himself; and he
vowed to me that, if I complied in this respect, I should have no
reason to complain of him. Our marriage was concluded and finished
after this manner; so I became the principal actress in a wedding to
which I had only been invited as a guest.

About a month after our marriage, having occasion for some stuffs, I
asked my husband's permission to go out to buy them, which he granted;
and I took with me the old woman of whom I spoke before, she being one
of the family, and two of my own female slaves.

When we came to the street where the merchants reside, the old woman
said, "Dear mistress, since you want silk stuffs, I must take you to a
young merchant of my acquaintance, who has a great variety; and that
you may not fatigue yourself by running from shop to shop, I can
assure you that you will find in his what no other can furnish." I was
easily persuaded, and we entered a shop belonging to a young merchant.
I sat down, and bade the old woman desire him to show me the finest
silk stuffs he had. The woman desired me to speak myself; but I told
her it was one of the articles of my marriage contract not to speak
to any man but my husband, which I ought to keep.

The merchant showed me several stuffs, of which one pleased me better
than the rest; and I bade her ask the price. He answered the old
woman: "I will not sell it for gold or money; but I will make her a
present of it, if she will give me leave to kiss her cheek."

I ordered the old woman to tell him that he was very rude to propose
such a freedom. But instead of obeying me, she said, "What the
merchant desires of you is no such great matter; you need not speak,
but only present him your cheek."

The stuff pleased me so much that I was foolish enough to take her
advice. The old woman and my slaves stood up, that nobody might see,
and I put up my veil;[36] but instead of kissing me, the merchant bit
me so violently as to draw blood.

[Footnote 36: "No woman, of what rank soever, is permitted to go into
the streets without two muslins; one that covers her face all but her
eyes, and another that hides the whole dress of her head, and hangs
halfway down her back. Their shapes are also wholly concealed by a
thing they call a _ferigee_, which no woman appears without. This has
straight sleeves, that reach to their finger ends, and it laps all
round them, not unlike a riding-hood. In winter it is of cloth, and in
summer, of plain stuff or silk."--Lady