THEY were on horseback out of the city, heading for the desert. The old nobleman sat upright in the saddle, with his son, Ali Khan, beside him.

The son was in love. He wanted to marry. The father listened to all this, impassively, and then gave some advice. One loves ones homeland, or war. Some men love beautiful carpets, or rare weapons. Butit does happen that man loves a woman.

As far as the old man was concerned, a woman was something of lower v