About ten P.M. I went, a few doors off, to the house of my patient the Governor. The same stifling room, the same hard drinking, only now _everybody_ was drinking. Dancing-boys and singers, shrieking the noisy love-songs of Persia in chorus, were _keeping up the spirits of my patient_. To the few who were not drinking wines or spirits, tea was continually handed. Long conversations on the topic of the patient’s illness took place, and on local politics. Wearily, at two A.M., on the ground that my patient _must_ try to sleep, I succeeded in getting away. I was accompanied home by a big man with a jet black beard, a Khan who was one of the Muschir’s retainers, and a polite fellow. What was my disgust to find his bedding spread in my little room. I told my man to bring him my water-pipe to smoke, and then I remonstrated. I said it was not a “Feringhi” custom to sleep in a room with strangers. But the Khan said it was late, that there were no other quarters, and commenced to disrobe. “If you must have a separate room, take that,” said he, pointing to two heavy doors at the end of the apartment. I opened them, and found a small room, windowless, in which apparently charcoal had been stored. Impossible for _me_ to sleep there; but, thought I, “these are really _my_ quarters, why shouldn’t the Khan sleep there? _he_ is the intruder.” I pretended to collect my bedding. “You are never going in there!” said he. “Why not?” I replied. “Look, look! the huge scorpion!” I shouted. He jumped up, seized a stick, and ran into the charcoal cupboard, for it was nothing more. “Where?” said he. “There! there!” said I. He was well inside—to slam and secure the heavy doors was the work of a moment. He shouted and swore, kicking at the door, but it was a very strong one, and nobody came to his assistance. He then entreated, promising to go elsewhere; but I couldn’t trust him, and so I composed myself to sleep, and soon dropped off. In the morning on waking a melancholy voice entreated liberation; but I could not do it then, as he might have taken vengeance. So I went off to the Governor, and complained of the intrusion on my quarters; my man then liberated the much-begrimed but now humbled Khan; and I got another set of rooms, in which I was more comfortable. I saw no more of the Khan: the laugh was too strong against him, and he returned at once to Shiraz. Until my arrival the Governor was not aware of the nature of his disorder; with great trouble I got him to reduce his opium and cease his potations. I was happily able to give him relief, and we parted mutually satisfied after I had been five days at Fussa.