IN the city of Tabreez dwelt the Jew Jouad, active and intriguing in traffic, with all the attributes of his race, despised of men, and abhorred even of women, as it was said; though an accurate observer might perceive, in his quarter of the town, that one or two of the little urchins dabbling in the broken water-pipe before the doors, or, on cooler days, basking on the arched roof, or revelling on the ash-heap of the bath at the corner, had the interval between the nose and mouth remarkably short, with a peculiar expression about the eye, belonging neither to Persian, Courde, nor Turkoman. Be it as it may, many husbands in the neighbourhood winked, looked wise, and blessed the mouths and eyes of their own swarthy likenesses. His various avocations of wine-seller and brandy-maker in private, and dealer in odds and ends publicly, had so completely and profitably occupied the day, that a cup or two of wine extraordinary with Arratoon, an Armenian neighbour, seemed to Jouad an allowable recreation at night.

Arratoon was a merry hand, welcome every where, protected by Mirza Abdoul, and consequently taking his glass, and cracking his joke with out fear. It was generally whispered, that his cellar (as a Christian, he was entitled to have one,) was more frequently replenished and emptied than any other in Tabreez; and it was remarked, that during the ebb tide of the cellar, the Hadjy's wits were more than usually brilliant, scattering snatches of Hafiz on all that approached him, where the rose and the nightingale shone less conJAN. 1823.

spicuous than the sparkling wine of Shiraz.

At night the two friends met, and were seated on the same carpet together. The usual inquiries after, and wishes for each other's health and welfare being finished, Jouad clapped his hands two or three times, and immediately the head of Anna his wife (for he was a family man) appeared from behind the purdah, or door curtain, of the inner room, but so closely veiled, that only one eye was visible to the guest." Anna,” cried Jouad, "knowest thou the great damjan, standing in the corner behind the rice bag and the tent poles?" "I do," answered Anna, "by the token that thou hast so often warned me to take care of it, and forbidden me to touch it." "I forbid thee no longer then," rejoined Jouad, "go thy way, look into the Russian box, which I brought on my last journey from Tefflis; there thou wilt find two bottles; take one of the bottles, fill it carefully from the damjan, and bring it hither, with three glasses, for thou also shalt taste." ever so;" muttered Anna; "men may sit to smoke, and think the very stooping forward to eat is a trouble, when the meat is set on the ground before them; but women, alas!"A look from Jouad dispersed the gathering storm, caused the purdah to drop, and the head of Anna to disappear. She shortly after, however, entered with the bottle and glasses, one of which happening to slip as she placed them on the carpet, again disturbed her bile. "The devil or the gins are in our house to day," she cried, "every thing has miscarried." "There is often a bone in

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thy dog's throat, Anna, but what has befallen thee to-day?" demanded her husband. "Much to vex me, but I must bear all (whimpered Anna), all falls on me, for thou, Jouad, regardest not." "Silence! cried Jouad," thou hast talked enoughwoman, know thy duty. Silence! I say." "I have talked," retorted Anna, "I am a woman, and I will talk.' "Then will I give thee fit subject for noisy declamation," replied Jouad, half serious and half in jest, by thrusting a stout cat into thy trowsers, and tying her therein, as Abdullah the Tartar says they treat refractory wives in Turkey; and they are a wise people in many things, and worthy of imitation, though our Persians do curse Omar, and scoff at them for blind misled Soonites. But come, Anna, forget thy troubles. If I meddle not much in the affairs of the house, thou hast more of thy own will; and when thou hast maid servants, as perchance one day thou wilt have, they will lessen thy toil, and keep things in order." "Let the maids but keep them as well as Anna now does," (continued Arratoon, taking up the discourse) "and thou wilt have a well ordered house. No two women in the town do so much; and now I can believe what I have often heard, that the notable housewife is assisted by the kindly gins." This well-timed compliment, with a glass of cordial from the Russian bottle, completely soothed Anna's wrath, which in general was but transient, as she really loved her husband, and was vain of his success; often boasting that they had little to buy for the house, as the presents her husband received for his cures supplied them with the best that the country afforded. This was not literally true, as supplies sometimes arrived in a mysterious manner, without any positive explanation where they came from, and, perhaps, the least explanation was best. The only subject of discontent to her was, the indifference of Jouad to their household cares. The clarified butter might fall half a batman short of the expected weight after boiling. The youourt might mould instead of drying, and twenty similar accidents occur, to her great aunoyance, but no sympathy or consolation could ever be expected from her

husband. A mishap in the storeroom had, in fact, caused the little display of temper which she had just exhibited in the Anderoon. A band of rats had gained admission, and committed fearful ravages upon her tallow cakes; and, perhaps assisted by her darling son little Nathan, had nearly demolished one of her finest honey-combs. She now, however, re-appeared with a smiling countenance, bearing before her what might justly be termed the pride of her heart, a large round copper tray, covered with dishes of the same metal, all well tinned, containing her choicest specimens of culinary science. Kabobs of wild kid, covered with youourt, dolmas of mutton, and a delicate fowl stuffed with raisins of the sun and pistachio nuts, partly surrounded the pillau placed in the centre, concealed from view under the high tapering cover of Hamadann workmanship. The China bowl of sherbet, with its slender curiously wrought spoon lightly floating on the surface, occupied the other side, leaving only room to set in two little plates, one containing powdered ewe-milk cheese, and the other small cucumbers, preserved with vinegar and honey.

When she had deposited her burden on the ground, the two friends drew nearer, gathered their legs closer under them, then bringing their noses within six inches of the dishes, commenced the attack with their fingers, having previously poured a little water over their right hands, from the ewer which Jouad reached from a niche in the wall. As soon as Anna saw their hands fairly in the gravies, she proudly raised the centre cover, and displayed the fair pyramid of snow-white rice, encircled with a saffron ring, and crowned with a sprinkling of dried barberries. She then retreated, and sat down at a little distance to regale on the praises that her ragouts elicited from the two friends, who enjoyed the more substantial satisfaction of swallowing them. From time to time she arose to bring a bottle of choice wine from the inner room, place the glasses, or to trim the pee soo (or tallow lamp): occasionally she pressed her guest to eat, drank a few glasses of wine with him and her husband, and became rather more loquacious after she had removed the

tray, poured water again on their hands, served coffee, lighted their pipes, and sipped a bumper from her own favourite cup, till she saw the Arabic verse of the Koran engraved at the bottom, cursing unbelievers, and exhorting the faithful to exterminate the race, which she believed to be a charm against poison and the evil eye, and delighted to look upon. The Jew and the Chris tian, forgetting for the moment the cruel oppressions and humiliating insults hourly endured by their degraded and despised sects, talked of enjoyments, boasted of family, and hazarded wit, that might have cost them their lives, had the lowest Mussulman overheard it; flinging wine in the beard of Mahomet, and roundly asserting that Cadija and Fatima were no better than they should be. The festivity continued much to the satisfaction of all par ties till Arratoon, heated by the wine that he had drunk, begged a draught of cold water; Anna immediately arose, filled a cupful, and after having carefully looked into it by the light of the pee soo presented it to him; at the same time expressing her fears that it was not so cool as it might be. "Hasten, hasten, good Anna," cried Arratoon, "to the kitchen of thy neighbour the Vizir, nothing is found therein but water, and it is the coolest place in all the city: a consumptive mouse, and three hectic little ones, were found famishing in the hearth corner but the other morning by Ibrahim, when he went to seek a few ashes to wash with." This sally was received with infinite applause by the husband and wife, which continued till Arratoon had finished his draught. He then returned the cup to Anna, who once more carefully inspected the interior of it. "Woman," exclaimed Jouad, "art thou mad; why lookest thou in the cup when the guest has drunk?" "Chide not, good husband," replied Anna, "I looked but to see if the two beetles were yet therein which swam so lustily in the water when I presented it to our neighbour." Long and loud bursts of laughter followed this brilliant display of Anna's wit, which, like the nimblest whirls of the Gipsy dancing boys, concluded the entertainment. Shortly after Arratoon arose, lighted his pocket paper

lantern, pulled his cap straighter on his head than it had lately been, thrust his feet into his walking slippers at the threshold, traversed the court yard, and, with a farewell to his hosts, disappeared through its narrow low door into the street.

Jouad yet slept soundly on his bed when the rapping of the Christian bedel's rattle, to collect his congregation before day, half awoke him to conscious existence. The last sounds of Arratoon's hearty laugh again indistinctly vibrated on his ear, and excited a corresponding smile on his own countenance. Then a cross, a rosary, and a cup, dimly floated before his eyes, and seemed to occupy the Tabernacle, whilst the sevenbranched Candlestick lay prostrate before them. His features again contracted, a frown replaced the late smile, and a half articulated curse passed his lips; he suddenly turned his head aside as if to avoid the hateful sight, and again sunk in forgetfulness. The notes of the horn sounding before dawn from the roof of the neighbouring bath, to notify that the hour of ablution for the Faithful was arrived, next resumed the connexion between external impressions and the dormant faculties. He was on the road to the bath, bearing with him the jewel which he had purchased the day preceding, an easy bargain, from Kara Hussein, the Courde: he entered; his clothes were in the alcove; he was in the bath, no longer the poor dark mud building that he remembered, but shining with painting and the veined alabaster of Tabreez. His loins were girded with shawl and embroidery, instead of his own poor checked cotton wrapper; but he was alone; none came with hot water as was usual to rub and knead him, and apply the dyeing materials to his beard or shave his head: he fled to the outer hall, for the silence appalled him. No longer alone, he was surrounded with the fairest of the King's Harem; every arm extended towards him in welcome; joy spread over every countenance and penetrated to his heart. Suddenly a voice was heard denouncing vengeance on the degenerate daughters of Islam, and destruction to the insolent intruding Jew. The fountain in the middle gushed forth in streams of