A raised platform at one end of the church was enclosed by trellis-work. It was so constructed that the occupants of the gallery could see the clergyman, without their attention being occupied by the congregation. "This gallery is for our women," said an Armenian, who showed me over the building; "and the trellis-work is to prevent them from staring at the men." "Or rather to prevent the men from staring at them!" My companion laughed at the remark. "It answers both purposes!" he exclaimed. "But if you look at the screen, you will see that it is broken in several places, three or four of the holes in the trellis-partition have been made into one. The women have done this to obtain a better view." "Do you not separate the women from the men in your churches?" he inquired. "No." "Then if the ladies are as pretty as they are said to be, your clergyman must find it rather difficult to keep the attention of his flock." It was getting dusk. I went straight from the church to the Pole's house. There was hardly any furniture in it. This he explained by saying that he was only temporarily employed at Yuzgat; so soon as he had finished building the new bazaar he would have to return to Angora. A few divans, as in the Turkish houses, surrounded the walls. The two-barrelled gun, which sometimes "shot partridges flying," the wonder of the other sportsmen in Yuzgat, was lying in a corner. After dinner, which was washed down by some very fair red wine, manufactured by the Christians in the town, a little boy, about twelve years of age, entered the room; coming up to my host, he whispered something in his ear. "The gipsies have arrived," said Vankovitch, turning to the lad. He desired him to lay down some carpets at the other end of the apartment. "That boy does not cost me much," said my host, pointing to his servant. "I found him starving in the streets a few years ago, during the famine. His mother had turned him out of doors. The child had nothing to eat. I took pity on the poor little fellow, and he has been with me ever since; he does more work than all the rest of the servants together. Whilst, if I wish to punish him, all I have to do is to point to the door." CHAPTER XX.