The fourth I have forgotten." He then asked Mr.
Rassam whether he knew or not that Jerusalem belonged to him, and
that the Abyssinian convent there had been seized by the Turks? As
the descendant of Constantine and Alexander the Great, India and
Arabia belonged to him. He put many foolish questions of the same
kind. At last he said to Samuel, who was interpreting, "What have
you to say if I chain your friends?" "Nothing," replied Samuel;
"are you not the master?" Chains had been brought, but the answer
somewhat pacified him. He then addressed one of his chiefs, saying,
"Can you watch these people in the tent?" The other, who knew his
answer, replied, "Your Majesty, the house would be better." On
that he gave orders for our baggage to be conveyed from the black
tent to a house contiguous to his own, and we were told to go.
The house assigned to us was formerly used as a godown: it was built
of stone, with a large verandah all around, and closed by a single
small door, with no window or other aperture. It was only when
several lighted candles had been brought that we could find our way
into the dark central room, and it only required numbers to react
the fearful drama of the Calcutta Black Hole. Some soldiers carried
in our bedding, and a dozen guards sat near us, holding lighted
candles in their hands. The Emperor sent us several messages.
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