“I trust you will exempt me from any wish to thrust myself into public affairs, but it is difficult for Captain Burton to notice anything in an official letter concerning his wife, neither can we expect the Damascus Jews to know the habits of gentlemen. They respect their own haríms, yet this is the second time I am mentioned discreditably in their public correspondence. In one sense it may be beneficial, as I can give you a better idea of the people Captain Burton has to deal with than official language allows of, and from which my sex absolves me.
“My offences against the Jews are as follows:
“I once said ‘Not at home’ to —— —— because I heard that he had written unjust complaints to the Government about my husband. Later on the Wali gave a fête to celebrate the marriage of his daughter. I was invited to the harím during the whole feast, which lasted five days and nights. The Wali’s harím and the others invited made, I dare say, a party of three hundred and fifty ladies. I need not say that men were not admitted; their festivities were carried on in another house. The —— harím was amongst the invited. As I supposed that they knew nothing of what was going on, I was not desirous of mortifying them by any coldness in public, and accordingly I was as cordial to them as I had always been. On the last day the wife of —— separated herself from her party, and intruded herself into the Consulesses’ divan. We were all together; but there was often a gathering of the Consulesses for the sake of talking more freely in European languages, Turkish being the language spoken generally, and Arabic being almost excluded. I received her very warmly, begging her to be seated, and conversed with her; but she would talk of nothing but her husband’s business. I said to her, ‘Pray do not let us discuss this now; it is not the time and place in public, where all can hear us.’ She replied, ‘I want to talk of this and nothing else. I came for that only.’ I said, ‘You are a good woman, and I like you, and do not want to quarrel with you. Why speak of it? We are two women. What do we know of business? Leave it for our husbands.’ She replied, ‘I know business very well, and so do you. I will speak of it.’ I then said, ‘If you do, I fear I shall say something unpleasant.’ She replied, ‘I do not mind that, and I will come and see you.’ I said, ‘Pray do; I shall be delighted.’ And so we shook hands and parted.
“Six weeks after I came to Beyrout, and found that it was popularly reported by the Jews that I had torn Madame ——’s diamonds from her hair on this occasion, thrown them on the ground, and stamped upon them. —— —— arrived soon after me; and hearing from some mutual friends that this report had reached me, he came to see me, and told me that it had been invented by his enemies. I replied that I thought it very likely, and that he need not mind. He then told me that his family, and his wife in particular, were very fond of me, and that she had recounted our interview at the wedding to him just as above, and as a proof of their friendly feelings they were coming to see me to invite me to a soirée.
“With many regrets for trespassing so long on your valuable time,
“I am, my Lord,
“Your faithful and obedient servant,
“Isabel Burton.
“The Earl Granville,
“Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.”