The Throne of Solomon

idea of wandering altogether, and was envisaging eternity
under die shadow of Sitt Zeinabar's tomb. But on the fifth
day my temperature dropped, the pain ceased: I had long ago
abandoned the thought of King Solomon's Throne; but I
thought I could now make shift to be carried over the moun-
tain range and find a car next evening to take me to a Teheran
hospital.

In spite of myriads of mosquitoes I slept peacefully that
night, soothed by the fact of having been able to decide on
something. I woke now and then, and looked at Cassiopeia
between die pear leaves and the vine, and finally roused myself
in the gentle light of the dawn because Ismail was already
packing the saddle-bags. He made a smooth platform on the
mule's back, and spread my quilt on top of the luggage so that
I could ride half reclining. A few early reapers and Zora and
the old Seyid carne to wish us good-bye. And then in the
morning light I looked up at the mountains. I had not been
able to see them all the days of my illness: and now they ap-
peared beyond Alamut in the east as a vision ethereal and
clean. If only I could get up among them, I thought, in the
good hill air away from these mosquitoes, I would get well.
Suddenly I decided not to make for hospital, but to trust my-
self to the hills and try to reach Solomon's Throne after all.
I was already mounted by this time; all Ismail had to do was to
turn the mules round and start in the opposite direction.

A Doctor in Ahmut
When I reached Alamut the year before the stream was in
flood, and we penetrated into the valley by a mule track above
the cliff and defile of Shirkuh. This was now beyond my
strength and was luckily not necessary. It was August, and
the water low enough for fording, so that we could follow
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