I thought it necessary to explain myself a little with Fidele. "You know, Shekh, said I, it is not always that you and I agree, and though I have lived many years with people of your religion of all ranks, yet I am far from knowing what are the manners of Atbara; what will offend you or them, or what not; for, as I have no view but your good and theirs, I would not expose myself to any ill usage to which a mistake of your customs may subject me. In short, I must ask these ladies a number of questions, which, if you choose to hear, you may, but no person else must, as is the custom of my country." "What has he to do with us and our physician? said the eldest of the two; all his business is to pay you money when you have made us well." "What would become of him, says Adelan's daughter, if we were to be ill? he would starve for want of people to make ready his meat."--"Aye, and his drink too, says the other, which he is fonder of than his meat."--"No, no, says Shekh Fidele, in perfect good humour, we know you, Hakim; you are not like us; ask them all the questions you please, I neither wish nor intend to hear them; I hear too much of them every day against my will, and only wish to God you would cure them or make them dumb altogether, and then they will not teaze me with their illness any longer; a sick woman is plague sufficient for a devil."--"Then, clear the room, said I, in the first place, of all these idle women-servants; only leave two or three of the steadiest slaves to serve their mistresses." He did not seem at a loss how to do this, for he took up a short whip, or switch, which lay at hand, and happy were they who got first to the door. I saw among these a genteel female figure, covered from head to foot, whom Fidele pulled in with his hand, after he had pushed the others out of the door, saying, "Come in, Aiscach;" and immediately after this he went away. I was very sensible that I was playing a farce upon which a very great deal depended. Though in these countries the daughters of ministers and great men are given to inferiors, this is only with a view of having them provided for; they are spies upon their husbands, and keep up the consequence of their birth in their husband's house even after they are married, and this I understood was precisely the case with Adelan's daughter. Notwithstanding the bad character I had of Fidele, I knew he durst not rob me, without murdering me also; and I was sure he did not dare to do either, if it was once known that I was arrived in the dominions of Sennaar; and this his wife could inform Adelan her father of, whenever she pleased. This was then the first step towards safety.