and Omar saying Min Allah.  The people get stoppage of the bowels and die in eight days unless they are physicked; all who have sent for me in time have recovered. Alhamdulillah, that I can help the poor souls.  It is harvest, and the hard work, and the spell of intense heat, and the green corn, beans, etc., which they eat, brings on the sickness.  Then the Copts are fasting from all animal food, and full of green beans and salad, and green corn.  Mustapha tried to persuade me not to give physick, for fear those who died should pass for being poisoned, but both Omar and I are sure it is only to excuse his own selfishness.  Omar is an excellent assistant.  The bishop tried to make money by hinting that if I forbade my patients to fast, I might pay for their indulgence.  One poor, peevish little man refused the chicken-broth, and told me that we Europeans had our heaven in this world; Omar let out kelb (dog), but I stopped him, and said, ’Oh, my brother, God has made the Christians of England unlike those of Egypt, and surely will condemn neither of us on that account; mayest thou find a better heaven hereafter than I now enjoy here.’  Omar threw his arms round me and said, ’Oh, thou good one, surely our Lord will reward thee for acting thus with the meekness of a Muslimeh, and kissing the hand of him who strikes thy face.’ (See how each religion claims humility.) Suleyman was not pleased at his fellow-christian’s display of charity.  It does seem strange that the Copts of the lower class will not give us the blessing, or thank God for our health like the Muslimeen.  Most of my patients are Christians, and some are very nice people indeed.  The people here have named me Sittee (Lady) Noor-ala-Noor.  A poor woman whose only child, a young man, I was happy enough to cure when dreadfully ill, kissed my feet and asked by what name to pray for me.  I told her my name meant Noor (light—­lux), but as that was one of the names of God I could not use it.  ‘Thy name is Noor-ala-Noor,’ said a man who was in the room.  That means something like ’God is upon thy mind,’ or ‘light from the light,’ and Noor-ala-Noor it remains; a combination of one of the names of God is quite proper, like Abdallah, Abdurachman, etc.  I begged some medicines from a Countess Braniscki, who went down the other day; when all is gone I don’t know what I shall do.  I am going to try to make castor oil; I don’t know how, but I shall try, and Omar fancies he can manage it.  The cattle disease has also broken out desperately up in Esneh, and we see the dead beasts float down all day.  Of course we shall soon have it here.