the sickness. Then the Copts are fasting
from all animal food, and full of green beans and salad, and green corn.
Mustapha tried to persuade me not to give physick, for fear those who
died should pass for being poisoned, but both Omar and I are sure it is
only to excuse his own selfishness. Omar is an excellent assistant. The
bishop tried to make money by hinting that if I forbade my patients to
fast, I might pay for their indulgence. One poor, peevish little man
refused the chicken-broth, and told me that we Europeans had _our_ heaven
in _this_ world; Omar let out _kelb_ (dog), but I stopped him, and said,
'Oh, my brother, God has made the Christians of England unlike those of
Egypt, and surely will condemn neither of us on that account; mayest thou
find a better heaven hereafter than I now enjoy here.' Omar threw his
arms round me and said, 'Oh, thou good one, surely our Lord will reward
thee for acting thus with the meekness of a Muslimeh, and kissing the
hand of him who strikes thy face.' (See how each religion claims
humility.) Suleyman was not pleased at his fellow-christian's display of
charity. It does seem strange that the Copts of the lower class will not
give us the blessing, or thank God for our health like the Muslimeen.
Most of my patients are Christians, and some are very nice people indeed.
The people here have named me Sittee (Lady) _Noor-ala-Noor_. A poor
woman whose only child, a young man, I was happy enough to cure when
dreadfully ill, kissed my feet and asked by what name to pray for me. I
told her my name meant _Noor_ (light--_lux_), but as that was one of the
names of God I could not use it. 'Thy name is _Noor-ala-Noor_,' said a
man who was in the room. That means something like 'God is upon thy
mind,' or 'light from the light,' and _Noor-ala-Noor_ it remains; a
combination of one of the names of God is quite proper, like Abdallah,
Abdurachman, etc. I begged some medicines from a Countess Braniscki, who
went down the other day; when all is gone I don't know what I shall do.
I am going to try to make castor oil; I don't know how, but I shall try,
and Omar fancies he can manage it. The cattle disease has also broken
out desperately up in Esneh, and we see the dead beasts float down all
day. Of course we shall soon have it here.

_Sunday_, _April_ 17.--The epidemic seems to be over, but there is still
a great deal of gastric fever, etc., about. The _hakeem_ from Keneh has
just been he