s, eager to prey upon such light hearts and heavy purses.
It was one of those occasions when the accustomed gravity of the Orient
disappears. Long through the night the sounds of music and the shouts of
laughter were heard on the banks of that starry river; long through the
night you might have listened with enchantment to the wild tales of the
storier, or gazed with fascination on the wilder gestures of the dancing
girls.[20]

The great bazaar of Bagdad afforded an animated and sumptuous spectacle
on the day after the arrival of the caravan. All the rare and costly
products of the world were collected in that celebrated mart: the shawls
of Cachemire and the silks of Syria, the ivory, and plumes, and gold
of Afric, the jewels of Ind, the talismans of Egypt, the perfumes and
manuscripts of Persia, the spices and gums of Araby, beautiful horses,
more beautiful slaves, cloaks of sable, pelisses of ermine, armour alike
magnificent in ornament and temper, rare animals, still rarer birds,
blue apes in silver collars, white gazelles bound by a golden chain,
greyhounds, peacocks, paroquets. And everywhere strange, and busy, and
excited groups; men of all nations, creeds, and climes: the sumptuous
and haughty Turk, the graceful and subtle Arab, the Hebrew with his
black cap and anxious countenance; the Armenian Christian, with his dark
flowing robes, and mild demeanour, and serene visage. Here strutted
the lively, affected, and superfine Persian; and there the Circassian
stalked with his long hair and chain cuirass. The fair Georgian jostled
the ebony form of the merchant of Dongola or Sennaar.

Through the long, narrow, arched, and winding streets of the bazaar,
lined on each side with loaded stalls, all was bustle, bargaining, and
barter. A passenger approached, apparently of no common rank. Two pages
preceded him, beautiful Georgian boys, clothed in crimson cloth, and
caps of the same material, sitting tight to their heads, with long
golden tassels. One bore a blue velvet bag, and the other a clasped and
richly bound volume. Four footmen, armed, followed their master, who
rode behind the pages on a milk-white mule. He was a man of middle age,
eminently handsome. His ample robes concealed the only fault in
his appearance, a figure which indulgence had rendered somewhat too
exuberant. His eyes were large, and soft, and dark; his nose aquiline,
but delicately moulded; his mouth small, and beautifully proportioned;
his lip full