'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎124] (155/360)

124 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
consider a lachrymose address a great attraction in a
woman, it being 'genteel'; but we, however, did not
appreciate it when we used to hear Baji grumbling
about everything, complaining that the food was khaili
kharab (very bad) and so on. However, in a short time
she settled down comfortably into her niche, and I could
not have had a brighter and more willing handmaid.
She became very fond of me, and was so honest that
after a while I trusted her entirely with my belongings,
and never once had cause to regret my confidence. She
was certainly an example of the Persian saying, " Man
is a slave to his benefactor."
The great function of Baji's week was her Monday bath,
this being her ' day out,' as her ablutions seemed unable to
be completed under ten hours. However, it was some
distance to the town, and a snail might almost have kept
pace with her, so slowly did she progress in her quaint heel-
less slippers turned up at the toes.
Of religion she had none, as far as I could find out,
except a respect for fire, extinguishing a candle or match
with her fingers when I ordered her to put them out, as
human breath would be a pollution to the sacred element.
After being with me for some time, however, she com
menced to blow out candles boldly as I did, looking at me
in a scared way at first, as if fearful lest some awful
retribution should overtake her!
She had some funny superstitions, such as refusing to
wash anything on a Tuesday, as she affirmed that it
would never get clean. Once or twice I made her wash
my hair on this ill-fated day, and she always performed the
task with much reluctance and remonstrance, though I
fancy that she soon saw that the curse did not cling to