第149章

[370] Arab. 'Sarab'= （Koran，chaps. xxiv.） the reek of the Desert，before explained. It is called 'Lama，'the shine，the loom，in AlHariri. The world is compared with the mirage，the painted eye and the sword that breaks in the sworder's hand.

[371] Arab. 'Dunya，'with the common alliteration 'daniyah'（=Pers. 'dun'），in prose as well as poetry means the things or fortune of this life opp. to 'Akhirah'=future life.

[372] Arab. 'Walgh，'a strong expression primarily denoting the lapping of dogs；here and elsewhere 'to swill，saufen.'

[373] The lines are repeated from Night ccxxi. I give Lane's version （ii. 162） by way of contrast andwarning.

[374] 'Sahirah'is the place where human souls will be gathered on Doomday： some understand by it the Hell Sa'ir （No.iv.） intended for the Sabians or the Devils generally.

[375] His eyes are faded like Jacob's which，after weeping for Joseph，'became white with mourning'（Koran，chaps. xxi.）. It is a stock comparison.

[376] The grave.

[377] Arab. 'Sawwan'（popularly pronounced Suwan） ='Syenite'

from Syrene；generally applied to silex，granite or any hard stone.

[378] A proceeding fit only for thieves and paupers： 'Alpinism'was then unknown. 'You come from the mountain'

（alJabal） means，'You are a clodhopper'；and 'I will sit upon the mountain'=turn anchorite or magician. （Pilgrimage i. 106.）

[379] Corresponding with wayside chapels in Catholic countries. The Moslem form would be either a wall with a prayer niche （Mibrab） fronting Meccahwards or a small domed room. These little oratories are often found near fountains，streams or treeclumps where travellers would be likely to alight. I have described one in Sind （'Scinde or the Unhappy Valley'i. 79），and have noted that scrawling on the walls is even more common in the East than in the West；witness the monuments of old Egypt bescribbled by the Greeks and Romans. Even the paws of the Sphinx are covered with such graffiti；and those of Ipsambul or Abu Simbal have proved treasures to epigraphists.

[380] In tales this characterises a Persian；and Hero Rustam is always so pictured.

[381] The Parsis，who are the representatives of the old Guebres，turn towards the sun and the fire as their Kiblah or point of prayer；all deny that they worship it. But，as in the case of saints' images，while the educated would pray before them for edification （Labia） the ignorant would adore them （Dulia）；and would make scanty difference between the 'reverence of a servant'and the 'reverence of a slave.'The human sacrifice was quite contrary to Guebre，although not to Hindu，custom；although hate and vengeance might prompt an occasional murder.

[382] These oubliettes are common in old eastern houses as in the medieval Castles of Europe，and many a stranger has met his death in them. They are often so well concealed that even the modern inmates are not aware of their existence.

[383] Arab. 'Bakk'；hence our 'bug'whose derivation （like that of 'cat''dog'and 'hog'） is apparently unknown to the dictionaries，always excepting M. Littre's.

[384] i.e. thy beauty is ever increasing.

[385] Alluding，as usual，to the eyelashes，e.g.An eyelash arrow from an eyebrow bow.

[386] Lane （ii. 168） reads：'The niggardly female is protected by her niggardness；'a change of 'Nahilah'（beehive）into 'Bakhilah'（she skin flint）.