_i.e._ “What have I to do with, etc.?” or “How great is the difference between me and her.” The phrase is still popular in Egypt and Syria; and the interrogative form only intensifies it. The student of Egyptian should always try to answer a question by a question. His labours have been greatly facilitated by the conscientious work of my late friend Spitta Bey. I tried hard to persuade the late Rogers Bey, whose knowledge of Egyptian and Syrian (as opposed to Arabic) was considerable, that a simple grammar of Egyptian was much wanted; he promised to undertake it, but death cut short the design. Footnote 15: Arab. “Nawwáb,” plur. of Náib (lit. deputies, lieutenants) = a Nabob. Till the unhappy English occupation of Egypt, the grand old Kil’ah (Citadel) contained the palace of the Pasha and the lodgings and offices of the various officials. Foreign rulers, if they are wise, should convert it into a fort with batteries commanding the town, like that of Hyderabad, in Sind. Footnote 16: For this famous and time-honoured building, see vol. i. 269. Footnote 17: Arab. “Tamkín,” gravity, assurance. Footnote 18: Arab. “’Iyál-hu,” lit. his family, a decorous circumlocution for his wives and concubines. Footnote 19: Arab. “Darb,” lit. a road; here a large thoroughfare. Footnote 20: When Mohammed Ali Pasha (the “Great”) began to rule, he found Cairo “stifled” with filth, and gave orders that each householder, under pain of confiscation, should keep the street before his house perfectly clean. This was done after some examples had been made and the result was that since that time Cairo never knew the plague. I am writing at Tangier where a Mahommed Ali is much wanted. Footnote 21: _i.e._ Allah forfend! Footnote 22: Arab. “Mustauda’” = a strong place where goods are deposited and left in charge. Footnote 23: Because, if she came to grief, the people of the street, and especially those of the adjoining houses would get into trouble. Hence in Moslem cities, like Damascus and Fez, the Hárát or quarters are closed at night with strong wooden doors, and the guards will not open them except by means of a silver key. Mohammed Ali abolished this inconvenience, but fined and imprisoned all night-walkers who carried no lanterns. See Pilgrimage, vol. i. 173. Footnote 24: As Kazi of the quarter he was ex-officio guardian of the orphans and their property, and liable to severe punishment (unless he could pay for the luxury) in case of fraud or neglect. Footnote 25: Altogether six thousand dinars = £3000. This sentence is borrowed from the sequel and necessary to make the sense clear. Footnote 26: _i.e._ “I am going at once to complain of thee before the king unless thou give me due satisfaction by restoring the money and finding the thief.” Footnote 27: The Practice (of the Prophet) and the Holy Law (Koranic): see vols. v. 36, 167, and i. 169.