r
daughters, but the fear of appearing intrusive prompted me to take my
leave. Checking me with a very graceful gesture, she said eagerly,
'_Pastoy! Pastoy!_' (Stay, stay!) and clapped her hands several times.
At the signal a young girl entered, who, by her mistress's orders, threw
open a folding door, and immediately I was silent with surprise and
admiration at the brilliant apparition before me. Let the reader imagine
the most beautiful sultanas, or 'lights of the harem,' of whom poet and
artist have endeavoured to give the presentment, and his conception will
still fall far short of the enchanting models on whom my gaze rested.
Each of these three was as lovely and as graceful as her companions. Two
wore tunics of crimson brocade, embellished in front with broad gold
lace. The tunics were open and disclosed beneath them cashmere robes,
with very tight sleeves terminating in gold fringes. The youngest was
attired in a tunic of azure brocade, with silver ornaments; this was the
sole difference between her dress and that of her sisters. All these had
superb black hair, which escaped in countless tresses from a fez of
silver filagree, set like a diadem over their ivory foreheads; they wore
gold embroidered slippers and wide trousers drawn close at the ankle.

"Skins of such dazzling purity, eyelashes of such length, a bloom of
youth so delicate, I had never before looked upon. The calm repose that
breathed from their lovely countenances had never been disturbed by any
profane glance. None but their mother had ever told them that they were
beautiful; and this reflection enhanced the charm of their beauty in my
eyes. In our Europe, where women, exposed to the gaze of crowds, so
quickly learn the art of coquetry, the imagination would not be able to
form such a type of loveliness. The features of our maidens are too soon
affected by the vivacity of their impressions, for the artist's eye to
have any chance of discovering in them that divine grace of beauty and
ignorance which so profoundly impressed me in the Tartar princesses.
After embracing me they withdrew to the end of the room, where they
remained standing in those graceful Oriental attitudes no woman of the
West can imitate. A dozen attendants, shrouded in white muslin, were
gathered round the door, and regarded the scene with respectful
curiosity. This delightful vision lasted an hour. When the princess saw
that I had determined on taking my leave, she made signs tha