"That depends upon Allah," I remarked.
"Of course it does," said my host, and taking the medicine, he returned to his seraglio.
As we were leaving the house, I observed a great commotion amidst my host's servants. Mohammed was some time before he joined our party.
"What was the matter?" I asked.
"Effendi, they are sons of the devil, these Persians!" vociferated my man indignantly. "I waited behind to give them my lord's baksheesh, but they were greedy creatures, and one—a strong man—snatched all the paras out of my hand, and thrust the money in his waist-belt. The others cursed and called him many dogs, but the fellow did not care. They then wanted me to give them more money; I had none to bestow. They are like jackals, these Persians. They would cut a man's throat as soon as eat a pillaff!"
CHAPTER XXII.
Villages—Arab Dize—Shadili—Shalendili—Karenee—Kurds—Radford wishes to bleed the inhabitants—Persian men with their beards dyed red—Every part of a woman is false—These Persians are a nation of women—The old fire-worshippers' superstition—Gardens—Irrigation—Soldiers—The flint fire-locks—They are unclean ones, these Persians—The little dogs do some things well—A Persian will kiss you on one cheek, and will stab you behind your back.
We rode along a flat country. A few hills could be seen on our bridle-hand. The track was in capital order for the march. After passing several small hamlets—amongst others, Arab Dize, Shadili, and Shalendili—we pulled up at a large village called Karenee. It was inhabited by Kurds, all of them being Persian subjects. Here there were 350 houses. Judging by the number of people who came to ask for medicine, so soon as I dismounted from my horse, the whole population was unwell. It appeared that the Persian in whose house I had stopped on the previous evening had sent word to the chief proprietor in this Kurdish village, to say that a celebrated hakim was on his way. No amount of expostulation saved us from the intrusion of the inhabitants. Every one wished me to look at his tongue and to feel his pulse. Radford, who was in another room, was interrupted in his cooking by a crowd of the humbler Kurds, who believed that, when the master was so great a hakim, his servant must necessarily have some medical skill.
Presently my servant entered.
"What has happened?" I remarked.