[322]. Cheating (Ghadr) is so common that Easterns who have no tincture of Western civilisation look upon it not only as venial but laudable when one can take advantage of a simpleton. No idea of “honour” enters into it. Even in England the old lady whist-player of the last generation required to be looked after pretty closely—if Mr. Charles Dickens is to be trusted.
[323]. Arab. “Al-Gháliyah,” whence the older English Algallia. See vol. i. [128]. The Voyage of Linschoten, etc. Hakluyt Society MDCCCLXXXV., with notes by my learned friend the late Arthur Coke Burnell whose early death was so sore a loss to Oriental students.
[324]. A favourite idiom, “What news bringest thou?” (“O Asám!” Arab. Prov. ii. 589) used by Háris bin Amrú, King of Kindah, to the old woman Asám whom he had sent to inspect a girl he purposed marrying.
[325]. Amongst the Jews the Arab Salám becomes “Shalúm” and a Jewess would certainly not address this ceremonial greeting to a Christian. But Eastern story-tellers care little for these minutiæ; and the “Adornment of Qualities,” was not by birth a Jewess as the sequel will show.
[326]. Arab. “Sálifah,” the silken plaits used as adjuncts. See vol. iii. [313].
[327]. I have translated these lines in vol. i. [131], and quoted Mr. Torrens in vol. iv. [235]. Here I borrow from Mr. Payne.
[328]. Mr. Payne notes:—Apparently some place celebrated for its fine bread, as Gonesse in seventeenth-century France. It occurs also in Bresl. Edit. (iv. 203) and Dozy does not understand it. But Arj the root = good odour.
[329]. Arab. “Tás,” from Pers. Tásah. M. Charbonneau, a Professor of Arabic at Constantine and Member of the Asiatic Soc. Paris, who published the Histoire de Chams-Eddine et Nour-Eddine with Maghrabi punctuation (Paris, Hachette, 1852) remarks the similarity of this word to Tazza and a number of other whimsical coincidences as Zauj, ζυγός, jugum; Inkár, negare; matrah, matelas; Ishtirá, acheter etc. To which I may add wasat, waist; zabad, civet; Bás, buss (kiss); uzrub (pron. Zrub), drub; Kat’, cut; Tarík, track; etc., etc.
[330]. We should say “To her (I drink)” etc.
[331]. This is ad captandum. The lovers becoming Moslems would secure the sympathy of the audience. In the sequel (Night dccclviii) we learn that the wilful young woman was a born Moslemah who had married a Jew but had never Judaized.