got a wife in England,"
answered the pasha.

Abdullah did so, whereupon the ladies set up a series of piercing
shrieks and lamentations.

"What in the world's the matter with them?" asked Mole, greatly
dismayed.

"They are desolated at the thought of having incurred your sublimity's
displeasure."

"Tell them that they had no business to come unless I sent for them,"
said Mole.

"They say, O magnificent pasha, that, hearing of your arrival, they
have come thither in the name of themselves, and the other eleven
ladies of his late highness's harem, to know when it will be your
princely pleasure to bid them cast aside the sombre weeds of widowhood,
and----"

"There, cut it short, dragoman; do you mean that they really expect me
to marry the whole lot of them?"

"Precisely so, your eminence; even now the most reverend imaum of the
town is ready to perform the ceremonial."

"He'll have to wait a long time if he waits for that," cried Mole;
"thirteen wives, indeed, and these you say are the youngest of the lot.
I suppose they have no objection to allow me to behold the moonshine of
their resplendent features. That's the way to put it, I believe, old
man."

Abdullah answered--

"It is against Turkish etiquette to unveil before the solemn ceremony
has been performed; nevertheless, their ladyships consent to remove one
of their veils, through which you may behold their features."

Alme and Hannifar accordingly threw back their outer black veils, and
appeared with the white ones underneath.

Mole scrutinized them as well as he could, but he took very good care
not to go too near.

"And so, Abdullah, you tell me that these two are the youngest of the
whole lot?"

"Indeed, they are, your eminence; famous beauties of pure Circassian
descent; each originally cost five thousand piastres, and they surpass
the remainder even as the mighty sun doth the twinkling stars."

"Then all I can say is," returned Mole, "that I shudder to think what
the eleven others must be like. Just tell the ladies Alme and Hannifar
that, as far as I can see, from here, I don't think much of them."

"I will put your message more mildly."

And having spoken to the ladies again, he said--

"Their ladyships are enchanted to find so much favour in the eyes of
your excellency."

"Thirteen wives," mused Mole, scarcely heeding the last reply. "It is
preposterous--though nothing it seems, compared to some of the Turkish
grandees. But fancy ol