Under these plane-trees a hundred, or thereabouts, gaily adorned and plumed arabas, now standing unharnessed in the meadow, had deposited an army of the smartest Turkish ladies.  Some of them sat beside the water, others round the fountain, others again followed little pashas mounted on ponies led by eunuchs.  What with the richness of the landscape, the truly oriental light, and the variety and splendour of the dresses, the whole sight was really fairy-like.  We were very desirous of studying it in detail, and at close quarters.  A line of soldiers cut off the portion of the grove of plane-trees reserved to women only.  But our ambassadress and her daughters, who had come at the same time as ourselves, had a right to enter it, and we hurried after them.  At first the officer commanding the guard tried to stop us.  However, after a colloquy with the dragoman of our Embassy, he contented himself with begging us to go through quickly.  The ladies of the Embassy having seated themselves among the Turkish ladies, we did likewise, and, in spite of the angry glances of the eunuchs, by dint of mutual curiosity and a little flirtation we spent several hours quite delightfully.  Lots of pretty women, and forbidden fruit into the bargain.  No more veils, no more feredjes.  We could scrutinize the exquisite costumes at our leisure.

When I say “No more veils” I ought rather to say nothing but an excuse for a veil—­a gauze chin covering leaving nose and eyes and eyebrows bare, and so transparent across the mouth, that where that mouth was a pretty one, to cover it at all was but an extra piece of coquetry.

All these women were chatting, eating, amusing themselves, some sitting, some lying down, going and coming, hanging about near the ladies of the Embassy, to examine the details of their dresses too.  If instantaneous photography had existed in those days, what an infinity of charming and picturesque groups might have been snatched.  I did venture to make one or two rapid sketches on the sly; but there were too many eyes upon me, and besides it was an abuse of the toleration which was being shown us.  I could not tear myself away from this most exceptional sight, which will never be seen again, now the Turkish ladies have adopted European fashions—­boots and petticoats, and stays, deceiving stays!

But every good thing comes to an end, and besides, as the day wore on, a great cloud of smoke rose over Constantinople, and steadily increased in volume.  It was evidently a fire.  In that country, where all the buildings except the mosques and a house here and there are wooden—­a fire is a terribly serious thing.  Was it Stamboul, or was it Pera, and with Pera our hotel, that was blazing?  Carried along by the sinewy strokes of our caiqchis, and aided by the current, we went swiftly down the Bosphorus, landed at Dolma-Batche, and rapidly climbed the Cemetery Hill.  Thence I saw a striking sight.  The whole quarter below, called Kassim Pasha, lying between