at the house of Stephani. He led me up an open stone stairway, and along a covered terrace, into a long, lofty, cheerful room, with unglazed windows on three sides of it. One end of the room was furnished with Turkey carpets, narrow mattresses and cushions, which made a comfortable divan. The stuccoed walls were slightly frescoed with rudely-grotesque and droll designs of the most childish character.
Pipes and narghilés were ranged in a recess, and a hand some set of coffee-cups, with silver filagree holders, were on a low stand near the door. In a corner there was a broad, shallow, marble basin let into the floor, with a hole in the center to carry off water. It was the place of ablution, and three water-jars stood near to it.
This room was the "guest chamber," separated from the other part of the establishment.
Stephani said to me, "This is your house, rule over it as you will, command me and my family as your servants."
I was left to rest and to dress, and presently the gentlemen rejoined me.
Guests were coming and going all the evening. First arrived the stately Turkish Governor, a tall figure with a flat face, like a mask of shriveled parchment; in fact he resembled a Chinese mummy much more than a living Turk. He was intensely polite and complimentary, and confidentially complained to us of his poverty, and of the unprofitableness of his office. He was dressed in a suit of snuff-brown cloth, embroidered with gold, and a long sword hung at his side.
The father of Stephani, a very handsome old man with a patriarchal white beard, came and sat by me. He wore a long robe of coarse purple linen, and his turban was of the same color. He is the chief priest of the Greek community of Shefa 'Amer, and neighboring villages. His words were few, but his looks were expressive. He was evidently proud of his sons and of his little grandsons. At a sign from him, the latter came forward from the
