'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎298] (341/360)

298 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
Contrary to public expectation, the fall of the Vizier occa
sioned no stir of any kind, and he reached Koom in safety,
where he awaits the next turn of the wheel of Fortune.
Towards the end of November the rainy season began,
and we had a good deal (for Persia) of wet weather, the
roads being terribly muddy in consequence. The winter
gaieties were commencing, and it was somewhat risky work
going out to dinners and dances in bad weather, as, even
if the carnage came when ordered, it often happened
that the driver had disobeyed the regulations in the Koran
relating to the use of alcohol, and I recollect that on one
occasion we were upset twice before our Jehu had even left
the garden of the French Legation, and not wishing to risk
a third mishap, we all walked home in the mire.
As most of the Legations were in the so-called Rue des
Ambassadeurs, we used often to walk in our goloshes to
and from parties when the frosty weather began, preceded
by servants carrying big lanterns made of waxed linen,
with elaborately engraved iron or steel tops and bottoms.
The size of fazszfanuses was fixed by inexorable laws
of etiquette. For example, if the Minister went out on
foot after dark he would be preceded by two enormous
lanterns, the charge d'affaires having only one, considerably
smaller; while the second and third secretaries had quite
diminutive ones, the former gentleman being permitted
a lantern slightly larger than that carried in front of his
colleague. As the servants do all the buying in Persia,
it is they who arrange such matters.
During our visit to Tehran the late Shah was still
unburied, and lay in state in the takieh, or theatre, where
the Persian Passion Play is performed during the month
of MoJiarram, as a religious ceremony.