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Shops chiefly occupied the ground floors; some were the ordinary
humble shops of Europeans; others were caves lit by a smoky lamp, where
Arabs lounged and smoked around the tailors or cobblers squatting at
their work; others were Jewish, with Hebrew inscriptions. There were
dark Arab cafes, noisy Italian wine-shops, butchers' stalls; children of
all ages played and screamed about the precipitous cobble-paved streets;
and the shrill cries of Jewish women, sitting at their doors, rose in
rebuke of husband or offspring. Not many lights appeared through the
shuttered windows of the dark, high houses. Overhead, between two
facades, one saw a strip of paleness which one knew was the moonlit sky.
Conversation with my companion being difficult--the top of his silk hat
just reached my elbow--I strode along in silence, Anastasius trotting by
my side. Many jeers and jests were flung at us as we passed, whereat he
scowled terribly; but no one molested us. I am inclined to think that
Anastasius attributed this to fear of his fierce demeanour.


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