LETTER xxv SHABBAN COWED 173

they replied that it was false that they had made any
agreement except to take • me to Urmi in twenty days,
and that they were not afraid of the Prince Governor of
Hamadan, " for he is always asleep, and the Feringhi is
only a Kfianum" I sent to them that I wished to leave
Kooltapa at noon. They replied that they were not going
to move. I was in their power, for they had received
advance pay for seven days, and I said no more about
moving. However, at noon I sent Mirza to read the
agreement to them, and Sharban and his father could not
deny the authenticity of the seal, and a superior villager, *
who could read, testified that Mirza had read it correctly.

They then saw that they had put themselves into a
" tight place/' and sent that they desired to humble them-
selves, saying, " your foot is on our eyes," a phrase of
humility. I took no notice of them all day, but at
sunset sent for Sharban, and telling Mirza not to soften
down my language, spoke to him in few words. " You
have broken your agreement, and you will have to take
the consequences. Your conduct is disgraceful and
abominable, so cowardly that you don't deserve to be
called a man, it is only what one would expect from a
pidar sag. Do you mean to keep your agreement or
not ?" He began to whine, and threw himself at my feet,
but I reluctantly assumed a terrific voice, and saying
" Khamosh! Bero \" (Be silent! Begone !), shut the tent.

JBijar, September 21. — No Persian ever believes
your word, and these poor fellows did not believe that
I had letters to the governors en route. They are now
terribly frightened, and see that a Feringhi, even though
"only a Khanum" cannot be maltreated with impunity.
When I arrived here, even before I sent my letter of
introduction, the Governor sent a farash-lashi with
compliments and offers of hospitality, and afterwards a
strong guard. Then Sharban piteously entreated that I