The visitors were conducted straight to the dining-room, after having a cherry given them to eat, handed to them on a beautiful gold tray, with goblets and plates of gold and precious stones. A slave then offered each visitor a silver basin to wash their hands in before sitting down to dinner. In the middle of the room there was a kind of round silver table, about one foot high from the floor, looking more like a big tray than anything else; large square cushions were placed all round it, and the company sat down _à la Turque_ round the table, la Grande Princesse having Queen Alexandra on her right, next whom was Mehemet Taafik Pasha, then the third Princess and Mrs. Grey, with the second Princess next, on the left side of the Viceroy’s mother. Mrs. Stanton and Miss M’Lean, with the two daughters of the Viceroy, dined in another room. A slave then entered very smartly dressed, half her skirt being of black satin and embroidered in gold, and the other half of yellow satin, also trimmed with gold, and with a sort of turban on her head. She had a beautifully embroidered napkin, with gold fringe, hanging on her arm, as a sort of badge of her office, which corresponded with that of a European _maître-d’hôtel_. She placed each dish in the middle of the table, beginning with soup--a sort of chicken broth with rice. Each visitor was given a sort of tortoiseshell spoon, with a large coral branch as a handle, but neither knife nor fork; and then, at a sign from the old Princess, everybody dipped their spoons into the tureen together. Next came an enormous piece of mutton, of which the company had to tear off bits with their fingers and put them straight into their mouths. About twenty dishes followed in rapid succession, alternately savoury and sweet, and the dinner ended with _compôte_ of cherries. No wine or water was served during the meal, and Mrs. Grey confesses that she felt thoroughly disgusted. Some very necessary washing of hands followed, and then there was an entertainment in the great drawing-room, given by musicians and dancing-girls, in the course of which a slave brought in a tray covered with black velvet cloth embroidered with pearls and uncut emeralds, and decorated with an enormous diamond star in the centre. This was lifted off, and then were revealed a number of cups encrusted with diamonds, and full of coffee. These were handed round, and a slave brought pipes and cigarette-holders, all lavishly ornamented with precious stones, each mouthpiece being formed of one large ruby or emerald.