I was
much annoyed at the time, for I thought that the people would
probably rise against us. They turned rather pale, but stood
still.
The day of my arrival at Nablus was a fete--the new-year's day of
the Mussulmans. {40} Most of the people were amusing themselves in
the beautiful lawns and shady groves without the city. The men
(except myself) were all remotely apart from the other sex. The
women in groups were diverting themselves and their children with
swings. They were so handsome, that they could not keep up their
yashmaks. I believe that they had never before looked upon a man
in the European dress, and when they now saw in me that strange
phenomenon, and saw, too, how they could please the creature by
showing him a glimpse of beauty, they seemed to think it was better
fun to do this than to go on playing with swings. It was always,
however, with a sort of zoological expression of countenance that
they looked on the horrible monster from Europe, and whenever one
of them gave me to see for one sweet instant the blushing of her
unveiled face, it was with the same kind of air as that with which
a young, timid girl will edge her way up to an elephant and
tremblingly give him a nut from the tips of her rosy fingers.
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