. His visits to this shrine have, since this event, become much more frequent than before; whether they are from respect to the remains of the saint, or from fond regret of his beloved Tootee, cannot be determined; but he is often observed to sit upon her tomb, in the apparent enjoyment of a melancholy pleasure.
Notwithstanding the habits of his condition, and the severe and cruel acts to which that has often led him, there is naturally a kind disposition in the present King of Persia, which has made me always regard him as deserving of estimation, and I cannot but take an interest in all that personally concerns him.
It is from such feelings, that the short history and fate of Tootee have ever interested me. I have been gratified to think, that the mind of one I desired to hold in regard was not so completely corrupted and polluted by sensual indulgence and luxury, as to be a stranger to a passion which, in any shape that approaches to purity, softens and ennobles man, far beyond all other sentiments that are associated with his happiness in this world.
The king leaves his inner apartments at eight o'clock. An hour or two before breakfast is passed with his favourite companions, of whom Mahomed Hoosein Khan Mervee is, as he merits to be, the most distinguished, both from his rank and superior qualities.
The breakfast for his majesty is served in great state, and the dishes are of pure gold: this meal is usually at ten in the morning, and dinner at eight in the evening.
The trays which contain the royal meals are sealed up by the head of the household, an office of great trust; and while this precaution is taken against poison, a physician attends lest the royal appetite should be indulged to an excess that might injure health. I fear, however, this wise man is not so successful in enforcing abstemiousness as he who watched over the renowned sovereign of Barrataria!
No person is allowed to eat with the king, but he has generally one or two of his youngest sons near him, to whom he gives of the dishes which he thinks they like best; he also, at times, as a mark of great favour, sends victuals dressed for himself to others. The Elchee was often honoured with presents of bread, rice, and pillaw. These specimens of culinary art satisfied me, that his majesty's cooks merited all the praises I had heard bestowed on them.
When the first mission took its departure from Teheran, the king was most gracious. We all received fine dresses from his majesty: that given to the Elchee was most splendid; and he had besides a handsome horse, and a dagger richly set with jewels. There was much anxiety that he should dress in these robes; but though he expressed himself willing to wear any of them which could be put over his own clothes, he could not, he said, put off any part of his uniform. The king, very good-humouredly, alluded to his tenacity in this particular, at our last visit: "You were unjust to your own appearance, Elchee," said he; "had you put on the cap I sent, you would have looked one of the tallest men in Persia."