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FOSM    NO.     609:     12,3,37       5J0M. 


HALIL  THE  PEDLAR 


Jarrold  a  Sons' 

IHew  SíxsSbillíitő  Jíctíon^ 


By  MAURUS  JOKAI.  ^ 

Halil  the  Pedlar. 

(The  White  Rose.) 

By  COUNT  LEO  TOLSTOI. 

Tales  From   Tolstoi. 

Translated  from  the  Russian  by  R.  NiSBET 
Bain,  and  with  Biography  of  the  Author. 

By  the  Author  of  "ANIMA  VILIS." 

Distaff. 

By  Marya  Rodziewicz. 
Translated  from  the  Polish  by  Count  Stanislaus 

C.  DE  SOISSONS. 

By  RENE  BAZIN. 

Autumn   Glory. 

Translated  by  Mrs.  Ellen  Waugh. 

By  the  Author  of 

"DUKE  RODNEY'S  SECRET." 

Ivy  Cardew. 

By  Perkington  Pkimm. 
<#- 
By  HULBERT  FULLER. 

God's  Rebel. 

By  MARTHA  BAKER  DUNN. 

Memory  Street. 

London : 

JARROLD  &^SONS, 

Publishers,  At  the  Libraries. 

10  &  II,  Warwick  Lane,  And  of  all  Booksellers, 

E.G. 


Haul  the  Pedlar 

A  TALE  OF  OLD  STAMBUL 


BY 

Maurus  Jokai 

AUTHOR   OF 

"The  Green  Book,"  "Black  Diamonds,"  "The  Poor  Plutocrats,"  etc, 

Authorised  Edition,  Translated  by 

R.  NMSBHT  Bain 


JAMS  pruR  cr 
SANS  REPRcnir 


■mMmm 


THIRD     EDITION 


LONDON 

JAREOLD  &  SONS.  lo  &  ii,  W.VKWiLtv  lAM;, 

L.C. 

[All  Rights  Reserved] 

1901 

PX3 

•  Jb-j  Ha. 


Translated  from  the  Hungarian^  "  A  fehér  rbzsa^'' 
by  R,  Nisbet  Bain, 


Copyright 

London :  Jarrold  b'  Sons 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  TAGS 

INTRODUCTION      -                 -                 -  -                     7 

I.  THE   PEDLAR                    -                 -  -                 -         II 

II.  GÜL-BEjÁZE — THE   WHITE   ROSE   -  -                  36 

III.  SULTAN    ACHMED           -                 -  -  "49 

IV.  THE   SLAVE   OF   THE   SLAVE-GIRL  -  69 
V.  THE   CAMP        -                 -                -  -                -         99 

VI.  THE   BURSTING    FORTH   OF   THE   STORM     *  I23 

VII.  TULIP-BULBS   AND    HUMAN    HEADS  -                 -      I34 

VIII.  A   TOPSY-TURVY   WORLD    -                 -  153 

IX.  THE   SETTING   AND   THE    RISING   SUN  -      179 

X.  THE    FEAST   OF   HALWET                     -  -               203 

XI.  GLIMPSES    INTO   THE    FUTURE  -                -      2l6 

XII.  HUMAN    HOPES      -                 -                 -  -                24O 

XIII.  THE    EMPTY   PLACE      -                -  -                -      27O 


INTRODUCTION. 

On  September  28th,  1730,  a  rebellion  burst  forth  in 
Stambul  against  Sultan  Achmed  III,  whose  cowardly 
hesitation  to  take  the  field  against  the  advancing 
hosts  of  the  victorious  Persians  had  revolted  both  the 
army  and  the  people.  The  rebelhon  began  in  the 
camp  of  the  Janissaries,  and  the  ringleader  was  one 
Halil  Patrona,  a  poor  Albanian  sailor-man,  who  after 
plying  for  a  time  the  trade  of  a  petty  huckster  had 
been  compelled,  by  crime  or  accident,  to  seek  a  refuge 
among  the  mercenary  soldiery  of  the  Empire,  The 
rebellion  was  unexpectedly,  amazingly  successful.  The 
Sultan,  after  vainly  sacrificing  his  chief  councillors  to 
the  fury  of  the  mob,  was  himself  dethroned  by  Halil, 
and  Mahmud  I.  appointed  Sultan  in  his  stead.  For 
the  next  six  weeks  the  ex-costermonger  held  the 
destiny  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  in  his  hands  till,  on 
November  25th,  he  and  his  chief  associates  were 
treacherously  assassinated  in  full  Divan  by  the  secret 
command,  and  actually  in  the  presence  of,  the  very 
monarch  whom  he  had  drawn  from  obscurity  to  set 
upon  the  throne. 

This  dramatic  event  is  the  historical  basis  of  Jókai's 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

famous  story,  "  A  Fehér  Rózsa,"  now  translated  into 
English  for  the  first  time.  No  doubt  the  genial 
Hungarian  romancer  has  ideahsed  the  rough,  out- 
spoken, masterful  rebel-chief,  HaHl  Patrona,  into  a 
great  patriot-statesman,  a  martyr  for  justice  and 
honour ;  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  he  has  certainly  pre- 
served the  sahent  features  of  HaliFs  character  and, 
so  far  as  I  am  competent  to  verify  his  authorities,  has 
not  been  untrue  to  history  though,  as  I  opine,  depend- 
ing too  much  on  the  now  somewhat  obsolete  narrative 
of  Hammer-Purgstall  ("  Geschichte  des  osmanischen 
Reichs ").  Almost  incredible  as  they  seem  to  us 
sober  Westerns,  such  incidents  as  the  tame  surrender 
of  Achmed  III,  the  elevation  of  the  lowliest  dema- 
gogues to  the  highest  positions  in  the  realm,  and  the 
curious  and  characteristically  oriental  episode  of  the 
tulip-pots,  are  absolute  facts.  Naturally  Jókai's 
splendid  fancy  has  gorgeously  embelHshed  the  plain 
narrative  of  the  Turkish  chroniclers.  Such  a  subject 
as  HaliFs  strange  career  must  irresistibly  have 
appealed  to  an  author  who  is  nothing  if  not  vivid 
and  romantic,  and  ever  delights  in  startling  contrasts. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  unique  episode  of  Gül-Bejáze, 
"The  White  Rose,"  and  her  terrible  experiences  in 
the  Seraglio  are  largely,  if  not  entirely,  of  Jókai's  own 
invention,  and  worthy,  as  told  by  him,  of  a  place  in 
The  Thousand  and  One  Nights. 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

Finally — a  bibliographical  note. 

Originally  "A  Fehér  Rózsa,"  under  the  title  of 
"  Halil  Patrona,"  formed  the  first  part  of  "  A 
Janicsárok  végnapjai,"  a  novel  first  published  at  Pest 
in  three  volumes  in  1854-  The  two  tales  are,  how- 
ever, quite  distinct,  and  have,  since  then,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  frequently  been  published  separately.  The 
second  part  of  "  A  Janicsárok  végnapjai "  was  trans- 
lated by  me  from  the  Hungarian  original,  some  years 
ago,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Lion  of  Janina,"  and 
published  by  Messrs.  Jarrold  and  Sons  as  one  of  their 
"  Jókai "  Series  in  1 898.  The  striking  favour  with 
which  that  story  was  then  received  justifies  my  hope 
that  its  counterpart,  which  I  have  re-named  "  Halij 
the  Pedlar,"  from  its  chief  character,  may  be  equally 
fortunate. 

R.  NiSBET  Bain. 
September^  1901. 


HAUL  THE    PEDLAR. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  PEDLAR. 

Time  out  of  mind,  for  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
years,  the  struggle  between  the  Shiites  and  ihe 
Sunnites  has  divided  the  Moslem  World. 

Persia  and  India  are  the  lands  of  the  Shiites ; 
Turkey,  Arabia,  Eg>'pt,  and  the  realm  of  Barbary 
follow  the  tenets  of  the  Sunna. 

Much  blood,  much  money,  many  anathemas,  and 
many  apostasies  have  marked  the  progress  of  this 
quarrel,  and  still  it  has  not  even  yet  been  made  quite 
clear  whether  the  Shiites  or  the  Sunnites  are  the  true 
believers.  The  question  to  be  decided  is  this :  which 
of  the  four  successors  of  the  Prophet,  Ali,  Abu  Bekr, 
Osmar,  and  Osman,  was  the  true  Caliph.  The  Shiites 
niaintain  that  Ali  alone  was  the  true  Caliph.  The 
Sunnites,  on  the  other  hand,  affirm  that  all  four  were 
true   Caliphs  and   equally  holy.     And   certainly   the 


12  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Shiites  must  be  great  blockheads  to  allow  themselves 
to  be  cut  into  mince-meat  by  thousands,  rather  than 
admit  that  God  would  enrich  the  calendar  with  three 
saints  distasteful  to  them  personally. 

The  head  Mufti  had  already  hurled  three  fetvas 
at  the  head  of  Shah  Mahmud,  and  just  as  many 
armies  of  valiant  Sunnites  had  invaded  the  territories 
cf  the  Shiites.  The  redoubtable  Grand  Vizier, 
Damad  Ibrahim,  had  already  wTested  from  them 
Tauris,  Erivan,  Kermandzasahan,  and  Hamadan,  and 
the  gxDod  folks  of  Stambul  could  talk  of  nothing  else 
but  these  victories — victories  which  they  had  extra 
good  reason  to  remem/oer,  inasm^uch  as  the  Janissaries, 
at  every  fresh  announcement  of  these  triumphs,  all 
the  miore  vigorously  exercised  their  martial  prowess 
on  the  peaceful  inhabitants  they  were  supposed  to 
protect,  and  not  only  upon  them,  but  likewise  upon 
the  still  more  peaceful  Sultan  who,  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted, troubled  him.self  very  little  either  about  the 
Sunnites,  or  the  victories  of  his  Grand  Vizier,  being 
quite  content  with  the  contemplation  of  his  perpetu- 
ally blooming  tulips  and  of  the  damsels  of  the 
Seraglio,  who  were  even  fairer  to  view  than  the  tulips 
whose  blooms  they  themselves  far  outshone. 


The  last  rays  of  sunset  were  about  to  depart  from 


THE  PEDLAR.  13 

the  minarets  of  Stambul.  The  imposing  shape  of 
the  City  of  the  Seven  Hills  loomed  forth  like  a 
majestic  picture  in  the  evening  light.  Below,  all 
aflame  from  the  reflection  of  the  burning  sky,  lies 
the  Bosphorus,  wherein  the  Seraglio  and  the  suburbs 
of  Pera  and  Galata,  with  their  tiers  upon  tiers  of 
houses  and  variegated  fairy  palaces,  mirror  them- 
selves tranquilly.  The  long,  winding,  narrow  streets 
climb  from  one  hill  to  another,  and  every  single  hill 
is  as  green  as  if  mother  Nature  had  claimed  her  due 
portion  of  each  from  the  inhabitants,  so  different 
from  our  western  cities,  all  paved  and  swept  clean, 
and  nothing  but  hard  stone  from  end  to  end.  Here, 
on  the  contrary,  nothing  but  green  meets  the  eye. 
The  bastions  are  planted  with  vines  and  olive-trees, 
pomegranate  and  cypress  trees  stand  before  the 
houses  of  the  ricL  The  poorer  folks  who  ihave  no 
gardens  plant  flowers  on  their  house-tops,  or  at  any 
rate  grow  vines  round  their  windows  which  in  time 
run  up  the  whole  house,  and  from  out  of  the  midst 
of  this  perennial  verdure  arise  the  shining  cupolas  of 
eighty  mosques.  At  the  end  of  every  thoroughfare, 
overgrown  with  luxuriant  grass  and  thick-foliage d 
cypresses,  only  the  turbaned  tombstones  show  that 
here  is  the  place  of  sad  repose.  And  the  effect  of 
the  picture  is  heightened  by  the  mighty  cupola  of  the 
all- dominating  Aja  Sofia  mosque,  which  looks  right 


14  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

over  all  these  palaces  into  the  golden  mirror  of  the 
Cosphorus.  Soon  this  golden  mirror  changes  into 
a  mirror  of  bronze,  the  sun  disappears,  and  the  tran- 
quil oval  of  the  sea  borrows  a  metallic  shimmer  from 
the  dark-blue  sky.  The  kiosks  fade  into  dark- 
ness ;  the  vast  outlines  of  the  Rumili  Hisar  and 
the  Anatoli  Hisar  stand  out  against  the  starry 
heaven ;  and  excepting  the  lamps  lit  here  and  there 
in  the  kihans  of  the  foreign  merchants  and  a  few 
minarets,  the  whole  of  the  gigantic  city  is  wrapped  in 
gloom. 

The  muezzin  intone  the  evening  noómát  from  the 
slender  turrets  of  the  mosques ;  everyone  hastens  to 
get  home  before  night  has  completely  set  in ;  the 
mule-drivers  urge  on  their  beasts  laden  on  both  sides 
with  leather  bottles,  and  their  tinkling  bells  resound 
in  the  narrow  streets;  the  shouting  water-carriers 
and  porters,  whose  long  shoulder-poles  block  up  the 
whole  street,  scare  out  of  their  way  all  whom  they 
meet ;  whole  troops  of  dogs  come  forth  from  the 
cemeteries  to  fight  over  the  offal  of  the  piazzas. 
Every  true  believer  endeavours  as  soon  as  possible 
to  get  well  behind  bolts  and  bars,  and  would  regard 
it  as  a  sheer  tempting  of  Providence  to  quit  his 
threshold  under  any  pretext  whatsoever  before  the 
morning  invocation  of  the  muezzin.  He  especially 
who   at   such   a  time  should  venture   to   cross   the 


THE  PEDLAR.  15 

piazza  of  the  Etmeidan  would  have  been  judged 
very  temerarious  or  very  ill-informed,  inasmuch  as 
three  of  the  gates  of  the  barracks  of  the  Janis- 
saries open  upon  this  piazza ;  and  the  Janissaries, 
even  when  they  are  in  a  good  humour,  are  not 
over  particular  as  to  the  sort  of  jokes  they 
choose  to  play,  for  their  own  private  amusement, 
upon  those  who  may  chance  to  fall  into  their  hands. 
Every  faithful  Mussulman,  therefore,  guards  his  foot- 
steps from  any  intrusion  into  the  Etmeidan,  as  being 
in  duty  bound  to  know  and  observe  that  text  of  the 
Koran  which  says,  "A  fool  is  he  who  plunges  into 
peril  that  he  might  avoid." 

The  tattoo  had  already  been  beaten  with  wooden 
sticks  on  a  wooden  board,  when  two  men  encountered 
each  other  in  one  of  the  streets  leading  into  the 
Etmeidan. 

One  of  them  was  a  stranger,  dressed  in  a  Wallachian 
gunya,  long  shoes,  and  with  a  broad  reticule  dangHng 
at  this  side.  He  looked  forty  years  old  and,  so  far  as 
it  was  possible  to  distinguish  his  iignre  and  features  in 
the  twilight,  seemed  to  be  a  strong,  well-built  man, 
with  a  tolerably  plump  face,  on  which  at  that  moment 
no  small  traces  of  fear  could  be  detected  and  some- 
thing of  that  uncomfortable  hesitation  which  is  apt 
to  overtake  a  man  in  a  large  foreign  city  which  he 
visits  for  the  very  first  time. 


i6  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  other  was  an  honest  Mussulman  about  thirty 
years  old,  with  a  thick,  coal-black  beard  and 
passionate,  irritable  features,  whose  true  character 
was  very  fairly  reflected  in  his  pair  of  flashing  black 
eyes.  His  turban  was  drawn  deep  down  over  his 
temples,  obliterating  his  eyebrows  completely,  which 
made  him  look  more  truculent  than  ever. 

The  stranger  seemed  to  be  going  towards  the 
Etmeidan,  the  other  man  to  be  coming  from  it.  The 
former  let  the  latter  pass,  by  squeezing  himself 
against  the  wall,  and  only  ventured  to  address  him 
when  he  perceived  that  he  had  no  evil  intentions 
towards  him. 

"  I  prythee,  pitiful  Mussulman,  be  not  wrath 
with  me,  but  tell  me  where  the  Etmeidan  piazza 
is." 

The  person  so  accosted  instantly  stopped  short, 
and  fixing  the  interrogator  with  a  stony  look,  replied 
angrily : 

"  Go  straight  on  and  you'll  be  there  immediately." 

At  these  words  the  knees  of  the  questioner  smote 
together. 

"  Woe  is  me !  worthy  Mussulman,  I  prythee  be  not 
wrath,  I  did  not  ask  thee  where  the  Etmeidan  was 
because!  wanted  to  go  there,  but  to  avoid  straying 
into  it.  I  am  a  stranger  in  this  city,  and  in  my 
terror  I  have  been  drawing  near  to  the  very  place  I 


THE  PEDLAR.  17 

want  to  avoid.  I  prythee  leave  me  not  here  all  by 
myself.  Every  house  is  fast  closed  Not  one  of  the 
khans  will  let  me  in  at  this  hour.  Take  me  home 
with  you,  I  will  not  be  a  burden  upon  you,  I  can 
sleep  in  your  courtyard,  or  in  your  cellar,  if  only  I 
may  escape  stopping  in  the  streets  all  night,  for  I 
am  greatly  afraid." 

The  Turk  so  addressed  was  carrying  in  one  hand 
a  knapsack  woven  out  of  rushes.  This  he  now 
opened  and  cast  a  glance  into  it,  as  if  he  were  taking 
counsel  with  himself  whether  the  hsh  and  onions  he 
had  just  bought  in  the  market-place  for  his  supper 
would  be  sufficient  for  two  people.  Finally  he 
nodded  his  head  as  if  he  had  made  up  his  mind  at 
last. 

.  "  Very  well,  come  along !  "  said  he,  "  and  follow 
me!" 

The  stranger  would  have  kissed  his  hand,  he  could 
not  thank  his  new  friend  sufficiently. 

"  You  had  better  wait  to  see  what  you  are  going 
to  get  before  you  thamk  me,"  said  the  Turk ;  "  you 
will  find  but  scanty  cheer  with  me,  for  I  am  only  a 
poor  man." 

"  Oh,  as  for  that,  I  also  am  poor,  very  poor  indeed," 
the  new-comer  hastened  to  reply  with  the  crafty 
obsequiousness  peculiar  to  the  Greek  race.  "  My 
name  is  Janaki,  and  I  am  a  butcher  at  Jassy.     The 

B 


i3  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

kavasses  have  laid  their  hands  upon  my  apprentice 
and  all  my  live-stock  at  the  same  time,  and  that  is 
why  I  have  come  to  Stambul.  I  shall  be  utterly 
beggared  if  I  don't  get  them  back." 

"  Well,  Allah  aid  thee.  Let  us  make  haste,  for  it 
is  already  dark." 

And  then,  going  on  in  front  to  show  the  way,  he 
led  the  stranger  through  the  narrow  winding  laby- 
rinth of  baffling  lanes  and  alleys  which  lead  to  the 
Hebdomon  Palace,  formerly  the  splendid  residence  of 
the  Greek  Emperors,  but  now  the  quarter  where  the 
poorest  and  most  sordid  classes  of  the  populace 
herd  together.  The  streets  here  are  so  narrow 
that  the  tendrils  of  the  vines  and  gourds  growing  on 
the  roofs  of  the  opposite  houses  meet  together,  and 
form)  a  natural  baldachino  for  the  benefit  of  the  foot- 
passenger  below. 

Suddenly,  on  reaching  the  entrance  of  a  peculiarly 
long  and  narrow  lane,  the  loud-sounding  note  of  a 
song,  bawled  by  someone  coming  straight  towards 
them,  struck  upon  their  ears.  It  was  some  drunken 
man  evidently,  but  whoever  the  individual  might  be, 
he  was  certainly  the  possessor  of  a  tremendous  pair 
of  lungs,  for  he  could  roar  like  a  buffalo,  and  not 
content  with  roaring,  he  kept  thundering  at  the  doors 
of  all  the  houses  he  passed  with  his  fists. 

"  Alas !  worthy  Mussulman,  I  suppose  this  is  some 


THE  PEDLAR.  19 

good-humoured  Janissary,  eh  ?  "  stammered  the  new- 
comer with  a  terrified  voice. 

"  Not  a  doubt  of  it.  A  peace-loving  man  would 
not  think  of  making  such  a  bellowing  as  that." 

"Would  it  not  be  as  well  to  turn  back?  " 

"  We  might  meet  a  pair  of  them  if  we  went  another 
way.  Take  this  lesson  from  me :  Never  turn  back 
from  tlie  path  you  have  once  taken,  as  otherwise  you 
will  only  plunge  into  still  greater  misfortunes." 

Meanwhile  they  were  drawing  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  bellowing  gentleman,  and  before  long  his  figure 
came  full  into  view. 

And  certainly  his  figure  was  in  every  respect 
worthy  of  his  voice.  He  was  an  enormous,  six-foot 
high,  herculean  fellow,  with  his  shirt-sleeves  rolled 
-  up  to  his  shoulders,  and  the  disorderly  appearance 
of  his  dolman  and  the  crooked  cock  of  his  turban 
more  than  justified  the  suspicion  that  he  had  already 
taken  far  more  than  was  good  for  him  of  that  fluid 
which  the  Prophet  has  forbidden  to  all  true  believers. 

"  Gel,  gel !  Ne  miktár  dir,  gel !  "  ("  Come  along 
the  whole  lot  of  you!")  roared  the  Janissary  with 
all  his  might,  staggering  from  one  side  of  the  lane 
to  the  other,  and  flourishing  his  naked  rapier  in  the 
air. 

"  Woe  is  me,  my  brave  Mussulman !  "  faltered  the 
Wallachian  butcher  in  a  terrified  whisper,  "  wouldn't 


20  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

it  be  as  well  if  you  were  to  take  my  stick,  for  he 
might  observe  that  I  had  it,  and  fancy  I  want  to 
fight  himi  with  it." 

The  Turk  took  over  the  sticlv  of  the  butcher  as  the 
latter  seemed  to  be  frightened  of  it. 

"  H'm !  this  stick  of  yours  is  not  a  bad  one.  I  see 
that  the  head  of  it  is  well-studded  with  knobs,  and 
that  it  is  weighted  with  lead  besides.  What  a  pity 
you  don't  know  how  to  make  use  of  it !  " 

"  I  am  only  too  glad  if  people  will  let  me  live 
in  peace." 

"  Very  well,  hide  behind  me,  and  come  along  boldly, 
and  when  you  pass  him  don't  so  much  as  look  at 
him." 

The  Wallachian  desired  nothing  better,  but  the 
Janissary  had  already  caught  sight  of  him  from  afar, 
and  as,  clinging  fast  to  his  guide's  mantle,  he  was 
about  to  slip  past  the  man  of  war,  the  Janissary 
suddenly  barred  the  way,  seized  him  by  the  collar 
with  his  horrible  fist,  and  dragged  the  wretched 
creature  towards  him. 

"  Khair  evetlesszin  domusz !  "  ("  Not  so  fast,  thou 
swine!  ")  "  a  word  in  thine  ear!  I  have  just  bought 
me  a  yataghan.  Stretch  forth  thy  neck!  I  would 
test  my  weapon  upon  thee  and  see  whether  it  is 
sharp." 

The  poor  fellow  was  already  half-dead  with  terror. 


THE  PEDLAR.  21 

With  the  utmost  obsequiousness  he  at  once  beg^n 
unfastening  his  neck-cloth,  whimpering  at  the  same 
time  something  about  his  four  httle  children :  what 
would  become  'of  them  when  they  had  nobody  to  care 
for  them. 

But  his  conductor  intervened  defiantly. 

"  Take  yourself  off,  you  drunken  lout,  you !  How 
dare  you  lay  a  hand  upon  my  guest.  Know  you  not 
that  he  who  harms  the  guest  of  a  true  believer  is 
accursed?  " 

"  Na,  na,  na !  "  laughed  the  Janissary  mockingly, 
"  are  you  mad,  my  worthy  Balukji,  that  you  bandy 
words  with  the  flowers  of  the  Prophet's  garden,  with 
Begtash's  sons,  the  valiant  Janissaries?  Get  out  of 
my  way  while  you  are  still  able  to  go  away  whole, 
for  if  you  remain  here  much  longer,  I'll  teach  you 
to  be  a  little  more  obedient." 

"  Let  my  guest  go  in  peace,  I  say,  and  then  go 
thine  own  way  also !  " 

"  Why,  what  ails  you,  worthy  Mussulman  ?  Has 
anyone  offended  thee?  Mashallah!  what  business  is 
it  of  thine  if  I  choose  to  strike  off  the  head  of  a 
dog?  You  can  pick  up  ten  more  like  him  in  the 
street  any  time  you  like." 

The  Turk,  perceiving  that  it  would  be  difhcult  to 
convince  a  drunken  man  by  mere  words,  drew  nearer 
to  him,  and  grasped  the  hand  that  held  the  yataghan. 


22  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"What  do  you  want?"  cried  the  Janissary,  fairly 
infuriated  at  this  act  of  temerity. 

"  Come !     Go  thy  way !  " 

"  Do  you  know  whose  hand  thou  art  grasping? 
My  name  is  Hahl." 

"  Mine  also  is  Halil." 

"  Mine  is  Halil  Pelivan— Halil  the  Wrestler!  " 

"  Mine  is  Halil  Patrona." 

By  this  time  the  Janissary  was  beside  himself  with 
rage  at  so  much  opposition. 

"  Thou  worm !  thou  crossed-leg,  crouching  huckster, 
thou  pack-thread  pedlar!  if  thou  dost  not  let  me  go 
immediately,  I  will  cut  off  thy  hands,  thy  feet,  thine 
ears,  and  thy  nose,  and  then  hang  thee  up." 

"  And  if  thou  leave  not  go  of  my  guest,  I  will  fell 
thee  to  the  earth  with  this  stick  of  mine." 

"What,  thou  wilt  fell  vie?  Me?  A  fellow  like 
thou  threaten  to  strike  Halil  Pelivan  with  a  stick? 
Strike  away  then,  thou  dog,  thou  dishonourable  brute- 
beast,  thou  dregs  of  a  Mussulman !  strike  away  then, 
strike  here,  if  thou  have  the  courage !  " 

And  with  that  he  pointed  at  his  own  head,  which 
he  flung  back  defiantly  as  if  daring  his  opponent  to 
strike  at  it. 

But  Halil  Patrona's  courage  was  quite  equal  even 
to  such  an  invitation  as  that,  and  he  brought  down 
the   leaded    stick    in   his    hand    so    heavily   on    the 


THE  PEDLAR.  23 

Janissary's  head  that  the  fellow's  face  was  soon 
streaming  with  blood. 

Pelivan  roared  aloud  at  the  blow,  and,  shaking  his 
bloody  forehead,  rushed  upon  Patrona  like  a  wounded 
bear,  and  disregarding  a  couple  of  fresh  blows  on  the 
arms  and  shoulders  which  had  the  effect,  however, 
of  making  him  drop  his  yataghan,  he  grasped  his 
adversary  with  his  gigantic  hands,  lifted  him  up,  and 
then  hugged  him  with  the  embrace  of  a  boa-con- 
strictor. But  now  it  appeared  that  Patrona  also  was 
by  no  means  a  novice  m  the  art  of  self-defence,  for 
clutching  with  both  hands  the  giant's  throat,  he 
squeezed  it  so  tightly  that  in  a  few  seconds  the 
Janissary  began  to  stagger  to  and  fro,  finally  falling 
backwards  to  the  ground,  whereupon  Patrona  knelt 
upon  his  breast  and  plucked  from  his  beard  a 
sufficient  number  of  hairs  to  serve  him  as  a  souvenir. 
Pelivan,  overpowered  by  drink  and  the  concussion  of 
his  fall,  slumbered  off  where  he  lay,  while  Patrona 
with  his  guest,  who  was  already  half-dead  with  fright, 
hastened  to  reach  his  dwelling. 

After  traversing  a  labyrinth  of  narrow,  meander- 
ing lanes,  and  zig-zagging  backwards  and  forwards 
through  all  kinds  of  gardens  and  rookeries,  Halil 
Patrona  arrived  at  last  at  his  own  house. 

Were  we  to  speak  of  "  his  own  street  door,"  we 
should  be  betraying  a  gross  ignorance  of  locahty,  for 


24  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

in  the  place  where  Patrona  Hved  the  mere  idea  of  a 
street  never  presented  itself  to  anybody's  imagination. 
There  was  indeed  no  such  thing  there.  The  spot 
was  covered  by  half  a  thousand  or  so  of  wooden 
houses,  mixed  together,  higgledy-piggledy,  so  inex- 
tricably, that  the  shortest  way  to  everybody's  house 
was  through  his  neighbour's  passage,  hall,  or  court- 
yard, and  inasmuch  as  the  inmates  of  whole  rows  of 
these  houses  were  in  the  habit  of  living  together  in 
the  closest  and  most  mysterious  harmony,  every 
house  was  so  arranged  that  the  inhabitants  thereof 
could  slip  into  the  neighbouring  dwelling  at  a 
moment's  notice.  In  some  cases,  for  instance,  the 
roofs  were  continuous ;  in  others  the  cellars  com- 
municated, so  that  if  ever  anyone  of  the  inhabitants 
were  suddenly  pursued,  he  could,  with  the  assistance 
of  the  roofs,  passages,  and  cellars,  vanish  without 
leaving  a  trace  behind  him. 

Halil  Patrona's  house  was  of  wood  like  the  rest. 
It  consisted  of  a  single  room,  yet  this  was  a  room 
which  could  be  made  to  hold  a  good  deal.  It  had 
a  fire-place  also,  and  if  perhaps  a  chance  guest  were 
a  little  fastidious,  he  could  at  any  rate  always  make 
sure  of  a  good  bed  on  the  roof,  which  was  embowered 
in  vine  leaves.  There  was  certainly  no  extrava- 
gant display  of  furniture  inside.  A  rush-mat  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  a  bench  covered  with  a  carpet 


THE  PEDLAR.  25 

in  the  corner,  a  few  wooden  plates  and  dishes,  a  jug 
on  a  waoden  shelf,  and  a  couple  of  very  simple  cook- 
ing-utensils in  the  fire-place — that  was  all.  From 
the  roof  of  the  chamber  hung  an  earthenware  lamp, 
which  Patrona  kindled  with  an  old-fashioned  flint  and 
steel.  Then  he  brought  water  in  a  round-bellied 
trough  for  his  guest  to  wash  his  hands,  fetched 
drinking-water  from  the  well  in  a  long  jug,  where- 
upon he  drew  forward  his  rush-woven  market-basket, 
emptied  its  contents  on  to  the  rush-mat,  sat  him 
down  opposite  honest  Janaki,  and  forthwith  invited 
his  guest  to  fall  to. 

There  was  nothing  indeed  but  a  few  small  fish  and 
a  few  beautiful  rosy-red  onions,  but  Halil  had  so  much 
to  say  in  praise  of  the  repast,  telling  his  guest  where 
and  how  these  fish  were  caught,  and  in  what  manner 
they  ought  to  be  fried  so  as  to  bring  out  the  taste ; 
how  you  could  find  out  which  of  them  had  hard  roes 
and  which  soft ;  what  different  sorts  of  flavours  there 
are  in  the  onion  tribe,  far  more,  indeed,  than  in  the 
pine-apple ;  and  then  the  pure  fresh  water  too — why 
the  Koran  from  end  to  end  is  full  of  the  praises  of 
fresh  pure  water,  and  Halil  knew  all  these  passages 
by  heart,  and  had  no  need  to  look  in  the  holy  book 
for  them.  And  then,  too,  he  had  so  many  interesting 
talcs  to  tell  of  travellers  who  had  lost  their  way  in 
the  desert  and  were  dying  for  a  drop  of  water,  and 


26  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

how  Allah  had  had  compassion  upon  them  and  guided 
them  to  the  springs  of  the  oasis — so  that  the  guest 
was  actually  entrapped  into  imagining  that  he  had 
just  been  partaking  of  the  most  magnificent  ban- 
quet, and  he  enjoyed  his  meat  and  drink,  and  arose 
from  his  rush-carpet  well  satisfied  with  himself  and 
with  his  host. 

ril  wager  that  Sultan  Achmed,  poor  fellow!  felt 
far  less  contented  when  he  rose  from  his  gorgeous 
and  luxurious  sofa,  though  the  tables  beside  it  were 
piled  high  with  fruits  and  sweetmeats,  and  two 
hundred  odalisks  danced  and  sang  around  it. 

"  And  now  let  us  go  to  sleep !  "  said  Halil  Patronai 
to  his  guest.  "  I  know  that  slumber  is  the  greatest 
of  all  the  joys  which  Allah  has  bestowed  upon  man- 
kind. In  our  waking  hours  we  belong  to  others,  but 
the  land  of  dreamis  is  all  our  own.  If  your  dreams 
be  good  dreams,  you  rejoice  that  they  are  good,  and 
if  they  be  evil  dreams,  you  rejoice  that  they  are  but 
dreams.  The  night  is  nice  and  warm,  you  can  sleep 
on  the  house-top,  and  if  you  pull  your  rope-ladder 
up  after  you,  you  need  not  fear  that  anybody  will 
molest  you." 

Janaki  said  "  thank  you !  "  to  everything,  and  very 
readily  clambered  to  the  top  of  the  roof.  There  he 
found  already  prepared  for  him  the  carpet  and  the 
fur  cushion  on  which  he  was  to  sleep.     Plainly  these 


THE  PEDLAR.  27 

were  the  only  cushion  and  carpet  obtainable  in  the 
house,  and  the  guest  observing  that  these  were  the 
very  things  he  had  noticed  in  the  room  below,  ex- 
claimed to  Halil  Patrona  : 

"  Oh,  humane  Chorbadshi,  you  have  given  me  your 
own  carpet  and  pillow ;  on  what  will  you  sleep, 
pray?" 

"Do  not  trouble  your  head  about  me,  muzahr!  I 
will  bring  forth  my  second  carpet  and  my  second 
cushion  and  sleep  on  them." 

Janaki  peeped  through  a  chink  in  the  roof,  and 
observed  how  vigorously  Halil  Patrona  performed  his 
ablutions,  and  how  next  he  went  through  his  devotions 
with  even  greater  conscientiousness  than  his  ablutions, 
whereupon  he  produced  a  round  trough,  turned  it 
■upside  down,  laid  it  upon  the  rush-mat,  placed  his 
head  upon  the  trough,  and  folding  his  arms  across 
his  breast,  peacefully  went  to  sleep  in  the  Prophet. 

The  next  morning,  when  Janaki  awoke  and 
descended  to  Halil,  he  gave  him  -a  piece  of  money 
which  they  call  a  golden  denarius. 

"  Take  this  piece  of  money,  worthy  Chorbadshi," 
said  he,  "  and  if  you  will  permit  me  to  remain  beneath 
your  roof  this  day  also,  prepare  therewith  a  mid-day 
meal  for  us  both." 

Halil  hastened  with  the  money  to  the  piazza, 
bargained  and  chaffered  for  all  sorts  of  eatables,  and 


28  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

made  it  a  matter  of  conscience  to  keep  only  a  single 
copper  asper  of  the  money  entrusted  to  him.  Then 
he  prepared  for  his  guest  pilaf,  the  celebrated  Turkish 
dish  consisting  of  rice  cooked  with  sheep's  flesh,  and 
brought  him  from  the  booths  of  the  master-cooks  and 
master-sugar-bakers,  honey-cakes,  dulchas,  pistachios, 
sweet  pepper-cakes  filled  with  nuts  and  stewed  in 
honey,  and  all  manner  of  other  delicacies,  at  tlie 
sight  and  smell  of  which  Janaki  began  to  shout  that 
Sultan  Achmed  could  not  be  better  off.  Halil,  how- 
'ever,  requested  Ihim  not  to  mention  the  name  of  the 
Sultan  quite  so  frequently  and  not  to  bellow  so  loudly. 

That  night,  also,  he  made  his  guest  mount  to  the 
top  of  tihe  roof,  and  having  noticed  during  the  pre- 
ceding night  that  the  Greek  had  been  perpetually 
shifting  his  position,  and  consequently  suspecting 
that  he  was  little  used  to  so  hard  a  couch,  Halil  took 
the  precaution  of  stripping  off  his  own  kaftan  before- 
hand and  placing  it  beneath  the  carpe't  he  had 
already  surrendered  to  his  guest. 

Early  next  morning  Janaki  gave  another  golden 
denarius  to  Halil. 

"  Fetch  me  writing  materials !  "  said  he,  "  for  I 
want  to  write  a  letter  to  someone,  and  then  with 
God's  help  I  will  quit  your  house  and  pursue  my 
way  further." 

Halil  departed,  went  a-bargaining  in  the  bazaar, 


THE  PEDLAR.  29 

and  returned  with  what  he  had  been  sent  for.  He 
calculated  his  outlay  to  a  penny  in  the  presence  of 
his  guest.  The  kaleni  (pen)  was  so  much,  so  much 
again  the  miirekob  (ink),  and  the  miihiir  (seal)  came 
to  this  and  that.  The  balance  he  returned  to  Janaki. 
As  for  Janaki  he  went  up  on  to  the  roof  again, 
there  wrote  and  sealed  his  letter,  and  thrust  it  be- 
neath the  carpet,  and  then  laying  hold  of  his  stick 
again,  entreated  Halil,  with  many  thanks  for  his 
hospitality,  to  direct  him  to  the  Pera  road  whence, 
he  said,  he  could  find  his  way  along  by  himself. 

Hahl  willingly  comphed  with  the  petition  of  his 
guest,  and  accompanied  him  all  the  way  to  the 
nearest  thoroughfare.  When  now  Janaki  beheld  the 
Bosphorus,  and  perceived  that  the  road  from  this 
.point  was  famihar  to  him,  so  that  he  needed  no 
further  assistance,  he  suddenly  exclaimed  : 

"Look  now,  my  friend!  an  idea  has  occurred  to 
me.  The  letter  I  have  just  written  on  your  roof  has 
escaped  my  memory  entirely.  I  placed  it  beneath 
the  carpet,  and  beside  it  lies  a  purse  of  money  which 
I  meant  to  have  sent  along  with  the  letter.  Now, 
however,  I  cannot  turn  back  for  it.  I  pray  you, 
therefore,  go  back  to  your  house,  take  this  letter 
together  with  tlie  purse,  and  hand  them  both  over 
to  the  person  to  whom  they  are  addressed — and  God 
bless  you  for  it ! '- 


30  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Halil  ?tt  once  turned  round  to  obey  this  fresh  re-. 
quest  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"  Give  also  the  money  to  him  to  whom  it  belongs !  " 
said  the  Greek. 

"  You  may  be  as  certain  that  it  will  reach  him  as 
if  you  gave  it  to  him  yourself." 

"And  promise  ,me  that  you  will  compel  him  to 
whom  the  letter  is  addressed  to  accept  the  money." 

"  I  will  not  leave  his  house  till  he  has  given  me 
a  voucher  in  writing  for  it,  and  whenever  you  come 
back  again  to  me  here  you  will  find  it  in  my 
possession." 

"  God  be  with  you  then,  honest  Mussulman !  " 

"  Salem  alek !  " 

Halil  straightway  ran  home,  clambered  up  to  the 
roof  by  means  of  the  rope-ladder,  found  both  the 
letter  and  the  money  under  the  carpet,  rejoiced  greatly 
that  they  had  not  been  stolen  during  his  absence, 
and  thrusting  them  both  into  his  satchel  of  reeds 
without  even  taking  the  trouble  to  look  at  them, 
hastened  off  to  the  bazaar  with  them,  where  there 
was  an  acquaintance  of  his,  a  certain  money-changer, 
who  knew  all  about  every  man  in  Stambul,  in  order 
that  he  might  find  out  from  him  where  dwelt  the  man 
to  whom  the  letter  entrusted  to  him  by  the  stranger 
was  addressed. 

Accordingly  he  handed  the  letter  to  the  monev- 


THE  PEDLAR.  31 

changer  in  order  that  he  mig-ht  give  him  full  direc- 
tions without  so  much  as  casting  an  eye  upon  the 
address  himself. 

The  money-changer  examined  the  address  of  the 
letter,  and  forthwith  was  filled  with  amazement. 

"  Halil  Patrona !  "  cried  he,  "  have  you  been  taking 
part  in  the  Carnival  of  the  Giaours  that  you  have 
allowed  yourself  to  be  so  befooled  ?  Or  can't  you 
read?" 

"  Read !  of  course  I  can.  But  I  don't  fancy  I  can 
know  the  man  to  whom  this  letter  is  directed." 

"  Well,  all  I  can  say  is  that  you  knew  him  very 
well  indeed  this  time  yesterday,  for  the  man  is  your- 
self— none  other." 

Halil,  full  of  astonishment,  took  the  letter,  which 
•hitherto  he  had  not  regarded — sure  enough  it  was 
addressed  to  himself. 

"  Then  he  who  gave  me  this  letter  must  needs  be 
a  madman,  and  there  is  a  purse  which  I  have  to  hand 
over  along  with  it." 

"  Yes,  I  see  that  your  name  is  written  on  that  also." 
"  But  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  either  the  purse 
or  the  letter.     Of  a  truth  the  man  who  confided  them 
to  me  must  have  been  a  lunatic." 

"  It  will  be  best  if  you  break  open  the  letter  and 
read  it,  then  you  will  Á:noiu  what  you  have  got  to 
do  with  it." 


32  HALTL  THE  PEDLAR. 

This  was  true  enough.  The  best  way  for  a  man 
to  find  out  what  he  has  to  do  with  a  letter  addressed 
to  him  is,  certainly,  to  open  and  read  it. 

And  this  is  what  was  written  in  the  letter. 

"Worthy  Halil  Patrona! 

"I  told  you  that  I  was  a  poor  man,  but  that 
was  not  true ;  on  the  contrary,  I  am  pretty  well  to  do, 
thank  God!  Nor  do  I  wander  up  and  down  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  in  search  of  herds  of  cattle  stolen 
from  me,  but  for  the  sake  of  my  only  daughter,  who 
is  dearer  to  me  than  all  my  treasures,  and  now  also 
I  am  in  pursuit  of  her,  following  clue  after  clue,  in 
order  that  I  may  discover  her  whereabouts  and,  if 
possible,  ransom  her.  You  have  been  my  benefactor. 
You  fought  the  drunken  Janissary  for  my  sake,  you 
shared  your  dwelling  witih  me,  you  made  me  lie  on 
your  own  (bed  while  you  slept  on  the  bare  ground, 
you  even  took  off  your  kaftan  to  make  my  couch  the 
softer.  Accept,  therefore,  as  a  token  of  my  gratitude, 
the  slender  purse  accompanying  this  letter.  It  con- 
tains five  thousand  piastres,  so  that  if  ever  I  visit  you 
again  I  may  find  you  in  better  circumstances.  God 
help  you  in  all  things! 

"  Your  grateful  servant, 

"  JANAKI." 

"  Now,  didn't  I  say  he  was  mad  ?  "  exclaimed  Hahl, 


THE  PEDLAR.  33 

after  reading  through  the  letter.  "Who  else,  I 
should  like  to  know,  would  have  given  me  five  thou- 
sand piastres  for  three  red  onions?" 

Meanwhile,  attracted  by  the  noise  of  the  conversa- 
tion, a  crowd  of  the  acquaintances  of  Hahl  Patrona 
and  the  money-changer  had  gathered  around  them, 
and  they  laid  their  heads  together  and  discussed 
among  themselves  for  a  long  time  the  question  which 
was  the  greater  fool  of  the  two — Janaki,  who  had 
given  five  thousand  piastres  for  three  onions,  or 
Halil  who  did  not  want  to  accept  the  money. 

Yet  Halil  it  was  who  turned  out  to  be  the  biggest 
fool,  for  he  immediately  set  out  in  search  of  the  man 
who  had  given  him  this  sum  of  money.  But  search 
and  search  as  he  might  he  could  hnd  no  trace  of  him. 
•If  he  had  gone  in  search  of  someone  who  had  stolen 
a  like  amount,  he  would  have  been  able  to  find  him 
very  much  sooner. 

In  the  course  of  his  wanderings,  he  suddenly  came 
upon  the  place  where  three  days  previously  he  had 
had  his  tussle  with  Halil  Pelivan.  He  recognised 
the  spot  at  once.  A  small  dab  of  blood,  the  remains 
of  what  had  flowed  from  the  giant's  head,  was  still 
there  in  the  middle  of  the  lane,  and  on  the  wall  of 
the  house  opposite  both  their  names  were  written.  In 
all  probability  the  Janissary,  when  lie  picked  himself 
up  again,  had  dipped  his  finger  in  his  own  blood,  and 

C 


34  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

then  scrawled  the  names  upon  the  wall  in  order  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  incident.  He  had  also 
taken  good  care  to  put  Halil  Pelivan  uppermost  and 
Halil  Patrona  undermost. 

"  Nay,  but  that  is  not  right,"  said  Halil  to  himself ; 
"  it  was  you  who  were  undermost,"  and  snatching 
up  the  fragment  of  a  red  tile  he  wrote  his  name  above 
that  of  Halil  Pelivan. 

He  hurried  and  scurried  about  till  late  in  the  even- 
ing without  discovering  a  single  trace  of  Janaki,  and 
by  that  time  his  head  was  so  confused  by  all  manner 
of  cogitations  that  when,  towards  nightfall,  he  began 
c'haffering  for  fish  in  the  Etmeidan  market,  he  would 
not  have  been  a  bit  surprised  if  he  had  been  told 
that  every  single  carp  cost  a  thousand  piastres. 

He  began  to  perceive,  however,  that  he  would  have 
to  keep  the  money  after  all,  and  the  very  thought 
of  it  kept  him  awake  all  night  long. 

Next  day  he  again  strolled  about  the  bazaars,  and 
then  directed  his  steps  once  more  towards  that  house 
where  he  had  dhalked  up  his  name  the  day  before. 
And  lo !  the  name  of  Pelivan  was  again  stuck  at  the 
top  of  his  own. 

"  This  must  be  put  a  stop  to  once  for  all,"  murmured 
Halil,  and  beckoning  to  a  load-carrier  he  mounted 
on  to  'his  shoulders  and  wrote  his  name  high  up,  just 
beneath  the  eaves  of  the  house  on  a  spot  where 


THE  PEDLAR.  35 

Pelivan's  name  could  not  top  his  own  again,  from 
whence  it  is  manifest  that  there  was  a  certain  secret 
instinct  in  HaHl  Patrona  which  would  not  permit 
him  to  take  tlie  lower  place  or  suffer  him  to  recognise 
anybody  as  standing  higher  than  himself.  And  as 
he,  pursuing  his  way  home,  passed  by  the  Tsiragan 
Palace,  and  there  encountered  riding  past  him  the 
Padishah,  Sultan  Achmed  III.,  accompanied  by  the 
Grand  Vizier,  Ibrahim  Damad,  the  Kiaja  Beg,  the 
Kapudan  Pasha,  and  the  chief  Imam,  Ispirizade ; 
and  as  he  humbly  bowed  his  head  in  the  dust  before 
them,  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  something  at  the  bottom 
of  his  heart  whispered  to  him :  "  The  time  will  come 
when  the  wlhole  lot  of  you  will  bow  your  heads  before 
me  in  the  dust  just  as  I,  Halil  Patrona,  the  pedlar, 
do  obeisance  to  you  now,  ye  lords  of  the  Empire  and 
the  Universe !  " 

Fortunately  for  Hahl  Patrona,  however,  he  did  not 
raise  his  face  while  the  suite  of  the  Lords  of  tlie 
Universe  swept  past  him,  for  otherwise  it  might  have 
happened  that  Halil  Pelivan,  who  went  before  the 
Sultan  with  a  drawn  broadsword,  might  have  recog- 
nised him,  and  certainly  nobody  would  have  taken 
particular  trouble  to  inquire  why  the  Janissary  had 
split  in  two  the  head  of  this  or  that  pedlar  who 
happened  to  come  in  his  way. 


CHAPTER    11. 

GUL-BEJÁZE — THE   WHITE   ROSE. 

The  booth  c^  Halil  Patron  a,  the  pedlar,  stood  in  the 
bazaar.  He  sold  tobacco,  chibooks,  and  pipe-stems, 
but  his  business  was  not  particularly  lucrative.  He 
did  not  keep  opium,  although  that  was  beginning  to 
be  one  of  the  principal  articles  of  luxury  in  the 
{Turkish  Empire.  From  the  very  look  of  him  one 
couild  see  that  he  did  not  sell  the  drug.  For  Halil 
'had  determined  that  he  would  never  have  any  of 
this  soul-benumbing  stuff  in  his  shop,  and  whenever 
Halil  made  any  resolution  he  generally  kept  it. 
Oftentimes,  sitting  in  the  circle  of  his  neighbours, 
he  would  fall  to  discoursing  on  the  subject,  and 
would  tell  them  that  it  was  Satan  who  had  sent  this 
opium  stuff  to  play  havoc  among  the  true  believers. 
It  was,  he  would  insist,  the  offscouring  of  the  Jinns, 
and  yet  Mussulmans  did  not  scruple  to  put  the  filth 
into  their  mouths  and  chew  and  inhale  it!  Hence 
the  ruin  that  was  coming  upon  them  and  their 
posterity  and  the  whole  Moslem  race.  His  neigh- 
bours let  him  talk  on  without  contradiction,  but  they 


GÜL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  37 

took  good  care  to  sell  as  much  opium  themselves  as 
possible,  because  it  brought  in  by  far  the  largest 
profits.  Surely,  they  argued  among  themselves,  be- 
cause an  individual  cuts  his  throat  with  a  knife  now 
and  then,  that  is  no  reason  why  knives  in  general 
should  not  be  kept  for  sale  in  shops?  It  was  plain 
to  them  that  Halil  was  no  born  trader.  Yet  he  was 
perfectly  satisfied  with  the  httle  profit  he  made,  and 
it  never  occurred  to  him  to  wish  for  anything  he  had 
not  got. 

Consequently  when  he  now  found  himself  the 
possessor  of  five  thousand  piastres,  he  was  very  much 
puzzled  as  to  what  he  should  do  with  such  a  large 
amount.  The  things  he  really  desired  were  far,  far 
away,  quite  out  of  his  reach  in  fact.  He  would  have 
liked  to  lead  fleets  upon  the  sea  and  armies 
marshalled  in  battle  array.  He  would  have  liked  to 
have  built  cities  and  fortresses.  He  would  have  liked 
to  have  raised  up  and  cast  down  pashas,  dispensed 
commands,  and  domineered  generally.  But  a 
beggarly  five  thousand  piastres  would  not  go  very 
far  in  that  direction.  It  was  too  much  from  one 
point  of  vie\v  and  too  little  from  another,  so  that  he 
really  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  it. 

His  booth  looked  out  upon  that  portion  of  the 
bazaar  where  there  was  a  vacant  space  separated  from 
the    trading   booths   by    lofty    iron    railings.      This 


38  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR 

vacant  space  was  a  slave-market.  Here  the  lowest 
class  of  slaves  were  freely  offered  for  sale.  Every- 
day Haul  saw  some  ten  to  twenty  of  these  human 
chattels  exhibited  in  front  of  his  booth.  It  was  no 
new  sight  to  him. 

In  this  slave-market  there  were  none  of  those 
pathetic  scenes  which  poets  and  romance  writers  are 
so  fond  of  describing  when,  for  instance,  the  rich 
traders  of  Dirbend  offer  to  the  highest  bidder 
miracles  of  loveliness,  to  be  the  sport  of  lust  and 
luxury,  beautiful  Circassian  and  Georgian  maidens, 
whose  cheeks  burn  with  shame  at  the  bold  rude  gaze 
of  the  men,  and  whose  eyes  overflow  with  tears  when 
their  new  masters  address  them.  There  was  nothing 
of  the  sort  in  this  place.  This  was  but  the  depository 
of  used  up,  chucked  aside  wares,  of  useless  Jessir, 
such  as  dry  and  wrinkled  old  negresses,  worn-out, 
venomous  nurses,  human  refuse,  so  to  speak,  to  whom 
it  was  a  matter  of  the  most  profound  indifference 
what  master  they  were  called  upon  to  serve,  who 
listened  to  the  slang  of  the  auctioneer  with  absolute 
nonchalance  as  he  circumstantially  totted  up  their 
years  and  described  their  qualities,  and  allowed  their 
would-be  purchasers  to  examine  their  teeth  and 
manipulate  their  arms  and  legs  as  if  they  were  the 
very  last  persons  concerned  in  the  business  on  hand. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  first  general  auction  that  had 


GÜL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  39 

come  round  after  the  departure  of  Janaki  from  Halil, 
the  pedlar  was  sitting  as  usual  before  his  booth  in 
the  bazaar  when  the  public  crier  appeared  in  the 
slave-market,  leading  by  the  hand  a  veiled  female 
slave,  and  made  the  following  announcement  in  a 
loud  voice : 

"  Merciful  Mussulmans !  Lo !  I  brijig  hither  from 
the  harem  of  his  Majesty  the  Sultan,  an  odalisk,  who 
is  to  be  .put  up  to  public  auction  by  command  of  the 
Padishah.  The  name  of  this  odalisk  is  Gül-Bejáze ; 
her  age  is  seventeen  years,  she  has  all  her  teeth,  her 
breath  is  pure,  her  skin  is  clean,  her  hair  is  thick,  she 
can  dance  and  sing,  and  do  all  manner  of  woman's 
handiwork.  His  shall  she  be  who  makes  the  highest 
bid,  and  the  sum  obtained  is  to  be  divided  among 
the  dervishes.  Two  thousand  piastres  have  already 
been  promised  for  her;  come  hither  and  examine 
her — ^whoever  gives  the  most  shall  have  her." 

"  Allah  preserve  us  from  the  thought  of  purchasing 
this  girl,"  observed  the  wiser  of  the  merchants,  "  why 
that  would  be  the  same  thing  as  purchasing  the 
wrath  of  the  Padishah  for  hard  cash,"  and  they  wisely 
withdrew  into  the  interiors  of  their  booths.  They 
knew  well  enough  what  was  likely  to  happen  to  the 
man  who  presumed  to  buy  an  odalisk  who  had  been 
expelled  from  the  harem  of  the  Sultan.  Anyone 
daring  to  do  such  a  thing  might  just  as  well  chall; 


40  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

up  the  names  of  the  four  avenging  angels  on  the 
walls  of  his  house,  or  trample  on  his  talisman  with 
his  slippers  straight  away.  It  was  not  the  act  of  a  wise 
man  to  pick  up  a  flower  whidh  the  Sultan  had  thrown 
away  in  order  to  inhale  its  fragrance. 

The  public  crier  remained  in  the  middle  of  the 
bazaar  alone  with  the  slave-girl;  the  chapmen  had 
not  only  retired  into  their  shops  but  barred  the  doors 
behind  them.  "  Much  obliged  to  you  ;  but  we  would 
not  accept  such  a  piece  of  good  luck  even  as  a  gift," 
they  seemed  to  say. 

Only  one  man  still  remained  in  front  of  his  shop, 
and  that  was  Halil  Patrona.  He  alone  had  the 
courage  to  scrutinise  the  slave-girl  carefully. 

Perchance  he  felt  compassion  for  this  slave.  He 
could  not  but  perceive  how  the  poor  thing  was 
trembling  beneath  the  veil  which  covered  her  to  the 
very  heels.  Nothing  could  be  seen  of  her  but  her 
eyes,  and  in  those  eyes  a  tear  was  visible. 

"  Come !  bring  her  into  my  shop !  "  said  Halil  to 
the  public  crier ;  "  don't  leave  her  out  in  the  public 
square  there  for  everybody  to  stare  at  her." 

'*  Impossible !  "  rephed  the  public  crier.  "  As  I 
value  my  head  I  must  obey  my  orders,  and  my  orders 
are  to  take  her  veil  from  off  her  head  in  the  auction- 
yard,  where  the  ordinary  slaves  are  wont  to  be 
offered  for  sale,  and  there  announce  the  price  .set 
upon  her  in  the  sight  and  hearing  of  all  men/* 


GÜL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  41 

"  What  crime  has  this  slave-girl  committed  that  she 
should  be  treated  so  scurvily?  " 

"  Hahl  Patrona !  "  answered  the  public  crier,  "  it 
will  be  all  the  better  for  my  tongue  and  your  ears  if 
I  do  not  answer  that  question.  I  simply  do  what  I 
have  been  told  to  do.  I  unveil  this  odalisk,  I  pro- 
claim what  she  can  do,  to  what  use  she  can  be  put. 
I  neither  belittle  her  nor  do  I  exalt  her.  I  advise 
nobody  to  buy  her  and  I  advise  nobody  not  to  buy  her. 
Allah  is  free  to  do  what  He  will  with  us  all,  and 
that  which  has  been  decreed  concerning  each  of  us 
ages  ago  must  needs  befall."  And  with  these  words 
he  whisked  away  the  veil  from  the  head  of  the 
odalisk. 

"By  the  Prophet!  a  beauteous  maid  indeed! 
What  eyes!  A  man  might  fancy  they  could  speak, 
and  if  one  gazed  at  them  long  enough  one  could 
fmd  more  to  learn  there  than  in  all  that  is  written 
in  the  Koran!  What  lips  too!  I  would  gladly  re- 
main outside  Paradise  if  by  so  doing  I  might  gaze 
upon  those  lips  for  ever.  And  what  a  pale  face ! 
Well  does  she  deserve  the  name  of  Gül-Bejáze !  Her 
cheeks  do  indeed  resemble  white  roses!  And  one 
can  see  dewdrops  upon  them,  as  is  the  way  with 
roses! — the  dewdrops  from  her  eyes!  And  what 
must  such  eyes  be  like  when  they  laugh?  What 
must  that  face  be  like  w^hen  i't  blushes?     What  must 


42  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

that  mouth  be  hke  when  it  speaks,  when  it  sighs, 
when  it  trembles  with  sweet  desire?" 

Hahl  Patrona  was  quite  carried  away  by  his  en- 
thusiasm. 

"  Carry  her  not  any  further,"  he  said  to  the  pubhc 
crier,  "  and  show  her  to  nobody  else,  for  nobody  else 
would  dare  to  buy  her.  Besides,  I'll  give  you  for 
her  a  sum  which  nobody  else  would  think  of  offer- 
ing, I  will  give  five  thousand  piastres." 

"  Be  it  so !  "  said  the  crier,  veiling  the  maid  anew ;" 
"you  have  seen  her,  anyhow,  bring  your  money  and 
take  the  girl !  " 

Halil  went  in  for  his  purse,  handed  it  over  to  the 
crier  (it  held  the  exact  am^ount  to  a  penny),  and  took 
the  odalisk  by  the  hand — there  she  stood  alone  with 
him. 

Halil  Patrona  now  lost  not  a  moment  in  locking 
up  his  shop,  and  taking  the  odalisk  by  the  hand  led 
her  away  with  him  to  his  poor  lonely  dwelling-place. 

All  the  way  thither  the  girl  never  uttered  a  word. 

On  reaching  the  house  Halil  made  the  girl  sit 
down  by  the  hearth,  and  then  addressed  her  in  a 
tender,  kindly  voice. 

"  Here  is  my  house,  whatever  you  see  in  it  is  mine 
and  yours.  The  whole  lot  is  not  very  much  it  is 
true,  but  it  is  all  our  own.  You  will  hnd  no  orna- 
ments or  frankincense  in  my  house,  but  you  can  go 


GUL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  43 

in  and  out  of  it  as  you  please  without  asking  any- 
body's leave.  Here  are  two  piastres,  provide  there- 
with a  dinner  for  us  both." 

The  worthy  Mussulman  then  returned  to  the 
bazaar,  leaving  the  girl  alone  in  the  house.  He  did 
not  return  home  till  the  evening. 

Meanwhile  Gül-Bejáze  had  made  the  two  piastres 
go  as  far  as  they  could,  and  had  supper  all  ready 
for  him.  She  placed  Halil's  dish  on  the  reed-mat 
close  beside  him,  but  she  herself  sat  down  on  the 
threshold. 

"  Not  there,  but  come  and  sit  down  by  my  side," 
said  Halil,  and  seizing  the  trembling  hand  of  the 
odalisk,  he  made  her  sit  down  beside  him  on  the 
cushion,  piled  up  the  pilaf  before  her,  and  invited 
her  with  kind  and  encouraging  words  to  fall  to.  The 
odalisk  obeyed  him.  Not  a  word  had  she  yet  spoken, 
but  when  she  had  finished  eating,  she  turned  towards 
Halil  and  murmured  in  a  scarce  audible  voice, 

"  For  six  days  I  have  eaten  nought." 

"What!"  exclaimed  Halil  in  amazement,  "six 
days!  Horrible!  And  who  was  it,  pray,  that  com- 
pelled you  to  endure  such  torture?  " 

"It  was  my  own  doing,  for  I  wanted  to  die." 

Halil  shook  his  head  gravely. 

"  So  young,  and  yet  to  desire  death !  And  do  you 
still  want  to  die,  eh?" 


44  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Your  own  eyes  can  tell  you  that  I  do  not.'* 

Halil  had  taken  a  great  fancy  to  the  girl.  He  had 
never  before  known  what  it  was  to  love  any  human 
being ;  but  now  as  he  sat  there  face  to  face  with  the 
girl,  whose  dark  eyelashes  cast  shadows  upon  her 
pale  cheeks,  and  regarded  her  melancholy,  irrespon- 
sive features,  he  fancied  he  saw  a  peri  before  him, 
and  felt  a  new  man  awakening  within  him  beneath 
this  strange  charm. 

Halil  could  never  remember  the  time  when  his 
heart  had  actually  throbbed  for  joy,  but  now  that  he 
was  sitting  down  by  the  side  of  this  beautiful  maid 
it  really  began  to  beat  furiously.  Ah!  how  truly 
sang  the  poeft  when  he  said  :  "  Two  worlds  there  are, 
one  beneath  the  sun  and  the  other  in  the  heart  of 
a  maid." 

For  a  long  time  he  gazed  rapturously  on  the 
beauteous  slave,  admiring  in  turn  her  fair  counte- 
nance, her  voluptuous  bosom,  and  her  houri-like 
figure.  How  lovely,  how  divinely  lovely  it  all  was! 
And  then  he  bethought  him  that  all  this  loveliness 
was  his  own  ;  that  he  was  the  master,  the  possessor 
of  tlhis  girl,  at  whose  command  she  would  fall  upon 
his  bosom,  envelop  him  with  the  pavilion,  dark  as 
night,  of  her  flowing  tresses,  and  embrace  him  with 
arms  of  soft  velvet.  Ah!  and  those  lips  were  not 
only  red  but  sweet ;    and  that  breast  was  not  only 


GUL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  45 

snow-white  bult  throbbing  and  ardent — and  at  the 
thought  his  brain  began  to  swim  for  joy  and  rapture. 

And  yet  he  did  not  even  know  wiliat  to  call  her! 
He  had  never  had  a  slave-girl  before,  and  hardly 
knew  how  to  address  her.  His  own  tongue  was  not 
wont  to  employ  tender,  caressing  words ;  he  knew 
not  What  to  say  to  a  woman  to  make  her  love  him. 

"  Gül-Bejíize  !  "  he  murmured  hoarsely. 

"  I  aAvait  your  commands,  my  master  I  '' 

"  My  name  is  Hahl — call  me  so !  " 

"  Halil,  I  await  your  commands !  " 

"  Say  nothing  about  commanding.  Sit  down  beside 
me  here !     Come,  sit  closer,  I  say !  " 

The  girl  sat  down  beside  hinx  She  was  quite  close 
to  him  now. 

•  But  the  worst  of  it  was  that,  even  now,  Halil  had 
not  thje  remotest  idea  what  to  say  to  her. 

The  maid  was  sad  and  apathetic,  she  did  not  weep 
as  slave-girls  are  wont  to  do.  Halil  would  so  much 
have  liked  the  girl  to  talk  and  tell  him  her  history, 
and  the  cause  of  her  melancholy,  then  perhaps  it 
would  haA^e  been  easier  for  him  to  talk  too.  He 
would  then  have  been  able  to  have  consoled  her, 
and  after  consolation  would  have  come  love. 

"  Tell  me,  Gül-Bejáze !  "  said  he,  "  how  was  it  that 
the  Sultan  had  you  offered  for  sale  in  the 
bazaar." 


46  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  girl  looked  at  Halil  with  those  large  black 
eyes  of  hers.  When  she  raised  her  long  black  lashes 
it  was  as  though  he  gazed  into  a  night  lit  up  by  two 
black  suns^  and  thus  she  cox.tinued  gazing  at  him 
for  a  long  time  fixedly  and  sadly. 

"  That  also  you  will  learn  to  know,  Halil/'  she 
m'ur  mured. 

And  Halil  felt  his  heart  grow  hotter  and  hotter 
the  nearer  he  drew  to  this  burning,  kindling  flame; 
his  eyes  flashed  sparks  at  the  sight  of  so  much  beauty, 
he  seized  the  girl's  hand  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips. 
How  cold  that  hand  was!  All  the  more  reason  for 
warming  it  on  his  lips  and  on  his  bosom ;  but,  for 
all  his  caressing,  the  little  hand  remained  cold,  as 
cold  as  the  hand  of  a  corpse. 

Surely  that  throbbing  breast,  those  provocative 
lips,  are  not  as  cold? 

Halil,  intoxicated  with  passion,  embraced  the  girl, 
and  as  he  drew  her  to  his  breast,  as  he  pressed  her 
to  him,  the  girl  murmured  to  herself — it  sounded  like 
a  gentle  long-drawn-out  sigh : 

"Blessed  Mary!" 

And  tjhen  the  girl's  long  black  hair  streamed  over 
her  face,  and  when  Halil  smoothed  it  aside  from 
the  fair  countenance  to  see  if  it  had  not  grown  redder 
beneath  his  embrace — behold!  it  was  whiter  than 
ever.     All  trace  of  life  had  fled  from  it,  the  eyes  were 


GÜL-BEJAZE— THE  WHITE  ROSE.  47 

cast  down,  the  lips  closed  and  bluish.  Dead,  dead — 
a  corpse  lay  before  him ! 

But  Halil  would  not  believe  it.  He  fancied  that 
the  girl  was  only  pretending.  He  put  his  hand  on 
her  fair  bosom — ^bu't  he  could  not  hear  the  beating 
of  the  heart.  The  girl  had  lost  all  sense  of  feeling. 
He  could  have  done  with  her  what  he  would.  A 
dead  body  lay  in  his  bosom. 

An  ice-cold  feeling  of  horror  penetrated  Halil's 
heart,  altogether  extinguishing  the  burning  fla'me  of 
passion.  All  tremulously  he  released  the  girl  and 
laid  her  down.     Then  he  whispered  full  of  fear : 

"Awake!  I  will  not  hurt  you,  I  will  not  hurt 
you." 

Her  light  kaftan  had  glided  down  from  her 
•bosom ;  he  restored  it  to  its  place  and,  awe-struck, 
he  continued  gazing  at  the  features  of  the  lovely 
corpse. 

After  a  few  moments  the  girl  opened  her  lips  and 
sighed  heavily,  and  presently  her  large  black  eyes 
also  opened  once  more,  her  lips  resumed  their  former 
deep-red  hue,  her  eyes  their  enchanting  radiance, 
her  face  the  delicate  freshness  of  a  white  rose,  once 
more  her  bosom  began  to  rise  and  fall. 

She  arose  from  tlic  carpet  on  which  Halil  had  laid 
her,  and  set  to  work  removing  and  re-arranging  the 
scattered   dishes   and   platters.      Only   after   a   few 


48  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

moments  had  elapsed  did  she  whisper  to  Hahl,  who 
could  not  restrain  his  aistonishment : 

"  And  now  you  know  why  the  Padishah  ordered 
me  to  be  sold  like  a  common  slave  in  the  bazaar. 
The  instant  a  man  embraces  me  I  become  as  dead, 
and  remain  so  until  he  lets  me.  go  again,  and  his  lips 
grow  cold  upon  mine  and  his  heart  abhors  me.  My 
name  is  not  Gül-Bejáze,  the  White  Rose,  but  Giil- 
Olü,  the  Dead  Rose." 


CHAPTER    III. 

SULTAN     ACHivIED. 

The  sun  is  shining  through  the  windows  of  the 
SeragHo,  the  two  Ulemas  who  are  wont  to  come  and 
pray  with  the  Sultan  have  withdrawn,  and  the  Kapu- 
Agasi,  or  chief  doorkeeper,  and  the  Anakhtar  Oglan, 
or  chief  key-keeper,  hasten  to  open  the  doors  through 
which  the  Padishah  generally  goes  to  his  dressing- 
room,  where  already  await  him  the  most  eminent 
personages  of  the  Court,  to  wit,  the  Khas-Oda-Bashi, 
or  Master  of  the  Robes,  the  Chobodar  who  hands  the 
Sultan  his  first  garment,  the  Dülbendar  who  ties  the 
shawl  round  his  body,  the  Berber-Bashi  who  shaves 
his  head,  the  Ibrikdar  Aga  who  washes  his  hands,  the 
Peshkiriji  Bashi  who  dries  them  again,  the  Scrbedji- 
Bashi  who  has  a  pleasant  potion  ready  for  him,  and 
the  Temakdji  who  carefully  pares  his  nails.  All  these 
grandees  do  obeisance  to  the  very  earth  as  they  catch 
sight  of  the  face  of  the  Padishah  making  his  way 
through  innumerable  richly  carved  doors  on  his  way 
to  his  dressing-chamber. 

This  robing-room  is  a  simple,  hexagonal  room,  with 


5ö  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

lofty,  gold-entrellised  window ;  its  whole  beauty 
consists  in  this,  that  the  walls  are  inlaid  with 
amethysts,  from  whose  jacinth-hued  background 
shine  forth  the  more  lustrous  raised  arabesques 
formed  by  topazes  and  dalmatines.  Precious  stones 
are  the  delight  of  the  Padishah.  Every  inch  of  his 
garments  is  resplendent  with  diamonds,  rubies,  and 
peads,  his  very  fingers  are  hidden  by  the  rings  which 
sparkle  upon  them.  Pomp  is  the  very  breath  of  his 
life.  And  his  countenance  well  becomes  this  splen- 
dour. It  is  a  mild,  gentle,  radiant  face,  like  the  face 
of  a  father  when  he  moves  softly  among  'his  loving 
children.  His  large,  melancholy  eyes  rest  kindly  on 
the  face  of  everyone  he  beholds ;  his  smooth,  delicate 
forehead  is  quite  free  from  wrinkles.  It  would  seem 
as  if  it  could  never  form  into  folds,  as  if  its  possessor 
could  never  be  angry ;  there  is  not  a  single  grey  hair 
in  his  well-kept,  long  black  beard ;  it  would  seem  as 
if  he  knew  not  the  name  of  grief,  as  if  he  were  the 
very  Son  of  Happiness. 

And  so  indeed  he  was.  For  seven-and-twenty 
years  he  had  sat  upon  the  throne.  It  is  possible  that 
during  these  seven-and-twenty  years  many  changes 
may  have  taken  place  in  the  realm  which  could  by  no 
means  call  for  rejoicing,  but  Allaih  had  'blessed  him 
with  such  a  happy  disposition  as  to  make  him  quite 
indifferent  to  these  unfortunate  events,  in  fact,  he  did 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  5^ 

not  trouble  his  head  about  them  at  all.  Like  the 
true  philosopher  he  was,  he  continued  to  rejoice  in 
whatsoever  was  joyous.  He  loved  beautiful  flowers 
and  beautiful  women — and  he  had  enough  of  both 
and  to  spare.  His  gcirdens  were  more  splendid  than 
the  gardens  of  Soliman  the  Magnificent,  and  that  his 
Seraglio  was  no  joyless  abode  was  demonstrated  by 
the  fact  that  so  far  he  was  the  happy  father  of  one- 
and-thirty  children. 

He  must  have  had  exceptionally  pleasant  dreams 
last  night,  or  his  favourite  Sulltana,  the  incomparably 
lovely  Adsalis,  must  have  entertained  him  with  un- 
usually pleasant  stories,  or  perchance  a  new  tulip  must 
have  blossomed  during  the  night,  for  he  extended 
his  hand  to  everyone  to  kiss,  and  when  the  Berber- 
Bashi  proceeded  comfortably  to  adjust  the  cushions 
beneath  him,  the  Sultan  jocosely  tapped  the  red 
swelling  cheeks  of  his  faithful  servant — cheeks  which 
the  worthy  Bashi  had  taken  good  care  of  even  in 
the  days  when  he  was  only  a  barber's  apprentice  in 
the  town  of  Zara,  but  which  had  swelled  to  a  size 
worthy  even  of  the  rank  of  a  Berber-Bashi,  since  his 
lot  had  fallen  in  pleasant  places. 

"  Allah  watch  over  thee,  and  grant  that  thy  mouth 
may  never  complain  against  thy  hand,  worthy  Berber- 
Bashi.     What  is  the  latest  news  from  the  town  ?  " 

It  would  appear  from   this   that  the   barbers   in 


52  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Stambul  also,  even  when  they  rise  to  the  dignity  of 
Berber-Bash  is,  are  expected  to  follow  the  course  of 
public  -events  with  the  utmost  attention,  in  order  to 
communicate  the  most  interesting  details  thereof  to 
others,  and  thus  relieve  the  tedium  invariably  atten- 
dant upon  shaving. 

"  Most  mighty  and  most  gracious  One,  if  thou 
deignest  to  listen  to  the  worthless  words  which  drop 
from  the  mouth  of  thine  unprofitable  servant  with 
those  ears  of  thine  created  but  to  receive  messages 
from  Heaven,  I  will  relate  to  thee  what  has  happened 
most  recently  in  Stambul." 

The  Sultan  continued  to  play  with  his  ring,  which 
he  had  taken  off  one  linger  to  slip  on  to  another. 

"  Thou  hast  laid  the  command  upon  me,  most 
puissant  and  most  gracious  Padishah,"  continued  the 
Berber-Bashi,  unwinding  the  pearl-embroidered  kaiik 
from  the  head  of  the  Sultan — "thou  hast  laid  the 
command  upon  me  to  discover  and  acquaint  thee 
with  what  further  befell  Gül-Bejáze  after  she  had 
been  cast  forth  from  thy  harem.  From  morn  to  eve, 
and  again  (from  eve  to  morning,  I  have  been  search- 
ing from  house  to  house,  making  inquiries,  listening 
with  all  my  ears,  mingling  among  the  chapmen  of 
the  bazaars  disguised  as  one  of  themselves,  inducing 
them  to  speak,  and  ferreting  about  generally,  till,  at 
last,  I  have  got  to  tlhe  bottom  of  the  matter.     For 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  53 

a  long  time  nobody  dared  to  buy  the  girl;  it  is 
indeed  but  meet  that  none  should  dare  to  pick  up 
what  the  mightiest  monarch  of  the  earth  has  thrown 
away  ;  it  is  but  meet  that  the  spot  where  he  has  cast 
out  the  ashes  from  his  pipe  should  be  avoided  by  all 
men,  and  that  nobody  should  venture  to  put  the  sole 
of  his  foot  there.  Yet,  nevertheless,  in  the  bazaar, 
oine  madly  presumptuous  man  was  found  who  was 
lured  to  his  destruction  at  the  sight  of  the  girl's 
beauty,  and  received  her  for  five  thousand  piastres 
from  tliie  hand  of  the  public  crier.  Tlhese  five  thou- 
sand piastres  were  all  the  money  he  had,  and  he  got 
them,  in  most  wondrous  wise,  from  a  foreign  butcher 
whom  he  had  welcomed  to  his  house  as  a  guest." 

"What  is  the  name  of  this  man?" 

"  Halil  Patrona." 

"  And  what  happened  after  that?  '* 

"  The  man  took  the  girl  home,  whose  beauty,  of 
a  truth,  was  likely  to  turn  the  head  of  anybody.  He 
knew  not  what  had  happened  to  her  at  the  Seraglio, 
in  the  kiosks  of  the  Kiaja  Beg  and  the  Grand 
Vizier,  Ibrahim  Damad,  and  in  the  harem  of  the 
White  Prince.  For,  verily,  it  is  a  joy  to  even  be- 
hold the  maiden,  and  it  would  be  an  easy  matter  to 
lose  one's  wits  because  of  her,  especially  if  one  did 
not  know  that  this  fair  blossom  may  be  gazed  at  but 
not  plucked,  that  this  beautiful  form  which  puts  even 


54  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  houris  of  Paradise  to  shame,  suddenly  becomes 
stiff  and  dead  at  the  contact  of  aj  man's  hand,  and 
that  neither  the  warmth  of  the  sun-Hke  face  of  the 
Padishah,  nor  the  fury  of  the  Grand  Vizier,  nor  the 
thongs  of  the  scourge  of  the  Sultana  Asseki,  nor  the 
supphcations  of  the  White  Prince,  can  awaken  her 
from  her  death-like  swoon." 

"And  didst  thou  discover  what  happened  to  the 
girl  after  that?" 

"  Blessed  be  every  word  concerning  me  which 
issues  from  thy  lips  oh,  mighty  Padishah!  Yes,  I 
went  after  the  girl.  The  worthy  shopkeeper  took 
the  maiden  home  with  him.  It  rejoiced  him  that 
he  could  give  to  her  everything  that  was  there.  He 
made  her  sit  down  beside  him.  He  supped  in  her 
company.  Then  he  would  have  embraced  her.  So 
he  drew  her  to  his  bosom,  and  immediately  the  girl 
collapsed  in  his  arms  like  a  dead  thing,  as  she  is 
always  wont  to  do  whenever  a  man  touches  her,  at 
the  same  time  uttering  certain  magical  talismanic 
words  of  evil  portent,  from  which  may  the  Prophet 
guard  every  true  believer !  For  she  spoke  the  name 
of  that  holy  woman  whose  counterfeit  presentment 
the  Giaours  carry  upon  their  banners,  and  whose 
namie  they  pronounce  when  they  go  forth  to  war 
against  the  true  believers." 

"  Was  he  who  took  her  away  v/rath  thereat?  '* 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  55 

"Nay,  on  the  contrary,  he  seemed  well  satisfied 
that  it  should  be  so,  and  ever  since  then  he  has  left 
the  girl  in  peace.  He  regards  her  as  a  peri,  as  one 
who  is  not  in  her  right  mind,  and  therefore  should 
be  dealt  gently  with.  She  is  free  to  go  about  the 
house  as  she  likes.  Halil  will  never  permit  her  to  do 
any  rough  work,  nay,  rather,  will  he  do  everything 
himself,  with  his  own  hands,  so  that  all  his  acquain- 
tances already  begin  to  speak  of  him  as  a  portent, 
and  his  patience  has  become  a  proverb  in  their 
mouths.  Halil  they  say  took  unto  himself  a  slave- 
woman,  and  lo!  he  has  himself  become  that  slave- 
woman's  slave." 

"  Of  a  truth  it  is  a  remarkable  case,"  observed  the 
Padishah ;  "  try  and  find  out  what  turn  the  affair 
takes  next.  And  the  Teskeredji  Bashi  shall  record 
everything  that  thou  sayest  for  an  eternal  remem- 
brance." 

During  this  speech  the  Berber-Bashi  had  artistic- 
ally completed  the  ofhcial  dressing  of  the  Padishah's 
head,  whereupon  the  Ibrikdar  Aga  came  forward  to 
wash  his  hands,  the  Peshkiriji  Bashi  carefully  dried 
them  with  a  towel,  the  Ternakdji  Bashi  pared  his 
nails,  the  Diilbendar  placed  the  pearl-embroidered 
kauk  on  the  top  of  his  head,  and  adjusted  the  long 
eastern  shawl  round  his  waist,  the  Chobodar  handed 
him  his  upper  jacket^  the  bmis  heavy  with  turquoise, 


S6  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  Silihdar  buckled  on  his  tasselled  sword,  and  then 
everyone,  after  performing  the  usual  salaams  with- 
drew, except  the  Khas-Oda-Bashi  ^nd  the  Kapu- 
Agasi,  who  remained  alone  with  their  master. 

The  Khas-Oda-Bashi  announced  that  the  two 
humblest  of  the  Sultan's  servants,  Abdullah,  the  Chief 
Mufti,  and  Damad  Ibrahim,  the  Grand  Vizier,  were 
waiting  on  their  knees  for  an  audience  in  the 
vestibule  of  the  Seraglio.  They  desired,  he  said,  to 
communicate  important  news  touching  the  safety  and 
honour  of  the  Empire. 

The  Sultan  had  not  yet  given  an  answ^er  when, 
through  the  door  leading  from  the  harem,  popped 
the  Kizlar-Aga,  the  chief  eunuch,  a  respectable,  black- 
visaged  gentleman  with  split  lips,  who  had  the  melan- 
choly privilege  of  passing  in  and  out  of  the  Sultan's 
harem  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  and  finding 
no  pleasure  therein. 

"  Kizlar-Aga,  my  faithful  servant !  what  dost  thou 
want  ?  "  inquired  Achmed  going  to  meet  him,  and 
raising  him  from  the  ground  whereon  he  had  thrown 
himself. 

"  Most  gracious  Padishah !  "  cried  the  Kizlar-Aga, 
"  the  flower  cannot  go  on  living  without  the  sun,  and 
the  most  lovely  of  flowers,  that  most  fragrant  blossom, 
the  Sultana  Asseki,  longs  to  bask  in  the  hght  of  thy 
countenance" 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  57 

At  these  words  the  features  of  Ach'mcd  grew  still 
more  gentle,  still  more  radiant  with  smiles.  He 
signified  to  the  Khas-Oda-Bashi  and  the  Kapu-Agasi 
that  they  should  withdraw  into  another  room,  while 
he  dispatched  the  Kizlar-Aga  to  bring  in  the  Sultana 
Asseki. 

Adsalis,  for  so  they  called  her,  was  a  splendid 
damsel  of  Damascus.  She  had  been  lavishly  en- 
dowed with  every  natural  charm.  Her  skin  was 
whiter  than  ivory  and  smoother  than  velvet.  Com- 
pared with  her  dark  locks  the  blackest  night  was  but 
a  pale  shadow,  and  the  hue  of  her  full  smiling  face  put 
to  shame  the  breaking  dawn  and  the  budding  rose. 
When  she  gazed  upon  Achmed  with  those  eyes  of 
hers  in  which  a  whole  rapturous  world  of  paradisaical 
joys  glowed  and  burned,  the  Padishah  felt  his  whole 
heart  smitten  with  sweet  lightnings,  and  when  her 
voluptuously  enchanting  lips  expressed  a  wish,  iwho 
was  there  in  the  wide  world  who  would  have  the 
courage  to  gainsay  them?  Certainly  not  Achmed! 
Ah,  no!  "Ask  of  me  the  half  of  my  realm!  " — that 
was  the  tiniest  of  the  flattering  assurances  which  he 
was  wont  to  heap  upon  her.  If  he  were  but  able  to 
embrace  her,  if  he  were  but  able  to  look  into  her 
burning  eyes,  if  he  were  but  able  to  see  her  smile 
again  and  again,  then  he  utterly  forgot  Stambul, 
his    capital,    the    host,    the    war,    and    the    foreign 


58  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR 

ambassadors — and  praised  the  Prophet  for  such 
blessedness. 

The  favourite  Sultana  approached  Achmed  with 
that  enchanting  smile  which  was  eternally  irresistible 
so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  and  never  permitted  an 
answer  approaching  a  refusal  to  even  apipear  on  the 
lips  of  the  Sultan, 

What  pressing  request  could  it  be?  Why  it  was 
only  at  dawn  of  this  very  day  that  the  Padishah  had 
quitted  her!  What  vision  of  rapture  could  she  have 
seen  since  then  whose  realisation  she  had  set  her 
heart  upon  obtaining? 

The  Sultan,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  conducted  her 
to  his  purple  ottoman,  and  permitted  her  to  sit  down 
at  his  feet;  the  Sultana  folded  her  hands  on  the 
knees  of  the  Padishah,  and  raising  her  eyes  to  his 
face  thus  addressed  him : 

"  I  come  from  thy  daughter,  little  Eminah,  she  has 
sent  me  to  thee  that  I  may  kiss  thy  feet  instead  of 
her.  As  often  as  I  see  thee,  majestic  Khan,  it  is  as 
though  I  see  her  face,  and  as  often  as  I  behold  her 
it  is  thy  face  that  stands  before  me.  She  resembles 
thee  as  a  twinkling  star  resembles  a  radiant  sun. 
Three  years  of  her  life  has  she  accomplished,  she  has 
now  entered  upon  her  fourth  summer,  and  still  no 
husband  has  been  destined  for  her.  This  very  morn- 
ing when  thou  hadst  turned  thy  face  away  from  me 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  59 

I  saw  a  vision.  And  this  was  the  vision  I  saw.  Thy 
three  children,  Aisha,  Hadishra,  and  Eminah,  were 
sitting  in  the  open  piazza,  beneath  splendid,  sparkHng 
pavilions.  There  were  three  pavilions  standing  side 
by  side :  the  first  was  white,  the  second  violet,  and 
the  third  of  a  vivid  green.  In  these  three  pavilions, 
I  say,  the  princesses,  thy  daughters,  were  sitting, 
clothed  in  kapanijaks  of  cloth  of  silver,  with  round 
selmiks  on  their  heads,  and  embellished  with  the 
seven  lucky  circles  which  bring  the  blessings  of  pros- 
perity to  womenkind.  Thou  knowest  what  these 
circles  are,  oh  Padishah!  They  are  the  ishtifan  or 
diadem,  the  necklace,  the  ear-ring,  the  fmger-ring, 
the  girdle,  the  bracelet,  and  the  mantle-ring-clasp — 
the  seven  gifts  of  felicity,  oh  Padishah,  that  the  bride- 
groom giveth  to  the  bride.  Beside  these  pavilions, 
moreover,  were  a  countless  multitude  of  other  tents 
— of  three  different  hues  of  blue  and  three  different 
hues  of  green — and  in  these  tents  abode  a  great 
multitude  of  Emir  Defterdars,  Reis-Effendis,  Mude- 
rises,  and  Sheiks.  And  in  front  of  the  Seraglio  were 
set  up  three  lofty  palm-trees,  which  elephants  drew 
about  on  great  wheeled  cars,  and  there  were  three 
gardens  there,  the  flowers  whereof  were  made  of 
sugar,  and  then  the  chiefs  of  the  viziers  arose  and 
the  celebration  of  the  festival  began.  After  the  usual 
kissing  of  hands,  the  nuptials  were  proceeded  with, 


6o  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  Kiaja  representing  the  bridegroom  and  the 
Kizlar-Aga  the  bride,  and  everyone  received  a  present. 
Then  came  the  bridal  retinue  with  the  bridal  gifts, 
a  hundred  camels  laden  with  flowers  and  fruits,  and 
an  elephant  bearing  gold  and  precious  stones  and 
veils  meet  for  the  land  of  the  peris.  Two  eunuchs 
brought  mirrors  inlaid  with  emeralds,  and  the  7niri 
achorok  held  the  reins  of  splendidly  caparisoned 
chargers.  After  them  came  the  attendants  of  the 
Grand  Vizier,  and  delighted  the  astonished  eyes  of 
the  spectators  with  a  display  of  slinging.  Then 
came  the  wine-carriers  with  their  wine-skins,  and  in 
a  pavilion  set  up  for  the  purpose  wooden  men  sported 
with  a  living  centaur.  There  also  were  the  Egyptian 
sword  and  hoop  dancers,  the  Indian  jugglers  and 
serpent  charmers,  after  whom  came  the  Chief  Mufti, 
who  read  aloud  a  verse  from  the  Koran  in  the  light 
of  thy  countenance,  and  gave  also  the  interpretation 
thereof  in  words  fair  to  listen  to.  Then  followed 
fit  and  capable  men  from  the  arsenal,  dragging  along 
on  rollers  huge  galleys  in  full  sail,  and  after  them 
the  topijis,  dragging  after  them,  likewise  on  rollers, 
a  fortress  crammed  full  of  cannons,  which  also  they 
fired  again  and  again  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
multitude.  Thereupon  began  the  dancing  of  the 
Egyptian  opium-eaters,  which  was  indeed  most  mar- 
vellous, and  after  tliem  there  was  a  show  of  bears 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  61 

and  apes,  which  sported  right  merrily  together. 
Close  upon  these  came  the  procession  of  the  Guilds 
aind  the  junketing  of  the  Janissaries,  and  last  of  all 
the  Feast  of  Palms,  which  palms  were  carried  to  the 
very  gates  of  the  Seraglio,  along  with  the  sugar 
gardens  I  have  already  spoken  of.  Then  there  was 
the  Feast  of  Lamps,  in  which  ten  thousand  shining 
lamps  gleamed  among  twenty  thousand  blossoming 
tulips,  so  that  one  might  well  have  believed  that  the 
lamps  were  blossoming  and  the  tulips  were  shining. 
And  all  the  while  the  cannons  of  the  Anatoli  Hisar 
and  the  Rumili  Hisar  were  thundering,  and  the 
Bosphorus  seemed  to  be  turned  into  a  sea  of  fire  by 
reason  of  the  illuminated  ships  and  the  sparkling  fire- 
works. Such  then  was  the  dream  of  the  humblest 
of  thy  slaves  at  dawn  of  the  12th  day  of  the  month 
Dzhemakir,  which  day  is  a  day  of  good  omen  to  the 
sons  of  Osman." 

It  might  have  been  thought  a  tiresome  matter  to 
listen  to  such  long,  drawn-out  visions  as  this  to  the 
very  end,  but  Achmed  was  a  good  hstener,  and, 
besides,  he  delighted  in  such  things.  Nothing  made 
him  so  happy  as  great  festivals,  and  the  surest  way 
of  gaining  his  good  graces  was  by  devising  some  new 
pageant  of  splendour,  excellence,  and  originality  un- 
known to  his  predecessors.  Adsalis  had  won  his 
favour  by  inventing  the  Feast  of  Lamps  and  Tulips, 


62  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

which  was  renewed  every  year.  This  Feast  of  Palms, 
moreover,  was  another  new  idea,  and  so  also  was  the 
idea  of  the  sugar  garden.  So  Achmed,  in  a  trans- 
port of  enthusiasm,  pressed  the  favourite  Sultana  to 
his  bosom,  and  swore  solemnly  that  her  dream  should 
be  fulfilled,  and  then  sent  her  back  into  the  harem 

And  now  the  Kizlar-Aga  admitted  the  two  digni- 
taries who  had  been  waiting  outside.  The  Chief 
Mufti  entered  first,  and  after  him  came  the  Grand 
Vizier,  Damad  Ibrahim.  Both  of  them  had  long, 
flowing,  snow-white  beards  and  grave  venerable  faces. 

They  bowed  low  before  the  Sultan,  kissed  the  hem 
of  his  garment,  and  lay  prostrate  before  him  till  he 
raised  them  up  again. 

"  What  brings  you  to  the  Seraglio,  my  worthy 
counsellors?"  inquired  the  Sultan. 

As  was  meet  and  right,  the  Chief  Mufti  was  the 
first  to  speak. 

"  Most  gracious,  most  puissant  master !  Be  merci- 
ful towards  us  if  with  our  words  we  disturb  the  tran- 
quil joys  of  thy  existence!  For  though  slumber  is 
a  blessing,  wary  wakefulness  is  better  than  slumber, 
and  he  who  will  not  recognise  the  coming  of  danger 
is  like  unto  him  who  would  rob  his  own  house.  It 
will  be  known  unto  thee,  most  glorious  Padishah, 
that  a  few  years  ago  it  pleased  Allah,  in  his  in- 
scrutable wisdom,  to  permit  the  Persian  rebel,  Esref, 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  63 

to  drive  his  lawful  sovereign,  Tamasip,  from  his 
capital.  The  prince  became  a  fugitive,  and  the 
mother  of  the  prince,  dressed  in  rags,  was  reduced 
to  the  wretched  expedient  of  doing  menial  service  in 
the  streets  of  Ispahan  for  a  livehhood.  The  glory 
of  the  Ottoman  arms  could  not  permit  that  a  usurper 
should  sit  at  his  ease  on  the  stolen  throne,  and  thy 
triumphant  host,  led  by  the  Vizier  Ibrahim  and  the 
virtuous  Kiiprili,  the  descendant  of  the  illustrious 
Nuuman  Kiiprih*,  wrested  Kermandzasahan  from  Persia 
and  incorporated  it  with  thy  dominions.  And  then 
it  pleased  the  Prophet  to  permit  marvellous  things 
to  happen.  Suddenly  Shah  Tamasip,  whom  all  men 
believed  to  be  ruined — suddenly,  I  say.  Shah  Tamasip 
reappeared  at  the  head  of  a  handful  of  heroes  and 
utterly  routed  the  bloody  Esref  Khan  in  three  pitched 
battles  at  Damaghan,  Derechar,  and  Ispahan,  put  him 
to  flight,  and  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  of  the  victor 
trod  the  rebel  underfoot.  And  now  the  restored 
sovereign  demands  back  from  the  Ottoman  Empire 
the  domains  which  had  been  occuipied.  His  Grand 
Vizier,  Sahkuli  Khan,  is  advancing  with  a  large  army 
against  the  son  of  Kiiprili,  and  the  darkness  of  defeat 
threatens  to  obscure  the  sun-like  radiance  of  the 
Ottoman  arms.  Most  puissant  Padishah!  suffer  not 
the  tooth  of  disaster  to  gnaw  away  at  thy  glory! 
The    Grand    Vizier    and    I    have    already    gathered 


64  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

together  thy  host  on  the  shores  of  the  Bosphorus. 
They  are  ready,  at  a  moment's  notice,  to  embark  in 
the  ships  prepared  for  them.  Money  and  provisions 
in  abundance  have  been  sent  to  the  frontier  for  the 
gallant  Nuuman  Kliprili  on  the  backs  of  fifteen 
hundred  camels.  It  needs  but  a  word  from  thee  and 
thine  empire  will  become  an  armed  hand,  one  buffet 
whereof  will  overthrow  another  empire.  It  needs  but 
a  wink  of  thine  eye  and  a  host  of  warriors  will  spring 
from  the  earth,  just  as  if  all  the  Ottoman  heroes,  who 
died  for  their  country  four  centuries  ago,  were  to  rise 
from  their  graves  to  defend  the  banner  of  the 
Prophet.  But  that  same  banner  thou  shouldst  seize 
and  bear  in  thine  own  hand,  most  glorious  Padishah ! 
for  only  thy  presence  can  give  victory  to  our  arms. 
Arise,  then,  and  gird  upon  thy  thigh  the  sword  of 
thy  illustrious  ancestor  Muhammad !  Descend  in  the 
midst  of  thy  host  which  yearns  for  the  light  of  thy 
countenance,  as  the  eyes  of  the  sleepless  yearn  for  the 
sun  to  rise,  and  put  an  end  to  the  long  night  of 
waiting." 

Achmed's  gentle  gaze  rested  upon  the  speaker 
abstractedly.  It  seemed  as  if,  while  the  Chief  Mufti 
was  speaking,  he  had  not  heard  a  single  word  of  the 
passionate  discourse  that  had  been  addressed  to  him. 

"  My  faithful  servants !  "  said  he,  smiling  pleasantly, 
*'  this  day  is  to  me  a  day  of  fehcity*     The  Sultana 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  65 

Asseki  at  dawn  to-day  saw  a  vision  worthy  of  'being 
realised.  A  dazzling  festival  was  being  celebrated  in 
the  streets  of  Stambul,  and  the  whole  city  shone  in 
the  illumination  thereof.  The  gardens  of  the  pus- 
pang-trees  and  the  courtyards  of  the  kiosks  around 
the  Sweet  Waters  were  bright  with  the  radiance  of 
lamps  and  tulips.  Waving  palm-trees  and  gardens 
full  of  sugar-flowers  traversed  the  streets,  and  galleys 
and  fortresses  perambulated  the  piazzas  on  wheels. 
That  dream  was  too  lovely  to  remain  a  dream.  It 
must  be  made  a  reality." 

The  Chief  Mufti  folded  his  hands  across  his  breast 
and  bent  low  before  the  Padishah. 

"  Allah  Akbar!  Allah  Kerim!  God  is  mighty.  Be 
it  even  as  thou  dost  command !  May  the  sun  rise  in 
the  west  if  it  be  thy  will,  oh  Padishah !  "  And  the 
Chief  Mufti  drew  aside  and  was  silent. 

But  the  aged  Grand  Vizier,  Damad  Ibrahim,  came 
forward,  and  drying  his  tearful  eyes  with  the  corner 
of  his  kaftan,  stood  sorrowfully  in  front  of  the 
Padishah.     And  these  were  his  words : 

"  Oh !  my  master !  Allah  hath  appointed  certain 
days  for  rejoicing,  and  certain  other  days  for  mourn- 
ing, and  'tis  not  well  to  confuse  the  one  with  the 
other.  Just  now  there  is  no  occasion  for  rejoicing, 
but  all  the  more  occasion  for  mourning.  Woeful 
tidings,   like    dark    clouds   presaging    a    storm,    are 

E 


66  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

coming  in  from  every  corner  of  the  Empire — con- 
flagrations, pestilences,  earthquakes,  inundations, 
hurricanes — alarm  and  agitate  the  people.  Only  this 
very  week  the  fairest  part  of  Stambul,  close  to  the 
Chojabasha,  was  burnt  to  the  ground ;  and  only  a 
few  weeks  ago  the  same  faite  befell  the  suburb  of 
Ejul  along  the  whole  length  of  the  sea-front,  and 
that,  too,  at  the  very  time  when  the  other  part  of  the 
city  was  illuminated  in  honour  of  the  birthday  of 
Prince  Murad.  In  Gallipoh  a  thunder-bolt  struck  the 
powder-magazine,  and  five  hundred  workmen  were 
blown  into  the  air.  The  Kiagadehane  brook,  in  a 
single  night,  swelled  to  such  an  extent  as  to  inundate 
the  whole  valley  of  Sweet  Waters,  and  a  whole  park 
of  artillery  was  swept  away  by  the  flood.  And  know 
also,  oh  Padishah,  that,  but  the  other  day,  a  new  island 
rose  up  from  the  sea  beside  the  island  of  San- 
torin,  and  this  new  island  has  grown  larger  and 
larger  during  three  successive  months,  and  all  the 
time  it  was  growing,  the  ground  beneath  Stambul 
quaked  and  trembled.  These  are  no  good  omens,  oh, 
my  master!  and  if  thou  wilt  lend  thine  ears  to  the 
counsel  of  thy  faithful  servant,  thou  wilt  proclaim  a 
day  of  penance  and  fasting  instead  of  a  feast-day, 
for  evil  days  are  coming  upon  Stambul.  The  voice 
of  the  enemy  can  be  heard  on  all  our  borders,  from 
the  banks  of  the  Danube  as  well  as  from  beside  the 


SULTAN  ACHMED.  67 

waters  of  the  Pruth,  from  among  the  mountains  of 
Erivan  as  well  as  from  beyond  the  islands  of  the 
Archipelago  ;  and  if  every  Mussulman  had  ten  hands 
and  every  one  of  the  ten  held  a  sword,  we  should 
still  have  enough  to  do  to  defend  thy  Empire.  Bear, 
oh  Padishah!  with  my  grey  hairs,  and  pardon  my 
temerity.  I  see  Stanibul  in  the  midst  of  flames  every 
time  it  is  illuminated  for  a  festival,  and  full  of  con- 
sternation, I  cry  to  thee  and  to  the  Prophet,  '  Send 
us  help  and  that  right  soon.' " 

Sultan  Achmed  continued  all  the  time  to  smile 
most  graciously. 

"  Worthy  Ibrahim !  "  said  he  at  last,  "  thou  hast  a 
son,  hast  thou  not,  whose  name  is  Osman,  and  who 
has  now  attained  his  fourth  year.  Now  I  have  a 
daughter,  Eminah,  who  has  just  reached  her  third 
year.  Lo  now !  as  my  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  gird  on 
the  Sword  of  the  Prophet,  I  will  not  take  in  my  hand 
the  Banner  of  Danger  until  I  have  given  these  young 
people  to  each  other  in  marriage.  Long  ago  they 
were  destined  for  each  other,  and  the  multiplication 
of  thy  merits  demands  the  speedy  consummation  of 
these  espousals.  I  have  sworn  to  the  Sultana  Asseki 
that  so  it  shall  be,  and  I  cannot  go  back  from  my  oath 
as  though  I  were  but  an  unbeheving  fire-worshipper, 
for  the  fire-worshippers  do  not  regard  the  sanctity  of 
an  oath,  and  when  they  take  an  oath  or  make  a 


68  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

promise  they  recite  the  words  thereof  backwards,  and 
believe  they  are  thereby  free  of  their  obligations. 
It  beseemeth  not  the  true  believers  to  do  likewise. 
I  have  promised  that  this  festival  shall  be  celebrated, 
and  it  is  my  desire  that  it  should  be  splendid." 

Ibrahim  sighed  deeply,  and  it  was  with  a  sad 
countenance  that  he  thanked  the  Padishah  for  this 
fresh  mark  of  favour.  Yet  the  betrothal  might  so 
easily  have  been  postponed,  for  the  bridegroom  was 
only  four  years  old  and  the  bride  was  but  three. 

"Allah  Kerim!  God  graut  that  thy  shadow  may 
never  grow  less,  most  mighty  Padishah !  "  said  Damad 
Ibrahim,  and  with  that  he  kissed  the  hand  of  the 
Grand  Seignior,  and  both  he  and  the  Chief  Mufti 
withdrew. 

At  the  gate  of  the  Seraglio  the  Chief  Mufti  said 
to  the  Grand  Vizier  sorrowfully : 

"It  had  been  better  for  us  both  had  we  never 
grown  grey !  " 

But  Sultan  Achmed,  accompanied  by  the  Bos- 
tanjik,  hastened  to  the  gardens  of  the  grove  of 
puspang-trees  to  look  at  his  tulips. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL. 

Worthy  Halil  Patrona  had  become  quite  a  by-word 
with  his  fellows.  The  name  he  now  went  by  in  the 
bazaars  was :  The  Slave  of  the  Slave-Girl.  This  did 
not  hurt  him  in  the  least;  on  the  contrary,  the 
result  was,  that  more  people  came  to  smoke  their 
chibooks  and  buy  tobacco  at  his  shop  than  ever. 
Everybody  was  desirous  of  making  the  acquaintance 
of  the  Mussulman  who  would  not  so  much  as  lay  a 
.  hand  upon  a  slave-girl  whom  he  had  bought  with 
his  own  money,  nay  more,  who  did  all  the  work  of 
the  house  instead  of  her,  just  as  if  she  had  bought 
him  instead  of  his  buying  her.  ••> 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Patrona  dwelt  Musli,  a 
veteran  Janissary,  who  filled  up  his  spare  time  by 
devoting  himself  to  the  art  of  slipper-stitching. 
This  man  often  beheld  Halil  prowling  about  on  the 
house-top  in  the  moon-lit  nights  where  Gül-Bejáze 
was  sleeping,  and  after  sitting  down  within  a  couple 
of  paces  of  her,  remain  there  in  a  brown  study  for 
hours  at  a  time,  often  till  midnight,  nay,  sometimes 


70  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

till  daybreak.  With  his  chin  resting  in  the  palm  of 
his  hand  there  he  would  stay,  gazing  intently  at  her 
charming  figure  and  her  pale  but  beautiful  face.  Fre- 
quently he  would  creep  closer  to  her,  creep  so  near 
that  his  lips  would  almost  touch  her  face  ;  but  then 
he  would  throw  back  his  head  again,  and  if  at  such 
times  the  slave-girl  half  awoke  from  her  slumbers,  he 
would  beckon  to  her  to  go  to  sleep  again — nobody 
should  disturb  her. 

Hahl  did  not  trouble  his  head  in  the  least  about 
all  this  gossip.  It  was  noticed,  indeed,  that  his  face 
was  somewhat  paler  than  it  used  to  be,  but  if  anyone 
ventured  to  jest  with  him  on  the  subject,  face  to  face, 
he  was  very  speedily  convinced  that  Halil's  arms,  at 
any  rate,  were  no  weaker  than  of  yore. 

One  day  he  was  sitting,  as  usual,  at  the  door  of 
his  booth,  paying  Httle  attention  to  the  people  coming 
and  going  around  him,  and  staring  abstractedly  with 
wide  and  wandering  eyes  into  space,  as  if  his  gaze 
was  fixed  upon  something  above  his  head,  when  some- 
body who  had  approached  him  so  softly  as  to  take 
him  quite  unawares,  very  affectionately  greeted  him 
with  the  words : 

"Well,  my  dear  Chorbadshi,  how  are  you?" 

Patrona  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  voice,  and 
saw  in  front  of  him  his  mysterious  guest  of  the  other 
day — the  Greek  Janal^i. 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  71 

"  Ah,  'tis  thou,  musafir !  I  searched  for  you  every- 
where for  two  whole  days  after  you  left  me,  for  I 
wanted  to  give  you  back  the  five  thousand  piastres 
which  you  were  fool  enough  to  make  me  a  present 
of.  It  was  just  as  well,  however,  that  I  did  not  find 
you,  and  I  have  long  ceased  looking  for  you,  for  I 
have  now  spent  all  the  money." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  Halil,  and  I  hope  the  money 
has  done  you  a  good  turn.  Are  you  willing  to 
receive  me  into  your  house  as  a  guest  once  more  ?  " 

"  With  pleasure !  But  you  must  first  of  all  promise 
me  two  things.  The  first  is,  that  you  will  not  contrive 
by  some  crafty  device  to  pay  me  something  for  what 
I  give  you  gratis ;  and  the  second  is,  that  you  will 
not  expect  to  stay  the  night  with  me,  but  will  wander 
across  the  street  and  pitch  your  tent  at  the  house  of 
my  worthy  neighbour  Musli,  who  is  also  a  bachelor, 
and  mends  slippers,  and  is  therefore  a  very  worthy 
and  respectable  man." 

"  And  why  may  I  not  sleep  at  your  house  ?  " 

"  Because  you  must  know  that  there  are  now  two 
of  us  in  the  house — I  and  my  slave-girl." 

"  That  will  not  matter  a  bit,  Halil.  I  will  sleep 
on  the  roof,  and  you  take  the  slave-girl  down  with 
you  into  the  house." 

"  It  cannot  be  so,  Janaki !  it  cannot  be." 

"Why  can  it  not  be?" 


72  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR, 

"  Because  I  would  rather  sleep  in  a  pit  into  which 
a  tiger  has  fallen,  I  would  rather  sleep  in  the  lair  of 
a  hippopotamus,  I  would  rather  sleep  in  a  canoe 
guarded  by  alligators  and  crocodiles,  I  would  rather 
spend  a  night  in  a  cellar  full  of  scorpions  and  scolo- 
pendras,  or  in  the  Tower  of  Surem,  which  is  haunted 
by  the  accursed  Jinns,  than  pass  a  single  night  in  the 
same  room  with  this  slave-girl." 

"Why;  what's  this,  Halil?  you  fill  me  with 
amazement.  Surely,  it  cannot  be  that  you  are  that 
Mussulman  of  whom  all  Pera  is  talking? — the  man  I 
mean  who  purchased  a  slave-girl  in  order  to  be  her 
slave?"  P, 

"It  is  as  you  say.  But  'twere  better  not  to  talk 
of  that  matter  at  all  Those  five  thousand  piastres 
of  yours  are  the  cause  of  it;  they  have  ruined  me 
out  and  out.  My  mind  is  going  backwards  I  think. 
When  people  come  to  my  shop  to  buy  wares  of  me, 
I  give  them  such  answers  to  their  questions  that  they 
laugh  at  me.  Let  us  change  the  subject,  let  us  rather 
talk  of  your  affairs.  Have  you  found  your  daughter 
yet?" 

It  was  now  Janaki's  turn  to  sigh. 

"I  have  sought  her  everywhere,  and  nowhere  can 
I  find  her." 

"  How  did  you  lose  her?  " 

*'  One  Saturday  she  went  with  some  companions  on 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  73 

a  pleasure  excursion  in  the  Sea  of  Marmora  in  a 
sailing-boat.  Their  music  and  dancing  attracted  a 
Turkish  pirate  to  the  spot,  and  in  the  midst  of  a 
peaceful  empire  he  stole  all  the  girls,  and  contrived 
to  dispose  of  them  so  secretly  that  I  have  never  been 
able  to  find  any  trace  of  them.  I  am  now  disposed 
to  believe  that  she  was  taken  to  the  Sultan's  Seraglio." 
"  You  will  never  get  her  out  of  there  then." 
Janaki  sighed  deeply. 

"You  think,  then,  that  I  shall  never  get  at  her  if 
she  is  there  ?  "  and  he  shook  his  head  sadly. 

**  Not  unless  the  Janissaries,  or  the  Debejis,  or  the 
Bostanjis  lay  their  heads  together  and  agree  to 
depose  the  Sultan." 

"  Who  would  even  dare  to  think  of  such  a  thing, 
Halil?'^ 

"I  would  ii'77iy  daughter  were  detained  in  the 
harem  against  her  will  and  against  mine  also.  But 
that  is  not  at  all  in  your  line,  Janaki.  You  have  never 
shed  any  blood  but  the  blood  of  sheep  and  oxen,  but 
let  me  tell  you  this,  Janaki :  if  I  were  as  rich  a  man 
as  you  are,  trust  me  for  finding  a  way  of  getting  my 
girl  out  of  the  very  Seraglio  itself.  Wealth  is  a 
mightier  force  than  valour." 

"  I  pray  you,  speak  not  so  loudly.  One  of  your 
neighbours  might  hear  you,  and  would  think  nothing 
of  felling  me  to  the  earth  to  get  my  money.     For  I 


74  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

carry  a  great  deal  of  money  about  with  me,  and  am 
always  afraid  of  being  robbed  of  it.  In  front  of  the 
bazaar  a  slave  is  awaiting  me  with  a  mule.  On  the 
back  of  that  mule  are  strung  two  jars  seemingly  filled 
with  dried  dates.  Let  me  tell  you  that  those  jars  are 
really  half-filled  with  gold  pieces,  the  dates  are  only 
at  the  top.  I  should  like  to  deposit  them  at  your 
house.  I  suppose  your  slave-girl  will  not  pry  too 
closely  ?  " 

"  You  can  safely  leave  them  with  me.  If  you  tell 
her  not  to  look  at  them  she  will  close  her  eyes  every 
time  she  passes  the  jars." 

Meanwhile  Patrona  had  closed  his  booth  and 
invited  his  guest  to  accompany  him  homewards.  On 
the  way  thither  he  looked  in  at  the  house  of  his 
neighbour,  the  well-mannered  Janissary,  who  mended 
slippers.  Musli  willingly  offered  HaliFs  guest  a 
night's  lodging.  In  return  Patrona  invited  him  to 
share  with  him  a  small  dish  of  well-seasoned  pilaf 
and  a  few  cups  of  a  certain  forbidden  fluid,  which 
invitation  the  worthy  Janissary  accepted  with 
alacrity. 

And  now  they  crossed  Halil's  threshold. 

Gül-Bejáze  was  standing  by  the  fire-place  getting 

ready  Halil's  supper  when  the  guests  entered,  and 

hearing  footsteps  turned  round  to  see  who  it  might  be. 

The  same  instant  the  Greek  wayfarer  uttered  a 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  75 

loud  cry,  and  pitching  his  long  hat  into  the  air, 
rushed  towards  the  slave-girl,  and  flinging  himself 
down  on  his  knees  before  her  fell  a-kissing,  again 
and  again,  her  hands  and  arms,  and  at  last  her  pale 
face  also,  while  the  girl  flung  herself  upon  his  shoulder 
and  embraced  the  fellow's  neck ;  and  then  the  pair 
of  them  began  to  weep,  and  the  words,  "  My 
daughter !  "  "  My  father !  "  could  be  heard  from  time 
to  time  amidst  their  sobs. 

Halil  could  only  gaze  at  them  open-mouthed. 
But  Janaki,  still  remaining  on  his  knees,  raised  his 
hands  to  Heaven,  and  gave  thanks  to  God  for  guiding 
his  footsteps  to  this  spot. 

"Allah  Akbar!  The  Lord  be  praised!"  said 
Patrona  in  his  turn,  and  he  drew  nearer  to  them. 
"  So  her  whom  you  have  so  long  sought  after  you 
And  in  my  house,  ch?  Allah  preordained  it.  And 
you  may  thank  God  for  it,  for  you  receive  her  back 
from  me  unharmed  by  me.  Take  her  away  there- 
fore !  " 

"  You  say  not  well,  Halil,"  cried  the  father,  his  face 
radiant  with  joy.  "  So  far  from  giving  her  back  to 
me  you  shall  keep  her ;  yes,  she  shall  remain  yours 
for  ever.  For  if  I  were  thrice  to  traverse  the  whole 
earth  and  go  in  a  different  direction  each  time,  I 
certainly  should  not  come  across  another  man  like 
you-     Tell  me,  therefore,  what  price  you  put  upon 


76  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

her  that  I  may  buy  her  back,  and  give  her  to  you  to 
wife  as  a  free  woman  ?  " 

Hahl  did  not  consider  very  long  what  price  he 
should  ask,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned  the  business 
was  settled  already.  He  cast  but  a  single  look  on 
Gül-Bejáze's  smiling  lips,  and  asked  for  a  kiss  from 
them — that  was  the  only  price  he  demanded. 

Janaki  seized  his  daughter's  hand  and  placed  it 
in  the  hand  of  Halil. 

And  now  Halil  held  the  warm,  smooth  little  hand 
in  his  own  big  paw,  he  felt  its  reassuring  pressure, 
he  saw  the  girl  smile,  he  saw  her  lips  open  to  return 
his  kiss,  and  still  he  did  not  believe  his  eyes — still 
he  shuddered  at  the  reflection  that  when  his  lips 
should  touch  hers,  the  girl  would  suddenly  die  away, 
become  pale  and  cold.  Only  when  his  lips  at  last 
came  into  contact  with  her  burning  lips  and  her 
bosom  throbbed  against  his  bosom,  and  he  felt  his 
kiss  returned  and  the  warm  pulsation  of  her  heart, 
then  only  did  he  really  believe  in  his  own  happiness, 
and  held  her  for  a  long — oh,  so  long! — time  to  his 
own  breast,  and  pressed  his  lips  to  her  lips  over  and 
over  again,  and  was  happier — happier  by  far — than 
the  dwellers  in  Paradise. 

And  after  that  they  made  the  girl  sit  down  between 
them,  with  her  father  on  one  side  and  her  husband 
on  the  other,  and  they  took  her  hands  and  caressed 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  77 

and  fondled  her  to  her  heart's  content.  The  poor 
maid  was  quite  beside  herself  with  delight.  She  kept 
receiving  kisses  and  caresses,  first  on  the  right  hand 
and  then  on  the  left,  and  her  face  was  pale  no  longer, 
but  of  a  burning  red  hke  the  transfigured  rose  where- 
on a  drop  of  the  blood  of  great  Aphrodite  fell.  And 
she  promised  her  father  and  her  husband  that  she 
would  tell  them  such  a  lot  of  things — things  wondrous, 
unheard  of,  of  which  they  had  not  and  never  could 
have  the  remotest  ideaj.  .--Vs 

And  through  the  thin  iron  shutters  which  covered 
the  window  the  Berber-Bashi  curiously  observed  the 
touching  scene ! 

They  were  still  in  the  midst  of  their  intoxication 
of  delight  when  the  frequently  before-mentioned 
neighbour  of  Halil,  worthy  Musli,  thrust  his  head 
inside  the  door,  and  witnessing  the  scene  would 
discreetly  have  withdrawn  his  perplexed  countenance. 
But  Halil,  who  had  already  caught  sight  of  him, 
bawled  him  a  vociferous  welcome. 

"  Nay,  come  along !  come  along !  my  worthy  neigh- 
bour, don't  stand  on  any  ceremony  with  us,  you  can 
see  for  yourself  how  merry  we  are !  " 

The  worthy  neighbour  thereupon  gingerly  entered, 
on  the  tips  of  his  toes,  with  his  hands  fumbling 
nervously  about  in  the  breast  of  his  kaftan  ;  for  the 
poor  fellow's  hands  were  resinous  to  a  degree.    Wash 


73  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

and  scrub  them  as  he  might,  the  resin  would  persist 
in  cleaving  to  them.  His  awl,  too,  was  still  sticking 
in  the  folds  of  his  turban — sticking  forth  aloft  right 
gallantly  like  some  heron's  plume.  Naturally  he 
whose  business  it  was  to  mend  other  men's  shoes 
went  about  in  slippers  that  were  mere  bundles  of 
rags — that  is  always  the  way  with  cobblers! 

When  he  saw  Gül-Bejáze  on  Halil's  lap,  and 
Halil's  face  beaming  all  over  with  joy,  he  smote  his 
hands  together  and  fell  a-wondering. 

"  There  must  be  some  great  changes  going  on 
here !  "  thought  he. 

But  Halil  compelled  him  to  sit  down  beside  them, 
and  after  kissing  Gül-Bejáze  again — apparently  he 
could  not  kiss  the  girl  enough — he  cried: 

"  Look !  my  dear  neighbour !  she  is  now  my  wife, 
and  henceforth  she  will  love  me  as  her  husband, 
and  I  shall  no  longer  be  the  slave  of  my  slave.  And 
this  worthy  man  here  is  my  wife's  father.  Greet 
them,  therefore,  and  then  be  content  to  eat  and  drink 
with  us!" 

Then  Musli  approached  Janaki  and  saluted  him  on 
the  shoulder,  then,  turning  towards  Gül-Bejáze,  he 
touched  with  his  hand  first  the  earth  and  next  his 
forehead,  sat  down  beside  Janaki  on  the  cushions  that 
had  been  drawn  into  the  middle  of  the  room,  and 
made  merry  with  them. 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  79 

And  now  Janaki  sent  the  slave  he  had  brought 
with  him  to  the  pastry-cook's  while  Musli  skipped 
homewards  and  brought  with  him  a  tambourine  of 
chased  silver,  which  he  could  beat  right  cunningly  and 
also  accompany  it  with  a  voice  not  without  feeling; 
and  thus  Halil's  bridal  evening  flowed  pleasantly  away 
with  an  accompaniment  of  wine  and  music  and  kisses. 

And  all  this  time  the  worthy  Berber-Bashi  was 
looking  on  at  this  junketing  through  the  trellised 
window,  and  could  scarce  restrain  himself  from  giving 
expression  to  his  astonishment  when  he  perceived 
that  Gül-Bejáze  no  longer  collapsed  like  a  dead  thing 
at  the  contact  of  a  kiss,  or  even  at  the  pressure  of 
an  embrace,  as  she  was  wont  to  do  in  the  harem, 
indeed  her  face  had  now  grown  rosier  than  the  dawn. 

At  lasit  his  curiosity  completely  overcame  him,  and 
turning  the  handle  of  the  door  he  appeared  in  the 
midst  of  the  revellers. 

He  wore  the  garb  of  a  common  woodcutter,  and 
his  simple,  foolish  face  corresponded  excellently  to 
the  disguise.  Nobody  in  the  world  could  have  taken 
him  for  anything  but  what  he  now  professed  to  be, 
and  it  was  with  a  very  humble  obeisance  that  he  intro- 
duced himself. 

"Allah  Kerim!  Salaam  aleikum!  God*s  blessing 
go  with  your  mirth.  Why,  you  were  so  merry  that  I 
heard  you  at  the  cemetery  yonder  as  I  was  passing. 


8o  IIALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

If  it  will  not  put  you  out  I  should  be  delighted  to 
remain  here,  as  long  as  you  will  let  me,  that  I  may 
listen  to  the  music  this  worthy  Mussulman  here  under- 
stands so  well,  and  to  the  pretty  stories  which  flow 
from  the  harmonious  lips  of  this  houri  who  has,  I 
am  persuaded,  come  down  from  Paradise  for  the 
delight  of  men." 

Now  Musli  was  drunk  with  wine,  Gül-Bejáze 
and  Halil  Patrona  were  drunk  with  love,  so  that  not 
one  of  them  had  any  exception  to  take  to  the 
stranger's  words.  Janaki  was  the  only  sober  man 
among  them,  neither  wine  nor  love  had  any  attraction 
for  him,  and  therefore  he  whispered  in  the  ear  of  Halil : 

"  For  all  you  know  this  stranger  may  be  a  spy  or 
a  thief!" 

"  What  an  idea !  "  Halil  whispered  back,  "  why  you 
can  see  for  yourself  that  he  is  only  an  honest  baltaji.* 
Sit  down,  oh,  worthy  Mussulman,"  he  continued,  turn- 
ing to  the  stranger,  "and  make  one  of  our  little  party." 

The  Berber-Bashi  took  him^  at  his  word.  He  ate 
and  drank  hke  one  who  has  gone  hungry  for  three 
whole  days,  he  was  enchanted  with  the  tambourine  of 
Musli,  listened  with  open  mouth  to  his  story  of  the 
miserly  shppers,  and  laughed  as  heartily  as  if  he  had 
never  heard  it  at  least  a  hundred  times  before. 

"  And  now  you  tell  us  some  tale,  most  beautiful  of 

•  Woodcutter. 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  Sr 

women !  "  said  he,  wiping  the  tears  from  his  eyes  as 
he  turned  towards  the  damsel,  and  then  Gül-Bejáze, 
after  first  kissing  her  husband  and  sipping  from  the 
beaker  extended  to  her  just  enough  to  moisten  her 
hps,  thus  began : 

"  Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  rich  merchant. 
Where  he  hvcd  I  know  not.  It  might  have  been 
Pera,  or  Galata,  or  Damascus.  Nor  can  I  tell  you 
his  name,  but  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  story. 
This  merchant  had  an  only  daughter  whom  he  loved 
most  dearly.  She  had  ne'er  a  wish  that  was  not 
instantly  gratified,  and  he  guarded  her  as  the  very 
apple  of  his  eye.  Not  even  the  breath  of  Heaven 
was  allowed  to  blow  upon  her." 

"  And  know  you  not  what  the  name  of  the  maiden 
was?"  inquired  the  Berber-Bashi. 

"  Certainly,  they  called  her  Irene,  for  she  was  a 
Greek  girl." 

Janaki  trembled  at  the  word.  No  doubt  the  girl 
was  about  to  relate  her  own  story,  for  Irene  was  the 
very  name  she  had  received  at  her  baptism.  It  was 
very  thoughtless  of  her  to  betray  herself  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  stranger. 

"  One  day,"  continued  the  maiden,  "  Irene  went 
a-rowing  on  the  sea  v/ith  some  girl  friends.  The 
weather  was  fine,  the  sea  smooth,  and  they  sang  their 
songs    and    made    merry    to    their    hearts'    content 

1' 


82  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Suddenly  the  sail  of  a  corsair  appeared  on  the  smooth 
mirror  of  the  ocean,  pounced  straight  down  upon  the 
maidens  in  their  boat,  and  before  they  could  reach 
the  nearest  shore,  they  were  all  seized  ajnd  carried 
away  captive. 

"  Poor  Irene !  she  was  not  even  able  to  bid  her 
dear  father  God  speed!  Her  thoughts  were  with 
him  as  the  pirate-ship  sped  swiftly  aw^ay  with  her, 
and  she  saw  the  city  where  he  dwelt  recede  further 
and  further  away  in  the  dim  distance.  Alas!  he  was 
waiting  for  her  now — and  would  wait  in  vain !  Her 
father,  she  knew  it,  was  standing  outside  his  door  and 
asking  every  passer-by  if  he  had  not  seen  his  little 
daughter  coming.  A  banquet  had  been  prepared  for 
her  at  home,  and  all  the  invited  guests  were  already 
there,  but  still  no  sign  of  her!  And  now  she  could 
see  him  coming  down  to  the  sea-shore,  and  sweep 
the  smooth  shining  watery  mirror  with  his  eyes  in 
every  direction,  and  ask  the  sailor-men :  '  Where  is 
my  daughter?     Do  you  know  anything  about  her?  '  " 

Here  the  eyes  of  the  father  and  the  husband  in- 
voluntarily filled  with  tears. 

"  Wherefore  do  you  weep  ?  How  silly  of  you ! 
Why,  you  know,  of  course,  it  is  only  a  tale.  Listen 
now  to  how  it  goes  on!  The  robber  carried  the 
maiden  he  had  stolen  to  Stambul.  He  took  her 
straight  to  the  Kizlar-Aga  whose  office  it  is  to  pur- 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GTRL.  S3 

chase  slave-girls  for  the  harem  of  the  Padishah. 
The  bargaining  did  not  take  long.  The  Kizlar-Aga 
paid  down  at  once  the  price  which  the  slave-merchant 
demanded,  and  forthwith  handed  Irene  over  to  the 
slave-women  of  the  Seraglio,  who  immediately  con- 
ducted her  to  a  bath  fragrant  with  perfumes.  Her 
face,  her  figure,  her  charms,  amazed  them  exceedingly, 
and  they  lifted  up  their  voices  and  praised  her  loudly. 
But  when  Irene  heard  their  praises  she  shuddered, 
and  her  heart  died  away  within  her.  Surely  God 
never  gave  her  beauty  in  order  that  she  might  be 
sacrificed  to  it?  At  that  moment  she  would  have 
much  preferred  to  have  been  born  humpbacked, 
squinting,  swarthy;  she  would  have  hked  her  face 
to  be  all  seamed  and  scarred  like  half-frozen  water, 
and  her  body  all  diseased  so  that  everyone  who  saw 
her  would  shrink  from  her  with  disgust — better  that 
than  the  feeling  which  now  made  her  shrink  from 
the  contemplation  of  herself. 

"  Then  they  put  upon  her  a  splendid  robe,  hung 
diamond  ear-rings  in  her  ears,  tied  a  beautiful  shawl 
round  her  loins,  encircled  her  arms  and  feet  with 
rings  of  gold,  and  so  led  her  into  the  secret  apart- 
ment where  the  damsels  of  the  Padishah  were  all 
gathered  together.  This,  of  course,  was  long,  long 
ago.  Who  can  tell  what  Sultan  was  reigning  then? 
Why,  even  our  fathers  did  not  know  ins  name. 


84  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Pomp  and  splendour,  flowers  and  curtains  adorned 
the  immense  saloon,  the  ceiling  whereof  was  inlaid 
with  precious  stones,  while  the  floor  was  fashioned 
entirely  of  mother-o'-pearl — he  who  set  his  foot 
thereon  might  fancy  he  was  walking  on  rainbows. 
Moreover,  cunning  artificers  had  wrought  upon  this 
mother-o'-pearl  floor  flowers  and  birds  and  other  most 
wondrous  fantastical  figures,  so  that  it  was  a  joy  to 
look  thereon,  for  no  carpet,  however  precious,  was 
suffered  to  cover  all  this  splendour.  Yet  lest  the 
cold  surface  of  the  pavement  should  chill  the  feet  of 
the  damsels,  rows  of  tiny  sandals  stood  ready  there 
that  they  might  bind  them  upon  their  feet  and  so 
walk  from  one  end  of  the  room  to  the  other  at  their 
ease.     And  these  sandads  they  called  kobkobs!' 

"  Aye,  aye ! "  cried  the  anxious  Janaki,  "  you 
describe  the  interior  of  the  Seraglio  so  vividly  that 
I  almost  feel  frightened.  If  a  man  listened  long 
enough  to  such  a  tale  he  might  easily  get  to  feel  as 
guilty  as  if  he  had  actually  cast  an  eye  into  the 
Sultan's  harem,  and  'twere  best  for  him  to  die  rather 
than  do  that." 

"Is  it  not  a  tale  that  I  am  telling  you?  is  not  the 
room  I  have  just  described  to  you  but  a  creature  of 
the  imagination? — In  the  centre  of  this  saloon,  then, 
was  a  large  fountain,  whence  fragrant  rose-water 
ascended  into  the  air  sporting  with  the  golden  balls. 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  85 

Along  the  whole  length  of  the  walls  were  immense 
Venetian  mirrors,  in  which  splendid  odahsks  admired 
their  own  shapely  limbs.  Hundreds  and  hundreds 
of  lamps  slione  upon  the  pillars  which  supported  the 
room — lamps  of  manifold  colours — which  gave  to  the 
vast  chamber  the  magic  hues  of  a  fairy  palace,  and 
in  the  midst  thereof  seemed  to  float  a  transparent 
blue  cloud — it  was  the  light  smoke  of  ambergris  and 
spices  v/hich  the  damsels  blew  forth  from  their  long 
nargliilis.  But  what  impressed  Irene  far  more  than 
ail  this  magnificence,  was  the  figure  of  the  Sultana 
Asseki,  to  whom  she  was  nov/  conducted.  A  tall, 
muscular  lady  was  sitting  at  the  end  of  the  room  on 
a  raised  divan.  Her  figure  was  slender  round  the 
waist  but  broad  and  round  about  the  shoulders.  Her 
■snow-white  arms  and  neck  were  encircled  by  rows 
of  real  pearls  with  diamond  clasps.  A  lofty  heron's 
plume  nodded  on  her  bejewelled  turban,  and  lent  a 
still  haughtier  aspect  to  that  majestic  form.  With 
her  large  black  eyes  she  seemed  to  be  in  tlie  habit 
of  ruling  the  whole  world." 

"Yes,  yes!"  exclaimcidl  Janaki,  "you  describe  it 
all  so  vividly  that  I  am  half  afraid  of  sitting  down 
here  and  listening  to  you.  You  might  at*  least  have 
let  a  little  bit  of  a  veil  hang  in  front  of  her  face." 

"  But  this  happened  long,  long  ago,  remember ! 
Who  can  even  say  under  what  Sultan  it  took  place? 


S6  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

.  .  .  So  they  led  the  slave-girl  into  the  presence  of 
the  Sultana,  who  was  surrounded  by  two  hundred 
other  slave-girls,  and  was  playing  with  a  tiny  dwarf. 
They  were  singing  and  dancing  all  around  her  and 
swinging  censers.  Above  her  head  was  a  large  fruit- 
tree  made  entirely  of  sugar,  and  covered  with  sugar- 
fruit  of  every  shape  and  hue,  and  from  time  to  time 
the  Sultana  would  pluck  off  one  of  these  fruits  and 
taste  a  little  bit  of  it  and  give  the  remainder  to  the 
tiny  dwarf,  who  ate  up  everything  greedily.  Here 
Irene  was  seized  by  a  black  eunuch — a  horrid,  pock- 
marked man,  whose  upper  lip  was  split  right  down 
so  that  all  his  teeth  could  be  seen." 

"  Just  like  the  present  Kizlar-Aga !  "  cried  Musli 
laughing,  "  I  fancy  I  can  see  him  standing  before  me 
now !  " 

"  The  Moor  commanded  Irene  to  fall  on  her  face 
before  the  Sultana.  Irene  fell  on  her  face  accord- 
ingly, and  while  her  forehead  beat  the  ground  before 
the  Sultana  she  muttered  to  herself  the  words : 
'  Holy  Mother  of  God !  protectress  of  virgins,  thou 
seest  me  in  this  place,  when  I  call  upon  thee,  deliver 
me ! '  The  Sultana,  meanwhile,  had  commanded  her 
handmaidens  to  let  down  Irene's  tresses,  and  as  she 
stood  before  her  there  covered  by  her  own  hair  from 
head  to  heel,  she  bade  them  paint  her  face  red 
because  it  was  so  pale,  and  her  eyelashes  brown.    She 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE  GIRL.  S7 

commanded  them  also  to  salve  her  hair  with  fragrant 
unguents,  and  to  hang  chains  of  real  pearls  about  her 
arms  and  neck.     Irene  knew  not  the  meaning  of  these 
things.     She  knew  not  what  they  meant  to  do  with 
her  till  the  Kizlar-Aga  approached  her,  and  said  these 
words  to  her  in  a  reassuring  tone  :  '  Rejoice,  fortunate 
damsel!  for  a  great  felicity  awaits  thee.     In  a  week's 
time  it  will  be  the  Feast  of  Bairam,  and  the  favourite 
Sultana    has    chosen    thee    from    among    the    other 
odahsks  as  a  gift  for  the  Padishah.     Rejoice,  there- 
fore, I  say.'     But  Irene  at  these  words  would  fain 
have  died.     And  in  the  meantime  the   Sultana  had 
placed  a  large  fan  in  her  hand  made  entirely  of  pea- 
cocks' feathers,  and  permitted  her  to  sit  down  by  her 
side  and  hold  the  little  dwarf  in  her  lap.     At  a  later 
.day  Irene  discovered  that  this  was  a  mark  of  supreme 
condescension.     During  the  next  six  days  the  damsel 
lived  amidst  mortal  terrors.     Her  companions  envied 
her.     The  damsels  of  the  harem  do  not   love  each 
other,   they  can   only  hate.     Every  day  she  beheld 
the   Sultan,   whose   gentle   face   inspired   involuntary 
respect,  but   the  very  idea  of  loving  him  filled  her 
soul  with  horror.     The  Sultan  spent  the  greater  part 
of  his  time  with  his  favourite  wife,  but  it  happened 
sometimes  that  he  cast  a  handkerchief  towards  this 
or  that   odalisk,   which  was  a   great   piece   of  good 
fortune  for  her,  or  the  reverse — it  all  depends  upon 


S8  IIALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  point  of  view.  The  damsel  whom  the  Grand 
Seignior  seemed  to  favour  the  most  was  a  beautiful 
blonde  Italian  g^irl ;  on  one  occasian  this  beautiful 
blonde  damsel  neglected  to  cast  her  eyes  down  as 
they  chanced  to  encounter  the  eyes  of  the  Sultana. 
The  following  day  Irene  could  not  see  this  damsel 
anywhere,  and  on  inquiring  after  her  was  told  by  her 
bedfellow  in  a  whisper  that  she  had  been  strangled 
during  the  night.  And  oftentimes  at  dead  of  night 
the  silence  would  be  broken  by  a  shriek  from  the 
secret  dungeon  of  the  Seraglio,  followed  by  the  sound 
of  something  splashing  into  the  water,  and  regularly, 
on  the  day  following  every  such  occurrence,  a  familiar 
face  would  be  missins:  from  the  Seraglio.  All  these 
victims  were  self-conhdent  slave-girls,  who  had  been 
unable  to  conceal  their  joy  at  the  Sultan's  favours, 
and  therefore  had  been  cast  into  the  water.  Nobody 
ever  inquired  about  them  any  more." 

Janaki  shivered  all  over. 

"  It  is  well  that  this  is  all  a  tale,"  he  observed. 

But  Gül-Bejáze  only  continued  her  story. 

"  At  last  the  Feast  of  Bairam  arrived,  and  through- 
out the  day  all  the  cannons  on  the  Bosphorus  sent 
forth  their  thunders.  In  the  evening  the  Sultan  came 
to  the  Seraglio  weary  and  inclined  to  relaxation,  and 
then  the  Sultana  Asseki  took  Irene  by  the  hand  and 
conducted  her  to  the  Padishah,  and  presented  her 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  89 

to  him,  together  with  gold-embroidered  garments,  pre- 
served fruits,  and  other  gifts  intended  for  his  delecta- 
tion. The  Grand  Seignior  regarded  the  girl  tenderly, 
while  she,  like  a  kid  of  the  flocks  offered  to  a  lion 
in  a  cage,  stood  trembling  before  him.  But  when 
the  Sultan  seized  her  hand  to  draw  her  towards  him 
she  sighed  :  '  Blessed  Virgin !  ' — and  lo !  at  these 
words  her  face  grew  pale,  her  eyes  closed,  and  she 
fell  to  the  ground  as  one  dead.  This  was  not  the 
first  time  that  such  a  spectacle  had  been  seen  in  the 
harem.  Everyone  of  the  damsels  brought  thither 
generally  commenced  with  a  fainting-fit.  The  slave- 
girls  immediately  came  running  up  to  her,  rubbed  her 
body  with  fragrant  unguents,  applied  penetrating 
essences  to  her  face,  let  icy-cold  water  trickle  down 
upon  her  bosom — and  all  was  useless!  The  dam.sel 
did  not  awaken,  and  lay  there  like  a  corpse  till  the 
following  morning — in  fact,  she  never  stirred  from 
the  spot  where  they  laid  her  down.  Next  day  tlie 
Padishah  again  summoned  her  to  his  presence.  He 
spoke  to  her  in  the  most  tender  manner.  He 
gave  her  all  manner  of  beautiful  gifts,  glittering 
raiment,  necklaces,  bracelets,  and  diamond  aigrettes. 
The  slave-girls,  too,  censed  her  all  around  with  stupe- 
fying perfumes,  bathed  her  in  warm  baths  fragrant 
with  ambergris  and  spikenard,  and  gave  her  fiery 
potions  to  drink.     But  it  was  all  in  vain.     At   the 


90  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

name  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  blood  ceased  to  flow 

to  her  heart,  she   fell  down,   died  away,  and  every 

resource  of  ingenuity  failed  to  arouse  her.     The  same 

thing  happened  on  the  third  day  likewise.     Then  the 

Sultana  Asseki's  wrath  was  kindled  greatly  against 

her.     She  declared  that  this  was  no  doing  of  Allah's 

as  they  might  suppose.     No,  it  was  the  damsel's  own 

evil  temper  which  made  her  pretend  to  be  dead,  and 

she  immediately  commanded  that  the  damsel  should 

be   tortured.     First   of  all  they  extended  her   stark 

naked  on  the  icy-cold  marble  pavement — not  a  sign 

of  life,  not  a  shiver    did  she  give.     Then  they  held 

her  over  a  slow  fire  on  a  gridiron — she  never  moved 

a  muscle.     Then  they  sent  and  sought  for  red  ants 

in  the  garden  among  the  puspáng-trees  and  scattered 

them  all   over   her  body.     Yet  the   girl  never  once 

quaked  beneath  the  stings  of  the  poisonous  insects. 

Finally  they  thrust  sharp  needles  down  to  the  very 

quicks  of  her  nails,  and  still  the  damsel  did  not  stir. 

Then  the  Sultana  Asseki,  full  of  fury,  seized  a  whip, 

and  lashed  away  at  the  damsel's  body  till  she  could 

kisli  no  more,  yet  she  could  not  thrash  a  soul  into 

the  lifeless  body." 

"  By  Allah !  "  cried  Halil,  smiting  the  table  with 
his  heavy  fist  at  this  point  of  the  narration,  ''  that 
Sultana  deserves  to  be  sewn  up  in  a  leather  sack  and 
cast  into  the  Eosphorus." 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  91 

"  Why,  'tis  only  a  tale,  you  know,"  said  Gül-Bejáze, 
stroking  mockingly  the  chin  of  worthy  Halil  Patrona, 
and  then  she  resumed  her  story.  "  The  Sultan  com- 
manded that  Irene  should  be  expelled  from  the  harem, 
for  he  had  no  desire  to  see  this  living  corpse  any- 
where near  him,  and  the  Sultana  gave  her  as  a  present 
to  the  Padishah's  nephew,  the  son  of  his  own  brother. 

"  The  prince  was  a  pale,  handsome  youth,  as  those 
whom  women  love  much  are  generally  wont  to  be. 
He  was  kept  in  a  remote  part  of  the  Seraglio,  for 
although  every  joy  of  life  was  his,  and  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  wealth,  pomp,  and  slave-girls,  he  was 
never  permitted  to  quit  the  Seraglio.  The  Sultana 
herself  led  Irene  to  him,  thinking  that  the  fme  eyes 
of  the  handsome  youth  would  be  the  best  talisman 
against  the  enchantment  obsessing  the  charms  of  the 
strange  damsel.  The  pale  prince  was  charmed  with 
the  looks  of  the  girl.  He  coaxed  and  flattered.  He 
begged  and  implored  her  not  to  die  away  beneath 
his  kisses  and  embraces.  In  vain.  The  girl  swooned 
at  the  very  first  touch,  and  he  who  touched  her  lips 
might  just  as  well  have  touched  the  lips  of  a  corpse. 
The  prince  knelt  down  beside  her,  and  implored  her 
with  tears  to  come  to  herself  again.  She  heard  not 
and  she  answered  not.  At  last  the  fair  Sultana 
Asseki  herself  had  compassion  on  his  tears  and 
lamentations  which  produced  no  impression  on   the 


92  IIALÍL  THE  PEDLAR, 

dead.  Her  heart  bled  for  him.  She  bent  over  the 
pale  prince,  embraced  him  tenderly,  and  comforted 
him  with  her  caresses.  And  the  prince  allowed  him- 
self to  be  comforted,  and  they  rejoiced  greatly 
together ;  for  of  course  there  was  nobody  present  to 
see  them,  for  the  senseless  damsel  on  the  floor  might 
have  been  a  corpse  so  far  as  they  v/ere  concerned." 

"  Hum !  "  murmured  the  Berber-Eashi  to  himself, 
"  this  is  a  thing  well  worth  remembering." 

"  On  the  following  day  the  pale  prince  made  a 
present  of  Irene  to  the  Grand  Vizier.  The  Grand 
Vizier  also  rejoiced  greatly  at  the  sight  of  the  damsel ; 
took  her  into  his  cellar,  showed  her  there  three  great 
vats  full  of  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  told  her 
that  all  these  things  should  be  hers  if  only  she  would 
love  him.  Then  he  took  and  showed  her  the  multi- 
tude of  precious  ornaments  that  he  had  concealed 
beneath  the  flooring  of  his  palace,  and  promised  these 
to  her  also.  For  every  kiss  she  should  give  him,  he 
offered  her  one  of  his  palaces  on  the  shores  of  the 
Sweet  Waters,  yes,  for  every  kiss  a  palace." 

"  I  would  burn  all  these  palaces  to  the  ground !  " 
cried  Halil  impetuously. 

"  Nay,  nay,  my  son,  be  sensible !  "  said  Janaki.  He 
himself  now  began  to  feel  that  there  was  something 
more  than  a  mere  tale  in  all  this. 

But  the  Berber-Bashi  pricked  up  his  ears  and  grew 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRL.  93 

terribly  attentive  when  mention  was  made  of  the 
hidden  treasures  of  the  Grand  Vizier. 

"  The  sight  of  the  treasures,"  resumed  the  girl,  "  had 
no  effect  upon  Irene.  She  never  failed  to  invoke 
the  name  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  whenever  the  face  of 
a  man  drew  near  to  her  face,  and  the  Blessed  Virgin 
always  wrought  a  miracle  in  her  behalf." 

"  'Tis  my  belief,"  said  Hahl,  "  that  there  were  no 
miracles  at  all  in  the  matter  ;  but  that  the  girl  had 
so  strong  a  will  that  by  an  effort  she  miade  herself 
dead  to  all  tortures." 

"At  last  they  came  to  a  definite  decision  concern- 
ing this  slave-girl,  it  was  resolved  to  sell  her  by 
public  auction  in  the  bazaars — to  sell  her  as  a  common 
slave  to  the  highest  bidder.  And  so  Irene  fell  to  a 
poor  hawker  who  gave  his  all  for  her.  For  a  whole 
month  this  man  left  his  slave-girl  untouched,  and  the 
girl  who  could  not  be  subdued  by  torture,  nor  the 
blandishments  of  great  men,  nor  by  treasures,  nor 
by  ardent  desire,  became  very  fond  of  the  poor  coster- 
monger,  and  no  longer  became  as  one  dead  when  Jiis 
burning  hps  were  impressed  upon  her  face." 

And  with  that  Gül-Bejáze  embraced  her  husband 
and  kissed  him  again  and  again,  and  smiled  upon 
him  with  her  large  radiant  eyes. 

"  A  very  pretty  story  truly !  "  observed  Musli, 
smacking  his  lips ;  "  what  a  pity  there  is  not  more 
of  It !  " 


94  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Oh,  no  regrets,  worthy  Mussulman,  there  is  more 
of  it !  "  cried  the  Berber-Bashi,  rising  from  his  place  ; 
"  just  listen  to  the  sequel  of  it !  Having  had  the  girl 
sold  by  auction  in  the  bazaar,  the  Padishah  bade  Ali 
Kermesh,  his  trusty  Berber-Bashi,  make  inquiries  and 
see  what  happened  to  the  damsel  after  the  sale. 
Now  the  Berber-Bashi  knew  that  the  girl  had  only 
pretended  to  faint,  and  the  Berber-Bashi  brought  the 
girl  back  to  the  Seraglio  before  she  had  spent  a 
single  night  alone  with  her  husband.  For  I  am  the 
Berber-Bashi  and  thou  art  Gül-Bejáze,  that  same 
slave-girl  going  by  the  name  of  Irene  who  feigned 
to  be  dead." 

Everyone  present  leaped  in  terror  to  his  feet  except 
Janaki,  who  fell  down  on  his  knees  before  the  Berber- 
Bashi,  embraced  his  knees,  and  implored  him  to  treat 
all  that  the  girl  had  said  as  if  he  had  not  heard 
it. 

"  We  are  lost ! "  whispered  the  bloodless  Gül- 
Bejáze.  The  intoxication  of  joy  and  wine  had 
suddenly  left  her  and  she  was  sober  once  more. 

Janaki  implored,  Musli  cursed  and  swore,  but  Halil 
spake  never  a  word.  He  held  his  wife  tightly  em- 
braced in  his  arms  and  he  thought  within  himself,  I 
would  rather  allow  my  hand  to  be  chopped  off  than 
let  her  go. 

Janaki  promised  money  and  loads  of  treasure  to 


THE  SLAVE  OF  TPIE  SLAVE-GIRL.  95 

Ali  Kermesh  if  only  he  would  hold  his  tongue,  say 
nothing  of  what  had  happened,  and  let  the  girl  re- 
main with  her  husband. 

But  the  Bcrber-Bashi  was  inexorable. 

"  No,"  said  he,  "  I  will  take  away  the  girl,  and  your 
treasures  also  shall  be  mine.  Ye  are  the  children 
of  Death ;  yea,  all  of  you  who  are  now  drawing  the 
breath  of  life  in  this  house,  for  to  have  heard  the 
secret  that  this  slave-girl  has  blabbed  out  is  sufficient 
to  kill  anyone  thrice  over.  I  command  you,  Irene, 
to  take  up  your  veil  and  follow  me,  and  you  others 
must  remain  here  till  the  Debedzik  with  the  cord 
comes  to  fetch  you  also." 

With  these  words  he  cast  Janaki  from  him, 
approached  the  damsel  and  seized  her  hand.  Halil 
never  once  relaxed  his  embrace. 

"  Come  with  me !  " 

"Blessed  IMary !  Blessed  Mary!"  moaned  tlic 
girl. 

"  Your  guardian  saints  are  powerless  to  help  you 
now,  for  your  husband's  lips  have  touched  you  ;  come 
with   me !  " 

Then  only  did  Halil  speak.  His  voice  was  so 
deep,  gruff,  and  stern,  that  those  who  heard  it  scarce 
recognised  it  for  his : 

"Leave  go  of  my  wife,  Ali  Kermesh  ! "  cried 
he. 


96  HAUL  TPIE  PEDLAR. 

"  Silence  thou  dog !  in  another  hour  thou  wilt  be 
hanging  up  before  thine  own  gate." 

"  Once  more  I  ask  you — leave  go  of  my  wife,  Ali 
Kermesh  1  " 

Instead  of  answering,  the  Berber-Bashi  would,  with 
one  hand,  have  torn  the  wife  from  her  husband's 
bosom  while  he  clutched  hold  of  Halil  with  the  other, 
whereupon  Halil  brought  down  his  iist  so  heavily  on 
the  skull  of  the  Berber-Bashi  that  he  instantly 
collapsed  without  uttering  a  single  word. 

"  What  have  you  done  ? "  cried  Janaki  in  terror. 
"  You  have  killed  the  chief  barber  of  the  Sultan !  " 

"  Yes,  I  rather  fancy  I  have,"  replied  Halil  coolly. 

Musli  rushed  towards  the  prostrate  form  of  Ali 
Kermesh,  felt  him  all  over  very  carefully,  and  then 
turned  towards  the  hearth  where  the  others  were 
sitting. 

"  Dead  he  is,  there  is  no  doubt  about  it.  He's  as 
dead  as  a  door-nail.  Well,  Halil,  that  was  a  fine  blow 
of  yours  I  must  say.  By  the  Prophet!  one  does  not 
see  a  blow  like  that  every  day.  With  your  bare  hand 
too!  To  kill  a  man  with  nothing  but  your  empty 
fist  1  If  a  cannon-ball  had  knocked  him  over  he  could 
not  be  deader  than  he  is." 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  now?  "  cried  Janaki,  looking 
around  him  with  tremulous  terror.  "  The  Sultan  is 
sure  to  send  and  make  inquiries  about  his  lost  Berber- 


THE  SLAVE  OF  THE  SLAVE-GIRT.  97 

Bashi.  It  is  known  that  he  came  here  in  disguise. 
The  affair  cannot  long  remain  hidden." 

"  There  is  no  occasion  to  fear  anything,"  said  Mush 
reassuringly.  "  Good  counsel  is  cheap.  We  can 
easily  find  a  way  out  of  it.  Before  the  business  comes 
to  light,  we  will  go  to  the  Etmeidan  and  join  the 
Janissaries.  There  let  them  send  and  fetch  us  if  they 
dare,  for  we  shall  be  in  a  perfectly  safe  place  anyhow. 
Why,  don't  you  remember  that  only  last  year  the 
rebel,  Esref  Khan,  whom  the  Padishah  had  been 
pursuing  to  the  death,  even  in  foreign  lands,  hit,  at 
last,  upon  the  idea  of  resorting  to  the  Janissaries,  and 
was  safer  against  the  fatal  silken  cord  here,  in  the 
very  midst  of  Stambul,  than  if  he  had  fled  all  the 
way  to  the  Isle  of  Rhodes  for  refuge.  Let  us  all 
become  Janissaries,  I  and  you  and  Janaki  also." 

But  Janaki  kicked  vigorously  against  the  proposi- 
tion. 

"  You  two  may  go  over  to  the  Janissaries  if  you 
like,  but  in  the  meantime  my  daughter  and  I  will 
make  our  escape  to  the  Isle  of  Tenedos  and  there 
await  tidings  of  you.  One  jar  of  dates  I  will  take 
with  me,  the  other  you  may  divide  among  the 
Janissaries ;  it  will  put  them  in  a  good  humour  and 
make  them  receive  you  more  amicably." 

Halil  embraced  his  wife,  kissed  her,  and  wept  over 
her.      There   was   not   much   time    for   leave-taking. 

G 


98  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  Debedjis  who  had  accompanied  the  Berber- 
Bashi  were  beginning  to  grow  impatient  at  the  pro- 
longed absence  of  their  master ;  they  could  be  heard 
stamping  about  around  the  door. 

"  Hasten,  hasten !  we  can  have  too  much  of  this 
hugging  and  kissing,"  whispered  Musli,  hfting  one  of 
the  jars  on  to  his  shoulders. 

Yet  Halil  pressed  one  more  long,  long  kiss  on 
Gül-Bejáze's  trembling  cheek. 

"  By  Allah !  "  said  he,  "  it  shall  not  be  long  before 
we  see  each  other  again." 

And  thus  their  ways  parted  right  and  left 

Musli  conducted  Janaki  away  in  one  direction, 
through  a  subterranean  cellar,  whilst  Halil  fled  away 
across  the  house-tops,  and  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
the  pair  of  them  arrived  at  the  Etmeidan. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  CAMP. 

What  a  noise,  what  a  commotion  in  the  streets  of 
Stambul !  The  multitude  pours  Hke  a  stream  towards 
the  harbour  of  the  Golden  Horn.  Young  and  old 
stimulate  each  other  with  looks  of  excitement  and 
enthusiasm.  They  stand  together  at  the  corners  of 
the  streets  in  tens  and  twenties,  and  tell  each  other 
of  the  great  event  that  has  happened.  On  the 
Etmeidan,  in  front  of  the  Seraglio,  in  the  doors  of 
the  mosques,  the  people  are  swarming,  and  from  street 
to  street  they  accompany  the  banner-bearing  Diil- 
bendar,  who  proclaims  to  the  faithful  amidst  the 
flourish  of  trumpets  that  Sultan  Achmed  III.  has 
declared  war  against  Tamasip,  Shah  of  Persia. 

Everywhere  faces  radiant  with  enthusiasm,  every- 
where shouts  of  martial  fervour. 

From  time  to  time  a  regiment  of  Janissaries  or  a 
band  of  Albanian  horsemen  passes  across  the  street,  or 
escorts  the  buffaloes  that  drag  after  them  the  long 
heavy  guns  on  wheeled  carriages.     The  mob  in  its 


100  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

thousands  follows  them  along  the  road  leading  to 
Scutari,  where  the  camp  has  already  been  pitched. 
For  at  last,  at  any  rate,  the  Padishah  is  surfeited  with 
so  many  feasts  and  illuminations,  and  after  having 
postponed  the  raising  of  the  banner  of  the  Prophet, 
under  all  sorts  of  frivolous  excuses,  from  the  i8th 
day  of  Safer  (2nd  of  September)  to  the  ist  day  of 
Rebusler,  and  from  that  day  again  to  the  Prophet's 
birthday  ten  days  later  still,  the  expected,  the  ap- 
pointed day  is  at  length  dravv^ing  near,  and  the  whole 
host  is  assembling  beneath  the  walls  of  Scutari,  only 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Sultan  to  take  ship  at 
once — the  transports  are  all  ready — and  hasten  to  the 
assistance  of  the  heroic  Kiiprilizade  on  the  battleheld. 

The  whole  Bosphorus  v/as  a  living  forest  planted 
with  a  maze  of  huge  masts  and  spreading  sails,  and 
a  thousand  variegated  flags  flew  and  flapped  in  the 
morning  breeze.  The  huge  line  of  battle-ships,  with 
their  triple  decks  and  their  long  rows  of  oars,  looked 
like  hundred-eyed  sea-monsters  swimming  with  hun- 
dreds of  legs  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  the 
booming  reverberation  of  the  thunder  of  their  guns 
was  re-echoed  from  the  broad  foreheads  of  the  palaces 
looking  into  the  Bosphorus. 

Everywhere  along  the  sea-front  was  to  be  seen 
an  armed  multitude  ;  sparkling  swords  and  lances  in 
thousands  flash  back  the  rays  of  the  sun.    The  whole 


THE  CAiMP.  IÖI 

of  the  grass  plain  round  about  was  planted  with  tents 
of  every  hue ;  white  tents  for  the  chief  muftis,  bright 
green  tents  for  the  viziers,  scarlet  tents  for  the 
kiayaks,  dark  bkic  tents  for  the  great  officers  of  state, 
the  Emirs,  the  Mecca,  IMcdina,  and  Stambul  justi- 
ciaries, the  Defterdars,  and)  the  Nishandji ;  hlac- 
coloured  tents  for  the  Ulemas,  bright  blue  tents  for 
the  Miideresseks,  azure-blue  tents  for  the  Ciaus-Agas, 
and  dark  green  designates  the  tent  of  the  Emir  Alem, 
the  bearer  of  the  sacred  standard.  And  high  above 
them  all  on  a  hillock  towers  the  orange-coloured 
pavilion  of  the  Padishah,  with  gold  and  purple  hang- 
ings, and  two  and  three  fold  horse-tails  planted  in 
front  of  the  entrance. 

At  sunset  yesterday  there  was  not  a  trace  of  this 
vast  camp,  all  night  long  this  city  of  tents  was  a- 
building,  and  at  dawn  of  day  there  it  stands  all  ready 
like  the  creation  of  a  magician's  wand! 

The  plain  is  occupied  by  the  Spahis,  the  finest, 
smartest  horsemen  of  the  whole  host ;  along  the  sea- 
front  are  ranged  the  topidjis,  with  their  rows  and 
rows  of  cannons.  Other  detachm.ents  of  these 
gunners  are  distributed  among  the  various  hillocks. 
On  the  wings  of  the  host  arc  placed  the  Albanian 
cavalry,  the  Tartars,  and  the  Druses  of  Iloran.  The 
centre  of  the  host  belongs  of  right  to  the  flower,  the 
kernel  of  the  imperial  army — the  haughty  Janissaries. 


I02  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Aiid  certainly  they  seemed  to  be  very  well  aware 
that  they  were  the  cream  of  the  host,  and  that  there- 
fore it  was  not  lawful  for  any  other  division  of  the 
army  to  draw  near  them,  much  less  mingle  with  them, 
unless  it  were  a  few  delisy  whom  they  permitted  to 
roam  up  and  down  their  ranks  full  of  crazy  exaltation. 

The  whole  host  is  full  of  the  joy  of  battle,  and  if, 
from  time  to  time,  fierce  shouts  and  thunderous  mur- 
murings  arise  from  this  or  that  battalion,  that  only 
means  that  they  are  rejoicing  at  the  tidings  of  the 
declaration  of  war :  the  war-ships  express  their  satis- 
faction by  loud  salvoes. 

Sultan  Achmed,  meanwhile,  is  eng^asfed  in  his  morn- 
ing  devotions,  day  by  day  he  punctually  observes  this 
pious  practice. 

The  previous  night  he  did  not  spend  in  the  harem, 
but  shut  himself  up  with  his  viziers  and  counsellors 
in  that  secret  chamber  of  the  Divan,  which  is  roofed 
over  with  a  golden  cupola.  Grave  were  their  de- 
liberations, but  nobody,  except  the  viziers,  knows  the 
result  thereof;  yet  when  he  issues  forth  from  his 
prayer-chamber  the  Kizlar-Aga  is  already  awaiting 
him  there  and  hands  the  Sultan  a  signet-ring. 

"  Most  glorious  of  Padishahs !  the  most  dehcious 
of  women  sends  thee  this  ring.  Well  dost  thou 
know  what  was  beneath  this  rhig.  Deadly  venom 
was  beneath  it.     That  venom  is  no  longer  there.    The 


THE  CA^IP.  103 

Sultana  Asseki  sends  thee  her  greetnig,  and  wishes 
thee  good  luck  in  this  war  of  thine.  '  Hail  to  thee !  ' 
she  says,  '  may  thy  guardian  angels  watch  over  all 
thy  steps ! '  The  Sultana  meanwhile  has  locked  her- 
self up  in  her  private  apartments,  aiid  in  the  very 
hour  in  which  thou  quittest  the  Seraglio  she  will  take 
this  poison,  which  she  has  dissolved  in  a  goblet  of 
water,  and  will  die." 

The  Sultan  had  all  at  once  become  very  grave. 

"  Why  didst  thou  trouble  me  with  these  words !  " 
he  exclaimed. 

"  I  do  but  repeat  the  words  of  the  Sultana,  greatest 
of  Padishahs.  She  says  thou  art  off  to  the  wars,  that 
thou  wilt  return  no  more,  and  that  she  will  not  be 
the  slave-girl  of  the  monarch  who  shall  come  after 
thee  and  sit  upon  thy  throne." 

"  Wherefore  dost  thou  trouble  me  with  these 
words  ?  "  repeated  the  Sultan. 

"  May  my  tongue  curse  my  lips,  may  my  teeth  bite 
out  my  tongue  because  of  the  words  I  have  spoken. 
'Twas  the  Sultana  that  bade  me  speak." 

"  Go  back  to  her  and  tell  her  to  come  hither  1  " 

"  Such  a  message,  oh,  my  master,  will  be  her  death. 
She  will  not  leave  her  chamber  alive." 

For  a  moment  the  Sultan  reflected,  then  he  asked 
in  a  mournful  voice  : 

"What  tliinkest  thou? — if  thy  house  was  on  fire 


I04  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

and  thy  beloved  was  inside,  wouldst  thou  put  out  the 
flames,  or  wouldst  thou  not  rather  think  first  of 
rescuing  thy  beloved  ?  " 

"  Of  a  truth  the  extinguishing  of  the  flames  is  not 
so  pressing,  and  the  beloved  should  be  rescued." 

"  Thou  hast  said  it.  What  meaneth  the  firing  of 
cannons  that  strikes  upon  my  ears  ? " 

"  Salvoes  from  the  host." 

"  Can  they  be  heard  in  the  Seraglio  ?  " 

"  Yea,  and  the  songs  of  the  singing-girls  grow  dumb 
before  it." 

"  Conduct  me  to  Adsalis !  She  m.ust  not  die.  What 
is  the  sky  to  thee  if  there  be  no  sun  in  it?  What  is 
the  whole  world  to  thee  if  thou  dost  lose  thy  beloved? 
Go  on  before  and  tell  her  that  I  am  coming" !  " 

The  Kizlar-Aga  withdrew.  Achmed  muttered  to 
himself : 

"  But  another  second,  but  another  moment,  but 
another  instant  long  enough  for  a  parting  kiss,  but 
another  hour,  but  another  night — a  night  full  of  bliss- 
ful dreams — and  it  will  be  quite  tim.e  enough  to 
hasten  to  the  cold  and  icy  battlefield."  And  with 
that  he  hastened  towards  the  harem. 

There  sat  the  Sultana  with  dishevelled  tresses  and 
garments  rent  asunder,  without  ornaments,  without 
line  raiment,  in  sober  cinder-coloured  mourning  weeds. 
Before  her,  on  a  table,  stood  a  small  goblet  filled 


THE  CAMP.  105 

with  a  bluish  transparent  fluid  That  fluid  was  poison 
— not  a  doubt  of  it.  Her  slave-girls  lay  scattered 
about  on  the  floor  around  her,  weeping  and  wailing 
and  tearing  their  faces  and  their  snowy  bosoms  with 
their  long  nails. 

The  Padishah  approached  her  and  tenderly  en- 
folded her  in  his  arms. 

"  Wherefore  wouldst  thou  die  out  of  my  life,  oh, 
thou  light  of  my  days  ?  " 

The  Sultana  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 

"  Can  the  rose  blossom  in  winter-time  ?  Do  not 
its  leaves  fall  v/hcn  the  blasts  of  autumn  blow  upon  it  ?  " 

"  But  the  winter  that  must  wither  thee  is  still  far 
distant." 

"  Oh,  Achmcd !  when  anyone's  star  falls  from 
Heaven,  does  the  world  ever  ask,  wert  thou  young? 
vvert  thou  beautiful?  didst  thou  enjoy  life? 
Mashallah!  such  a  one  is  dead  already.  My  star 
shone  upon  thy  face,  and  if  thou  dost  turn  thy  face 
from  me,  then  must  I  droop  and  wither." 

"  And  who  told  thee  that  I  had  turned  my  face 
from  thee  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Achmcd !  the  Wind  docs  not  say,  I  am  cold, 
and  yet  we  feel  it.  Thy  heart  is  far,  far  away  from 
mc  even  when  thou  art  nigh.  But  my  heart  is  with 
thee  even  when  thou  art  far  away  from  me,  even  then 
I  am  near  to  thee ;  but  thuu  art  far  away  even  when 


loő  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

thou  art  sitting  dose  beside  me.  It  is  not  Achmed 
who  is  talking  to  me.  It  is  only  Achmed's  body. 
Achmed's  soul  is  wandering  elsewhere ;  it  is  wander- 
ing on  the  bloody  held  of  battle  amidst  the  clash  of 
cold  steel.  He  imagines  that  those  banners,  those 
weapons,  those  cannons  love  him  more  than  his  poor 
abandoned,  forgotten  AdsaHs." 

The  salvo  of  a  whole  row  of  cannons  was  heard 
in  front  of  the  Seraglio. 

"  Hearken  how  they  call  to  thee !  Their  words 
are  more  potent  than  the  words  of  Adsalis.  Go 
then !  follow  their  invitation !  Go  the  way  they  point 
out  to  thee !  The  voice  of  Adsalis  will  not  venture 
to  compete  with  them.  What  indeed  is  my  voice? — 
what  but  a  gentle,  feeble  sound!  Go!  there  also  I 
will  be  with  thee.  And  when  the  long  manes  of  thy 
horse-tail  standards  flutter  before  thee  on  the  field 
of  battle,  fancy  that  thou  dost  see  before  thee  the 
waving  tresses  of  thy  Adsalis  who  has  freed  her  soul 
from  the  incubus  of  her  body  in  order  that  it  might 
be  able  to  follow  thee." 

"  Oh,  say  not  so,  say  not  so ! "  stammered  the 
tender-hearted  Sultan,  pressing  his  gentle  darling  to 
his  bosom  and  closing  her  lips  with  his  own  as  if,  by 
the  very  act,  he  would  have  prevented  her  soul  from 
escaping  and  flying  away. 

And  the  cannons  may  continue  thundering  on  the 


THE  CATNIP.  107 

shores  of  the  Bosphorus,  the  Imperial  Clauses  may 
summon  the  host  to  arms  with  the  blasts  of  their 
trumpets,  the  camp  of  a  whole  nation  may  wait  and 
wait  on  the  plains  of  Scutari,  but  Sultan  Achmed  is 
far  too  happy  in  the  embraces  of  Adsalis  to  think 
even  for  a  moment  of  seizing  the  banner  of  the 
Prophet  and  leading  his  bloodthirsty  battalions  to 
face  the  dangers  of  the  battlefield. 

The  only  army  that  he  now  has  eyes  for  is  the 
army  of  the  odalisks  and  slave-girls,  who  seize  their 
tambourines  and  mandolines,  and  weave  the  light 
dance  around  the  happy  imperial  couple,  singing 
sweet  songs  of  enchantment,  while  outside  through 
the  streets  of  Stambul  gun-carriages  are  rattling 
along,  and  the  mob,  in  a  frenzy  of  enthusiasm, 
clamours  for  a  war  of  extermination  a^-ainst  the  in- 

o 

vading  Shiites. 

Meanwhile  a  fine  hubbub  is  going  on  around  the 
kettle  of  the  first  Janissary  regiment.  These  kettles, 
by  the  way,  play  a  leading  part  in  the  history  of  the 
Turkish  Empire.  Around  them  assemble  the  Janis- 
saries when  any  question  of  war  or  plunder  arises,  or 
when  they  demand  the  head  of  a  detested  pasha,  or 
when  they  wish  to  see  the  banner  of  the  Prophet 
unfurled  ;  and  so  terrible  were  these  kettles  on  all 
such  occasions  that  the  anxious  viziers  and  pashas, 
when  driven  into  a  corner,  wero  compelled  to  lill  these 


io8  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

same  kettles  either  with  gold  pieces  or  with  their  own 
blood. 

An  impatient  group  of  Janissaries  was  standing 
round  their  kettle,  which  was  placed  on  the  top  of 
a  lofty  iron  tripod,  and  amongst  them  we  notice 
Halil  Patrona  and  Musli.  Both  were  wearing  the 
Janissary  dress,  with  round  turbans  in  which  a  black 
heron's  plume  was  fastened  (only  the  officers  wore 
white  feathers),  with  naked  calves  only  half-concealed 
by  the  short,  bulgy  pantaloons  which  scarce  covered 
the  knee.  There  was  very  little  of  the  huckster  of 
the  day  before  yesterday  in  Halil's  appearance  now. 
His  bold  and  gallant  bearing,  his  resolute  mode  of 
speech,  and  the  bountiful  way  in  which  he  scattered 
the  piastres  which  he  had  received  from  Janaki,  had 
made  him  a  prime  favourite  among  his  new  comrades. 
Musli,  on  the  other  hand,  was  still  drunk.  With 
desperate  self-forgetfulness  he  had  been  drinking  the 
health  of  his  friend  all  night  long,  and  never  ceased 
bawling  out  before  his  old  cronies  in  front  of  the 
tent  of  the  Janissary  Aga  that  if  the  Aga,  whose 
name  was  Hassan,  was  indeed  as  valiant  a  man  as 
they  tried  to  make  out,  let  him  come  forth  from 
beneath  his  tent  and  not  think  so  much  of  his  soft 
bearskin  bed,  or  else  let  him  give  his  white  heron 
plume  to  Halil  Patrona  and  let  him  lead  them  against 
the  enemy. 


THE  CA^rP.  109 

The  Janissary  Aga  could  hear  this  bellowing  quite 
plainly,  but  he  also  could  hear  the  Janissary  guard 
in  front  of  the  tent  laughing  loudly  at  the  fellow  and 
making  all  he  said  unintelligible. 
*  Meanwhile  a  troop  of  mounted  clauses  was 
approaching  the  kettle  of  the  hrst  Janissary  regiment 
in  whose  leader  we  recocniise  Halil  Pelivan.     Allah 

o 

had  been  with  him — he  was  now  raised  to  the  rank 
of  a  ciaus-officer. 

The  giant  stood  among  the  Janissaries  and  inquired 
in  a  voice  of  thunder : 

"  Which  of  you  common  Janissary  fellows  goes  by 
the  name  of  Halil  Patrona?  " 

Patrona  stepped  forth. 

"  Methinks,  Halil  Pelivan,"  said  he,  "  it  does  not 
require  much  brain-splitting  on  }'our  part  to  recognise 
me." 

"  Where  is  your  comrade  Musli  ?  " 

"  Can  you  not  give  me  a  handle  to  my  name,  you 
dog  of  a  ciaus?"  roared  Musli.  "I  am  a  gentleman 
I  tell  you.  So  long  as  you  were  a  Janissary,  you 
were  a  gentleman  too.  But  now  you  are  only  a  dog  of 
a  ciaus.  What  business  have  you,  I  should  like  to 
know,  in  Begta's  flower-garden  ?  " 

"  To  root  out  weeds.  The  pair  of  you,  bound 
tightly  together,  must  follow  me." 

**  Look  yc,   my  friends!"   cried  Musli,   turning  to 


no  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

his  comrades,  "  that  man  is  drunk,  dead  drunk.  He 
can  scarce  stand  upon  his  feet.  How  dare  you  say," 
continued  he,  turning  towards  Pehvan — "  how  dare 
you  say  that  two  Janissaries,  two  of  the  flowers  from 
Begta's  garden,  are  to  follow  you  when  the  banners 
of  warfare  are  already  waving  before  us  ?  " 

"  I  am  commanded  by  the  Kapu-Kiaja  to  bring  you 
before  him." 

"  Say  not  so,  you  mangy  dog  you !  Let  him  come 
for  us  himself  if  he  has  anything  to  say  to  us !  What, 
my  friends!  am  I  not  right  in  saying  that  the  Kapu- 
Kiaja,  if  he  did  his  duty,  ought  to  be  here  with  us, 
in  the  camp  and  on  the  battlefield?  and  that  it  is 
no  business  of  ours  to  dance  attendance  upon  him? 
Am  I  not  right?     Let  him  come  hither!  " 

This  sentiment  was  greeted  with  an  approving 
howl. 

"  Let  him  come  hither  if  he  wants  to  talk  to  a 
Janissary !  "  cried  many  voices.  "  Who  ever  heard  of 
summoning  a  Janissary  away  from  his  camp  ?  " 

It  was  as  much  as  Pelivan  could  do  to  restrain  his 
fury. 

"  You  tvv'o  are  murderers,"  said  he,  "  you  have  killed 
the  Sultan's  Berber-Bashi." 

At  this  there  was  a  general  outburst  of  laughter. 
Everybody  knew  that  already.  Musli  had  told  the 
Etorv  hundre<ds  of  times  with  all  sorts  of  variations. 


THE  CAMP.  Ill 

He  had  described  to  them  how  Halil  had  slain  AU 
Kermesh  with  a  single  blow  of  his  hst,  and  how  the 
latter's  jaw  had  suddenly  fallen  and  collapsed  into  a 
corner,  all  of  which  had  seemed  very  comical  indeed 
to  the  Janissaries. 

So  five  or  six  of  them,  all  speaking  together,  began 
to  heckle  and  cross-question  Pelivan. 

"  Are  there  no  more  barbers  in  Stambul  that  you 
make  such  a  fuss  over  this  particular  one  ?  " 

"  What  an  infamous  thing  to  demand  the  lives  of 
a  couple  of  Janissaries  for  the  sake  of  a  single  beard- 
scraper  !  " 

"  May  you  and  your  Kapu-Kiaja  have  no  other 
pastime  in  Paradise  than  the  shaving  of  innumerable 
beards!" 

At  last  Patrona  stepped  forth  and  begged  his 
comrades  to  let  him  have  /lis  say  in  the  matter. 

"  Hearken  now,  Pelivan !  "  began  he,  "  you  and  I 
are  adversaries  i  know  very  well,  nor  do  I  care  a  straw 
that  it  is  so.  I  am  not  palavering  now  with  you 
because  I  want  to  get  out  of  a  difhculty,  but  simply 
because  I  want  to  send  you  back  to  the  Kiaja  with  a 
sensible  answer  which  I  am  quite  sure  you  arc  in- 
capable of  hitting  upon  yourself.  Well,  I  freely  admit 
that  I  did  kill  Ali  Kermesh,  killed  him  single-handed. 
Nobody  helped  me  to  do  the  deed.  And  now  1  have 
thrown  in  my  lot    with    the   Janissaries,  and  here   I 


112  HAUL  THE  PFlDLAR. 

stand  where  it  has  pleased  Allah  to  place  me,  that 
I  may  pay  with  my  own  life  for  the  life  I  have  taken 
if  it  seem  good  to  Him  so  to  ordain.  I  am  quite 
ready  to  die  and  glorify  His  name  thereby.  His 
Will  be  done!  Let  the  honourable  Kiaja  therefore 
gird  up  his  loins,  and  let  all  those  great  lords  who 
repose  in  the  shadow  of  the  Padishah  draw  their 
swords  and  come  among  us  once  for  all.  I  and  all 
my  comrades,  the  whole  Janissary  host  in  fact,  are 
ready  to  fall  on  the  held  of  battle  one  after  another 
at  the  bare  wave  of  their  hand,  but  there  is  not  a 
single  Janissary  present  who  would  bow  his  knee 
before  the  executioner." 

These  words,  uttered  in  a  ringing,  sonorous  voice, 
were  accompanied  by  thunders  of  applause  from  the 
whole  regiment,  and  during  this  tumult  Musli  en- 
deavoured to  add  a  couple  of  words  on  his  own 
account  to  the  message  already  delivered  by  Patrona. 

"  And  just  tell  your  master,  the  Kiaja,"  said  he, 
"  and  all  your  white-headed  grand  viziers  and  grey- 
bearded  muftis,  that  if  they  do  not  bring  the  Sultan 
and  the  banner  of  the  Prophet  into  camp  this  very 
day,  not  a  single  one  of  them  will  need  a  barber  on 
the  morrow,  unless  they  would  like  their  heels  well 
shaved  in  default  of  heads." 

Pelivan  meanwhile  was  looking  steadily  into  Halil's 
eyes.     There  was  such  a  malicious  scorn  in  his  gaze 


THE  CAMP.  113 

that  Halil  involuntarily  grasped  the  hilt  of  his 
sword. 

"  Fear  not,  Patrona !  "  cried  he  jeeringly,  "  Giil- 
Bejáze  will  never  again  be  conducted  into  the 
Seraglio.  She  and  your  father-in-law  have  been 
captured  as  they  were  trying  to  fly,  and  the  un- 
beheving  Greek  cattle-dealer  has  been  thrown  into 
the  dungeon  set  apart  for  evil-doers.  As  for  that 
woman  whom  you  call  your  wife,  she  has  been  put 
into  the  prison  assigned  to  those  shameless  ones 
whom  the  gracious  Sultan  has  driven  together  from 
all  parts  of  the  realm,  and  kept  in  ward  lest  the  virtue 
of  his  faithful  Mussulmans  should  be  corrupted. 
There  you  will  find  her." 

Patrona,  like  a  furious  tiger  that  has  burst  forth 
from  its  cage,  at  these  words  rushed  from  out  the 
ranks  of  his  comrades.  His  sword  flashed  in  his  hand, 
and  if  Pelivan  had  been  doubly  as  big  as  he  was,  his 
mere  size  could  not  have  saved  him.  But  the  leader 
of  the  ciauses  straightway  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and 
laughing  loudly  galloped  away  with  his  ciauses,  almost 
brushing  the  enraged  Hahl  as  he  passed,  and  when 
he  had  already  trotted  a  safe  distance  away,  he  turned 
round  and  with  a  scornful  Ha,  ha,  ha!  began  hurling 
insults  at  the  Janissaries,  five  or  six  of  whom  had  set 
out  to  follow  him. 

"  Ha!  he  is  mocking  us!  "  exclaimed  Musli,  vvhere- 

H 


114  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

upon  the  Janissaries  who  stood  nearest  perceiving 
that  they  should  never  be  able  to  overtake  him  on 
foot,  hastened  to  the  nearest  battery,  wrested  a  mortar 
from  the  topijis  by  force,  and  fired  it  upon  the  retreat- 
ing ciauses.  The  discharged  twelve-pounder  whistled 
about  their  heads  and  then  fell  far  away  in  the  midst 
of  a  bivouac  where  a  number  of  worthy  Bosniaks  were 
cooking  their  suppers,  scattering  the  hot  ashes  into 
their  eyes,  ricochetting  thence  very  prettily  into  the 
pavilion  of  the  Bostanji  Bashi,  two  of  whose  windows 
it  knocked  out,  thence  bounding  three  or  four  times 
into  the  air,  terrifying  several  recumbent  groups 
in  its  passage,  and  trundling  rapidly  away  over  some 
level  ground,  till  at  last  it  rolled  into  the  booth 
of  a  glass-maker,  and  there  smashed  to  atoms  an  in- 
calculable quantity  of  pottery. 

Here  Pelivan  finally  ran  it  to  earth,  seized  it, 
hauled  it  off  to  the  Kiaja,  and  duly  delivered  the 
message  of  the  Janissaries,  together  with  the  twelve- 
pound  cannon-ball,  at  the  same  time  reminding  him 
that  it  was  an  old  habit  of  the  Janissaries  to  accom- 
pany their  messages  with  similar  little  douceurs. 

Pelivan  had  anticipated  that  the  Kiaja  would  foam 
with  rage  at  the  news^  and  would  have  the  offending 
Janissary  regiment  decimated  at  the  very  least;  but 
the  Kiaja,  instead  of  being  angry,  seemed  very  much 
afraid.      He   saw   in   this   presumptuous   message   a 


THE  CAMP.  115 

declaration  of  rebellion,  and  hurried  off  to  the  Grand 
Vizier  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him,  taking  the 
heavy  twelve-pounder  along  with  him. 

Ibrahim  perfectly  comprehended  what  was  said  to 
him,  and  placing  the  cannon-ball  in  a  box  nicely  lined 
with  velvet  took  it  to  the  Seraglio,  and  when  he  got 
there  sent  for  the  Kizlar-Aga,  placed  it  in  his  hands, 
and  commissioned  him  to  deliver  it  to  the  Sultan. 

"  The  Army,"  said  he,  "  has  sent  this  present  to  the 
most  glorious  Padishah.  It  is  a  treasure  which  is 
worth  nothing  so  long  as  it  is  in  our  possession ;  it 
only  becomes  precious  when  we  pay  our  debts  with 
it,  but  it  is  downright  damaging  if  we  let  others  pay 
their  debts  to  us  therewith.  Say  to  the  most  puissant 
of  Sultans  that  if  he  finds  this  one  specimen  too  little, 
the  Army  is  ready  to  send  him  a  lot  more,  and  then 
it  will  choose  neither  me  nor  thee  to  be  the  bearer 
thereof." 

The  Kizlar-Aga,  who  did  not  know  what  was  in 
the  box,  took  it  forthwith  into  the  Hall  of  Delight, 
and  there  delivered  it  to  Achmed  together  with  the 
message. 

The  Sultan  broke  open  the  box  in  the  presence  of 
the  Sultana  Asseki,  and  on  perceiving  therein  the 
heavy  cannon-ball  at  once  understood  Ibrahim's 
message. 

He  was  troubled  to  the  depths  of  his  soul  when  he 


Ti6  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

understood  it.  He  was  so  good,  so  gentle  to  every- 
one, he  tried  so  hard  to  avoid  injuring  anybody,  and 
yet  everybody  seemed  to  combine  to  make  him  miser- 
able !  It  seemed  as  though  they  envied  him  his  sweet 
delights,  and  were  determined  that  he  should  find 
no  repose  even  in  the  very  bosom  of  his  family. 

He  embraced  and  kissed  the  fair  Sultana  again 
and  again,  and  stammered  with  tears  in  his  eyes : 

"Die  then,  my  pretty  flower!  fade  away!  wither 
before  my  very  eyes !  Die  if  thou  canst  that  at  least 
my  heart  may  have  nothing  to  long  for !  " 

The  Sultana  threw  herself  in  despair  at  his  feet, ' 
with  her  dishevelled  tresses  waving  all  about  her,  and 
encircling  Achmed's  knees  with  her  white  arms  she 
besought  him,  sobbing  loudly,  not  to  go  to  the  camp, 
at  any  rate,  not  that  day.  Let  at  least  the  memory 
of  the  evil  dreams  she  had  dreamed  the  night  before 
pass  away,  she  said. 

But  no,  he  could  remain  behind  no  longer.  In 
vain  were  all  weeping  and  wailing,  however  desperate. 
The  Sultan  had  made  up  his  mind  that  he  must  go. 
One  single  moment  only  did  he  hesitate,  for  one 
single  moment  the  thought  did  occur  to  him :  Am  I 
a  mere  tool  in  the  hands  of  my  army,  and  why  do  I 
wear  a  sword  at  all  if  I  do  not  decapitate  therewith 
those  who  rise  in  rebellion  against  me?  But  he  very 
soon  let  that  thought  escape.     He  knew  he  was  not 


THE  CAMP.  117 

capable  of  translating  it  into  action.  Many,  very 
many,  must  needs  die  if  he  acted  thus  ;  perhaps  it 
were  better,  much  better,  for  everybody  if  he  sub- 
mitted. 

"  There  is  nought  for  thee  but  to  die,  my  pretty 
flower,"  he  whispered  to  the  Sultana,  who,  sobbing 
and  moaning,  accompanied  him  to  the  very  door  of 
the  Seraglio,  and  there  he  gently  removed  her  arms 
from  his  shoulders  and  hastened  to  the  council- 
chamber. 

Adsalis  did  not  die  however,  but  made  her  way 
by  the  secret  staircase  to  the  apartments  of  the  White 
Prince  and  found  consolation  with  him. 

"  The  Sultan  did  not  yield  to  my  arguments,"  she 
said  to  the  White  Prince,  who  took  her  at  once  to  his 
bosom,  "  he  is  off  to  the  camp.  If  only  I  could  hold 
him  back  for  a  single  day  the  rebellion  would  burst 
forth — and  then  his  dominion  would  vanish  and  his 
successor  would  be  yourself." 

"Calm  yourself,  we  may  still  gain  time!  Remind 
him  through  the  Kizlar-Aga  that  he  neglect  not  the 
pricking  of  the  Koran." 

"  You  have  spoken  a  word  in  season,"  replied 
Adsalis,  and  she  immediately  sent  the  Kizlar-Aga  into 
the  council-chamber. 

The  Grand  Vizier,  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  the  Kiaja, 
the  Chief  Mufti,  and  the  Sheik  of  the  Aja  Sophia. 


ii8  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Ispirizade,  were  assembled  in  council  with  the  Sultan 
who  had  just  ordered  the  Sihhdar  to  gird  him  with 
the  sword  of  Mahomet. 

"  Most  illustrious  Padishah !  "  cried  the  Kizlar-Aga, 
throwing  himself  to  the  ground  and  hiding  his  face 
in  his  hands,  "  the  Sultana  Asseki  would  have  me 
remind  thee  that  thou  do  not  neglect  to  ask  counsel 
from  Allah  by  the  pricking  of  the  Koran,  before  thou 
hast  come  to  any  resolution,  as  was  the  custom  of 
thine  illustrious  ancestors  as  often  as  they  had  to 
choose  between  peace  and  war." 

"  Well  said !  "  cried  Achmed,  and  thereupon  he 
ordered  the  chief  mufti  to  bring  him  the  Alkoran 
which,  in  all  moments  of  doubt,  the  Sultans  were  wont 
to  appeal  to  and  consult  by  plunging  a  needle  through 
its  pages,  and  then  turning  to  the  last  leaf  in  which 
the  marks  of  the  needle-point  were  visible.  What- 
ever words  on  this  last  page  happened  to  be 
pricked  were  regarded  as  oracular  and  worthy  of 
all  obedience. 

On  every  table  in  the  council-chamber  stood  an 
Alkoran — ten  copies  in  one  room.  The  binding  of 
one  of  these  copies  was  covered  with  diamonds.  This 
copy  the  Chief  Mufti  brought  to  the  Sultan,  and  gave 
into  his  hands  the  needle  with  which  the  august 
ceremony  was  to  be  accomplished. 

Meanwhile    Ibrahim    glanced    impatiently    at    the 


THE  CAMP.  119 

three  magnificent  clocks  standing  in  the  room,  one 
beside  the  other.  They  all  pointed  to  a  quarter  to 
twelve.  It  was  already  late,  and  this  ceremony  of 
the  pricking  of  the  Koran  always  took  up  such  a  lot 
of  time. 

The  Sultan  opened  the  book  at  the  last  page, 
pricked  through  by  the  needle,  and  these  were  the 
words  he  read : 

"  He  who  fears  the  sword  will  find  the  sword  his 
enemy,  and  better  a  rust-eaten  sword  in  the  hand 
than  a  brightly  burnished  one  in  a  sheath." 

"  La  illah  il  Allah !  God  is  one !  "  said  Achmed 
bowing  his  head  and  kissing  the  words  of  the  Alkoran. 
"  Make  ready  my  charger,  'tis  the  will  of  God." 

The  Kizlar-Aga  returned  with  the  news  to  Adsalis 
and  the  White  Prince. 

Even  the  pricking  of  the  Koran  had  gone  contrary 
to  their  plans. 

"  Go  and  remind  the  Sultan,"  said  Adsalis,  "  that 
he  cannot  go  to  the  wais  without  the  surem  of 
victory ;  "  and  for  the  second  time  the  Kizlar-Aga 
departed  to  execute  the  commands  of  the  Sultana. 

The  surem,  by  the  way,  is  a  holy  supplication  which 
it  is  usual  for  the  chief  Imam  to  recite  in  the  mosques 
before  the  Padishah  goes  personally  to  battle,  pray- 
ing that  Allah  will  bless  his  arms  with  victory. 

Now,  because  time  was  pressing,  it  was  necessary 


I20  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

to  recite  this  prayer  in  the  chapel  of  the  Seraglio 
instead  of  in  the  mosque  of  St.  Sophia.  Ispirizade 
accordingly  began  to  intone  the  surem,  but  he  spun  it 
out  so  long  and  made  such  a  business  of  it,  that  it 
seemed  as  if  he  were  bent  on  wasting  time  purposely. 
By  the  time  the  devotion  was  over  every  clock  in  the 
Seraglio  had  struck  twelve. 

Ibrahim  hastened  to  the  Sultan  to  press  him  to 
embark  as  soon  as  possible  in  the  ship  that  was  wait- 
ing ready  to  convey  him  and  the  White  Prince  to 
Scutari ;  but  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  in  the  outer 
court  of  the  Seraglio  where  stood  the  Sultan's  chargers 
which  were  to  take  him  through  the  garden  kiosk  to 
the  seashore,  the  way  was  barred  by  the  Kizlar-Aga, 
who  flung  himself  to  the  ground  before  the  Sultan, 
and  grasping  his  horse's  bridle  began  to  cry  with  all 
his  might : 

"  Trample  me,  oh,  my  master,  beneath  the  hoofs  of 
thy  horses,  yet  listen  to  my  words!  The  noontide 
hour  has  passed,  and  the  hours  of  the  afternoon  are 
unlucky  hours  for  any  undertaking.  The  true  Mussul- 
man puts  his  hand  to  nothing  on  which  the  blessing 
of  Allah  can  rest  when  noon  has  gone.  Trample  on 
my  dead  body  if  thou  wilt,  but  say  not  that  there  was 
nobody  who  would  have  withheld  thee  from  the  path 
of  peril !  " 

The  soul  of  Achmed  III.  was  full  of  all  manner  of 


THE  CAMP.  12  1 

fantastic  sentiments.  Faith,  hope,  and  love,  which 
make  others  strong,  had  in  him  degenerated  into 
superstition,  frivohty,  and  voluptuousness — already  he 
was  but  half  a  man. 

At  the  words  of  the  Kizlar-Aga  he  removed  his 
foot  from  the  stirrup  in  which  he  had  dreamily  placed 
it  with  the  help  of  the  kneeling  Rikiabdar,  and  said 
in  the  tone  of  a  man  who  has  at  last  made  up  his 
mind : 

"  We  will  go  to-morrow." 

Ibrahim  was  in  despair  at  this  fresh  delay.  He 
whispered  a  few  words  in  the  ear  of  Izmail  Aga, 
whereupon  the  latter  scarce  waiting  till  the  Sultan 
had  remounted  the  steps,  flung  himself  on  his  horse 
and  galloped  as  fast  as  he  could  tear  towards  Scutari. 

Meanwhile  the  Grand  Vizier  and  the  Chief  Mufti 
continued  to  detain  the  Sultan  in  the  Divan,  or 
council-chamber. 

Three-quarters  of  an  hour  later  Izmail  Aga  returned 
and  presented  himself  before  the  Sultan  all  covered 
with  dust  and  sweat. 

"  Most  glorious  Padishah !  "  he  cried,  "  I  have  just 
come  from  the  host.  Since  dawn  they  have  all  been 
on  their  feet  awaiting  thy  arrival.  If  by  evening 
thou  dost  not  show  thyself  in  the  camp,  then  so  sure 
as  God  is  one,  the  host  will  not  remain  in  Scutari 
but  will  come  to  Stambul." 


122  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  host  is  coming  to  Stambul ! — that  was  a  word 
of  terror. 

And  Achmed  III.  well  understood  what  it  meant. 
Well  did  he  remember  the  message  which,  three-and- 
twenty  years  before,  the  host  had  sent  to  his  prede- 
cessor, Sultan  Mustafa,  who  would  not  quit  his  harem 
at  Adrianople  to  come  to  Stambul :  "  Even  if  thou 
wert  dead  thou  couldst  come  here  in  a  couple  of 
days !  "  And  he  also  remembered  what  had  followed. 
The  Sultan  had  been  made  to  abdicate  the  throne 
and  he  (Achmed)  had  taken  his  place.  And  now 
just  the  same  sort  of  tempest  which  had  overthrown 
his  predecessor  was  shaking  the  seat  of  the  mighty 
rock  beneath  his  own  feet. 

"  Mashallah !  the  will  of  God  be  done !  "  exclaimed 
Achmed,  kissing  the  sword  of  Muhammad,  and  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  later  he  went  on  board  the  ship 
destined  for  him  with  the  banner  of  the  Prophet 
borne  before  him. 

In  the  Seraglio  all  the  clocks  one  after  another 
struck  one  as  four-and-twenty  salvoes  announced  that 
the  Sultan  with  the  banner  of  the  Prophet  had  arrived 
in  the  camp. 

And  the  people  of  the  East  believe  that  the 
blessing  of  Allah  does  not  rest  on  the  hour  which 
marks  the  afternoon. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  BURSTING  FORTH  OF  THE  STORM. 

A  CONTRARY  wind  was  blowing  across  the  Bosphorus, 
so  that  it  was  not  until  towards  the  evening  that  the 
Sultan  arrived  at  Scutari,  and  disembarked  there  at 
his  seaside  palace  with  his  viziers,  his  princes,  the 
Chief  Mufti,  and  Ispirizade. 

Though  everything  had  quieted  down  close  at 
hand,  all  night  long  could  be  heard,  some  distance 
off,  in  the  direction  of  the  camp,  a  murmuring  and  a 
tumult,  the  cause  of  which  nobody  could  explain. 

More  than  once  the  Grand  Vizier  sent  fleet  runners 
to  the  Aga  of  the  Janissaries  to  inquire  what  was 
the  meaniug  of  all  that  noise  in  the  camp.  Hassan 
repUed  that  he  himself  did  not  understand  why  they 
were  so  unruly  after  they  had  heard  the  arrival  of  the 
Sultan  and  the  sacred  banner  everywhere  proclaimed. 

Shortly  afterwards  Ibrahim  commanded  him  to 
seize  all  those  who  would  not  remain  quiet.  Hassan 
accordingly  laid  his  hands  on  sundry  who  came  con- 
veniently in  his  way ;  but,  for  all  that,  the  rest  would 


124  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

pay  no  heed  to  him,  and  the  tumult  began  to  extend 
in  the  direction  of  Stambul  also. 

Towards  midnight  a  ciaus  reached  the  Kiaja  with 
the  intelligence  that  a  number  of  soldiers  were  coming 
along  from  the  direction  of  Tebrif,  crying  as  they 
came  that  the  army  of  Kiiprilizade  had  been  scattered 
to  the  winds  by  Shah  Tamasip,  and  that  they  them- 
selves were  the  sole  survivors  of  the  carnage — that 
was  why  the  army  round  Stambul  was  chafing  and 
murmuring. 

The  Kiaja  went  at  once  in  search  of  the  Grand 
Vizier  and  told  him  of  this  terrible  rumour. 

"  Impossible  !  "  exclaimed  Ibrahim.  "  Kiiprilizade 
would  not  allow  himself  to  be  beaten.  Only  a  few 
days  ago  I  sent  him  arms  and  reinforcements  which 
were  more  than  enough  to  enable  him  to  hold  his 
own  until  the  main  army  should  arrive. 

"  And  even  if  it  were  true.  If,  in  consequence  of 
the  Sultan's  procrastination,  we  were  to  arrive  too 
late  and  the  whole  of  the  provinces  of  Ramadan  and 
Kermanshan  were  to  be  lost — even  then  we  should 
all  be  in  the  hands  of  Allah.  Come,  let  us  go  to 
prayer  and  then  to  bed !  " 

At  about  the  same  hour^  three  softas  awoke  the 
Chief  Mufti  and  Ispirizade,  and  laid  before  them  a 
letter  written  on  parchment  which  they  had  dis- 
covered   lying   in   the    middle    of    a   mosque.     The 


THE  BURSTING  FORTH  OF  THE  STORM.   125 

letter  was  apparently  written  with  gunpowder  and 
almost  illegible. 

It  turned  out  to  be  an  exhortation  to  all  true 
Mussulmans  to  draw  the  sword  in  defence  of 
Muhammad,  but  they  were  bidden  beware  lest,  when 
they  went  against  the  foe,  they  left  behind  them,  at 
home,  the  greatest  foes  of  all,  who  were  none  other 
than  the  Sultan's  own  Ministers. 

"  This  letter  deserves  to  be  thrown  into  the  fire," 
said  Ispirizade,  and  into  the  fire  he  threw  it,  there 
and  then,  and  thereupon  lay  down  to  sleep  with  a 
good  conscience. 

The  following  day  was  Thursday,  the  28th  Sep- 
tember. On  that  very  day,  twelve  months  before, 
the  Sultan's  eleven-year-old  son  had  died.  The  day 
•was  therefore  kept  as  a  solemn  day  of  mourning,  and 
a  general  cessation  of  martial  exercises  throughout 
the  host  was  proclaimed  by  a  flourish  of  trumpets. 

To  many  of  the  commanders  this  day  of  rest  was 
a  season  of  strict  observance.  The  Aga  of  the 
Janissaries  withdrew  to  his  kiosk ;  the  Kapudan 
Pasha  had  himself  rowed  through  the  canal  to  his 
country  house  at  Chcngclküi,  having  just  received 
from  a  Dutch  merchant  a  very  handsome  assortment 
of  tulip-bulbs,  which  he  wanted  to  plant  out  with  his 
own  hands ;  the  Reis-Effendi  hastened  to  his  summer 
residence,  beside  the  Sweet  Waters,  to  take  leave  of 


126  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

his  odalisks  for  the  twentieth  time  at  least ;  and  the 
Kiaja  returned  to  Stambul.  Each  of  them  strictly 
observed  the  day — in  his  own  peculiar  manner. 

But  Fate  had  prepared  for  the  people  at  large  a 
very  different  sort  of  observance. 

Early  in  the  morning,  at  sunrise,  seventeen  Janis- 
saries were  standing  in  front  of  the  mosque  of 
Bajazid  with  HaHl  Patrona  at  their  head. 

In  the  hand  of  each  one  of  them  was  a  naked  sword, 
and  in  their  midst  stood  Musli  holding  aloft  the  half- 
moon  banner. 

The  people  made  way  before  them,  and  allowed 
Patrona  to  ascend  the  steps  of  the  mosque,  and  when 
the  blast  of  the  alarm-horns  had  subsided,  the  clear 
penetrating  voice  of  the  ex-pedlar  was  distinctly 
audible  from  end  to  end  of  the  great  kalan  square  in 
front  of  him. 

"  Mussulmans !  "  he  cried,  "  you  have  duties,  yes, 
duties  laid  upon  you  by  our  sacred  law.  We  are 
being  ruined  by  traitors.  Fugitives  from  the  host 
have  brought  us  the  tidings  that  the  army  of 
Kiiprilizade  has  been  scattered  to  the  winds ;  four 
thousand  horses  and  six  hundred  camels,  laden  with 
provisions,  have  been  captured  by  the  Persians ;  the 
general  himself  has  fled  to  Erivan,  and  the  provinces 
of  Hamadan  and  Kermanshan  are  once  more  in  the 
possession  of  the  enemy.    And  all  this  is  going  on 


THE  BURSTING  FORTH  OF  THE  STOR]\L  127 

while  the  Grand  Vizier  and  the  Chief  Mufti  have  been 
arranging  Lantern  Feasts,  Processions  of  Palms  and 
Illuminations  in  the  streets  of  Stambul  instead  of 
making  ready  the  host  to  go  to  the  assistance  of  the 
valiant  Kiiprilizade !  Our  brethren  are  sent  to  the 
shambles,  we  hear  their  cries,  we  see  their  banners 
falter  and  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands,  and  we  are 
not  suffered  to  fly  to  their  assistance,  though  we 
stand  here  with  drawn  swords  in  our  hands.  There 
is  treachery — treachery  against  Allah  and  His 
Prophet!  Therefore,  let  every  true  believer  forsake 
immediately  his  handiwork,  cast  his  awl,  his  hammer, 
and  his  plane  aside,  and  seize  his  sword  instead  ; 
let  him  close  his  booth  and  rally  beneath  our 
standard  !  " 

The  mob  greeted  these  words  with  a  savage  yell, 
raised  Patrona  on  its  shoulders,  and  carried  him  away 
through  the  arcades  of  Bezesztan  piazza.  Everyone 
hastened  away  to  close  his  booth,  and  the  whole 
city  seemed  to  be  turned  upside  down.  It  was  just 
as  if  a  still  standing  lake  had  been  stirred  violently 
to  its  lowest  depths,  and  all  the  slimy  monsters  and 
hideous  refuse  reposing  at  the  bottom  had  come  to 
the  surface ;  for  the  streets  were  suddenly  flooded  by 
the  unrecognised  riff-raff  which  vegetates  in  every 
great  town,  though  they  are  out  of  the  ken  of  the 
regular  and  orderly  inhabitants,  and  only  appear  in 


128  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  light  of  day  when  a  sudden  concussion  drives 
them  to  the  surface. 

YelHng  and  howHng,  they  accompanied  HaHl 
everywhere,  only  listening  to  him  when  his  escort 
raised  him  aloft  on  their  shoulders  in  order  that  he 
might  address  the  mob. 

Just  at  this  moment  they  stopped  in  front  of  the 
house  of  the  Janissary  Aga. 

"  Hassan !  "  cried  Halil  curtly,  disdaining  to  give 
him  his  official  title,  and  thundering  on  the  door  with 
his  fists,  "  Hassan,  you  imprisoned  our  comrades  be- 
cause they  dared  to  murmur,  and  now  you  can  hear 
roars  instead  of  murmurs.  Give  them  up,  Hassan! 
Give  them  up,  I  say !  " 

Hassan,  however,  was  no  great  lover  of  such 
spectacles,  so  he  hastily  exchanged  his  garments  for 
a  suit  of  rags,  and  bolted  through  the  gate  of  the 
back  garden  to  the  shores  of  the  Bosphorus,  where  he 
huddled  into  an  old  tub  of  a  boat  which  carried  him 
across  to  the  camp.     Then  only  did  he  feel  safe. 

Meanwhile  the  Janissaries  battered  in  the  door  of 
his  house  and  released  their  comrades.  Then  they 
put  Halil  on  Hassan's  horse  and  proceeded  in  great 
triumph  to  the  Etmeidan.  The  next  instant  the 
whole  square  was  alive  with  armed  men,  and  they 
hauled  the  Kulkiaja  caldron  out  of  the  barracks  and 
set  it  up  in  the  midst  of  the  mob.     This  was  the 


TPIE  BURSTING  TORTII  Or  THE  STORM.  129 

usual  signal  for  the  outburst  of  the  war  of  fiercely 
contending  passions  too  long  enchained. 

"  And  now  open  the  prisons !  "  thundered  Halil, 
"and  set  free  all  the  captives!  Put  daggers  in  the 
hands  of  the  murderers  and  flaming  torches  in  the 
hands  of  the  incendiaries,  and  let  us  go  forth  burning 
and  slaying,  for  to-day  is  a  day  of  death  and  lamenta- 
tion.'^ 

And  the  mob  rushed  upon  the  prisons,  tore  down 
the  railings,  broke  through  bolts  and  bars,  and  whole 
hordes  of  murderers  and  malefactors  rushed  forth 
into  the  piazza  and  all  the  adjoining  streets,  and  the 
last  of  all  to  quit  the  dungeon  was  Janaki,  Haul's 
father-in-law.  There  he  remained  standing  in  the 
doorway  as  if  he  were  afraid  or  ashamed,  till  Musli 
.rushed  towards  him  and  tore  him  away  by  force. 

"  Be  not  cast  down,  muzafir,  but  snatch  up  a  sword 
and  stand  alongside  of  me.  No  harm  can  come  to 
you  here.     It  is  the  turn  of  the  Gaolers  now."- 

In  the  meantime  Halil  had  made  his  way  to  that 
particular  dungeon  where  the  loose  women  whom  the 
Sultan  had  been  graciously  pleased  to  collect  from  all 
the  quarters  of  the  town  to  herd  in  one  place  were 
listening  in  trembling  apprehension. 

The  doors  were  flung  wide  open,  and  the  mob 
roared  to  the  prisoners  that  all  to  whom  liberty  was 
dear  might  show  a  clean  pair  of  heels,  whereupon 

I 


I30  IIALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

a  mob  of  women,  like  a  swarm  of  shrieking  ghosts, 
fluttered  through  the  doors  and  made  off  in  every 
direction.  Those  women  who  stroll  about  the  streets 
with  uncovered  faces,  who  paint  their  eyebrows  and 
lips  for  the  diversion  of  strangers,  who  are  shut  out 
from  the  world  like  mad  dogs,  that  they  may  not 
contaminate  the  people — all  these  women  were  now 
let  loose!  Some  of  them  had  grown  old  since  the 
prison-gates  had  been  closed  upon  them,  but  the  flame 
of  evil  passion  still  flickered  in  their  sunken  eyes. 
Alas!  what  pestilence  has  been  let  loose  upon  the 
Mussulman  population.  And  thou,  Halil!  wilt  thou 
be  able  to  ride  the  storm  to  which  thou  has  given 
wings? 

There  he  stands  in  the  gateway !  He  is  waiting 
till,  in  the  wake  of  these  unspeakably  vile  women,  his 
pure-souled  idol,  the  beautiful,  the  innocent  Gül- 
Bejáze  shall  appear.  How  long  she  delays!  All  the 
rest  have  come  forth ;  all  the  rest  have  scattered  to 
their  various  haunts,  only  one  or  two  belated  shapes 
are  now  emerging  from  the  dungeon  and  hastening 
after  the  others — creatures  whom  the  voice  of  the 
tumult  had  surprised  en  deshabille,  and  who  now  with 
only  half-clothed  bodies  and  hair  streaming  down 
their  backs  rush  screaming  away.  Only  Gül-Bejáze 
still  delays. 

Full  of  anxiety  Halil  descends  at  last  into  the 


THE  BURSTING  FORTH  OF  THE  STORM.  131 

loathsome  hole  but  dimly  lit  by  a  few  round  windows 
in  the  roof. 

"  Gül-Bejáze !  Gül-Bejáze ! "  he  moans  with  a 
stifling  voice,  looking  all  around  the  dungeon,  and, 
at  the  sound  of  his  whispered  words,  he  sees  a  white 
mass,  huddled  in  a  corner  of  the  far  wall,  feebly  begin 
to  move.  He  rushes  to  the  spot.  Surely  it  is  some 
beggar-woman  who  hides  her  face  from  him?  Gently 
he  removes  her  hands  from  her  face  and  in  the 
woman  recognises  his  wife.  The  poor  creature  would 
rather  not  be  set  free  for  very  shame  sake.  She 
would  rather  remain  here  in  the  dungeon. 

Speechless  with  agony,  he  raised  her  in  his  arms. 
The  woman  said  not  a  word,  gave  him  not  a  look, 
she  only  hid  her  face  in  her  husband's  bosom  and 
sobbed  aloud. 

"  Weep  not !  weep  not !  "  moaned  Halil,  "  those  who 
have  dishonoured  thee  shall,  this  very  day,  lie  in  the 
dust  before  thee,  by  Allah.  I  swear  it.  Thou  shalt 
play  with  the  heads  of  those  who  have  played  with 
thy  heart,  and  that  selfsame  pliffed-up  Sultana  who 
has  stretched  out  her  hand  against  thee  shall  be  glad 
to  kiss  thy  hand.  I,  Halil  Patrona,  have  said  it,  and 
let  me  be  accursed  above  all  other  Mussulmans  if  ever 
I  have  lied." 

Then  snatching  up  his  wife  in  his  arms  he  rushed 
out    among    the    crowd,   and    exhibiting   that   pale 


132  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

and  forlorn  figure  in  the  sight  of  all  men,  he 
cried  : 

"Behold,  ye  Mussulmans!  this  is  my  wife  whom 
they  ravished  from  me  on  my  bridal  night,  and  whom 
I  must  needs  discover  in  the  midst  of  this  sink  of 
vileness  and'  iniquity!  Speak  those  of  you  who  are 
husbands,  would  you  be  merciful  to  him  who  dis- 
honoured your  wife  after  this  sort  ?  " 

"  Death  be  upon  his  head !  "  roared  the  furious 
multitude,  and  rolling  onwards  like  a  flood  that  has 
burst  its  dams  it  stopped  a  moment  later  before  a 
stately  palace. 

"  Whose  is  this  palace  ? "  inquired  Halil  of  the 
mob. 

"  Damad  Ibrahim's,"  cried  sundry  voices  from 
among  the  crowd. 

"  Whose  is  that  palace,  I  say  ?  "  inquired  Halil  once 
more,  angrily  shaking  his  head. 

Then  many  of  them  understood  the  force  of  the 
question  and  exclaimed:! 

"Thine,  O  Halil  Patrona!" 

"  Thine,  thine,  Halil !  "  thundered  the  obsequious 
crowd,  and  with  that  they  rushed  upon  the  palace, 
burst  open  the  doors,  and  Patrona,  with  his  wife 
still  clasped  in  his  arms,  forced  his  way  in,  and  seek- 
ing out  the  harem  of  the  Grand  Vizier,  commanded 
the  odaHsks  of  Ibrahim  to  bow  their  faces  in  the  dust 


THE  BURSTING  FORTH  OF  THE  STORM.   133 

before  their  new  mistress,  and  fulfil  all  her  demands. 
And  before  the  door  he  placed  a  guard  of  honour. 

Outside  there  was  the  din  of  battle,  the  roll  of 
drums,  and  the  blast  of  trumpets  ;  and  the  whole  of 
this  tempest  was  fanned  by  the  faint  breathing  of  a 
sick  and  broken  woman. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS. 

It  is  not  every  day  that  one  can  see  budding  tulips  in 
the  middle  of  September,  yet  the  Kapudan  Pasha 
had  succeeded  in  hitting  upon  a  dodge  which  the 
most  famous  gardeners  in  the  world  had  for  ages 
been  racking  their  brains  to  discover,  and  all  in  vain. 

The  problem  was — ^how  to  introduce  an  artificial 
spring  into  the  very  waist  and  middle  of  autumn,  and 
then  to  get  the  tulip-bulbs  to  take  September  for 
May,  and  set  about  flowering  there  and  then. 

First  of  all  he  set  about  preparing  a  special  forcing- 
bed  of  his  own  invention,  in  which  he  carefully 
mingled  together  the  most  nourishing  soil  formed 
among  the  Mountains  of  Lebanon  from  millennial 
deposits  of  cedar-tree  spines,  antelope  manure,  so 
heating  and  stimulating  to  vegetation,  that  wherever 
it  falls  on  the  desert,  tiny  oases,  full  of  flowers  and 
verdure,  immediately  spring  up  amidst  the  burning, 
drifting  sand-hills,  and  burnt  and  pulverized  black 
marble  which  is  only  to  be  found  in  the  Dead  Moun- 


TULIP-BULBS  AND   HUMAN  HEADS.       135 

tains.  A  judicious  intermingling-  of  this  mixture  pro- 
duces a  soft,  porous,  and  exceedingly  damp  soil,  and  in 
this  soil  the  Kapudan  Pasha  very  carefully  planted  out 
his  tulips  with  his  own  hands.  He  selected  the  bulbs 
resulting  from  last  spring's  blooms,  making  a  hole 
for  each  of  them,  one  by  one,  with  his  index-finger, 
and  banking  them  up  gingerly  with  earth  as  soft  as 
fresh  bread  crumbs. 

Then  he  had  snow  fetched  from  the  summits  of 
the  Caucasus,  where  it  remains  even  all  through  the 
summer — whole  ship  loads  of  snow  by  way  of  the 
Black  Sea — and  kept  the  tulip-bulbs  well  covered  with 
it,  adding  continually  layers  of  fresh  snow  as  the  first 
layers  melted,  so  that  the  hoodwinked  tulips  really 
believed  it  was  now  winter ;  and  when  towards  the 
end  of  August  the  snow  was  allowed  to  melt 
altogether,  they  fancied  spring  had  come,  and  poked 
their  gold-green  shoots  out  of  their  well-warmed, 
well -moistened  bed. 

On  the  eve  of  the  Prophet's  birthday  about  fifty 
plants  had  begun  to  bloom,  all  of  which  had  been 
named  after  battles  in  which  the  Mussulmans  had 
triumphed,  or  after  fortresses  which  their  arms  had 
captured.  Then,  however,  the  Kapudan  Pasha  was 
obliged  to  go  to  sea  and  command  the  fleet,  in  other 
words,  he  was  constrained  to  leave  his  beloved  tulip? 
at  the  most  interesting  period  of  their  existence. 


136  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

On  the  very  evening  when  the  Sultan  arrived  at 
Scutari,  one  of  the  Kapudan  Pasha's  gardeners  came 
to  him  with  the  joyful  intelligence  that  Belgrade, 
Naples,  Morea,  and  Kermanjasahan  would  blossom 
on  the  morrow. 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  was  wild  with  impatience. 
There  they  all  were,  just  on  the  point  of  blooming, 
and  he  w©uld  be  unable  to  see  it.  How  he  would 
have  liked  a  contrary  wind  to  have  kept  back  the 
fleet  for  a  day  or  two. 

But  what  the  wind  would  not  do  for  him,  the 
Sultan's  birthday  gave  him  the  opportunity  of  doing 
for  himself.  The  day  of  rest  appointed  for  the  morrow 
permitted  the  Kapudan  Pasha  to  get  himself  rowed 
across  to  his  summer  palace  at  Chengelköi,  where  his 
marvellous  tulips  were  about  to  bloom  at  the  begin- 
ning of  autumn. 

What  a  spectacle  awaited  him!  All  four  of  them, 
yes,  all  four,  were  in  full  bloom! 

Belgrade  was  pale  yellow  with  bright  green  stripes, 
those  of  the  stripes  which  were  pale  green  on  the 
lower  were  rose-coloured  on  the  upper  surface,  and 
those  of  them  which  were  bright  green  above  died 
gradually  away  into  a  dark  lilac  colour  below. 

Naples  was  a  very  full  tulip,  whose  confusingly 
numerous  angry-red  leaves,  with  yellow  edges, 
symbolized,  perhaps,  the  fifteen  hundred  Venetians 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.      137 

who  had  fallen  at  its  name-place  beneath  the  arms 
of  the  Ottomans. 

Morea  was  the  richest  in  colour.  The  base  of  its 
cup  was  of  a  dark  chocolate  hue,  with  green  and  rose- 
coloured  stripes  all  round  it ;  moreover,  the  green 
stripes  passed  into  red,  and  the  rose  ones  into  liver- 
colour,  and  a  bright  yellow  streak  of  colour  ran  parallel 
with  every  single  stripe.  On  the  outside  the  green 
hues,  inside  the  red  rather  predominated. 

But  the  rarest,  the  most  magnificent  of  the  four  was 
Kermanjasahan.  This  was  a  treasure  filched  from 
the  garden  of  the  Dalai  Lama.  It  was  snow-white, 
without  the  slightest  nuance  of  any  other  colour,  and 
of  such  full  bloom  that  the  original  six  petals  were 
obliged  to  bend  downwards. 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  was  enraptured  by  all  this 
splendour. 

He  had  made  up  his  mind  to  present  all  these 
tulips  to  the  Sultan,  for  which  he  would  no  doubt 
receive  a  rich  viceroyalty,  perhaps  even  Egypt,  who 
could  tell.  He  therefore  ordered  that  costly  china 
vases  should  be  brought  to  him  in  which  he  might 
transplant  the  flowers,  and  he  dug  with  his  hands  deep 
down  in  the  soil  lest  he  should  injure  the  bulbs. 

Just  as  he  was  kneeling  down  in  the  midst  of  the 
tulips,  with  his  hands  all  covered  with  mould,  a  breath- 
less bostanji  came  rushing  towards  him  at  full  speed, 


138  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

quite  out  of  breath,  and  without  waiting  to  get  up  to 
him,  exclaimed  while  still  a  good  distance  off : 

"  Sir,  sir,  rise  up  quickly,  for  all  Stambul  is  in  a 
commotion." 

"  Take  care ! — don't  tread  upon  my  tulips,  you 
blockhead ;  don't  you  see  that  you  nearly  trampled 
upon  one  of  them !  " 

"  Oh,  my  master !  tulips  bloom  every  year,  but  if 
you  trample  a  man  to  death,  Mashallah!  he  will  rise 
no  more.  Hasten,  for  the  rioters  are  already  turning 
the  city  upside  down !  " 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  very  gently,  very  cautiously, 
placed  the  flower,  which  he  had  raised  with  both 
hands,  in  the  porcelain  vase,  and  pressed  the  earth 
down  on  every  side  of  it  so  that  it  might  keep  steady 
when  carried. 

"What  dost  thou  say,  my  son?"  he  then  con- 
descended to  ask. 

"  The  people  of  Stambul  have  risen  in  revolt.'* 

"The  people  of  Stambul,  eh?  What  sort  of 
people?  Do  you  mean  the  cobblers,  the  hucksters, 
the  fishermen,  and  the  bakers  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  they  have  all  risen  in  revolt." 

"Very  well,  I'll  be  there  directly  and  tell  them  to 
be  quiet." 

"  Oh,  sir,  you  speak  as  if  you  could  extinguish  the 
burning  city  with  this  watering-can.  The  will  of 
Allah  be  done !  " 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.      139 

But  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  with  a  merry  heart,  kept 
on  watering  the  transplanted  tuHps  till  he  had  done 
it  thoroughly,  and  entrusted  them  to  four  bostanjis, 
bidding  them  carry  the  flowers  through  the  canal  to 
the  Sultan's  palace  at  Scutari,  while  he  had  his  horse 
saddled  and  without  the  slightest  escort  trotted  quite 
alone  into  Stambul,  where  at  that  very  moment  they 
were  crying  loudly  for  his  head. 

On  the  way  thither,  he  came  fax:e  to  face  with  the 
Kiaja  coming  in  a  wretched,  two-wheeled  kibitka, 
with  a  Russian  coachman  sitting  in  front  of  him  to 
hide  him  as  much  as  possible  from  the  public  view. 
He  bellowed  to  the  Kapudan  Pasha  not  to  go  to 
Stambul  as  death  awaited  him  there.  At  this  the 
Kapudan  Pasha  simply  shrugged  his  shoulders.  What 
an  idea !  To  be  frightened  of  an  army  of  bakers  and 
cobblers  indeed!  It  was  sheer  nonsense,  so  he  tried 
to  persuade  the  Kiaja  to  turn  back  again  with  him 
and  restore  order  by  showing  themselves  to  the  rioters, 
whereupon  the  latter  vehemently  declared  that  not 
for  all  the  joys  of  Paradise  would  he  do  so,  and 
begged  his  Russian  coachman  to  hasten  on  towards 
Scutari  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  promised  that  he  would  not 
be  very  long  behind  him  ;  nay,  inasmuch  as  the  Kiaja 
was  making  a  very  considerable  detour,  while  he  him- 
self  was    taking    tlie    direct    road    straight    through 


I40  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Stambul,  he  insinuated  that  it  was  highly  probable 
he  might  reach  Scutari  before  him. 

"We  shall  meet  again  shortly,"  he  cried  by  way 
of  a  parting  salute. 

"Yes,  in  Abraham's  bosom,  I  expect,"  murmured 
the  Kiaja  to  himself  as  he  raced  away  again,  while  the 
Kapudan  Pasha  ambled  jauntily  into  the  city. 

Already  from  afar  he  beheld  the  palace  of  the 
Reis-Effendi,  on  whose  walls  were  inscribed  in 
gigantic  letters  the  following  announcements : 

"Death  to  the  Chief  Mufti! 

"  Death  to  the  Grand  Vizier ! 

"  Death  to  the  Kapudan  Pasha ! 

"  Death  to  the  Kiaja  Beg !  " 

"  H'm!  "  said  the  Kapudan  Pasha  to  himself.  "  No 
doubt  that  was  written  by  some  softa  or  other,  for 
cobblers  and  tailors  cannot  write  of  course.  Not  a 
bad  hand  by  any  means.  I  should  like  to  make  the 
fellow  my  teskeredji." 

As  he  trotted  nearer  to  the  palace,  he  perceived  a 
great  multitude  surging  around  it,  and  amongst  them 
a  mounted  trumpeter  with  one  of  those  large  Turkish 
field-horns  which  are  audible  a  mile  off,  and  are 
generally  used  at  Stambul  during  every  popular  rising, 
their  very  note  has  a  provocative  tone. 

The  trumpeting  herald  was  thus  addressing  the 
niob  assembled  around  him: 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.       141 

"  Inhabitants  of  Stambul,  true-believing  Mussul- 
mans, our  commander  is  Haul  Patrona,  the  chief  of 
the  Janissaries,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Stambul  Cadi, 
Hassan  Sulali,  I  proclaim :  Let  every  true  believing 
Mussulman  shut  up  his  shop,  lay  aside  his  handi- 
work, and  assemble  in  the  piazza;-  those  of  you, 
however,  who  are  bakers  of  bread  or  sellers  of  flesh, 
keep  your  shops  open,  for  whosoever  resists  this 
decree  his  shop  will  be  treated  as  common  booty. 
As  for  the  unbelieving  giaours  at  present  residing  at 
Stambul,  let  them  remain  in  peace  at  home,  for  those 
who  do  not  stir  abroad  will  have  no  harm  done  to 
them.  And  this  I  announce  to  you  in  the  names  of 
Halil  Patrona  and  Hassan  Sulali." 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  hstened  to  the  very  last  word 
of  this  proclamation,  then  he  spurred  his  horse  upon 
the  crier,  and  snatching  the  horn  from  his  hand  hit 
him  a  blow  with  it  on  the  back,  which  resounded 
far  and  wide,  and  then  with  a  voice  of  thunder 
addressed  the  suddenly  pacified  crowd  :i 

"  Ye  worthless  vagabonds,  ye  filthy  sneak-thieves, 
mud-larking  crab-catchers,  pitchy-fingered  slipper- 
botchers,  huddling  opium-eaters,  swindhng  knacker- 
sellers,  petty  hucksters,  ye  ragged,  filthy,  whey-faced 
tipplers ! — I,  Abdi,  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  say  it  to  you, 
and  I  only  regret  that  I  have  not  the  tongue  of  a 
Giaour  of  the  Hungarian  race  that  I  miglit  be  able 


142  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

to  heap  upon  you  all  the  curses  and  reproaches  that 
your  conduct  deserves,  ye  dogs !  What  do  you  want 
then?  Have  you  not  enough  to  eat?  Do  you  want 
war  because  you  are  tired  of  peace?  War,  indeed, 
though  you  would  take  good  care  to  keep  out  of  it 
To  remain  at  home  here  and  wage  war  against  women 
and  girls  is  much  more  to  your  liking;  booths  not 
fortresses  are  what  you  like  to  storm.  Be  off  to  your 
homes  from  whence  you  have  come,  I  say,  for  whom- 
soever I  find  in  the  streets  an  hour  hence  his  head 
shall  dangle  in  front  of  the  Pavilion  of  Justice.  Mark 
my  words ! " 

With  these  words  Abdi  gave  his  horse  the  spur 
and  galloped  through  the  thickest  part  of  the  mob, 
which  dispersed  in  terror  before  him,  and  with  proud 
self-satisfaction  the  Kapudan  Pasha  saw  how  the 
people  hid  away  from  him  in  their  houses  and 
vanished,  as  if  by  magic,  from  the  streets  and  house- 
tops. 

He  galloped  into  the  town  without  opposition.  At 
every  street  corner  he  blew  a  long  blast  in  the 
captured  horn,  and  addressed  some  well-chosen  re- 
marks to  the  people  assembled  there,  which  scattered 
them  in  every  direction. 

At  last  he  reached  the  Bezesztan,  where  every  shop 
was  closed. 

"  Open  your  shops,  ye  dogs !  "  thundered  Abdi  to 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.      143 

the  assembled  merchants  and  tradesmen.  "  I  suppose 
your  heels  are  itching? — or  perhaps  you  are  tired  of 
having  ears  and  noses?  Open  all  your  shop-doors 
this  instant,  I  say!  for  whoever  k^eps  them  closed 
after  this  command  shall  be  hanged  up  in  front  of  his 
own  shop-door !  " 

The  shopkeepers,  full  of  terror,  began  to  take  down 
their  shutters  forthwith. 

From  thence  he  galloped  off  towards  the  Etmeidan. 

The  great  fishmarket,  which  he  passed  on  his  way, 
was  filled  with  people  from  end  to  end.  Not  a  word 
could  be  heard  for  the  fearful  din,  which  completely 
drowned  the  voices  of  a  few  stump-orators  who  here 
and  there  had  climbed  up  the  pillars  near  the  drinking- 
fountains  to  address  the  mob. 

Nevertheless  the  resonant,  penetrating  voice  of  the 
horn  blown  by  the  Kapudan  Pasha  dominated  the 
tumult,  and  turned  every  face  in  his  direction. 

Rising  in  his  stirrups,  Abdi  addressed  them  with  a 
terrible  voice : 

"  Ye  fools,  whose  mad  hands  rise  against  your  own 
heads !  Do  ye  want  to  make  the  earth  quake  beneath 
you  that  so  many  of  you  stand  in  a  heap  in  one  place? 
What  fool  among  you  is  it  would  drag  the  whole  lot 
of  you  down  to  perdition?  Would  that  the  heavens 
might  fall  upon  you ! — would  that  these  houses  might 
bury  you ! — would  that  ye  might  turn  into  four-footed 


144  IIALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

beasts  who  can  do  nothing  but  bark!  Lower  your 
heads,  ye  wretched  creatures,  and  go  and  hide  your- 
selves behind  your  mud-walls!  And  let  not  a  single 
cry  be  heard  in  your  streets,  for  if  you  dare  to  come 
out  of  your  holes,  I  swear  by  the  shadow  of  Allah 
that  I'll  make  a  rubbish-heap  of  Stambul  with  my 
guns,  and  none  shall  live  in  it  henceforth  but  serpents 
and  bats  and  your  accursed  souls,  ye  dogs !  "- 

And  nobody  durst  say  him  nay.  They  hstened  to 
his  revilings  in  silence,  gave  way  before  him,  and 
made  a  way  for  his  prancing  steed.  Halil  was  not 
there,  had  he  but  been  there  the  Kapu  dan  Pasha 
would  not  have  waited  twice  for  an  answer. 

So  here  also  Abdi  succeeded  in  trotting  through 
the  ranks  of  the  rioters,  and  so  at  last  directed  his 
way  towards  the  Etmeidan. 

By  this  time  not  only  the  caldron  of  the  first  but 
the  caldron  of  the  fifth  Janissary  regiment  had  been 
erected  in  the  midst  of  the  camp.  They  had  been 
taken  by  force  from  the  army  blacksmiths,  and  a 
group  of  Janissaries  stood  round  each  of  them. 

Abdi  Pasha  appeared  among  them  so  unexpectedly 
that  they  were  only  aware  of  his  presence  when  he 
suddenly  bawled  at  them :; 

"  Put  down  your  weapons !  " 

They  all  regarded  the  Kapudan  Pasha  with  fear 
and  wonder.     How  had  he  got  here?     Not  one  of 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.      145 

them  dared  to  draw  a  sword  against  him,  yet  not  one 
of  them  submitted,  and  everyone  of  them  felt  that 
Patrona  was  badly  wanted  here. 

The  banner  of  the  insurgents  was  waving  in  the 
midst  of  the  piazza.  Abdi  Pasha  rode  straight 
towards  it.  The  Janissaries  remained  rooted  to  the 
spot,  staring  after  him  with  astonishment 

Suddenly  Musli  leaped  forth  from  amongst  them, 
and  anticipating  the  Kapudan,  seized  the  flag  him- 
self. 

"  Give  me  that  banner,  my  son !  "  said  Abdi  with 
all  the  phlegm  of  a  true  seaman. 

Musli  had  not  yet  sufficiently  recovered  to  be  able 
to  answer  articulately,  but  he  shook  his  head  by  way 
of  intimating  that  surrender  it  he  would  not. 
.  "  Give  me  that  banner.  Janissary !  "  cried  Abdi  once 
more,  sternly  regarding  Musli  straight  between  the 
eyes. 

Instead  of  answering  Musli  simply  proceeded  to 
wind  the  banner  round  its  pole. 

"  Give  me  that  banner !  "  bellowed  Abdi  for  the 
third  time,  with  a  voice  of  thunder,  at  the  same  time 
drawing  his  sword. 

But  now  Musli  twisted  the  pole  round  so  that  the 
mud-stained  end  which  had  been  sticking  in  the  earth 
rose  high  in  the  air,  ajid  he  said : 

"  I  honour  you,  Abdi  Pasha,  and  I  will  not  hurt 

K 


146  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

you  if  you  go  away.  I  would  rather  see  you  fall  in 
battle  fighting  against  the  Giaours,  for  you  deserve 
to  have  a  glorious  name ;  but  don't  ask  me  for  this 
banner  any  more,  for  if  you  come  a  step  nearer  I  will 
run  you  through  the  body  with  the  dirty  end." 

And  at  these  words  all  the  other  Janissaries  leaped 
to  their  feet  and,  drawing  their  swords,  formed  a 
glittering  circle  round  the  valiant  Musli. 

"  I  am  sorry  for  you,  my  brave  Janissaries," 
observed  the  Kapudan  Pasha  sadly. 

"And  we  are  sorry  for  you,  famous  Kapudan 
Pasha!" 

Then  Abdi  quitted  the  Etmeidan.  He  perceived 
how  the  crowd  parted  before  him  everywhere  as  he 
advanced ;  but  it  also  did  not  escape  him  that  behind 
his  back  they  immediately  closed  up  again  when  he 
had  passed. 

"  These  people  can  only  be  brought  to  their  senses 
by  force  of  arms,"  he  said  to  himself  as  away  he 
rode  through  the  city,  and  nobody  laid  so  much  as 
a  finger  upon  him. 


Meanwhile,  in  the  camp  outside,  a  great  council  of 
war  was  being  held.  On  the  news  of  the  insurrection 
which  had  been  painted  in  the  most  alarming  colours 
by  the  fugitive  Kiaja  and  the  Janissary  Aga,  the 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.      147 

Sultan  had  called  together  the  generals,  the  Ulemas, 
the  Grand  Vizier,  the  Chief  Mufti,  the  Sheiks,  and 
the  Kodzhagians  in  the  palace  by  the  sea-shore. 

An  hour  before  in  the  same  palace  he  had  held 
a  long  deliberation  with  his  aunt,  the  wise  Sultana 
Khadija. 

Good  counsel  was  now  precious  indeed. 

The  Grand  Vizier  opined  that  the  army,  leaving 
the  Sultan  behind  at  Brusa,  should  set  off  at  once 
towards  Tebrif  to  meet  the  foe.  If  it  were  found 
possible  to  unite  with  Abdullah  Pasha  all  was  won. 
Stambul  was  to  be  left  to  itself,  and  the  rebels  allowed 
to  do  as  they  liked  there.  Once  let  the  external 
enemy  be  well  beaten  and  then  their  turn  would  come 
too. 

The  Chief  Mufti  did  not  believe  it  to  be  possible 
to  lead  the  host  to  battle  just  then ;  but  he  wished 
it  to  be  withdrawn  from  Stambul,  lest  it  should  be 
affected  by  the  spirit  of  rebellion. 

The  Kiaja  advised  negociating  with  the  rebels 
and  pacifying  them  that  way. 

At  this  last  proposal  the  Sultan  nodded  his  head 
approvingly.  The  Sultana  Khadija  was  also  of  the 
same  opinion. 

As  to  the  mode  of  carrying  out  these  negociations 
there  was  some  slight  difference  of  detail  between  the 
plan  of  the  Kiaja  and  the  plan  of  the  Sultana.     In 


hS  halil  the  pedlar. 

the  opinion  of  the  former,  while  the  negociations 
were  still  proceeding,  the  ringleaders  of  the  rebellion 
were  to  be  quietly  disposed  of  one  after  the  other, 
whereas  the  Sultana  insinuated  that  the  Sultan  should 
appease  the  rebels  by  handing  over  to  them  the 
detested  Kiaja  and  any  of  the  other  great  officers 
of  state  whose  heads  the  mob  might  take  a  fancy  to. 
And  that,  of  course,  was  a  very  different  thing. 

The  Sultan  thought  the  counsel  of  the  Kiaja  the 
best. 

At  that  very  moment,  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  Abdi, 
entered  the  council-chamber. 

Everybody  regarded  him  with  astonishment.  Ac- 
cording to  the  account  of  the  Kiaja  he  had  already 
been  cut  into  a  thousand  pieces. 

He  came  in  with  just  as  much  sangfroid  as  he 
displayed  when  he  had  ridden  through  the  rebellious 
city.  He  inquired  of  the  doorkeepers  as  he  passed 
through  whether  his  messengers  had  arrived  yet  with 
the  tulips.  "  No,"  was  the  reply.  "  Then  where  have 
they  got  to,  I  wonder,"  he  muttered  ;  "  since  I  quitted 
them  I  have  been  from  one  end  of  Stambul  to  the 
other?" 

Then  he  saluted  the  Sultan,  and  in  obedience  to  a 
gesture  from  the  Padishah,  took  his  place  among  the 
viziers,  and  they  regarded  him  with  as  much  amaze- 
ment as  if  it  was  his  ghost  that  had  come  among  them. 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.       149 

"  You  have  been  in  Stambul,  I  understand  ?  "  in- 
quired the  Grand  Vizier  at  last. 

"  I  have  just  come  from  thence  within  the  last 
hour." 

"What  do  the  people  want?"  asked  the  Padishah. 

"  They  want  to  eat  and  drink." 

"  It  is  blood  they  would  drink  then,"  murmured 
the  Chief  Mufti  in  his  beard. 

"And  what  do  they  complain  about?  " 

"  They  complain  that  the  sword  does  not  wage  war 
of  its  own  accord,  and  that  the  earth  does  not  pro- 
duce bread  without  being  tilled,  and  that  wine  and 
coffee  do  not  trickle  from  the  gutters  of  the 
houses." 

"  You  speak  very  lightly  of  the  matter,  Abdi.  How 
*  .do  you  propose  to  pacify  this  uproar?  " 

"  The  thing  is  quite  simple.  The  cobblers  and 
petty  hucksters  of  Stambul  are  not  worth  a  volley, 
and,  besides,  I  would  not  hurt  the  poor  things  if 
possible.  Many  of  them  have  wives  and  children. 
Those  who  have  stirred  them  up  are  in  the  camp  of 
the  Janissaries — there  you  will  find  their  leaders.  It 
would  be  a  pity,  perhaps,  to  destroy  all  who  have 
excited  the  people  in  Stambul  to  revolt,  but  they 
ought  to  be  led  forth  regiment  by  regiment  and  every 
tenth  man  of  them  shot  through  the  head.  That 
will  help  to  smooth  matters." 


I5ö  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Ali  the  viziers  were  horrified.  "Who  would  dare 
to  do  such  a  thing?  "  they  asked. 

"That  is  what  I  would  do,"  said  Abdi  bluntly. 
After  that  he  held  his  peace. 

It  was  the  Sultan  who  broke  the  silence. 

"  Before  you  arrived,"  said  he,  "  we  had  resolved, 
by  the  advice  of  the  Kiaja  Beg,  to  go  back  to  the 
town  with  the  banner  of  the  Prophet  and  the  princes. 

"  That  also  is  not  bad  counsel,"  said  Abdi ;  "  thy 
glorious  presence  will  and  must  quell  the  uproar. 
Unfurl  the  banner  of  the  Prophet  in  front  of  the 
Gate  of  the  Seraglio,  let  the  Chief  Mufti  and 
Ispirizade  open  the  Aja  Sophia  and  the  Mosque  of 
Achmed,  and  let  the  imams  call  the  people  to  prayer. 
Let  Damad  Ibrahim  remain  outside  with  the  host, 
that  in  case  of  need  he  may  hasten  to  suppress  the 
insurgents.  Let  the  Kiaja  Beg  collect  together  the 
jebedjis,  ciauses,  and  bostanjis,  who  guard  the 
Seraglio,  and  let  them  clear  the  streets.  And  if  all 
this  be  of  no  avail  my  guns  from  the  sea  will  soon 
teach  them  obedience." 

Sultan  Achmed  shook  his  head. 

"  We  have  resolved  otherwise,"  said  he ;  "  none  of 
you  must  quit  my  side.  The  Grand  Vizier,  the  Chief 
Mufti,  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  and  the  Kiaja  must  come 
along  with  me." 

And  while  he  told  their  names,  one  after  the  other, 


TULIP-BULBS  AND  HUMAN  HEADS.       151 

the  Padishah   did  not   so   much   as   look   at   one   of 
them. 

The  names  of  these  four  men  were  all  written  up 
on  the  corners  of  the  street.  The  heads  of  these 
four  men  had  been  demanded  by  the  people  and  by 
Halil  Patrona. 

What  then  was  their  offence  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people?  They  were  the  men  highest  in  power  when 
misfortune  overtook  the  realm.  But  how  then  had 
they  offended  Hahl  Patrona?  'Twas  they  who  had 
brought  suffering  upon  Gül-Bejáze. 

The  viziers  bowed  their  heads. 

At  that  same  instant  Abdi's  messengers  arrived 
with  the  tulips.  They  were  brought  to  the  Padishah, 
who  was  enchanted  by  their  beauty,  and  ordered  that 
they  should  be  conveyed  to  Stambul,  to  the  Sultana 
Asseki,  with  the  message  that  he  himself  would  not 
be  long  after  them.  Moreover,  he  patted  Abdi  on 
the  shoulder,  and  protested  with  tears  in  his  eyes  that 
there  was  none  in  the  world  v/hom  he  loved  better. 

The  Kapudan  Pasha  kissed  the  hem  of  the  Sultan's 
robe,  and  then  remained  behind  with  Ibrahim,  Ab- 
dullah, and  the  Kiaja. 

"Abdullah,  and  you,  my  brave  Ibrahim,  and  you, 
Kiaja,"  said  he,  addressing  them  with  a  friendly  smile, 
"  in  an  hour's  time  our  four  heads  will  not  be  worth 
an  earless  pitcher,"  whereupon  Damad  Ibrahim  sadly 


152  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

bent  his  head,  and  whispered  with  a  voice  resembHng 
a  sob : 

"Poor,  poor  Sultan!" 

Then  they  all  four  accompanied  Achmed  to  his 
ship.  They  were  all  fully  convinced  that  Achmed 
would  first  sacrifice  them  all  and  then  fall  himself. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD. 

Halil  Patrona  was  already  the  master  of  Stambul. 

The  rebel  leaders  had  assembled  together  in  the 
central  mosque,  and  from  thence  distributed  their 
commands. 

At  the  sixth  hour  (according  to  Christian  calcula- 
tion ten  o'clock  in  the  evening)  the  ship  arrived  bear- 
ing the  Sultan,  the  princes,  the  magnates,  and  the 
sacred  banner,  and  cast  anchor  beside  the  coast  kiosk 
at  the  Gate  of  Cannons. 

Inside  the  Seraglio  none  knew  anything  of  the 
position  of  affairs.  All  through  the  city  a  great  com- 
motion prevailed  with  the  blowing  of  horns,  in  the 
cemetery  bivouac  fires  had  been  everywhere  lighted. 

"  Why  cannot  I  send  a  couple  of  grenades  among 
tliem  from  the  sea?"  sighed  the  Kapudan  Pasha, 
"  that  would  quiet  them  immediately,  I  warrant." 

As  the  Kizlar-Aga,  Elhaj  Beshir,  came  face  to  face 
with  the  newly  arrived  ministers  in  the  ante-chamber 
where    the    Mantle    of    the    Prophet    was    jealously 


154  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

guarded,  he  rubbed  his  hands  together  with  an  enig- 
matical smile  which  ill  became  his  coarse,  brutal 
countenance  and  cloven  lips,  and  when  the  Padishah 
asked  him  what  the  rebels  wanted,  he  replied  that  he 
really  did  not  know. 

That  smile  of  his,  that  rubbing  of  the  hands,  which 
had  been  robbed  of  their  thumbs  by  the  savage 
cruelty  of  a  former  master  for  some  piece  of  villainy 
or  other — these  things  were  premonitions  of  evil  to 
all  the  officials  present. 

Elhaj  Beshir  Aga  had  now  held  his  office  for  four- 
teen years,  during  which  time  he  had  elevated  and 
deposed  eight  Grand  Viziers. 

And  now,  how  were  the  demands  of  the  rebels  to 
be  discovered? 

Damad  Ibrahim  suggested  that  the  best  thing  to 
do  was  to  summon  Sulali  Hassan,  a  former  cadi  of 
Stambul,  whose  name  he  had  heard  mentioned  by  the 
town-crier  along  with  that  of  Halil  Patrona. 

They  found  Sulali  in  his  summer  house,  and  at  the 
first  summons  he  appeared  in  the  Seraglio.  He  de- 
clared that  the  rebels  had  been  playing  fast  and  loose 
with  his  name,  and  that  he  knew  nothing  whatever 
of  their  wishes. 

"  Then  take  with  you  the  Chaszeki  Aga  and  twenty 
bostanjis,  and  go  in  search  of  Halil  Patrona,  and  find 
out  what  he  wants !  "  commanded  the  Padishah. 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  155 

"It  is  a  pity  to  give  worthy  men  unnecessary 
trouble,  most  glorious  Sultan,"  said  Abdi  Pasha 
bitterly.  "  I  am  able  to  tell  you  what  the  rebels 
want,  for  I  have  seen  it  all  written  up  on  the  walls. 
They  demand  the  delivery  of  four  of  the  great  officers 
of  state — myself,  the  Chief  Mufti,  the  Grand  Vizier, 
and  the  Kiaja.  Surrender  us  then,  O  Sultan!  yet 
surrender  us  not  alive !  but  slay  us  first  and  then  their 
mouths  will  be  stopped.  Let  them  glut  their  appetites 
on  us.  You  know  that  no  wild  beast  is  savage  when 
once  it  has  been  well  fed." 

The  Sultan  pretended  not  to  hear  these  words.  He 
did  not  even  look  up  when  the  Kapudan  spoke. 

"  Seek  out  Haul  Patrona !  "  he  said  to  the  Chaszeki 
Aga,  "  and  greet  him  in  the  name  of  the  Padishah !  " 

What!  Greet  Halil  Patrona  in  the  name  of  the 
Padishah !  Greet  that  petty  huckster  in  the  name  of 
the  master  of  many  empires,  in  the  name  of  the  Prince 
of  Princes,  Shahs,  Khans,  and  Deys,  the  dominator 
of  Great  Moguls!  Who  would  have  believed  in  the 
possibility  of  such  a  thing  three  days  ago? 

"  Greet  Halil  Patrona  in  my  name,"  said  the  Sultan, 
"  and  tell  him  that  I  will  satisfy  all  his  just  demands, 
if  he  promises  to  dismiss  his  forces  immediately  after- 
wards." 

The  Chaszeki  Aga  and  Sulali  Plassan,  with  the 
twenty  bostanjis,  forced  their  way  through  the  thick 


156  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

crowd  which  thronged  the  streets  till  they  reached 
the  central  mosque.  Only  nine  of  the  twenty  bos- 
tanjis  were  beaten  to  death  by  the  mob  on  the  way, 
the  eleven  others  were  fortunate  enough  to  reach  the 
mosque  at  least  alive. 

There,  on  a  camel-skin  spread  upon  the  ground, 
sat  Halil,  the  rebel  leader,  like  a  second  Dzhengis 
Khan,  dictating  his  orders  and  nominations  to  the 
softas  sitting  before  him,  whom  he  had  appointed 
his  teskeredjis. 

When  the  Janissaries  on  guard  informed  him  that 
the  Sultan's  Chaszeki  Aga  had  arrived  and  wanted  to 
speak  to  him,  he  drily  replied : 

"  He  can  wait.  I  must  attend  to  worthier  men  than 
he  first  of  all." 

And  who,  then,  were  these  worthier  men  ? 

Well,  first  of  all  there  was  the  old  master-cobbler, 
Suleiman,  whom  they  had  dragged  by  force  from  his 
house  where  he  had  been  hiding  under  the  floor. 
Halil  now  ordered  a  document  to  be  drawn  up,  where- 
by he  elevated  him  to  the  rank  of  Reis-Effendi. 

Halil  Patrona,  by  the  way,  was  still  wearing  his 
old  Janissary  uniform,  the  blue  dolman  with  the 
salavari  reaching  to  the  knee,  leaving  the  calves  bare. 
The  only  difference  was  that  he  now  wore  a  white 
heron's  feather  in  his  hat  instead  of  a  black  one,  and 
by  his  side  hung  the  sword  of  the  Grand  Vizier,  whose 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  157 

palace  in  the  Galata  suburb  he  had  levelled  to  the 
ground  only  an  hour  before. 

It  was  with  the  signet  in  the  hilt  of  this  sword  that 
Halil  was  now  sealing  all  the  public  documents  issued 
by  him. 

After  Suleiman  came  Muhammad  the  saddle-maker. 
He  was  a  sturdy,  muscular  fellow,  who  could  have 
held  his  own  against  any  two  or  three  ordinary  men. 
Him  Halil  appointed  Aga. 

Then  came  a  ciaus  called  Orli,  whom  he  made  chief 
magistrate.  Ibrahim,  a  whilom  schoolmaster,  who 
went  by  the  name  of  "  the  Fool,"  he  made  chief  Cadi 
of  Stambul,  and  then  catching  sight  of  Sulali,  he 
beckoned  him  forth  from  among  the  ciauses  and  said 
to  him: 

"  Thou  shalt  be  the  Governor-General  of  Anatolia." 

Sulali  bowed  to  the  ground  by  way  of  acknowledg- 
ment of  such  graciousness. 

"  I  thank  thee,  Halil!  Make  of  me  what  thou  wilt, 
but  listen,  first  of  all,  to  the  message  of  the  Padishah 
which  he  has  entrusted  to  me,  for  I  am  in  very  great 
doubt  whether  it  be  thou  or  Sultan  Achmed  who  is 
now  Lord  of  all  the  Moslems.  Tell  me,  therefore, 
what  thou  dost  require  of  the  Sultan,  and  if  thy 
demands  be  lawful  and  of  good  report  they  shall  be 
granted,  provided  that  thou  dost  promise  to  disperse 
thy  following." 


I5S  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Then  Halil  Patrona  stood  up  before  the  Sulali,  and 
with  a  severe  and  motionless  countenance  answered : 

"  Our  demands  are  few  and  soon  told.  We  de- 
mand the  delivery  to  us  of  the  four  arch-traitors  who 
have  brought  disaster  upon  the  realm.  They  are 
the  Kul  Kiaja,  the  Kapudan  Pasha,  the  Chief  Mufti, 
and  the  Grand  Vizier." 

Sulali  fell  to  shaking  his  head. 

"You  ask  much,  Halil!" 

"I  ask  much,  you  say.  To-morrow  I  shall  ask 
still  more.  If  you  agree  to  my  terms,  to-morrow 
there  shall  be  peace.  But  ;f  you  come  again  to  me 
to-morrow,  then  there  will  be  peace  neither  to-morrow 
nor  any  other  morrow." 

Sulali  returned  to  the  Sultan  and  his  ministers  who 
were  still  all  assembled  together. 

Full  of  suspense  they  awaited  the  message  of 
Halil. 

Sulali  dared  not  say  it  all  at  once.  Only  gradually 
did  he  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag. 

"  I  have  found  out  the  demands  of  the  insurgents," 
said  he.  "  They  demand  that  the  Kiaja  Beg  be 
handed  over  to  them." 

The  Kiaja  suddenly  grew  paler  than  a  wax  figure. 

"  Such  a  faithful  old  servant  as  he  has  been  to  me 
too,"  sighed  Achmed.  "  Well,  well,  hand  him  over, 
and  now  I  hope  they  will  be  satisfied." 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  159 

With  tottering  footsteps  the  Kiaja  stepped  among 
the  bostanjis. 

"  They  demand  yet  more,"  said  Sulali. 

"What!  more?" 

"  They  demand  the  Kapudan  Pasha." 

"  Him  also.  My  most  vaHant  seaman !  "  exclaimed 
Achmed  sorrowfully. 

"  Mashallah !  "  cried  the  Kapudan  cheerfully,  "  I 
am  theirs,"  and  with  a  look  of  determined  courage  he 
stepped  forth  and  also  joined  the  bostanjis.  "  Weep 
not  on  my  account,  oh  Padishah!  A  brave  man  is 
always  ready  to  die  a  heroic  death  in  the  place  of 
danger,  and  shall  I  not,  moreover,  be  dying  in  your 
defence  ?  Hale  us  away,  bostanjis ;  do  not  tremble, 
my  sons.  Which  of  you  best  understands  to  twist  the 
string?  Come,  come,  fear  nothing,  I  will  show  you 
myself  how  to  arrange  the  silken  cord  properly.  Long 
live  the  Sultan !  " 

And  with  that  he  quitted  the  room,  rather  leading 
the  bostanjis  than  being  led  by  them,  he  did  not 
even  lay  aside  his  sword. 

"  Then,  too,  they  demanded  the  Grand  Vizier  and 
the  Chief  Mufti,"  said  Sulali. 

The  Sultan,  full  of  horror,  rose  from  his  place. 

**  No,  no,  it  cannot  be.  You  must  have  heard  their 
words  amiss.  He  from  whom  you  required  an  answer 
must  needs  have  been  mad,  he  spoke  in  his  wrath. 


i6o  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

What!  I  am  to  slay  the  Grand  Vizier  and  the  Chief 
Mufti?  Slay  them,  too,  for  faults  which  I  myself 
have  committed — faults  against  which  they  wished 
to  warn  me  ?  Why,  their  blood  would  cry  to  Heaven 
against  me.  Go  back,  Sulali,  and  say  to  Halil  that 
I  beg,  I  implore  him  not  to  insist  that  these  two  grey 
heads  shall  roll  in  the  dust  Let  it  suffice  him  if  they 
are  deprived  of  their  offices  and  banished  from  the 
realm,  for  indeed  they  are  guiltless.  Entreat  him, 
also,  for  the  Kiaja  and  the  Kapudan ;  they  shall  not 
be  surrendered  until  you  return." 

Again  Sulali  sought  out  Halil.  He  durst  not  say 
a  word  concerning  the  Kiaja  and  the  Kapudan.  He 
knew  that  it  was  the  Kapudan  who  had  seized  upon 
Halil's  wife  when  she  was  attempting  to  escape  by 
sea,  and  that  it  was  the  Kiaja  who  had  had  her  shut 
up  in  the  dungeon  set  apart  for  shameless  women. 
He  confined  himself  therefore  to  pleading  for  the 
Grand  Vizier  and  the  Chief  Mufti. 

Halil  reflected.  The  incidents  which  had  happened 
in  the  palace  by  the  Sweet  Waters  all  passed  through 
his  mind.  He  bethought  him  how  Damad  Ibrahim 
had  forced  his  embraces  upon  Gül-Bejáze,  and  com- 
pelled her  to  resort  to  the  stratagem  of  the  death- 
swoon,  and  he  gave  no  heed  to  what  Sulali  said  about 
sparing  Ibrahim's  grey  beard. 

"  The  Grand  Vizier  must  die,"  he  answered.     "  As 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  i6i 

for  Abdullah,  he  may  remain  alive,  but  he  must  be 
banished."  After  all,  Abdullah  had  done  no  harm 
to  Gül-Bejázc. 

Sulali  returned  to  the  Seraglio. 

"Halil  permits  the  Chief  Mufti  to  live,  but  he 
demands  death  for  the  three  others,"  said  he. 

At  these  words  Achmed  sprang  from  the  divan  like 
a  lion  brought  to  bay  and  drew  his  sword. 

"  Come  hither,  then,  valiant  rebels,  as  ye  are !  "  cried 
he.  "  If  you  want  the  heads  of  my  servants,  come 
for  them,  and  take  them  from  me.  No,  not  a  drop 
of  their  blood  will  I  give  you,  and  if  you  dare  to  come 
for  them  ye  shall  see  that  the  sword  of  Mohammed 
has  still  an  edge  upon  it.  Unfurl  the  banner  of  the 
Prophet  in  front  of  the  gate  of  the  Seraglio.  Let  all 
true  believers  cleave  to  me.  Send  criers  into  all  the 
streets  to  announce  that  the  Seraglio  is  in  danger, 
and  let  all  to  whom  the  countenance  of  Allah  is  dear 
hasten  to  the  defence  of  the  Banner!  I  will  collect 
the  bostanjis  and  defend  the  gates  of  the  Seraglio." 

The  two  grey  beards  kissed  the  Sultan's  hand.  If 
this  manly  burst  of  emotion  had  only  come  a  little 
earlier,  the  page  of  history  would  have  borne  a  very 
different  record  of  Sultan  Achmed. 

The  Banner  of  Danger  was  immediately  hung  out 
in  the  central  gate  of  the  Seraglio,  and  there  it  re- 
mained till  early  the  next  evening. 

h 


i62  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

At  dawn  the  criers  returned  and  reported  that  they 
had  not  been  able  to  get  beyond  the  mosque  of  St. 
Sophia,  and  that  the  people  had  responded  to  their 
crying  with  showers  of  stones. 

The  Green  Banner  waved  all  by  itself  in  front  of 
the  Seraglio.  Nobody  assembled  beneath  it,  even  the 
wind  disdained  to  flutter  it,  languidly  it  drooped  upon 
its  staff. 

The  unfurling  of  the  Green  Banner  on  the  gate  of 
the  Seraglio  is  a  rare  event  in  history.  As  a  rule  it 
only  happens  in  the  time  of  greatest  danger,  for  it 
signifies  that  the  time  has  come  for  every  true  Mussul- 
man to  quit  hearth  and  home,  his  shop  and  his 
plough,  snatch  up  his  weapons,  and  hasten  to  the 
assistance  of  Allah  and  his  Anointed,  and  accursed 
would  be  reckoned  every  male  Osmanli  who  should 
hesitate  at  such  a  time  to  lay  down  his  life  and  his 
estate  at  the  feet  of  the  Padishah. 

Knowing  this  to  be  so,  imagine  then  the  extremity 
of  terror  into  which  the  dwellers  in  the  Seraglio  were 
plunged  when  they  saw  that  not  a  single  soul  rallied 
beneath  the  exposed  banner.  The  criers  promised  a 
gratuity  of  thirty  piastres  to  every  soldier  who 
hastened  to  range  himself  beneath  the  banner,  and 
two  piastres  a  day  over  and  above  the  usual  pay. 
And  some  five  or  six  fellows  followed  them,  but  as 
many  as  came  in  on  one  side  went  away  again  on  the 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  163 

other,  and  in  the  afternoon  not  a  single  soul  remained 
beneath  the  banner. 

Towards  evening  the  banner  was  hoisted   on   to 
the  second  gate  beneath  which  were  the  dormitories 
of  the  high  officers  of  state.     The  generals  mean- 
while slept  in  the  Hall  of  Audience,  Damadzadi  lay 
sick    in    the    apartment    of    Prince    Murad,    and    the 
Mufti  and  the  Ulemas  remained  in  the  barracks  of 
the  bostanjis.     Sultan  Achmed  did  not  lie  down  all 
night  long,  but  wandered  about  from  room  to  room, 
impatiently  inquiring  after  news  outside.     He  asked 
whether  anyone  had  come  from  the  host  to  his  assist- 
ance? whether  the  people  were  assembling  beneath 
the  Sacred  Green  Banner.?  and  the  cold  sweat  stood  out 
upon  his  forehead  when,  in  reply  to  all  his  questions, 
he  only  received  one  crushing  answer  after  another. 
The    watchers    placed    on    the    roof    of    the    palace 
signified  that  the  bivouac  fires  of  the  insurgents  were 
now  much  nearer  than  they  had  been  the  night  before, 
and  that  in  the  direction  of  Scutari  not  a  single  watch- 
fire  was  visible,  from  which  it  might  be  suspected 
that  the  army  had  broken  up  its  camp,  returned  to 
Stambul,  and  made  common  cause  with  the  insurgents. 
Achmed  himself  ascended  to  the  roof  to  persuade 
himself  of  the  truth  of  these  assertions,  and  wandered 
in  a  speechless  agony  of  grief  from   apartment   to 
apartment,   constantly   looking   to    see   whether   the 


i64  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Kiaja,  the  Kapudan,  and  the  Grand  Vizier  were  asleep 
or  awake.  Only  the  Kapudan  Pasha  was  able  to 
sleep  at  all.  The  Kiaja  was  all  of  an  ague  with 
apprehension,  and  the  Grand  Vizier  was  praying,  not 
for  himself  indeed,  but  for  the  Sultan.  At  last  even 
the  Kapudan  was  sorry  for  the  Sultan  who  was  so 
much  distressed  on  their  account. 

"Why  dost  thou  keep  waking  us  so  often,  oh,  my 
master  ?  "  said  he,  "  we  are  still  alive  as  thou  seest. 
Go  and  sleep  in  thy  harem  and  trouble  not  thy  soul 
about  us  any  more,  it  is  only  the  rebels  who  have  to 
do  with  us  now.  Allah  Kerim!  Look  upon  us  as 
already  sleeping  the  sleep  of  eternity.  At  the  trump 
of  the  Angel  of  the  Resurrection  we  also  shall  arise 
like  the  rest." 

And  Achmed  listened  to  the  words  of  the  Kapudan, 
and  at  dawn  of  day  vanished  from  amongst  them. 
When  they  sought  him  in  the  early  morning  he  had 
not  yet  come  forth  from  his  harem. 

The  four  dignitaries  knew  very  well  what  that 
signified. 

Early  in  the  morning,  when  the  dawn  was  still  red, 
Sulali  Effendi  and  Ispirizade  came  for  the  Chief 
Mufti,  and  invited  him  to  say  the  morning  prayer 
with  them. 

The  Ulemas  were  already  all  assembled  together, 
and  at  the  sight  of  them  Abdullah  burst  into  tears 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  165 

and  sobs,  and  said  to  them  in  the  midst  of  his  lamenta- 
tions : 

"  Behold,  I  have  brought  my  grey  beard  hither, 
and  if  it  pleases  you  not  that  it  has  grown  white  in 
all  pure  and  upright  dealing,  take  it  now  and  wash  it 
in  my  blood ;  and  if  ye  think  that  the  few  days  Allah 
hath  given  me  to  be  too  many,  then  take  me  and 
put  an  end  to  them." 

Then  all  the  Ulemas  stood  up  and,  raising  their 
hands,  exclaimed : 

"  Allah  preserve  thee  from  this  evil  thing !  " 

Then  they  threw  themselves  down  on  their  faces 
to  pray,  and  when  they  had  made  an  end  of  praying, 
they  assembled  in  the  kiosk  of  Erivan  in  the  inner 
garden  where  the  Grand  Vizier  already  awaited  them. 
Not  long  afterwards  arrived  the  Kiaja  and  the 
Kapudan  Pasha  also,  last  of  all  came  the  sick  Damad- 
zadi  and  the  Cadi  of  Medina,  Mustafa  Effendi,  and 
Segban  Pasha. 

"  Ye  see  a  dead  man  before  you,"  said  the  Grand 
Vizier,  Damad  Ibrahim,  to  the  freshly  arrived 
dignitaries.  "  I  am  lost.  We  are  the  four  victims. 
The  Chief  Mufti  perhaps  may  save  his  life,  but  we 
three  others  shall  not  see  the  dawn  of  another  day. 
It  cannot  be  otherwise.  The  Sultan  must  be  saved, 
and  saved  he  only  can  be  at  the  price  of  our  lives." 

"  I    said   that   long   ago,"    observed   the   Kapudan 


i66  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Pasha.  "  Our  corpses  ought  to  have  been  delivered 
up  to  the  rebels  yesterday,  I  fear  it  is  already  too  late, 
I  fear  me  that  the  Sultan  is  lost  anyhow.  The  Banner 
of  Affliction  ought  never  to  have  been  exposed  at  all, 
we  should  have  been  slain  there  and  then." 

"You  three  withdraw  into  the  Chamber  of  the 
Executioners,"  said  the  Grand  Vizier  to  his  colleagues, 
"  but  wait  for  me  till  the  Kizlar-Aga  arrives  to  demand 
from  me  the  seals  of  office,  till  then  I  must  perform 
my  official  duties." 

The  three  ministers  then  took  leave  of  Damad 
Ibrahim,  embraced  each  other,  and  were  removed  in 
the  custody  of  the  bostanjis. 

It  was  now  the  duty  of  the  Grand  Vizier  to  elect 
a  new  Chief  Mufti  from  among  the  Ulemas.  The 
Ulemas,  first  of  all,  chose  Damadzadi,  but  he  declining 
the  dignity  on  the  plea  of  illness,  they  chose  in  his 
stead  the  Cadi  of  Medina,  and  for  want  of  a  white 
mantle  invested  him  with  a  green  one. 

After  that  they  elected  from  amongst  themselves 
Seid  Mohammed  and  Damadzadi,  to  receive  the  secret 
message  of  the  Sultan  from  the  Kizlar-Aga  and 
deliver  it  to  Halil  Patrona. 

Damad  Ibrahim  was  well  aware  of  the  nature  of 
this  secret  message,  and  thanked  Allah  for  setting  at 
term  to  the  life  of  man. 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  167 

Meanwhile  Sultan  Achmed  was  sitting  in  the  Hall 
of  Delectation  with  the  beautiful  Adsalis  by  his  side, 
and  in  front  of  him  were  the  four  tulips  which  Abdi 
Pasha  had  presented  to  him  the  day  before. 

The  four  tulips  were  now  in  full  bloom. 

Adsalis  had  thrown  her  arms  round  the  Sultan's 
neck,  and  was  kissing  his  forehead  as  if  she  would 
charm  away  from  his  soul  the  thoughts  which  suffered 
him  not  to  rest,  or  rejoice,  or  to  love. 

He  had  an  eye  for  nothing  but  the  tulips  before 
him,  which  he  could  not  protect  or  cherish  sufficiently. 
He  scarce  noticed  that  Elhaj  Beshir,  the  Kizlar-Aga, 
was  standing  before  him  with  a  long  MS.  parchment 
stretched  out  in  his  hand. 

"  Master,"  cried  the  Kizlar-Aga,  "  deign  to  read  the 
answer  which  the  Ulemas  are  sending  to  Halil 
Patrona,  and  if  it  be  according  to  thy  will  give  it 
the  confirmation  of  thy  signature." 

"  What  do  they  require  ?  "  asked  the  Sultan  softly, 
withdrawing,  as  he  spoke,  a  tiny  knife  from  his  girdle, 
with  the  point  of  which  he  began  picking  away  at 
the  earth  all  round  the  tulips  in  order  to  make  it 
looser  and  softer. 

"  The  rebels  demand  a  full  assurance  that  they  will 
not  be  persecuted  in  the  future  for  what  they  have 
done  in  the  past." 

"  Be  It  so  I  " 


1 68  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Next  they  demand  that  the  Kiaja  Aga  be  handed 
over  to  them." 

The  Sultan  cut  off  one  of  the  tuHps  with  his  knife 
and  handed  it  to  the  Kizlar-Aga. 

"  There,  take  it !  "  said  he. 

The  Aga  was  astonished,  but  presently  he  under- 
stood and  took  the  tulip. 

"  Then  they  want  the  Kapudan  Pasha." 

The  Sultan  cut  off  the  handsomest  of  the  tulips. 

"  There  you  have  it,"  said  he. 

"  They  further  demand  the  banishment  of  the  Chief 
Mufti." 

The  Sultan  tore  up  the  third  tulip  by  the  roots  and 
cast  it  from  him. 

"  There  it  is." 

"And  the  Grand  Vizier  they  want  also." 

The  last  tulip  Achmed  threw  violently  to  the 
ground,  pot  and  all,  and  then  he  covered  his  face. 

"  Ask  no  more,  thou  seest  I  have  surrendered  every- 
thing." 

Then  he  gave  him  his  signet-ring  in  which  his 
name  was  engraved,  and  the  Kizlar-Aga  stamped  the 
document  therewith,  and  then  handed  back  the 
signet-ring  to  the  Sultan. 

The  Grand  Vizier,  meanwhile,  was  walking  back- 
wards and  forwards  in  the  garden  of  the  Seraglio. 
Tlie  Kizlar-Aga  came  there  in  search  of  him,  and 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  169 

with  him  were  the  envoys  of  Halil  Patronai,  Suleiman, 
whom  he  had  made  Reis-Eifendi,  Orh,  and  SulaH. 
Elhaj  Beshir  approached  him  in  their  presence,  and 
kissing  the  document  signed  by  the  Sultan,  handed 
it  to  him. 

Damad  Ibrahim  pressed  the  writing  to  his  fore- 
head and  his  lips,  and,  after  carefully  reading  it 
through,  handed  it  back  again,  and  taking  from  his 
fmger  the  great  seal  of  the  Empire  gave  it  to  the 
Kizlar-Aga. 

"  Llay  he  who  comes  after  me  be  wiser  and  happier 
than  I  have  been,"  said  he.  "  Greet  the  Sultan  from 
me  once  more.  And  as  for  you,  tell  Halil  Patrona 
that  you  have  seen  the  door  of  the  Hall  of  the 
Executioners  close  behind  the  back  of  Damad 
Ibrahim." 

With  that  the  Grand  Vizier  looked  about  him  in 
search  of  someone  to  escort  him  thither,  when 
suddenly  a  kajkji  leaped  to  his  side  and  begged  that 
he  might  be  allowed  to  lead  the  Grand  Vizier  to  the 
Hall  of  Execution. 

This  sailor-man  had  just  such  a  long  grey  beard 
as  the  Grand  Vizier  himself. 

"How  dost  thou  come  to  know  me?"  inquired 
Damad  Ibrahim  of  the  old  man. 

"  Why  we  fought  together,  sir,  beneath  Belgrade, 
when  both  of  us  were  young  fellows  together." 


I70  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"What  is  thy  name? 

"  Manoh." 

"  I  remember  thee  not.'* 

"  But  I  remember  thee,  for  thou  (didst  release  me 
from  captivity,  and  didst  cherish  me  when  I  was 
wounded." 

"And  therefore  thou  wouldst  lead  me  to  the 
executioner?     I  thank  thee,  Manoli!" 

All  this  was  spoken  while  they  were  passing 
through  the  garden  on  their  way  to  the  fatal  chamber 
into  which  Manoli  disappeared  with  the  Grand  Vizier. 

The  Kizlar-Aga  and  the  messengers  of  the  in- 
surgents waited  till  Manoli  came  forth  again.  He 
came  out,  covering  his  face  with  his  hands,  no  doubt 
he  was  weeping.     The  Grand  Vizier  remained  inside. 

"  To-morrow  you  shall  see  his  dead  body,"  said  the 
Kizlar-Aga  to  the  new  Reis-Effendi,  and  with  that 
he  sent  him  and  his  comrade  back  to  Halil. 

"  We  would  rather  have  had  them  alive,"  said  the 
ex-ciaus,  so  suddenly  become  one  of  the  chief 
dignitaries  of  the  state. 

That  same  evening  Halil  sent  back  Sulali  with  the 
message  that  the  Chief  Mufti  might  go  free. 

The  old  man  quitted  his  comrades  about  midnight, 
and  day  had  scarce  dawned  when  he  was  summoned 
once  more  to  the  presence  of  the  Grand  Seignior. 

All  night  long  the  Kizlar-Aga  tormented  Achmed 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  171 

with  the  saying  of  the  Reis-Effendi :  "  Wc  would 
rather  have  them  aHve !  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Sultan,  "  we  will  not  have  them 
delivered  up  alive.  It  shall  not  be  in  the  power  of 
the  people  to  torture  and  tear  them  to  pieces.  Rather 
let  them  die  in  my  palace,  an  easy,  instantaneous 
death,  without  fear  and  scarce  a  pang  of  pain,  wept 
and  mourned  for  by  their  friends." 

"  Then  hasten  on  their  deaths,  dread  sir,  lest  the 
morning  come  and  they  be  demanded  while  still  alive." 

"  Tarry  a  while,  I  say,  wait  but  for  the  morning. 
"  You  would  not  surely  kill  them  at  night !  At  night 
the  gates  of  Heaven  are  shut.  At  night  the  phan- 
toms of  darkness  are  let  loose.  You  would  not  slay 
any  living  creature  at  night!  Wait  till  the  day 
dawns." 

The  first  ray  of  light  had  scarce  appeared  on  the 
horizon  when  the  Kizlar-Aga  once  more  stood  before 
the  Sultan. 

"  Master,  the  day  is  breaking." 

"  Call  hither  the  mufti  and  Sulali !  " 

Both  of  them  speedily  appeared. 

"  Convey  death  to  those  who  are  already  doomed." 

Sulali  and  the  mufti  fell  down  on  their  knees. 

"Wherefore  this  haste,  O  my  master?"  cried  the 
aged  mufti,  bitterly  weeping  as  he  kissed  the  Sultan's 
feet. 


172  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Because  the  rebels  wish  them  to  be  surrendered 
alive." 

"  So  it  is,"  observed  the  Kizlar-Aga  by  way  of 
corroboration,  "  the  whole  space  in  front  of  the  kiosk 
is  filled  with  the  insurgents." 

The  Sultan  almost  collapsed  with  horror. 

"  Hasten,  hasten !  lest  they  fall  into  their  hands 
alive." 

"  Oh,  sir,"  implored  Sulali,  "  let  me  first  go  down 
with  the  Imam  of  the  Aja  Sophia  to  see  whether  the 
street  really  is  filled  with  rebels  or  not !  " 

The  Sultan  signified  that  they  might  go. 

Sulali,  Hassan,  and  Ispirizade  thereupon  hastened 
through  the  gate  of  the  Seraglio  down  to  the  open 
space  before  the  kiosk,  but  not  a  living  soul  did  they 
find  there.  Not  satisfied  with  merely  looking  about 
them,  they  wished  to  persuade  themselves  that  the 
insurgents  were  approaching  the  Seraglio  from  some 
other  direction  by  a  circuitous  way. 

Meanwhile  the  Sultan  was  counting  the  moments 
and  growing  impatient  at  the  prolonged  absence  cf 
his  messengers. 

"  They  have  had  time  enough  to  cover  the  distance 
to  the  kiosk  and  back  twice  over,"  remarked  the 
Kizlar-Aga.  "  No  doubt  they  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  rebels  who  are  holding  them  fast  so  that 
they  may  not  be  able  to  bring  any  tidings  back." 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  173 

The  Sultan  was  in  despair. 

"  Hasten,  hasten  then !  "  said  he  to  the  Kizlar-Aga, 
and  with  that  he  fled  away  into  his  inner  apartments. 

Ten  minutes  later  Sulali  and  the  Iman  returned, 
and  announced  that  there  was  not  a  soul  to  be  seen 
anywhere  and  no  si^  of  anyone  threatening  the 
Seraglio. 

Then  the  Kizlar-Aga  led  them  down  to  the  gate. 
A  cart  drawn  by  two  oxen  was  standing  there,  and 
the  top  of  it  was  covered  with  a  mat  of  rushes.  He 
drew  aside  a  corner  of  this  mat,  and  by  the  uncertain 
light  of  dawn  they  saw  before  them  three  corpses, 
the  Kiaja's,  the  Kapudan's,  and  the  Grand  Vizier's. 


"Happy  Giil-Bejaze  sits  in  Halils  lap  and  dreamily 
allows  herself  to  be  cradled  in  his  arms  Through  the 
windows  of  the  splendid  palace  penetrate  the  shouts 
of  triumph  which  hail  Halil  as  Lord,  for  the  moment, 
of  the  city  of  Stambul  and  the  whole  Ottoman 
Empire. 

Gül-Bcjáze  tremulously  whispers  in  Llalil's  car  how 
much  she  would  prefer  to  dwell  in  a  simple,  lonely 
little  hut  in  Anatolia  instead  of  there  in  that  splendid 
palace. 

Halil  smooths  away  the  luxuriant  locks  from  his 
wife's  forehead,  and  makes  her  tell  him  once  more 


174  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

the  full  tale  of  all  those  revolting-  incidents  which 
befell  her  in  the  Seraglio,  in  the  captivity  of  the 
Kapudan's  house,  and  in  the  dungeon  for  dishonour- 
able women.  Why  should  he  keep  on  arousing  hatred 
and  vengeance? 

The  woman  told  him  everything  with  a  shudder. 
At  her  husband's  feet,  right  in  front  of  them,  stood 
three  baskets  full  of  flowers.  Halil  had  given  them 
to  her  as  a  present. 

But  at  the  bottom  of  the  baskets  were  still  more 
precious  gifts. 

He  draws  forward  the  first  basket  and  sweeps  away 
the  flowers.  A  bloody  head  is  at  the  bottom  of  the 
basket. 

"Whose  is  that?" 

Gül-Bejáze,  all  shuddering,  lisped  the  name  of 
Abdi  Pasha. 

He  cast  away  the  flowers  from  the  second  basket, 
there  also  was  a  bloody  head. 

"And  whose  is  that?" 

"  That  is  the  Kiaja  Begs,"  sobbed  the  terrified  girl. 

And  now  Halil  brought  forward  the  third  basket, 
and  dashing  aside  from  it  the  fresh  flowers,  revealed 
to  the  eyes  of  Gül-Bejáze  a  grey  head  with  a  white 
beard,  which  lay  with  closed  eyes  at  the  bottom  of 
the  basket. 

"Whose  is  that?"  inquired  Halil. 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD  175 

Gül-Bejáze's  tender  frame  shivered  in  the  arms  of 
the  strong  man  who  held  her,  as  he  compelled  her 
to  gaze  at  the  bloody  heads.  And  when  she  regarded 
the  third  head  she  shook  her  own  in  amazement. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  one." 

"  Not  know  it !  Look  again  and  more  carefully. 
Perchance  Death  has  changed  the  expression  of  the 
features.     That  is  Damad  Ibrahim  the  Grand  Vizier." 

Gül-Bejáze  regarded  her  husband  with  eyes  wide- 
open  with  astonishment,  and  then  hastened  to  reply : 

"  Truly  it  is  Damad  Ibrahim.  Of  course,  of  course. 
Death  hath  disfigured  his  face  so  that  I  scarce  knew 
it." 

"  Did  I  not  tell  thee  that  thou  shouldst  make  sport 
with  the  heads  of  those  who  made  sport  with  thy 
heart?     Dost  thou  want  yet  more?  " 

"Oh,  no,  no,  Halil.  I  am  afraid  of  these  also.  I 
am  afraid  to  look  upon  these  dumb  heads." 

"  Then  cover  them  over  with  flowers,  and  thou  wilt 
believe  thou  dost  see  flower-baskets  before  thee." 

"  Let  me  have  them  buried,  Halil.  Do  not  make 
me  fear  thee  also.  Thou  wouldst  have  me  go  on 
loving  thee,  wouldst  thou  not?  If  only  thou  wouldst 
come  with  me  to  Anatolia,  where  nobody  would  know 
anything  about  us!  " 

"What  dost  thou  say?  Go  away  now  when  the 
very  sun  cannot  set  because  of  me,  and  men  cannot 


176  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

sleep  because  of  the  sound  of  my  name?  Dost  not 
thou  also  feel  a  desire  to  bathe  in  all  this  glory?  " 

"  Oh,  Halil !  the  rose  and  the  palm  grow  up 
together  out  of  the  same  earth,  and  yet  the  palm 
grows  into  greatness  while  the  rose  remains  quite 
tiny.  Suffer  me  but  gently  to  crouch  beside  thee, 
dispense  but  thy  love  to  me,  and  keep  thy  glory  to 
thyself." 

Halil  tenderly  embraced  and  kissed  the  woman, 
and  buried  the  three  baskets  as  she  desired  in  the 
palace  garden  beneath  three  wide-spreading  rosemary 
bushes. 

Then  he  took  leave  of  Gül-Bejáze,  for  deputies 
from  the  people  now  waited  upon  their  leader,  and 
begged  him  to  accompany  them  to  the  mosque  of 
Zuleima,  where  the  Sultan's  envoys  were  already 
waiting  for  an  answer. 

In  order  to  get  to  the  mosque  more  easily  and  avoid 
the  labour  of  forcing  his  way  through  the  crowd  that 
thronged  the  streets,  Halil  hastened  to  the  water  side, 
got  into  the  first  skiff  he  met  with,  and  bade  the 
sailor  row  him  across  to  the  Zuleima  Mosque  on  the 
other  side. 

On  the  way  his  gaze  fell  upon  the  face  of  the 
sailor  who  was  sitting  opposite  to  him.  It  was  a 
grey-bearded  old  man. 

"What  is  thy  name,  worthy  old  man?"  inquired  Halil. 


A  TOPSY-TURVY  WORLD.  177 

"  My  name  is  Manoli,  your  Excellency." 

"  Call  me  not  Excellency !  Dost  thou  not  perceive 
from  my  raiment  that  I  am  nothing  but  a  common 
Janissary?  " 

"  Oh !  I  know  thee  better  than  that.  Thou  art 
Halil  Patrona,  whom  may  Allah  long  preserve !  " 

"  Thou  also  dost  seem  very  familiar  to  me.  Thou 
hast  just  such  a  white  beard  as  had  Damad  Ibrahim 
who  was  once  Grand  Vizier." 

"  I  have  often  heard  people  say  so,  my  master." 

On  arriving  opposite  the  Zuleima  Mosque,  the  boat- 
man brought  the  skiff  ashore.  Hahl  pressed  a  golden 
denarius  into  the  old  man's  palm,  the  old  man  kissed 
his  hand  for  it. 

Then  for  a  long  time  Halil  gazed  into  the  old 
man's  face. 

"Manoli!" 

"  At  thy  command,  my  master." 

"  Thou  seest  the  sun  rising  up  yonder  behind  the 
hills?" 

"Yes,  my  master." 

"  Before  the  shadows  return  to  the  side  of  yon  hills 
take  care  to  be  well  behind  them,  and  let  not  another 
dawn  find  thee  in  this  city !  " 

The  boatman  bent  low  with  his  arms  folded  across 
his  breast,  then  he  disappeared  in  his  skiff. 

But  Halil  Patrona  hastened  into  the  mosque. 

M 


178  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  Sultan's  ambassadors  were  awaiting  him. 
Sheik  Suleiman  came  forward 

"  Halil !  "  said  he,  "  the  bodies  of  the  three  dead 
men  I  have  given  to  the  people  and  their  heads  I 
have  sent  to  thee." 

*'  Who  were  they  ?  "  asked  Halil  darkly. 

"  The  first  was  the  corpse  of  the  Kiaja  Beg,  his 
body  was  cast  upon  the  cross-ways  through  the 
Etmeidan  Gate." 

"And  the  second?" 

"  The  Kapudan  Pasha,  his  body  was  flung  down 
in  front  of  the  fountains  of  Khir-Kheri." 

"And  the  third?" 

"  Damad  Ibrahim,  the  Grand  Vizier.  His  body  we 
flung  out  into  the  piazza  in  front  of  the  Seraglio,  at 
the  foot  of  the  very  fountains  which  he  himself  caused 
to  be  built." 

Halil  Patrona  cast  a  searching  look  at  the  Sheik's 
face,  and  coldly  replied : 

"Know  then,  oh.  Sheik  Suleiman,  that  thou  liest, 
The  third  corpse  was  not  the  body  of  Damad  Ibrahim 
the  Grand  Vizier.  It  was  the  body  of  a  sailor  named 
Manoli,  who  greatly  resembled  him,  and  sacrificed 
himself  in  Damad's  behalf.  But  the  Grand  Vizier 
has  escaped  and  none  can  tell  where  he  is.  Go  now, 
and  tell  that  to  those  who  sent  thee  hither !  " 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN. 

The  dead  bodies  of  the  victims  were  still  lying  in 
the  streets  when  Sultan  Achmed  summoned  the 
Ulemas  to  the  cupolaed  chamber.  His  countenance 
was  dejected  and  sad. 

Before  coming  to  the  council-chamber  he  had 
kissed  all  his  children,  one  by  one,  and  when  it  came 
to  the  turn  of  his  httle  ten-year-old  child,  Bajazid, 
he  saw  that  the  little  fellow's  eyes  were  full  of  tears 
rjid  he  inquired  the  reason  why.    The  child  replied : 

"  Father,  it  is  well  with  those  who  are  thy  enemies 
and  grievous  for  them  that  love  thee.  What  then 
will  be  our  fate  who  love  thee  best  of  all?  Amongst 
the  wives  of  our  brethren  thou  wilt  find  more  than 
one  in  grey  mourning  weeds.  Look,  I  prythee,  at 
the  face  of  Ummettulah ;  look  at  the  eyes  of  Sabiha, 
and  the  appearance  of  Ezma,  They  are  all  of  them 
widows  and  orphans,  and  it  is  thou  who  hast  caused 
their  fathers  and  husbands  to  be  slain." 

**  To  save  thee  I  have  done  it,"  stammered  Achmed. 
pressing  the  child  to  his  breast. 


iSo  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR, 

"  Thou  wilt  see  that  thou  shalt  not  save  us  after 
all,"  sighed  Bajazid. 

In  the  years  to  come  these  words  were  to  be  as  an 
eternal  echo  in  the  ears  of  Achmed. 

So  he  sat  on  his  throne  and  the  Ulemas  took  their 
places  around  him  on  the  divans  covered  with 
kordofan  leather.  Opposite  to  him  sat  the  chief 
imam,  Ispirizade.     Sulali  sat  beside  him. 

"  Lo,  the  blood  of  the  victims  has  now  been  poured 
forth,"  said  Achmed  in  a  gloomy,  tremulous  voice, 
"  I  have  sacrificed  my  most  faithful  servants.  Speak ! 
What  more  do  the  rebels  require?  Why  do  they 
still  blow  their  field  trumpets?  Why  do  they  still 
kindle  their  bivouac  fires?    What  more  do  they  want?" 

And  the  words  of  his  little  son  rang  constantly 
in  his  ears :  "  It  is  well  with  those  who  are  thy 
enemies  and  grievous  for  them  that  love  thee." 

No  one  replied  to  the  words  of  the  Sultan. 

"Answer,  I  say!  What  think  ye  concerning  the 
matter?" 

Once  more  deep  silence  prevailed.  The  Ulemas 
looked  at  one  another.  Many  of  them  began  to 
nudge  Sulali,  who  stood  up  as  if  to  speak,  but  im- 
mediately sat  down  again  without  opening  his  mouth. 

"  Speak,  I  pray  you !  I  have  not  called  you  hither 
to  look  at  me  and  at  one  another,  but  to  give  answers 
to  my  questions." 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    iSi 

And  still  the  Ulemas  kept  silence.  Dumbly  they 
sat  around  as  if  they  were  not  living  men  but  only 
embalmed  corpses,  such  as  are  to  be  found  in  the 
funeral  vaults  of  the  Pharaohs  grouped  around  the 
royal  tombs. 

"  'Tis  wondrous  indeed !  "  said  Achmed,  when  the 
whole  Council  had  remained  dumb  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  an  hour.  "  Are  ye  all  struck  dumb  then 
that  ye  give  me  no  answer  ?  " 

Then  at  last  Ispirizade  rose  from  his  place. 

"  Achmed !  "  he  began — with  such  discourteous 
curtness  did  he  address  the  Sultan! 

"  Achmed !  'tis  the  wish  of  Halil  Patrona  that  thou 
descend  from  the  throne  and  give  it  up  to  Sultan 
Mahmud  .  .  ." 

Achmed  sat  bolt  upright  in  his  chair.  After  the 
words  just  uttered  every  voice  in  the  council-chamber 
was  mute,  and  in  the  midst  of  this  dreadful  silence 
the  Ulemas  were  terrified  to  behold  the  Padishah 
stand  on  the  steps  of  the  throne,  extend  his  arm 
towards  the  imam,  fix  his  eyes  steadily  upon  him,  and 
open  his  lips  from  which  never  a  word  proceeded. 

Thus  for  a  long  time  he  stood  upon  the  throne  with 
hand  outstretched  and  parted  lips,  and  his  stony 
e}'es  fixed  steadily  upon  the  imam,  and  those  who 
saw  it  were  convulsed  by  a  feeling  of  horror,  and 
Ispirizade  felt  his  limbs  turn  to  stone  and  the  light 


i82  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

of  day  grow  dim  before  his  eyes  in  the  presence  of 
that  dreadful  figure  which  regarded  him  and  pointed 
at  him.  It  was,  as  it  were,  a  dumb  curse — a  dumb, 
overpowering  spell,  which  left  it  to  God  and  His 
destroying  angels  to  give  expression  to  his  wishes, 
and  read  in  his  heart  and  accomplish  that  which  he 
himself  was  incapable  of  pronouncing. 

The  whole  trembling  assembly  collapsed  before  the 
Sultan's  throne,  crawled  to  his  feet  and,  moistening 
them  with  their  tears,  exclaimed : 

"  Pardon,  O  master !  pardon !  " 

An  hour  before  they  had  unanimously  resolved  that 
Achmed  must  be  made  to  abdicate,  and  now  they 
unanimously  begged  for  pardon.  But  the  deed  had 
already  been  done. 

The  hand  of  the  Padishah  that  had  been  raised 
to  curse  sank  slowly  down  again,  his  eyes  half  closed, 
his  lips  were  pressed  tightly  together,  he  thrust  his 
hands  into  the  girdle  of  his  mantle,  looked  down  for 
a  long  time  upon  the  Ulemas,  and  then  quietly 
descended  the  steps  of  the  throne.  On  reaching  the 
pavement  he  remained  standing  by  the  side  of  the 
throne,  and  cried  in  a  hollow  tremulous  voice : 

"  I  have  ceased  to  reign,  let  a  better  than  I  take 
my  place.  I  demand  but  one  thing,  let  those  who 
are  at  this  moment  the  lords  of  the  dominion  of 
Osman    swear   that   they    will   do   no    harm   to    my 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    183 

children.  Let  them  swear  it  to  me  on  the  Alkoran. 
Take  two  from  amongst  you  and  let  them  convey  my 
desire  to  Halil." 

Again  a  deep  silence  followed  upon  Achmed's 
words.  The  Ulemas  fixed  their  gaze  upon  the 
ground,  not  one  of  them  moved  or  made  even  a  show 
of  conveying  the  message. 

"Perhaps,  then,  ye  wish  the  death  of  my  children 
also?  Or  is  there  not  one  of  you  with  courage 
enough  to  go  and  speak  to  them  ?  " 

A  very  aged,  tremulous,  half  paralyzed  Ulema  was 
there  among  them,  the  dervish  Mohammed,  and  he 
it  was  who  at  length  ventured  to  speak. 

"  Oh,  my  master !  who  is  valiant  enough  to  speak 
with  a  raging  lion,  who  hath  wit  enough  to  come  to 
.  terms  with  the  burning  tempest  of  the  Samum,  or  who 
would  venture  to  go  on  an  embassy  to  the  tempest- 
tost  sea  and  bandy  words  therewith  ?  " 

Achmed  gazed  darkly,  doubtfully  upon  the  Ulema, 
and  his  face  wore  an  expression  of  repressed  despair. 
Sulali  had  compassion  on  the  Sultan. 
"  I  will  go  to  them,"  he  said  reassuringly ;  "  remain 
here,  oh,  my  master,  till  I  return.  Of  a  truth  I  tell 
thee  that  I  will  not  come  back  till  they  have  sworn 
to  do  what  thou  desirest." 

And   now   Ispirizade   said   that   he   also  would   go 
with  Sulali.     He  had  not  sufficient  strength  of  mind 


1 84  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

to  endure  the  g^aze  of  the  Sultan  till  Sulali  should 
return.  Far  rather  would  he  go  with  him  also  to  the 
rebels.  Besides  they  already  understood  each  other 
very  well. 

The  envoys  found  Halil  sitting  under  his  tent  in 
the  Etmeidan. 

Sulali  drew  near  to  him  and  delivered  the  message 
of  the  Sultan. 

But  he  did  not  deliver  it  in  the  words  of  Achmed. 
He  neither  begged  nor  implored,  nor  mingled  his 
request  with  bitter  lamentations  as  Achmed  had  done, 
but  he  spoke  boldly  and  sternly,  without  picking  his 
words,  as  Achmed  ought  to  have  done. 

"  The  Padishah  would  have  his  own  life  and  the 
lives  of  his  children  guaranteed  by  oath,"  said  he  to 
the  assembled  leaders  of  the  people.  "  Swear,  there- 
fore, on  the  Alkoran  that  you  will  respect  them,  and 
swear  it  in  the  names  of  your  comrades  likewise. 
The  Padishah  is  resolved  that  if  you  refuse  to  take 
this  oath  he  will  blow  up  the  Seraglio  and  every 
living  soul  within  it  into  the  air  with  gunpowder." 

The  rebels  were  impressed  by  this  message,  only 
Halil  Patrona  smiled.  He  knew  very  well  that  such 
a  threat  as  this  never  arose  in  the  breast  of  Achmed. 
His  gentle  soul  was  incapable  of  such  a  thing. 
So  he  folded  his  arms  across  his  breast  and 
smiled. 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    1S5 

Then  the  chief  imam  fell  down  in  the  dust  before 
him,  and  said  in  a  humble  voice  : 

"  Listen  not,  O  Halil,  to  the  words  of  my  com- 
panion. The  Padishah  humbly  implores  you  for  his 
life  and  the  lives  of  his  children." 

Halil  wrinkled  his  brow  and  exclaimed  angrily : 

"  Rise  up,  Ulema,  grovel  not  before  me  in  the  name 
of  the  Sultan.  Those  who  would  slay  him  deal  not 
half  so  badly  with  them  as  thou  who  dost  humiliate 
him.  Sulali  is  right.  The  Sultan  is  capable  of  great 
deeds.  I  know  that  the  cellars  of  the  Seraglio  are 
full  of  gunpowder,  and  I  would  not  that  the  blossoms 
of  the  Sheik-ul-Islam  and  the  descendants  of  the 
Prophet  should  perish.  Behold,  I  am  ready,  and  my 
comrades  also,  to  swear  on  the  Alkoran  to  do  no 
harm  either  to  Sultan  Achmed,  or  his  sons,  or  his 
daughters,  or  his  daughters'  husbands.  Whoso- 
ever shall  raise  his  hand  against  them  his  head  I 
myself  will  cut  in  twain,  and  make  the  avenging 
Angels  of  Allah  split  his  soul  in  twain  also,  so  that 
each  half  may  never  again  find  its  fellow.  Go  back 
and  peace  rest  upon  Achmed." 

Sulali  flew  back  with  the  message,  but  Ispirizade 
hastened  to  the  Aja  Sophia  mosque  to  give  directions 
for  the  enthronement  of  the  new  Sultan. 

Meanwhile  Achmed  had  assembled  his  sons  around 
him  in  the  cupolaed  chamber,  and  sitting  down  on  the 


i86  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

last  step  of  the  throne  made  them  take  their  places 
round  his  feet,  and  awaited  the  message  which  was 
to  bear  the  issues  of  life  and  death. 

Sulali  entered  the  room  with  a  radiant  countenance, 
carrying  in  his  hand  the  copy  of  the  Alkoran,  on 
which  Halil  and  his  associates  had  sworn  the  oath 
required  of  them.  He  laid  it  at  the  Sultan's 
feet. 

"Live  for  ever,  oh,  Sultan!"  he  cried,  "and  may 
thy  heart  rejoice  in  the  prosperity  of  thy  children ! " 

Achmed  looked  up  with  a  face  full  of  gratitude, 
and  thanked  Allah,  the  Giver  of  all  good  and  perfect 
gifts. 

His  children  embraced  him  with  tears  in  their  eyes, 
and  Achmed  did  not  forget  to  extend  his  hand  to 
Sulali,  who  first  raised  it  to  his  forehead  and  then 
pressed  it  to  his  lips. 

Then  Achmed  sent  the  Kizlar-Aga  for  Sultan 
Mahmud,  surnamed  "  the  White  Prince,"  from  the 
pallor  of  his  face,  to  summon  him  to  his  presence. 

Half  an  hour  later,  accompanied  by  Elhaj  Beshir, 
Prince  Mahmud  arrived.  He  was  the  son  of 
Mustapha  IL,  who  had  renounced  the  throne  in  favour 
of  Achmed  just  as  Achmed  was  now  resigning  the 
throne  in  favour  of  Mahmud. 

The  Sultan  arose,  hastened  towards  him,  embraced 
hiiTi,  and  kissed  him  on  the  forehead. 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    187 

"  The  people  desire  thee  to  ascend  the  throne. 
Be  merciful  to  my  children  just  as  I  was  merciful  to 
thy  father's  children." 

Sultan  Mahmud  did  obeisance  to  his  uncle,  and 
seizing  his  hand,  as  if  it  were  worthy  of  all  honour, 
reverently  kissed  it. 

Then  Achmed  beckoned  to  his  sons,  and  one  by 
one  they  approached  Mahmud,  and  kissed  his  hand. 
And  all  the  time  the  Ulemas  remained  prostrate  on 
the  ground  around  them. 

Then  Achmed  took  the  new  sovereign  by  the  right 
hand,  and  personally  conducted  him  into  the  chamber 
of  the  Mantle  of  the  Prophet.  There,  standing  in 
front  of  the  throne,  he  took  from  his  hand  the 
diamond  clasp,  the  symbol  of  dominion,  and  with 
his  own  hand  fastened  it  to  the  turban  of  the  new 
Sultan,  and  placing  his  hand  upon  his  head,  solemnly 
blessed  him. 

"  Rule  and  prosper !  May  those  thou  lovest  love 
thee  also,  and  may  those  that  thou  hatest  fear  thee. 
Be  glorious  and  powerful  while  thou  livest,  and  may 
men  bless  thy  name  and  magnify  thy  memory  when 
thou  art  dead !  " 

Then  Achmed  and  his  children  thrice  did  obeisance 
to  Mahmud,  whereupon  taking  his  two  youngest  sons 
by  the  hand,  with  a  calm  and  quiet  dignity,  he  quitted 
the  halls  of  dominion  which  he  was  never  to  behold 


i88  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

again,   abandoning,   one   after   another,  every  single 
thing  which  had  hitherto  been  so  dear  to  him. 

In  the  Hall  of  Audience  he  gave  up  the  Sword  of 
the  Prophet  to  the  Silihdar,  who  unbuckled  it  from 
his  body,  and  when  he  came  to  the  door  leading  to 
the  harem  he  handed  over  his  children  to  the  Kizlar- 
Aga,  telling  him  to  greet  the  Sultana  Asseki  in  his 
name,  and  bid  her  remember  him  and  teach  his  little 
children  their  father's  name. 

For  henceforth  he  will  see  no  more  his  sharp  sword, 
or  the  fair  Adsalis,  or  the  other  dear  damsels,  or  his 
darling  children.  He  must  remain  for  ever  far  away 
from  them  behind  the  walls  of  a  dungeon.  A  deposed 
Sultan  has  nought  whatever  to  do  with  swords  or 
wives  or  children.  The  same  fate  befell  Mustapha  II. 
six-and-twenty  years  before.  He  also  had  to  part 
with  his  sword,  his  wives,  and  his  children  in  just  the 
same  way.  And  this  Achmed  had  good  cause  to 
remember,  for  then  it  was  that  he  ascended  the  throne. 
And  now  he,  in  his  turn,  descended  from  the  throne, 
and  now  that  had  happened  to  him  for  his  successor's 
sake  which  had  happened  to  his  predecessor  for  his 
sake. 

íí-  »  *  *  -* 

But  the  great  men  of  the  realm  bowed  their  heads 
to  the  ground  before  Sultan  Mahmud  and  did  him 
homage. 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    189 

The  long  procession  of  those  who  came  to  do  him 
obeisance  filled  all  the  apartments  of  the  Seraglio 
and  lasted  till  midnight.  The  whole  Court  bent  head 
and  knee  before  the  new  Sultan,  and  the  chief  officers 
of  state,  the  clergy,  and  the  eunuchs  followed  suit. 
Only  the  captains  of  the  host  and  Halil  Patrona  still 
remained  behind. 

Hastily  written  letters  were  dispatched  to  all  the 
captains  and  to  all  the  rebels,  informing  them  that 
Sultan  Achmed  had  been  deposed  and  Sultan 
Mahmud  was  reigning  in  his  stead  ;  let  them  all  come, 
therefore,  at  dawn  of  day  next  morning  and  do 
homage  to  the  new  Padishah. 

The  moon  had  long  been  high  in  the  heavens  and 
was  shining  through  the  coloured  windows  of  the 
Séraíjlio  when  the  magnates  withdrew  and  Mahmud 
remained  alone. 

Only  the  Kizlar-Aga  awaited  his  pleasure — the 
Kizlar-x^ga  whose  sooty  face  seemed  to  cast  a  black 
shadow  upon  itself. 

Mahmud  extended  his  hand  to  him  with  a  smile 
that  he  might  kiss  it. 

And  then  Elhaj  Beshir  conducted  him  to  the  door 
of  those  secret  apartments  within  which  bloom  the 
flowers  of  bliss  and  rapture,  and  throwing  it  open 
bent  low  while  the  new  Sultan  passed  through. 

Only   three    among   the    peris   of    loveliness    had 


IQO  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

preferred  eternal  loveless  slavery  to  the  favours  of  the 
new  Padishah,  and  among  those  who  smiled  upon 
the  young  Sultan  as  he  entered  the  room,  the  one 
who  had  the  happiest,  the  most  radiant  face,  was  the 
fair  Adsalis,  who  still  remained  the  favourite  wife, 
the  Sultana  Asseki,  even  after  the  great  revolution 
which  had  turned  the  whole  Empire  upside  down  and 
made  the  least  to  be  the  greatest  and  the  greatest  to 
stand  lowest  of  all. 

Among  so  many  smiling  faces  hers  was  the  one 
towards  which  the  tremulously  happy  and  enraptured 
Sultan  hastened  full  of  tender  infatuation;  she  it 
was  whom  he  raised  to  his  breast  and  in  whose  arms 
he  soothed  himself  with  dreams  of  glory,  while  she 
stifled  his  anxieties  with  her  kisses. 

Everything  was  asleep  in  the  Halls  of  Felicity,  only 
Love  was  still  awake.  Mahmud,  forgetful  alike  of 
himself  and  his  empire,  pressed  to  his  bosom  his 
dear  enchanting  Sultana,  the  most  precious  of  all  the 
treasures  he  had  won  that  day ;  but  the  fair  Sultana 
shuddered  from  time  to  time  in  the  midst  of  his 
burning  embrace.  It  seemed  to  her  as  if  someone 
was  standing  behind  her  back,  sobbing  and  sighing 
and  touching  her  warm  bosom  with  his  cold  fingers. 

Perchance  she  could  hear  the  sighing  and  the 
sobbing  of  him  who  lay  sleepless  far,  far  below  that 
bower  of  rapture,  in  one  of  the  cold  vaults  of  the 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    191 

Place  of  Oblivion,  thinking  of  his  lost  Empire  and 
his  lost  Eden! 


Early  next  morning  the  chief  captains  of  the  host, 
the  Bashas  and  the  Sheiks,  appeared  in  the  Seraglio 
to  greet  the  new  Sultan.  It  was  only  the  leaders  of 
the  rebels  who  did  not  come. 

Ever  since  Sulali  had  frightened  the  insurgents  by 
telling  them  that  the  cellars  of  the  Seraglio  were  full 
of  gunpowder,  they  did  not  so  much  as  venture  to 
draw  near  it,  and  when  the  pubhc  criers  recited  the 
invitation  of  Mahmud  in  front  of  the  mosques,  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  voices  shouted  as  if  from  one 
throat : 

"  We  will  not  come !  " 

.  Not  one  of  them  would  listen  to  the  invitation  from 
the  Seraglio. 

"  It  is  a  mere  ruse,"  observed  the  wise  Reis-Effendi. 
"  They  only  want  to  entice  us  into  a  mouse-trap  to 
crush  us  all  at  a  blow  like  flies  caught  in  honey." 

"  A  short  cut  into  Paradise  that  would  be,"  scorn- 
fully observed  Orh,  who,  despite  his  office  of  softa, 
did  not  hesitate  to  speak  disrespectfully  even  of 
Paradise,  whither  every  true  believer  ought  joyfully 
to  hasten. 

Last  of  all  "  crazy "  Ibrahim  gave  them  a  piece 
of  advice. 


192  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  'Twill  be  best,"  said  he,  "  to  gather  together  from 
among  us  our  least  useful  members — any  murderers 
there  may  happen  to  be,  or  escaped  gaol-birds  for 
instance ;  call  them  Hahl,  Musli,  and  Suleiman,  deck 
them  out  in  the  garments  of  Agas,  Begs,  and  Ulemas, 
and  send  them  to  the  Seraglio.  Then,  if  we  see 
them  return  to  us  safe  and  sound,  we  can,  of  course, 
go  ourselves." 

This  crazy  counsel  instantly  met  with  general 
applause.  Everyone  approved  of  it,  of  that  there 
could  be  no  doubt. 

Halil  Patrona  regarded  them  all  in  contemptuous 
silence.  Only  when  "  crazy  "  Ibrahim's  proposal  had 
been  resolved  upon  did  he  stand  up  and  say :, 

"  I  myself  will  go  to  the  Seraglio." 

Some  of  them  regarded  him  with  amazement,  others 
laughed.  Musli  clapped  his  hands  together  in  his 
desperation. 

"  HaHl !  dost  thou  dream  or  art  thou  beside  thy- 
self? Dost  thou  imagine  thyself  to  be  one  of  the 
Princes  of  the  Thousand  and  One  Nights  who  can 
hew  his  way  through  monsters  and  spectres,  or  art 
thou  wearied  of  beholding  the  sun  from  afar  and 
must  needs  go  close  up  to  him?  " 

"  'Tis  no  concern  of  thine  what  I  do,  and  if  I  am 
not  afraid  what  need  is  there  for  thee  to  be  afraid 
on  my  account  ?  "- 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.     193 

"But,  prythee,  bethink  thee,  Hahl!  It  would  be 
a  much  more  sensible  jest  on  thy  part  to  leap  into 
the  den  of  a  lioness  suckling  her  young- ;  and  thou 
wouldst  be  a  much  wiser  man  if  thou  wert  to  adven- 
ture thyself  in  the  sulphur  holes  of  Balsorah,  or  cause 
thyself  to  be  let  down,  for  the  sake  of  a  bet,  into  the 
coral-beds  at  the  bottom  of  the  Sea  of  Candia  to  pick 
up  a  bronze  asper,*  instead  of  going  to  the  Seraglio 
where  there  are  now  none  but  thine  enemies,  and 
where  the  very  atmosphere  and  the  spider  crawling 
■down  the  wall  is  venomous  to  thee  and  thy  deadly 
enemy." 

"  They  may  kill  me,"  cried  Halil,  striking  his  bosom 
with  both  hands  and  boldly  stepping  forward — "  they 
may  kill  me  it  is  true,  but  they  shall  never  be  able  to 
say  that  I  was  afraid  of  them.  They  may  tear  my 
limbs  to  pieces,  but  when  it  comes  to  be  recorded 
in  the  Chronicles  that  the  rabble  of  Constantinople 
were  cowards,  it  shall  be  recorded  at  the  same  time 
that,  nevertheless,  there  was  one  man  among  them 
who  could  not  only  talk  about  death  but  could  look 
it  fairly  between  the  eyes  when  it  appeared  before  him.' 

"  Listen,  Halil !  I  and  many  more  like  me  are 
capable  of  looking  into  the  very  throat  of  loaded 
cannons.  Many  is  the  time,  too,  that  I  have  seen 
sharp  swords  drawn  against  me,  and  no  lance  that 

•  Farthing. 


194  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

ever  hath  left  the  smith's  hand  can  boast  that  I  have 
so  much  as  winked  an  eye  before  its  gUttering  point. 
But  what  is  the  use  of  valour  in  a  place  where  you 
know  that  the  very  ground  beneath  your  feet  has 
Hell  beneath  it,  and  it  only  needs  a  spark  no  bigger 
than  that  which  flashes  from  a  man's  eye  when  he 
has  received  a  buffet,  and  we  shall  all  fly  into  the  air. 
Why,  even  if  both  our  hands  were  full  of  swords 
and  pistols,  not  one  of  them  could  protect  us — so  who 
would  wish  to  be  brave  there?  " 

"  Have  I  invited  thee  to  come?  Did  I  not  say  that 
I  would  go  alone  ?  " 

"  But  we  won't  let  thee  go.  What  art  thou  thinking 
about?  If  they  destroy  thee  there  we  shall  be  with- 
out a  leader,  and  we  shall  fall  to  pieces  and  perish 
like  the  rush-roof  of  a  cottage  when  the  joists  are 
suddenly  pulled  from  beneath  it.  And  thou  thyself 
wilt  be  a  laughing-stock  to  the  people,  like  the  cock 
of  the  fairy  tale  who  spitted  and  roasted  himself." 

"  That  will  never  happen,"  said  Halil,  unbuckling 
his  sword  (for  no  weapon  may  enter  the  Seraglio)  and 
handing  it  to  Musli ;  "  take  care  of  it  for  me  till  I 
return,  and  if  I  do  not  return  it  will  be  something  to 
remember  me  by." 

"  Then  thou  art  really  resolved  to  go  ? "  inquired 
Musli.     "  Well,  in  that  case,  I  will  go  too." 

At  these  words  the  others  also  began  to  bestir 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.     195 

themselves,  and  when  they  saw  that  Halil  really  was 
not  joking,  they  accompanied  him  right  up  to  the 
Seraglio.  Into  it  indeed  they  did  not  go ;  but,  any- 
how, they  surrounded  the  huge  building  which  forms 
a  whole  quarter  of  the  city  by  itself,  and  as  soon  as 
they  saw  Halil  pass  through  the  Seraglio  gates  they 
set  up  a  terrific  shout. 

Alone,  unarmed,  and  without  an  escort,  the  rebel 
leader  passed  through  the  strange,  unfamiliar  rooms, 
and  at  every  door  armed  resplendent  sentries  made 
way  before  him,  closing  up  again,  with  pikes  crossed, 
before  every  door  when  he  had  passed  through 
them. 

On  reaching  the  Hall  of  Audience,  a  couple  of 
Kapu-Agasis  seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  led  him  into 
the  Cupola  Chamber  where  Sultan  Mahmud  received 
those  who  came  to  render  homage. 

In  all  the  rooms  was  that  extraordinary  pomp  which 
is  only  to  be  seen  on  the  day  when  a  new  Sultan  has 
ascended  the  throne.  The  very  ante-chamber,  "  The 
Mat-Room/'  as  it  is  called,  because  of  the  variegated 
straw-mats  with  which  it  is  usually  covered,  was  now 
spread  over  with  costly  Persian  carpets.  The  floor 
of  the  Cupola  Chamber  looked  like  a  flower-bed.  Its 
rich  pile  carpets  were  splendidly  embroidered  with 
gold,  silver,  and  silken  flowers  of  a  thousand  hues, 
interspersed  with  wreaths  of  pearls.     At  the  foot  of 


196  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

a  sofa  placed  on  an  elevated  dais  glistened  a  coverlet 
of  pure  pearls.  On  each  side  of  this  sofa  stood  a 
little  round  writing-table  inlaid  with  gold.  On  one 
of  these  tables  lay  an  open  portfolio  encrusted  with 
precious  stones  and  writing  materials  flashing  with 
rubies  and  emeralds ;  on  the  other  lay  a  copy  of  the 
Alkoran,  bound  in  black  velvet  and  studded  with  rose 
brilliants.  Another  copy  of  the  Alkoran  lay  open  on 
a  smaller  table,  written  in  the  Talik  script  in  letters 
of  gold,  cinnabar,  and  ultramarine ;  and  there  were 
twelve  other  Korans  on  just  as  many  other  tables, 
with  gold  clasps  and  pearl-embroidered  bindings.  On 
both  sides  of  the  hre-place,  on  stands  that  were 
masterpieces  of  caxving,  were  heaped  up  the  gala 
mantles  exhibited  on  such  occasions  ;  and  side  by  side, 
along  the  wall,  on  raised  alabaster  pedestals  were 
nine  clocks  embeUished  with  figures,  each  more  in- 
genious than  the  other,  which  moved  and  played  music 
every  time  the  hour  struck.  Four  large  Venetian 
mirrors  multiplied  the  extravagant  splendours  of  the 
stately  room. 

Around  the  room  on  divans  sat  the  chief  dignitaries 
of  the  Empire,  the  viziers,  the  secretaries,  the  pre- 
senters of  petitions  according  to  rank,  in  splendid 
robes,  and  with  round,  pyramidal  or  beehive-shaped 
turbans  according  to  the  nature  of  their  office. 

Yet   all   this   pomp    was    utterly  eclipsed    by  the 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    197 

splendour  which  radiated  from  the  new  Padishah  ;  he 
seemed  enveloped  in  a  shower  of  pearls  and  diamonds. 
Whichever  way  he  turned  the  roses  embroidered  on 
his  dress,  the  girdle  which  encircled  his  loins,  the 
clasp  of  his  turban,  and  every  weapon  about  him 
seemed  to  scatter  rainbow  sparks,  so  that  those  who 
gazed  at  him  were  dazzled  into  blindness  before  they 
could  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  face. 

Behind  the  back  of  the  throne,  flashing  with  car- 
buncles as  large  as  nuts,  stood'  a  whole  army  of 
ministering  servants  with  their  heads  plunged  deep 
in  their  girdles. 

It  was  into  this  room  that  HaKl  entered. 

On  the  threshold  his  two  conductors  released  his 
arm,  and  HaHl  advanced  alone  towards  the  Padishah. 

His  face  was  not  a  whit  the  paler  than  at  other 
times,  he  stepped  forth  as  boldly  and  gazed  around 
him  as  confidently  as  ever. 

His  dress,  too,  was  just  the  same  as  hitherto — a 
simple  Janissary  mantle,  a  blue  dolman  with  divided 
sleeves,  without  any  ornament,  a  short  salavari,  or 
jerkin,  reaching  to  the  knee,  leaving  the  lower  part  of 
the  legs  bare,  and  the  familiar  roundish  kuka  on  his 
head. 

As  he  passed  through  the  long  apartment  he  cast 
a  glance  upon  the  dignitaries  sitting  around  the 
throne,  and  there  was  not  one  among  them  who  could 


198  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

withstand  the  fire  of  his  gaze.  With  head  erect  he 
advanced  in  front  of  the  Sultan,  and  placing  his 
muscular,  half-naked  foot  on  the  footstool  before  the 
throne  stood  there,  for  a  moment,  hke  a  figure  cast 
in  bronze,  a  crying  contrast  to  all  this  tremulous 
pomp  and  obsequious  splendour.  Then  he  raised 
his  hand  to  his  head,  and  greeted  the  Sultan  in  a 
strong  sonorous  voice : 

"Aleikum  unallah!  The  grace  of  God  be  upon 
thee !  " 

Then  folding  his  hands  across  his  breast  he  flung 
himself  down  before  the  throne,  pressing  his  fore- 
head against  its  steps. 

Mahmud  descended  towards  him,  and  raised  him 
from  the  ground  with  his  own  hand. 

"  Speak !  what  can  I  do  for  thee  ?  "  he  asked  with 
condescension. 

"  My  wishes  have  already  been  fulfilled,"  said 
Halil,  and  every  word  he  then  uttered  was  duly 
recorded  by  the  chronicler.  "  It  was  my  wish  that 
the  sword  of  Mahomet  should  pass  into  worthy  hands  ; 
behold  it  is  accomphshed,  thou  dost  sit  on  the  throne 
to  which  I  have  raised  thee.  I  know  right  well  what 
is  the  usual  reward  for  such  services — a  shameful 
death  awaits  me." 

Mahmud  passionately  interrupted  him. 

"  And  I  swear  to  thee  by  my  ancestors  that  no 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    199 

harm  shall  befall  thee.  Ask  thine  own  reward,  and 
it  shall  be  granted  thee  before  thou  hast  yet  made  an 
end  of  preferring  thy  request." 

Halil  reflected  for  a  moment,  and  all  the  time  his 
gaze  rested  calmly  on  the  faces  of  the  dignitaries 
sitting  before  him.  His  gaze  passed  down  the  whole 
row  of  them,  and  he  took  them  all  in  one  by  one. 
Everyone  of  them  believed  that  he  was  seeking  a 
victim  whose  place  he  coveted.  The  rebel  leader 
read  this  thought  plainly  in  the  faces  of  the  digni- 
taries. Once  more  he  ran  his  eyes  over  them,  then 
he  spoke. 

"  Glorious  Padishah !  as  the  merit  of  thy  elevation 
belongeth  not  to  me  but  to  thy  people,  let  the  reward 
be  theirs  whose  is  the  merit.  A  heavy  burden 
oppresses  thy  slaves,  and  the  name  of  that  burden  is 
Malikane.  It  is  the  farming  out  of  the  taxes  for  the 
lives  of  the  holders  thereof  which  puts  money  into  the 
pockets  of  the  high  officers  of  state  and  the  pashas, 
so  that  the  Subhme  Porte  derives  no  benefit  there- 
from. Abolish,  O  Padishah,  this  farming  out  of  the 
revenue,  so  that  the  destiny  of  the  people  may  be  in 
thy  hands  alone,  and  not  in  the  hands  of  these  rich 
usurers !  " 

And  with  these  words  he  waved  his  hand  defiantly 
in  the  direction  of  the  viziers  and  the  magnates. 

Deep  silence  fell  upon  them.     Through  the  closed 


200  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

doors  resounded  the  tempestuous  roar  of  the  multi- 
tudes assembled  around  the  Seraglio.  Those  within 
it  trembled,  and  Halil  Patrona  stood  there  among 
them  like  an  enchanter  who  knows  that  he  is  in- 
vulnerable, immortal. 

But  the  Sultan  immediately  commanded  the  Ciaus 
Aga  to  proclaim  to  the  people  with  a  trumpet-blast 
at  the  gates  of  the  Seraglio,  that  at  the  desire  of 
Halil  Patrona  the  Malikane  was  from  this  day  forth 
abolished 

The  shout  which  arose  the  next  moment  and  made 
the  very  walls  of  the  Seraglio  tremble  was  ample 
evidence  of  the  profound  impression  which  this  an- 
nouncement made. 

"And  now  place  thyself  at  the  head  of  thy  host," 
said  Halil,  "  accept  the  invitation  of  thy  people  to  go 
to  the  Ejub  mosque,  in  order  that  the  Sihhdars  may 
gird  thee  with  the  Sword  of  the  Prophet  according 
to  ancient  custom." 

The  Sultan  thereupon  caused  it  to  be  announced 
that  in  an  hour's  time  he  would  proceed  to  the  mosque 
of  Ejub,  there  to  be  girded  with  the  Sword  of  the 
Prophet. 

With  a  shout  of  joy  the  people  pressed  towards  the 
mosque  in  their  thousands,  crowding  all  the  streets 
and  all  the  house-tops  between  the  mosque  and  the 
Seraglio.      The    cannons    of    the     Bosphorus     sent 


THE  SETTING  AND  THE  RISING  SUN.    201 

thundering  messages  to  the  distant  mountains  of  the 
joy  of  Stambul,  and  an  hour  later,  to  the  sound  of 
martial  music,  Mahmud  held  his  triumphal  progress 
through  the  streets  of  his  capital  on  horseback ;  and 
the  people  waved  rich  tapestries  at  him  from  the 
house-tops  and  scattered  flowers  in  his  path.  Behind 
him  came  radiant  knightly  viziers  and  nobles,  and 
venerable  councillors  in  splendid  apparel  on  gorgeous 
full  bloods ;  but  in  front  of  him  walked  two  men 
alone,  Halil  Patrona  and  Musli,  both  in  plain,  simple 
garments,  with  naked  calves,  on  their  heads  small 
round  turbans,  and  with  drawn  swords  in  their  hands 
as  is  the  wont  of  the  common  Janissaries  when  on 
the  march. 

And  the  people  sitting  on  the  house-tops  shouted 
the  name  of  Halil  just  as  often  and  just  as  loudly  as 
they  shouted  the  name  of  Mahmud. 

The  firing  of  the  last  salvo  announced  that  the 
Sultan  had  arrived  at  the  Ejub  mosque. 

Ispirizade,  the  chief  imam  of  the  Aja  Sophia 
mosque,  already  awaited  him.  He  had  asked  Halil 
as  a  favour  that  he  might  bless  the  new  Sultan,  and 
HaHl  had  granted  his  request.  Since  he  had  ven- 
tured into  the  Seraglio  everyone  had  obeyed  his 
words.  The  people  now  whispered  everywhere  that 
the  Sultan  was  doing  everything  which  Halil  Patrona 
demanded. 


202  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Ispirizade  had  already  mounted  the  lofty  pulpit 
when  Mahmud  and  his  suite  took  their  places  on  the 
lofty  dais  set  apart  for  them. 

The  chief  priest's  face  was  radiant  with  triumph. 
He  extended  his  hands  above  his  head  and  thrice 
pronounced  the  name  of  Allah.  And  when  he  had 
thus  thrice  called  upon  the  name  of  God,  his  lips 
suddenly  grew  dumb,  and  there  for  a  few  moments 
he  stood  stiffly,  with  his  hands  raised  towards  Heaven 
and  wide  open  eyes,  and  then  he  suddenly  fell  down 
dead  from  the  pulpit. 

"  'Tis  the  dumb  curse  of  Achmed ! "  whispered  the 
awe-stricken  spectators  to  one  another. 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE   FEAST   OF   HALWET. 

The  surgujal — the  turban  with  the  triple  gold  circlet 
— was  on  the  head  of  Mahmud,  but  the  sword,  the 
sword  of  dominion,  was  in  the  hand  of  Halil  Patrona. 
The  people  whose  darling  he  had  become  were  accus- 
tomed to  regard  him  as  their  go-between  in  their 
petty  affairs,  the  host  trembled  before  him,  and  the 
magnates  fawned  upon  him  for  favour. 

In  the  Osman  nation  there  is  no  hereditary  nobiHty, 
everyone  there  has  risen  to  the  highest  places  by  his 
sword  or  his  luck.  Every  single  Grand  Vizier  and 
Kapudan  Pasha  has  a  nickname  which  points  to  his 
lowly  origin ;  this  one  was  a  woodcutter,  that  one  a 
stone-mason,  that  other  one  a  fisherman.  Therefore 
a  Mohammedan  never  looks  down  upon  the  most 
abject  of  his  co-religionists,  for  he  knows  very  well 
that  if  he  himself  happens  to  be  uppermost  to-day 
and  the  other  undermost,  by  to-morrow  the  whole 
world  may  have  turned  upside  down,  and  this  last 
may  have  become  the  first. 


204  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

So  now  also  a  petty  huckster  rules  the  realm,  and 
Sultan  Mahmud  has  nothing  to  think  about  but  his 
fair  women.  Who  can  tell  whether  any  one  of  us 
would  not  have  done  likewise?  Suppose  a  man  to 
have  been  kept  in  rigorous,  joyless  servitude  for 
twenty  years,  and  then  suddenly  to  be  confronted 
with  the  alternative — "reign  over  hearts  or  over  an 
empire" — ^would  he  not  perhaps  have  chosen  the 
hearts  instead  of  the  empire  for  his  portion? 

At  the  desire  of  the  beauteous  Sultana  Asseki  the 
insurrection  of  the  people  had  no  sooner  subsided 
than  the  Sultan  ordered  the  Halwet  Festival  to  be 
celebrated 

The  Halwet  Festival  is  the  special  feast  of  women, 
when  nobody  but  womankind  is  permitted  to  walk 
about  the  streets,  and  this  blissful  day  may  come  to 
pass  twice  or  thrice  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

On  the  evening  before,  it  is  announced  by  the 
blowing  of  horns  that  the  morrow  will  be  the  Feast 
of  Halwet.  On  that  day  no  man,  of  whatever  rank, 
may  come  forth  in  the  streets,  or  appear  on  the  roof 
of  a  house,  or  show  himself  at  a  window,  for  death 
would  be  the  penalty  of  his  curiosity.  The  black 
and  white  eunuchs  keeping  order  in  the  streets  de- 
capitate without  mercy  every  man  who  does  not 
remain  indoors.  Notices  that  this  will  be  done  are 
posted  up  on  all  the  boundary-posts  in  the  suburbs 


THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  205 

of  the  city,  that  strangers  may  regulate  their  con- 
duct accordingly. 

On  the  day  of  the  feast  of  Halwet  all  the  damsels 
discard  their  veils,  without  which  at  all  other  times 
they  are  not  permitted  to  walk  about  the  streets. 
Then  it  is  that  the  odalisks  of  one  harem  go  forth  to 
call  upon  the  odalisks  of  another.  Rows  upon  rows  of 
brightly  variegated  tents  appear  in  the  midst  of  the 
streets  and  market-places,  in  which  sherbet  and  other 
beverages  made  of  violets,  cane-sugar,  rose-water, 
pressed  raisins,  and  citron  juice,  together  with  sweet- 
meats, honey-calves,  and  such-like  dehcacies,  to  which 
women  are  so  partial,  are  sold  openly,  and  all  the 
sellers  are  also  women. 

Ah !  what  a  spectacle  that  would  be  for  the  eyes 
of  a  man !  Every  street  is  swarming  with  thousands 
and  thousands  of  bewitching  shapes.  These  women, 
released  from  their  prisons,  are  like  so  many  gay  and 
thoughtless  children.  Group  after  group,  singing  to 
the  notes  of  the  cithern,  saunter  along  the  public 
ways,  decked  out  in  gorgeous  butterfly  apparel,  which 
flutter  around  their  limbs  like  gaily  coloured  wings. 
The  suns  and  stars  of  every  climate  flash  and  sparkle 
in  those  eyes.  The  whole  gigantic  city  resounds  with 
merry  songs  and  musical  chatter,  and  any  man  who 
could  have  seen  them  tripping  along  in  whole  lines 
might  have  exclaimed  in  despair :   "  Why  have  I  not 


2o6  IIALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

a  hundred,  why  have  I  not  a  thousand  hearts  to  give 
away !  " 

And  then  when  the  harem  of  the  Sultan  proudly 
paces  forth!  Half  a  thousand  odahsks,  the  love- 
linesses of  every  province  in  the  Empire,  for  whom 
the  youths  of  whole  districts  have  raved  in  vain,  in 
garments  radiant  with  pearls  and  precious  stones, 
mounted  on  splendid  prancing  steeds  gaily  caparisoned. 
And  in  the  midst  of  them  all  the  beautiful  Sultana, 
with  the  silver  heron's  plume  in  her  turban,  whose 
stem  flashes  with  sparkling  diamonds.  Her  glorious 
figure  is  protected  by  a  garment  of  line  lace,  scarce 
concealing  the  snowy  shimmer  of  her  well-rounded 
arms.  She  sits  upon  the  tiger-skin  saddle  of  her 
haughty  steed  like  an  Amazon.  The  regard  of  her 
flashing  eyes  seems  to  proclaim  her  the  tyrant  of  two 
Sultans,  who  has  the  right  to  say :  "  I  am  indeed  my 
husband's  consort !  " 

In  front  and  on  each  side  of  the  fairy  band  march 
four  hundred  black  eunuchs,  with  naked  broadswords 
across  their  shoulders,  looking  up  at  the  windows  of 
the  houses  before  which  they  march  to  see  whether, 
perchance,  any  inquisitive  Peeping- Toms  are  lurking 
there. 

Dancing  and  singing,  this  bevy  of  peris  traverses 
the  principal  streets  of  Stambul.  Every  now  and 
then,  a  short  sharp  wail  or  scream  may  be  heard 


♦  THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  207 

round  the  corner  of  the  street  the  procession  is 
approaching  :  the  eunuchs  marching  in  front  have  got 
hold  of  some  inquisitive  man  or  other.  By  the  time 
the  radiant  cortege  has  reached  the  spot,  only  a  few 
bloodstains  are  visible  in  the  street,  and,  dancing  and 
singing,  the  fair  company  of  damsels  passes  over  it 
and  beyond.  Scarce  anyone  would  believe  that  those 
wails  and  screams  did  not  form  part  and  parcel  of 
the  all-pervading  cries  of  joy. 

Meanwhile  in  the  Etmeidan  a  much  more  free- 
and-easy  sort  of  entertainment  is  taking  place.  The 
women  of  the  lower  orders  are  there  diverting  them- 
selves in  gaily  adorned  tents,  where  they  can  buy  as 
much  mead  as  they  can  drink,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  piazza  on  round,  outspread  carpets  dance  the 
bayaderes  of  the  streets,  whom  Sultan  Achmed  had 
once  collected  together  and  locked  up  in  a  dungeon 
where  they  had  remained  till  the  popular  rising  set 
them  free  again.  In  their  hands  they  hold  their 
nakaras  (timbrels),  clashing  them  together  above  their 
heads  as  they  whirl  around ;  on  their  feet  are  bronze 
bangles  ;  and  their  long  tresses  and  their  light  bulging 
garments  flutter  around  them,  whilst  with  wild 
gesticulations  they  dance  the  most  audacious  of 
dances,  compared  with  whose  voluptuous  movements 
the  passion  of  the  fiercest  Spanish  bailarina  is  almost 
tame  and  spiritless. 


2o8  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Suddenly  one  of  these  street  dancing-girls  scream 
aloud  to  her  companions  in  the  midst  of  the  mazy 
dance,  bringing  them  suddenly  to  a  standstill. 

"  Look,  look !  "  she  cried,  ''  there  comes  Gül-Bejáze ! 
Gül-Bejáze,  the  wife  of  Halil  Patrona." 

"  Gül-Bejáze !  Gül-Bejáze !  "  resound  suddenly  on 
every  side.  The  bayaderes  recognise  the  woman 
who  had  been  shut  up  with  them  in  the  same  dungeon, 
surround  her,  begin  to  kiss  her  feet  and  her  gar- 
ments, raise  her  up  in  their  arms  on  to  their 
shoulders,  and  so  exhibit  her  to  all  the  women 
assembled  together  on  the  piazza. 

"  Yonder  is  the  wife  of  Halil  Patrona !  "  they  cry, 
and  Rumour  quickly  flies  with  the  news  all  through 
the  city.  Everyone  of  the  bayaderes  dancing  among 
the  people  has  something  to  say  in  praise  of  her. 
Some  of  them  she  had  cared  for  in  sickness,  others  she 
had  comforted  in  their  distress,  to  all  of  them  she 
had  been  kind  and  gentle.  And  then,  too,  it  was 
she  who  had  restored  them  their  liberty,  for  was  it 
not  on  her  account  that  Halil  Patrona  had  set  them 
all  free  ? 

Everyone  hastened  up  to  her.  The  poor  thing 
could  not  escape  from  the  clamorous  enthusiasm  of 
the  sturdy  muscular  fish-wives  and  bathing  women 
who,  in  their  turn  also,  raised  her  upon  their  shoulders 
and  carried  her  about,  finally  resolving  to  carry  her 


THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  209 

all  the  way  home  for  the  honour  of  the  thing.  So 
for  Halil  Patrona's  palace  they  set  off  with  Giil- 
Bejáze  on  their  shoulders,  she  all  the  time  vainly 
imploring  them  to  put  her  down  that  she  might  hide 
away  among  the  crowd  and  disappear,  for  she  feared, 
she  trembled  at,  the  honour  they  did  her.  From 
street  to  street  they  carried  her,  whirling  along  with 
them  in  a  torrent  of  drunken  enthusiasm  everyone 
they  chanced  to  fall  in  with  on  the  way ;  and  before 
them  went  the  cry  that  the  woman  whom  the  others 
were  carrying  on  their  shoulders  was  the  wife  of 
Halil  Patrona,  the  feted  leader  of  the  people,  and 
ever  denser  and  more  violent  grew  the  crowd.  Any 
smaller  groups  they  might  happen  to  meet  were  swept 
along  with  them.  Now  and  then  they  encountered 
the  harems  of  the  greatest  dignitaries,  such  as  pashas 
and  beglerbegs.  It  was  all  one,  the  august  and 
exalted  ladies  had  also  to  follow  in  the  suite  of  the 
wife  of  Halil  Patrona,  the  most  powerful  man  in  the 
realm,  whose  wife  was  the  gentlest  lady  under  Heaven. 
Suddenly,  just  as  they  were  about  to  turn  into  the 
great  square  in  front  of  the  fortress  of  the  Seven 
Towers,  another  imposing  crowd  encountered  them 
coming  from  the  opposite  direction.  It  was  the  escort 
of  the  Sultana.  The  half  a  thousand  odalisks  and 
the  four  hundred  eunuchs  occupied  the  whole  width 
of  the  road,  but  face  to  face  with  them  were  advancing 

0 


210  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

ten  thousand  intoxicated  viragoes  led  by  the  frantic 
bayaderes. 

"  Make  way  for  the  Sultana !  "  cried  the  running 
eunuchs  to  the  approaching  crowd,  "  make  way  for  the 
Sultana  and  her  suite !  " 

The  execution  of  this  command  bordered  on  the 
impossible.  The  whole  space  of  the  square  was  filled 
with  women — a  perfect  sea  of  heads — and  visible 
above  them  all  was  a  quivering,  tremulous  white 
figure  which  they  had  raised  on  high. 

"  Make  way  for  the  Sultana !  "  screamed  the  Kadun- 
Kiet-Khuda,  who  led  the  procession ;  a  warty  old 
woman  she  was,  who  had  had  charge  of  the  harem 
for  years  and  grown  grey  in  it. 

At  this  one  of  the  boldest  of  the  bayaderes  thrust 
herself  forward. 

"  Make  way  thyself,  thou  bearded  old  witch,"  she 
cried ;  "  make  way,  I  say,  before  the  wife  of  Halil 
Patrona.  Why,  thou  art  not  worthy  to  kiss  the  dust 
ofl:  her  feet.  Stand  aside  if  thou  wilt  not  come  along 
with  us." 

And  with  these  words  she  banged  her  tambourine 
right  under  the  nose  of  the  Kadun-Kiet-Khuda. 

And  then  the  bad  idea  occurred  to  some  of  the 
eunuchs  to  lift  their  broadswords  against  the 
boisterous  viragoes,  possibly  with  a  view  of  cutting 
a  path  through  them  for  the  Sultana. 


THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  211 

Ah!  before  they  had  time  to  whirl  their  swords 
above  their  heads,  in  the  twinkhng  of  an  eye,  their 
weapons  were  torn  from  their  hands,  and  their  backs 
were  well-belaboured  with  the  broad  blades.  The 
furious  maenads  fell  upon  their  assailants,  flung  them 
to  the  ground,  and  the  next  instant  had  seized  tlie 
bridles  of  the  steeds  of  the  odalisks. 

The  Kizlar-Aga  was  fully  alive  to  the  danger  which 
threatened  the  Sultana.  The  whole  square  was 
thronged  with  angry  women  who,  with  faces  flushed 
and  sparkling  eyes,  were  rushing  upon  the  odalisks. 
Any  single  eunuch  they  could  lay  hold  of  was  pretty 
certain  to  meet  with  a  martyr's  death  in  a  few  seconds. 
They  tore  him  to  pieces,  and  pelted  each  other  with 
the  bloody  fragments  before  scattering  them  to  the 
winds.  Elhaj  Beshir,  therefore,  earnestly  implored 
the  Sultana  to  turn  back  and  try  to  regain  the 
Seraglio. 

Adsahs  cast  a  contemptuous  look  on  the  Aga. 

"  One  can  see  that  thou  art  neither  man  nor 
woman,"  cried  she,  "  for  if  thou  wert  one  or  the  other, 
thou  wouldst  know  how  to  be  coura^reous." 

Then  she  buried  the  point  of  her  golden  spurs  in 
the  flank  of  her  steed,  and  urged  it  towards  the  spot 
where  the  most  frantic  of  the  maenads  stood  fighting 
with  the  mounted  odalisks,  tearing  some  from  their 
horses,   rending   their   clothes,   and   then   by  way   of 


212  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

mockery  remounting  them  with  their  faces  to  the 
horses'  tails. 

Suddenly  the  Sultana  stood  amongst  them  with  a 
haughty,  commanding  look,  like  a  demi-goddess. 

"  Who  is  the  presumptuous  wretch  who  would  bar 
the  way  before  me  ?  "  she  cried  in  her  clear,  pene- 
trating voice. 

One  of  the  odalisks  planted  herself  in  front  of  the 
Sultana  and,  resting  one  hand  upon  her  hip,  pointed 
with  the  other  at  Gül-Bejáze! 

"  Look !  "  she  cried,  "  there  is  Gül-Bejáze,  and  she  it 
is  who  bars  thy  way  and  compels  thee  to  make  room 
for  her." 

Gül-Bejáze,  whom  the  women  had  brought  to  the 
spot  on  their  shoulders,  wrung  her  hands  in  her 
desperation,  and  begged  and  prayed  the  Sultana  for 
forgiveness.  She  endeavoured  to  explain  by  way  of 
pantomime,  for  speaking  was  impossible,  that  she  was 
there  against  her  will,  and  it  was  her  dearest  wish  to 
humble  herself  before  the  face  of  the  Sultana.  It 
was  all  of  no  use.  The  yells  of  the  wild  Bacchantes 
drowned  every  sound,  and  Adsalis  did  not  even  con- 
descend to  look  at  her. 

"  Ye  street-sweepings !  "  exclaimed  Adsalis  passion- 
ately, "what  evil  spirit  has  entered  into  you  that  ye 
would  thus  compel  the  Sultana  Asseki  to  give  way 
before  a  pale  doll?" 


THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  213 

"  This  woman  comes  before  thee,"  replied  the 
bayadere. 

"  Comes  before  me  ?  "  said  Adsalis,  "  wherefore, 
then,  does  she  come  before  me?" 

"  Because  she  is  fairer  than  thou." 

Adsahs'  face  turned  blood-red  with  rage  at  these 
words,  while  Gül-Bejáze  went  as  white  as  a  lily,  as 
if  the  other  woman  had  robbed  all  her  colour  from 
her.  There  was  shame  on  one  side  and  fury  on  the 
other.  To  tell  a  haughty  dame  in  the  presence  of 
ten,  of  twenty  thousand  persons,  that  another  woman 
is  fairer  than  she! 

"  And  she  is  more  powerful  than  thou  art,"  cried 
the  enraged  bayadere,  accumulating  insult  on  the 
head  of  Adsalis,  "  for  she  is  the  wife  of  Halil  Patrona." 
•  Adsalis,  in  the  fury  of  despair,  raised  her  clenched 
hands  towards  Heaven  and  could  not  utter  a  word. 
Impotent  rage  forced  the  tears  from  her  eyes ;  and 
only  after  these  tears  could  she  stammer : 

"  This  is  the  curse  of  Achmed !  " 

When  they  saw  the  tears  in  the  eyes  of  the  Sultana, 
everyone  for  a  moment  was  silent,  and  suddenly, 
amidst  the  stillness  of  that  dumb  moment,  from  the 
highest  window  of  the  prison-fortress  of  the  Seven 
Towers,  a  man's  voice  called  loudly  into  the  square 
below : 

"Sultana  Adsalis!     Sultana  Adsalis!" 


214  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Ha !  a  man !  a  man !  "  cried  the  furious  mob ;  and 
in  an  instant  they  all  gazed  in  that  direction — and 
then  in  a  murmur  which  immediately  died  away  in 
an  awe-struck  whisper  :  "  Achmed !  Achmed !  " 

Only  Adsalis  was  incapable  of  pronouncing  that 
name,  only  her  mouth  remained  gaping  open  as  she 
gazed  upwards. 

There  at  the  window  of  the  Seven  Towers  stood 
Achmed,  in  whose  hands  was  now  a  far  more  terrible 
power  than  when  they  held  the  wand  of  dominion, 
for  in  his  fingers  now  rests  the  power  of  cursing.  It 
is  sufficient  now  for  him  to  point  the  finger  at  those 
he  loves  not,  in  order  that  they  may  wither  away  in 
the  bloom  of  their  youth.  Whomsoever  he  now 
breathes  upon,  however  distant  they  may  be,  will 
collapse  and  expire,  and  none  can  save  them ;  and 
he  has  but  to  pronounce  the  name  of  his  enemies,  and 
torments  will  consume  their  inner  parts.  The  destroy- 
ing angel  of  Allah  watches  over  his  every  look,  so  that 
on  whomsoever  his  eye  may  fall,  that  soul  is  instantly 
accursed.  Since  the  death  of  Ispirizade  the  people 
fear  him  more  than  when  he  sat  on  the  throne. 

A  deep  silence  fell  upon  the  mob.  Nobody  dared 
to  speak. 

And  Achmed  stretched  forth  his  hand  towards 
Adsalis.  Those  who  stood  around  the  Sultana  felt 
a  feeling  of  shivering  awe,  and  began  to  withdraw 


THE  FEAST  OF  HALWET.  215 

from  her,  and  she  herself  durst  not  raise  her 
eyes. 

"  Salute  that  pure  woman ! "  cried  the  tremulous 
voice  of  Achmed,  "  do  obeisance  to  the  wife  of  HaHl 
Patrona,  and  cover  thy  face  before  her,  for  she  is  the 
true  consort  of  her  husband." 

And  having  uttered  these  words,  Achmed  withdrew 
from  the  window  whither  the  noise  of  the  crowd  had 
enticed  him,  and  the  multitude  clamoured  as  before ; 
but  now  they  no  longer  tried  to  force  the  suite  of 
the  Sultana  to  make  way  before  Gül-Bejáze,  but 
escorted  Halil  Patrona's  wife  back  to  the  dwelling- 
place  of  her  husband. 

Adsalis,  desperate  with  rage  and  shame,  returned 
to  the  Seraglio.  Sobbing  aloud,  she  cast  herself  at 
the  feet  of  the  Sultan,  and  told  him  of  the  disgrace 
that  had  befallen  her. 

Mahmud  only  smiled  as  he  heard  the  whole  story, 
but  who  can  tell  what  was  behind  that  smile. 

"Dost  thou  not  love  me,  then,  that  thou  smilcst 
when  I  weep?  Ought  not  blood  to  flow  because 
tears  have  flowed  from  my  eyes?  " 

Mahmud  gently  stroked  the  head  of  the  Sultana 
and  said,  still  smiling : 

"Oh,  Adsalis!  who  would  ever  think  of  plucking  fruit 
before  it  is  ripe?'' 


CHAPTER    XL 

GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE. 

Halil  Patrona  was  sitting  on  the  balcony  of  the 
palace  which  the  Sultan  and  the  favour  of  the  people 
had  bestowed  upon  him.  The  sun  was  about  to  set. 
It  sparkled  on  the  watery  mirror  of  the  Golden  Horn, 
hundreds  and  hundreds  of  brightly  gleaming  flags 
and  sails  flapped  and  fluttered  in  the  evening 
breeze. 

Gül-Bejáze  was  lying  beside  him  on  an  ottoman, 
her  beautiful  head,  with  a  feeling  of  languid  bliss, 
reposed  on  her  husband's  bosom,  her  long  eye-lashes 
drooping,  whilst  with  her  swan-like  arms  she  encircled 
his  neck.  She  dozes  away  now  and  then,  but  the 
warm  throb-throb  of  the  strong  heart  which  makes 
her  husband's  breast  to  rise  and  fall  continually 
arouses  her  again.  Halil  Patrona  is  reading  in  a  big 
clasped  book  beautifully  written  in  the  ornamental 
Talik  script.  Gül-Bejáze  does  not  know  this  writing ; 
its  signs  are  quite  strange  to  her,  but  she  feasts  her 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  217 

delighted  eyes  on  the  beautifully  painted  festoons  and 
lilies  and  the  variegated  birds  with  which  the  initial 
letters  are  embellished,  and  scarce  observes  what  a 
black  shadow  those  pretty  gaily  coloured,  butterfly- 
like letters  cast  upon  Halil's  face. 

"What  is  the  book  thou  art  reading?"  inquired 
Gül-Bejáze. 

"  Fairy  tales  and  magic  sentences,"  replied 
Patrona. 

"  Is  it  there  that  thou  readest  all  those  nice  stories 
which  thou  tellest  me  every  evening?  '* 

"  Yes,  they  are  here." 

"  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  what  thou  hast  just  been 
reading?  " 

"  When  thou  art  quite  awake,"  said  Halil,  raptur- 
ously gazing  at  the  fair  face  of  the  girl  who  was 
sleeping  in  his  arms — and  he  continued  turning  over 
the  leaves  of  the  book. 

And  what  then  was  in  it?  What  did  those  brightly 
coloured  letters  contain?  What  was  the  name  of  the 
book? 

That  book  is  the  "  Takimi  Vekai." 

Ah !  ask  not  a  Mussulman  what  the  "  Takimi 
Vekai  "  is,  else  wilt  thou  make  him  sorrowful ;  neither 
mention  it  before  a  Mohammedan  woman,  else  the 
tears  will  gush  from  her  eyes.  The  "  Takimi  Vekai  " 
is  "  The  Book  of  the  Sentences  of  the  Future,"  which 


2iS  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

was  written  a  century  and  a  half  ago  by  Said  Achmed- 
ibn  Mustafa,  and  which  has  since  been  preserved  in 
the  Muhamedije  mosque,  only  those  high  in  authority 
ever  having  the  opportunity  of  seeing  it  face  to 
face. 

Those  golden  letters  embellished  with  splendid 
flowers  contain  dark  sayings.     Let  us  listen : 

"  Takimi  Vekai " — The  Pages  of  the  Future. 

"  On  the  eighth-and-twentieth  day  of  the  month 
Rubi-Estani,  in  the  year  of  the  Hegira,  886,*  I,  Said 
Achmed-ibn  Mustafa,  Governor  of  Scutari  and  scribe 
of  the  Palace,  having  accomplished  the  Abdestanf 
and  recited  the  Fatehaí  with  hands  raised  heaven- 
wards, ascended  to  the  tower  of  Ujuk  Kule,  from 
whence  I  could  survey  all  Stambul,  and  there  I  began 
to  meditate. 

"And  lo!  the  Prophet  appeared  before  me,  and 
breathed  upon  my  eyes  and  ears  in  order  that  I 
might  see  and  hear  nothing  but  what  he  commanded 
me  to  hear  and  see. 

"  And  I  wrote  down  those  things  which  the  Prophet 
said  to  me. 

"  The  Giaours  already  see  the  tents  of  the  foreign 
hosts  pitched  on  the  Tsiragan  piazza,  already  see  the 
half-moon  cast  down,  and  the  double  cross  raised  on 

*  1481  A.D.        f  Ablutions  before  prayers. 
I  The  first  section  of  the  Koran. 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  219 

the  towers  of  the  mosques,  the  khanzé*  plundered, 
and  the  faithful  led  forth  to  execution.  In  the  Fanar 
quarterst  they  are  already  assembling  the  people, 
and  saying  to  one  another  :  '  To-morrow  !  to-morrow !  * 
"Yet  Allah  is  the  God  who  defends  the  Padishah 
of  the  Ottomans.  Their  Odzhakjaiksí  will  scatter 
terror.     Allah  Akbar !     God  is  mighty ! 

"And  the  captains  of  the  galleys,  and  the  rowers 
thereof,  and  the  chief  of  the  gunners,  and  the  corsairs 
of  the  swift  ships  will  share  with  one  another  the 
treasures  and  the  spoils  of  the  unbelievers. 

"And  the  Padishah  shall  rule  over  thirteen 
nations. 

"  But  lo !  a  dark  cloud  arises  in  the  cold  and  distant 
North.  A  foe  appears  more  terrible  and  persistent 
than  the  Magyars,  the  Venetians,  or  the  Persians. 
He  is  still  tender  like  the  fledgelings  of  the  hawks  of 
the  Balkans,  but  soon,  very  soon,  he  will  learn  to 
spread  his  pinions.  Up,  up,  Silihdar  Aga,  the  Sultan's 
Sword-bearer !  Up,  up,  Rechenbtar  Aga,  the  Sultan's 
Stirrup-holder  ;  up,  up,  and  do  your  duty.  And  yc 
viziers,  assemble  the  reserves.  Those  men  who  come 
from  the  land  where  the  pines  and  firs  raise  their 
virgin  branches  towards  Heaven,  they  long  after  the 

*  The  Imperial  Treasury. 

t  The  part  of  Stamhul  inhabited  by  the  Greeks. 

X  Companies  of  horse. 


220  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

warm  climates  where  the  olive,  the  lestisk,  the  tere- 
binth, and  the  palm  lift  their  crowns  towards  Heaven. 
The  fathers  point  out  Stambul  to  their  sons,  they 
point  it  out  as  the  booty  that  will  give  them  suste- 
nance ;  tender  women  lay  their  hands  upon  the  sword 
to  use  it  against  the  Osmanli,  and  will  fight  like 
heroes.  Yet  the  days  of  the  Sons  of  the  Prophet  will 
not  yet  come  to  an  end ;  they  will  resist  the  enemy, 
and  stand  fast  like  a  Salamander  in  the  midst  of  the 
burning  embers. 

"  The  years  pass  over  the  world,  again  the  Giaours 
assemble  in  their  myriads  and  threaten  vengeance. 
But  the  Divan  answers  them  :  '  Olmaz ! ' — it  cannot 
be.  The  Anatolian  and  the  Rumelian  lighthouses,  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Bosphorus,  will  signal  from  their 
watch-towers  the  approach  of  the  foreign  war-ships. 

"  But  this  shall  be  much  later,  after  three-and- 
twenty  Padishahs  have  ruled  over  the  thirteen  nations; 
then  and  not  till  then  will  the  armies  of  the  Un- 
believers assemble  before  Stambul.  Woe,  woe  unto 
us!  Eternally  invincible  should  the  Osmanlis  remain 
if  they  walked,  with  firm  footsteps,  according  to  the 
commands  of  the  Koran.  But  a  time  will  come  when 
the  old  customs  will  fall  into  oblivion,  when  new 
ways  will  creep  in  among  Mussulmen  like  a  rattle- 
snake crawling  into  a  bed  of  roses.  Faith  will  no 
longer  give  strength  against  those  men  of  ice,  and 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  221 

they   will   enter   the   nine-and-twenty   gates   of   the 
seven-hilled  city. 

"  Lo !  this  did  the  Prophet  reveal  to  me  in  the 
season  of  El-Ashsör,  beginning  at  the  time  of  sun- 
down. 

"  Allah  give  his  blessing  to  the  rulers  of  this  world." 
Thus  ran  the  message  of  the  "  Takimi  Vekai." 
Halil  Patrona  had  read  these  lines  over  and  over 
again  until  he  knew  every  letter  of  them  by  heart. 
They  were  continually  in  his  thoughts,  in  his  dreams, 
and  the  eternally  recurring  tumult  of  these  anxious 
bodings  allowed  his  soul  no  rest.  What  if  it  were 
possible  to  falsify  this  prophecy !  What  if  his  strong 
hand  could  but  stay  the  flying  wheel  of  Fate  in  mid 
career,  hold  it  fast,  and  turn  it  in  a  different  direction ! 
so  that  what  was  written  in  the  Book  of  Thora  before 
Sun  and  Moon  were  ever  yet  created  might  be  ex- 
punged therefrom,  and  the  guardian  angels  be  com- 
pelled to  write  other  things  in  place  thereof! 

But  such  an  idea  ill  befits  a  Mussulman ;  it  is  not 
the  mental  expression  of  that  pious  resignation  with 
which  the  Mohammedan  fortifies  himself  against  the 
future,  submissive  as  he  is  to  the  decrees  of  Fate,  with 
never  a  thought  of  striving  against  the  Powers  of 
Omnipotence  with  a  mortal  hand.  Ambitious,  world- 
disturbing  were  the  thoughts  which  ran  riot  in  the 
brain  of  Halil  Patrona — thoughts  meet  for  no  mere 


222  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

mortal.  Poor  indeed  are  the  thoughts  of  iHan.  He 
piles  world  upon  world,  and  sets  about  building  for 
the  ages,  and  then  a  light  breath  of  air  strikes  upon 
that  which  he  has  built  and  it  becomes  dust.  Where- 
fore, then,  does  man  take  thought  for  the  morrow? 

The  night  slowly  descended,  the  glow  of  the 
southern  sky  grew  ever  paler  on  the  half-moons  of 
the  minarets,  till  they  grew  gradually  quite  dark  and 
the  cry  of  the  muezzin  resounded  from  the  towers  of 
the  mosques. 

"Allah  Kerim!  Allah  Akbar!  La  illah  il  Allah, 
Mohammed  rasul  Allah !  God  is  sublime.  God  is 
mighty.  There  is  one  God  and  Mohammed  is  his 
Prophet." 

And  after  a  few  moments  he  called  again : 

"  Come,  ye  people,  to  the  rest  of  God,  to  the  abode 
of  righteousness  ;  come  to  the  abode  of  felicity !  " 

Gül-Bejáze  awoke.  Hahl  washed  his  hands  and 
feet,  and  turning  towards  the  mehrab*  began  to  pray. 

But  in  vain  he  sent  away  Gül-Bejáze  (for  women  are 
not  permitted  to  be  present  at  the  prayers  of  men 
nor  men  at  the  prayers  of  women) ;  in  vain  he  raised 
his  hands  heavenwards ;  in  vain  he  went  down  on  his 
knees  and  lay  with  his  face  touching  the  ground ; 
other  thoughts  were  abroad  in  his  heart — terrifying, 
disturbing  thoughts  which  suggested  to  him  that  the 

*  Ta1)lets  indicatinii  the  direction  in  which  Mecca  lies. 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  223 

God  to  Whom  he  prayed  no  longer  existed,  but  just 
as  His  Kingdom  here  on  earth  was  falHng  to  pieces 
so  also  in  Heaven  it  was  on  the  point  of  vanishing. 
Thrice  he  was  obliged  to  begin  his  prayer  all  over 
again,  for  thrice  it  was  interrupted  by  a  cough,  and 
it  is  not  lawful  to  go  on  with  a  prayer  that  has  once 
been  interrupted.  Once  more  he  cast  a  glance  upon 
the  darkened  city,  and  it  grieved  him  sorely  that  no- 
where could  he  perceive  a  half-moon ;  whereupon 
he  went  in  again,  sought  for  Gül-Bejáze,  and  told 
her  lovely  fairy  tales  which,  he  pretended,  he  had  been 
reading  in  the  Talik  book. 

The  next  day  Halil  gathered  together  in  his  secret 
chamber  all  those  in  whom  he  had  confidence. 
Among  them  were  Kaplan  Giraj,  a  kinsman  of  the 
Khan  of  the  Crimea,  Musli,  old  Vuodi,  Mohammed 
the  dervish,  and  Sulali. 

Sulali  wrote  down  what  Halil  said. 

"  Mussulmans.  Yesterday,  before  the  Abdestan,  I 
was  reading  the  book  whose  name  is  the  *  Takimi 
Vekai.' " 

"Mashallah!"  exclaimed  all  the  Mohammedans 
mournfully. 

"  In  that  book  the  overthrow  of  the  Ottoman 
Empire  is  predicted.  The  year,  the  day  is  at  hand 
when  the  name  of  Allah  will  no  longer  be  glorified 
on  this  earth,  when  the  tinkling  of  the  sheep-bells 


424  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

will  be  heard  on  the  ruins  of  the  marble  fountains, 
and  those  other  bells  so  hateful  to  Allah  will  resound 
from  the  towers  of  the  minarets.  In  those  days  the 
Giaours  will  play  at  quoits  with  the  heads  of  the  true 
believers,  and  build  mansions  over  their  tombs." 

"  Mashallah !  the  will  of  God  be  done !  "  said  old 
dervish  Mohammed  with  a  shaking  voice,  "  by  then 
we  shall  all  of  us  be  in  Paradise,  up  in  the  seventh 
Heaven,  the  soil  whereof  is  of  pure  starch,  ambergris, 
musk,  and  saffron.  There,  too,  the  very  stones  are 
jacinths  and  the  pebbles  pure  pearls,  and  the  Tuba- 
tree  shields  the  faithful  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  as 
they  rest  beneath  it  and  gaze  up  at  its  golden  flowers 
and  silver  leaves,  and  refresh  themselves  with  the 
milk,  wine,  and  honey  which  flow  abundantly  from  its 
sweet  and  glorious  stem.  There,  too,  are  the  dwell- 
ings of  Mohammed  and  the  Prophets  his  predecessors, 
in  all  their  indescribable  beauty,  and  over  the  roof  of 
every  true  believer  bend  the  branches  of  the  sacred 
tree,  whose  fruits  never  fail,  nor  wither,  nor  rot,  and 
there  we  shall  all  live  together  in  the  splendour  of 
Paradise  where  every  true  believer  shall  have  a  palace 
of  his  own.  And  in  every  palace  two-and-seventy 
lovely  houris  will  smile  upon  him — ^young  virgins  of 
an  immortal  loveliness— -whose  faces  will  never  grow 
old  or  wrinkled,  and  who  are  a  hundred  times  more 
affectionate  than  the  women  of  this  world'' 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  225 

Halil  listened  with  the  utmost  composure  till  grey- 
beard Vuodi  had  delivered  his  discourse  concerning 
the  joys  of  Paradise. 

"  All  that  you  say  is  very  pretty  and  very  true  no 
doubt,  but  let  your  mind  also  dwell  upon  what  the 
Prophet  has  revealed  to  us  concerning  the  dis- 
tribution of  rewards  and  punishments.  When  the 
angel  Azrael  has  gently  separated  our  souls  from 
our  bodies,  and  we  have  been  buried  with  the  double 
tombstone  at  our  heads,  on  which  is  written :  '  Dame 
Allah  huti  ale  Remaeti,'*  then  will  come  to  us  the 
two  Angels  of  Judgment,  Monker  and  Nakir.  And 
they  will  ask  us  if  we  have  fulfilled  the  precepts  of 
the  Prophet.  What  shall  our  trembHng  lips  reply  to 
them?  And  when  they  ask  us  whether  we  have 
def-ended  the  true  faith,  whether  we  have  defended 
our  Fatherland  against  the  Infidels,  what  shall  we 
then  reply  to  them?  Blessed,  indeed;  will  be  those 
who  can  answer :  *  I  have  done  all  which  it  was  com- 
manded me  to  do,'  their  spirits  will  await  the  final  judg 
ment  in  the  cool  abodes  of  the  Well  of  Ishmael.  But 
as  for  those  who  shall  answer :  '  I  saw  the  danger  which 
threatened  the  Osmanli  nation,  it  was  in  my  power 
to  help  and  I  did  it  not,'  their  bodies  will  be  scourged 
by  the  angels  with  iron  rods  and  their  souls  will  be 
thrust  into  the  abyss  of  Morhut  there  to  await  the 

•  "  God  be  for  CTcr  gracious  to  him." 


226  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

judgment-day.  And  when  the  trump  of  the  angel 
Israfil  shall  sound  and  the  Marvel  from  the  Mountain 
of  Safa  doth  appear  to  write  '  Mumen  '*  or  *  Giaour  'f 
on  the  foreheads  of  mankind ;  and  when  Al-DallajaJ 
comes  to  root  out  the  nation  of  the  Osmanli,  and  the 
hosts  of  Gog  and  Magog  appear  to  exterminate  the 
Christians,  and  drink  up  the  waters  of  the  rivers,  and 
at  the  last  all  things  perish  before  the  Mahdi ;  then 
v/hen  the  mountains  are  rent  asunder  and  the  stars 
fall  from  Heaven,  when  the  archangels  Michael  and 
Gabriel  open  the  tombs  and  bring  forth  the  trembling, 
death-pale  shapes,  one  by  one,  before  the  face  of 
Allah,  and  they  all  stand  there  as  transparent  as 
crystal  so  that  every  thought  of  their  hearts  is  visible 
— what  then  will  you  answer,  you  in  whose  power 
it  once  stood  to  uphold  the  dominion  of  Mahomet, 
you  to  whom  it  was  given  to  have  swords  in  your 
hands  and  ideas  in  your  heads  to  be  used  in  its 
defence — what  will  you  answer,  I  say,  when  you  hear 
the  brazen  voice  cry :  *  Ye  who  saw  destruction 
coming,  did  ye  try  to  prevent  it?'  What  will  it 
profit  you  then,  old  Vuodi  and  ye  others,  to  say  that 
ye  never  neglected  the  Abdestan,  the  Güzül,  and  the 
Thiiharet  ablutions,  nor  the  five  prayers  of  the 
Namazat,  that  ye  have  kept  the  fast  of  Ramazan  and 
the  feast  of  Bejram,  that  ye  have  richly  distributed 

*  Btlicvcr.     f  Unbeliever.     J  Anti-Christ, 


GLIiMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  227 

the  Zakato*  and  the  Sadakato,t  that  you  have  made 
the  pilgrimage  to  the  Kaaba  at  Mecca  so  many  times, 
or  so  many  times,  that  you  have  kissed  the  sin- 
remitting  black  stone,  that  you  have  drunk  from  the 
well  of  Zemzem  and  seven  times  made  the  circuit  of 
the  mountain  of  Arafat  and  flung  stones  at  the  Devil 
in  the  valley  of  Dsemre — what  will  it  profit  you,  I 
say,  if  you  cannot  answer  that  question?  Woe  to 
you,  woe  to  everyone  of  us  who  see,  who  hear,  and 
yet  go  on  dreaming !  For  when  we  tread  the  Bridge 
of  xMshirat,  across  whose  razor-sharp  edge  every  true 
believer  must  pass  on  his  way  to  Paradise,  the  load 
of  a  single  sin  will  drag  you  down  into  the  abyss, 
down  into  Hell,  and  not  even  into  the  first  Hell, 
Gehenna,  where  the  faithful  do  penance,  nor  into 
•the  Hell  of  Ladhana,  where  the  souls  of  the  Jews 
are  purified,  nor  into  the  Hell  of  Hotama  wherein 
the  Christians  perish,  nor  into  the  Hell  of  Sair  which 
is  the  abode  of  the  Heretics,  nor  into  the  Hell  of 
Sakar  wherein  the  fire-worshippers  curse  the  fire,  nor 
yet  into  the  Hell  of  Jahim  which  resounds  with  the 
yells  of  the  idol-worshippers,  but  into  the  seventh 
hell,  the  deepest  and  most  accursed  hell  of  all,  whose 
name  is  Al-Havija,  where  wallow  those  who  only  did 
God  lip-service  and  never  felt  the  faith  in  their  hearts, 
for   we   pray   lying   prayers   when   we    say   that   we 

•  The  prescribed  almsgiving,     f  Voluntary  almsgiving. 


228  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

worship  Allah  and  yet  allow  His  Temple  to  be 
defiled." 

These  words  deeply  moved  the  hearts  of  all  present. 
Every  sentence  alluded  to  the  most  weighty  of  the 
Moslem  beliefs;  the  meshes  of  the  net  with  which 
Halil  had  taken  their  souls  captive  were  composed 
of  the  very  essentials  of  their  religious  and  political 
system,  so  they  could  but  put  their  hands  to  their 
breasts,  bow  down  before  him,  and  say: 

"  Command  us  and  we  will  obey !  " 

Then  Halil,  with  the  inspiration  of  a  seer,  addressed 
the  men  before  him. 

"  Woe  to  us  if  we  believe  that  the  days  of  threaten- 
ing are  stili  far  off !  Woe  to  us  if  we  believe  that  the 
sins  which  will  ruin  the  nation  of  Osman  have  not 
yet  been  committed!  While  our  ancestors  dwelt  in 
tents  of  skin,  half  the  world  feared  our  name,  but 
since  the  nation  of  Osman  has  strutted  about  in  silk 
and  velvet  it  has  become  a  laughing-stock  to  its 
enemies.  Our  great  men  grow  gardens  in  their 
palaces ;  they  pass  their  days  in  the  embraces  of 
women,  drinking  wine,  and  listening  to  music;  they 
loathe  the  battlefield,  and  oh,  horrible!  they  blas- 
pheme the  name  of  Allah.  If  among  the  Giaours, 
blasphemers  of  God  are  to  be  found,  I  marvel  not 
thereat,  for  their  minds  are  corrupted  by  the  multi- 
tude  of   this  world's   knowledge;,   but  how   can  a 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  229 

Mussulman  raise  his  head  against  God — a  Mussulman 
who  has  never  learnt  anything  in  his  life  save  to 
glorify  His  Name?  And  what  are  we  to  think  when 
on  the  eve  of  the  Feast  of  Halwet  we  hear  a  Sheik, 
a  descendant  of  the  family  of  the  Prophet,  a  Sheik 
before  whom  the  people  bow  reverently  when  they 
meet  him  in  the  street — what  are  we  to  think,  I  say, 
when  we  hear  this  Sheik  say  before  the  great  men 
of  the  palace  all  drunk  with  wine :  *  There  is  no 
Allah,  or  if  there  is  an  Allah  he  is  not  almighty ;  for 
if  he  were  almighty  he  would  have  prevented  me 
from  saying,  there  is  no  Allah !  *  " 

A  cry  of  horror  arose  from  the  assembled  Mussul- 
mans which  only  after  a  while  died  away  in  an  angry 
murmur  like  a  gradually  departing  gust  of  wind. 

''  Who  was  the  accursed  one  ?  "  exclaimed  Moham- 
med dervish,  shaking  his  clenched  fist  threateningly. 

"  It  was  Uzun  Abdi,  the  Aga  of  the  Janissaries," 
replied  Halil,  "who  said  that,  and  the  others  only 
laughed." 

"  Let  them  all  be  accursed!  " 

"Wealth  has  ruined  the  heart  of  the  Osmanli," 
continued  Halil.  "  Who  are  they  who  now  control 
the  fate  of  the  Realm?  The  creatures  of  the  Sultana, 
the  slaves  of  the  Kizlar-Aga,  the  Izoglani,  whose  licen- 
tiousness will  bring  down  upon  Stambul  the  judgment 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.     It  is  from  thence  we  get 


230  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

our  rulers  and  our  treasurers,  and  if  now  and  then 
Fate  causes  a  hero  to  plump  down  among  them  he 
also  grows  black  like  a  drop  of  v/ater  that  has  fallen 
upon  soot ;  for  the  treasures,  palaces,  and  odaHsks  of 
the  fallen  magnates  are  transferred  to  the  new 
favourite,  and  ruin  him  as  quickly  and  as  completely 
as  they  ruined  his  predecessors ;  and  so  long  as  these 
palaces  stand  by  the  Sweet  Waters  more  curses  than 
prayers  will  be  heard  within  the  walls  of  Stambul, 
so  that  if  ye  want  to  save  Stambul,  ye  must  burn 
down  these  palaces,  for  as  sure  as  God  exists  these 
palaces  will  consume  Stambul" 

"  We  must  go  to  the  Sultan  about  it,"  said  the 
dervish  Mohammed. 

"  Pulled  down  they  must  be,  for  no  righteous  man 
dwells  therein.  The  whole  of  this  Empire  of  Stone 
must  come  down,  whoever  is  so  much  as  a  head  taller 
than  his  brethren  is  a  sinner.  Let  us  raise  up  those 
who  are  lowest  of  all.  Down  from  your  perches,  ye 
venal  voivodes,  khans,  and  pashas,  who  buy  the 
Empire  piecemeal  with  money  and  for  money  barter 
it  away  again!  Let  men  of  war,  real  men  though 
Fame  as  yet  knows  them  not,  step  into  your  places. 
The  very  atmosphere  in  which  ye  live  is  pestiferous 
because  of  you.  For  some  time  now,  gold  and  silver 
pieces,  stamped  with  the  heads  of  men  and  beasts, 
have  been  circulating  in  our  piazzas,  although,  as  we 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  231 

all  know,  no  figures  of  living  things  should  appear 
on  the  coins  of  the  Mussulman.  Neither  Russia, 
nor  Sweden,  nor  yet  Poland  pay  tribute  to  us ;  and 
yet,  I  say,  these  picture-coins  still  circulate  among 
us.  Oh!  ever  since  Baltaji  suffered  White*  Mustache, 
the  Emperor  of  the  North,  to  escape,  full  well  ye 
know  it!  gold  and  silver  go  further  and  hit  the  mark 
more  surely  than  iron  and  lead.  We  must  create 
a  new  world,  none  belonging  to  the  old  order  of  things 
must  remain  among  us.  Write  dov/n  a  long,  long 
list,  and  carry  it  to  the  Grand  Vizier.  If  he  refuses 
to  accept  it,  write  another  in  his  place  on  the  hst,  and 
take  it  to  the  Sultan.  Woe  betide  the  nation  of 
Osman  if  it  cannot  find  within  it  as  many  just  men  as 
its  needs  require !  " 

The  assembled  Mussulmans  thereupon  drew  up  in 
hot  haste  a  long  hst  of  names  in  which  they  proposed 
fresh  candidates  for  all  the  chief  offices  of  the  Empire. 
They  put  down  Choja  Dzhanum  as  the  new  Kapudan 
Pasha,  Mustafa  Beg  as  the  new  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  Musli  as  the  new  Janissary  Aga  ;  the  actual 
judges  and  treasurers  were  banished,  the  banished 
judges  and  treasurers  were  restored  to  their  places ; 
instead  of  Maurocordato,  who  had  been  educated 
abroad,  they  appointed  his  enemy,  Richard  Rakovitsa, 
surnamed  Djihan,  Voivodc  of  Wallachia  ;   instead  of 

*  IVtcr  the  Great.     Tlie  allusion  is  to  the  I'cace  DÍihc  I'liilh. 


232  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Ghyka  they  placed  the  butcher  of  Pera,  Janaki, 
on  the  throne  of  Moldavia;  and  instead  of  Mengli 
Giraj,  Khan  of  the  Crimea,  Kaplan  Giraj,  actually 
present  among  them,  was  called  to  ascend  the  throne 
of  his  ancestors. 

Kaplan  Giraj  pressed  Haul's  hand  by  way  of  ex- 
pressing his  gratitude  for  this  mark  of  confidence. 

And,  oddly  enough,  as  Halil  pressed  the  hand  of 
the  Khan,  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  his  arm  felt  an 
electric  shock.     What  could  it  mean? 

But  now  Musli  stood  up  before  him. 

"  Allow  me,"  said  he,  "  to  go  with  this  writing  to 
the  Grand  Vizier.  You  have  been  in  the  Seraglio 
already,  let  mine  be  the  glory  of  displaying  my  valour 
by  going  thither  likewise !  Do  not  take  all  the  glory 
to  yourself,  allow  others  to  have  a  little  of  it  too! 
Besides,  it  does  not  become  you  to  carry  your  own 
messages  to  the  Divan.  Why  even  the  Princes  of 
the  Giaours  do  not  go  there  themselves  but  send  their 
ambassadors." 

Halil  Patrona  gratefully  pressed  the  Janissary's 
hand.  He  knew  right  well  that  he  spoke  from  no 
desire  of  glorification,  he  knew  that  Musli  only  wanted 
to  go  instead  of  him  because  it  was  very  possible 
that  the  bearer  of  these  demands  might  be 
beheaded. 

Once  again  MusU  begged  earnestly  of  Halil  that 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  233 

the  delivery  of  these  demands  might  be  entrusted  to 
him,  and  so  proudly  did  he  make  his  petition  that  it 
was  impossible  for  Halil  Patrona  to  deny  him. 

Now  Musli  was  a  sly  dog.  He  knew  very  well  that 
it  was  a  very  risky  business  to  present  so  many  de- 
mands all  at  once,  but  he  made  up  his  mind  that  he 
would  so  completely  take  the  Grand  Vizier  by  sur- 
prise, that  before  he  could  find  breath  to  refuse  the 
demands  of  the  people,  he  would  grant  one  of  them 
after  another,  for  if  he  swallowed  the  first  of  them 
that  was  on  the  list,  he  might  be  hoodwinked  into 
swallowing  the  rest  likewise. 

The  new  Grand  Vizier  went  by  the  name  of  Kaba- 
kulak,  or  Blunt-ear,  because  he  was  hard  of  hearing, 
which  suited  Musli  exactly,  as  he  had,  by  nature,  a 
bad  habit  of  bawling  whenever  he  spoke. 

At  first  Kabakulak  would  not  listen  to  anything 
at  all.  He  seemed  to  have  suddenly  gone  stone- 
deaf,  and  had  every  single  word  repeated  to  him  three 
times  over ;  but  when  Musli  said  to  him  that  if  he 
would  not  listen  to  what  he  was  saying,  he,  Musli, 
would  go  off  at  once  to  the  Sultan  and  tell  him, 
Kabakulak  opened  his  ears  a  little  wider,  became 
somewhat  more  gracious,  and  asked  Mush,  quite 
amicably,  what  he  could  do  for  him. 

Musli  felt  his  courage  rising  many  degrees  since 
he  began  bawling  at  a  Grand  Vizier. 


234  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  Haul  Patrona  commands  it  to  be  done,"  he 
bellowed  in  Kabakulak's  ear. 

The  Vizier  threw  back  his  head. 

"  Come,  come,  my  son !  "  said  he,  "  don't  shout  in 
my  ear  like  that,  just  as  if  I  were  deaf.  What  did 
you  say  it  was  that  Halil  Patrona  begs  of  me  ?  " 

"  Don't  twist  my  words,  you  old  owl!  "  said  Musli, 
naturally  sotto  voce.  Then  raising  his  voice,  he 
added,  "  Halil  Patrona  wants  Dzhanum  Choja  ap- 
pointed Kapudan  Pasha." 

"  Good,  good,  my  son !  just  the  very  thing  I 
wanted  done  myself ;  that  has  been  resolved  upon 
long  ago,  so  you  may  go  away  home." 

"  Go  away  indeed !  not  yet !  Then  Wallachia 
wants  a  new  voivode." 

"  It  has  got  one  already,  got  one  already  I  tell  you, 
my  son.  His  name  is  Maurocordato.  Bear  it  in  mind 
— Mau-ro-cor-da-to." 

''  I  don't  mean  to  bother  my  tongue  with  it  at  alL 
As  I  pronounce  it  it  is — Djihan." 

"Djihan?     Who  is  Djihan?" 

"  Djihan  is  the  Voivode  of  Wallachia." 

"Very  well,  you  shall  have  it  so.  And  what  do 
you  want  for  yourself,  my  son,  eh  ?  " 

Mush  was  inscribed  in  the  list  as  the  Aga  of  the 
Janissaries,  but  he  was  too  modest  to  speak  of  himself." 

"Don't  trouble  your  head  about  me,  Kabakulak, 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  235 

while  there  are  so  many  worthier  men  unprovided 
for.  We  want  the  Khan  of  the  Crimea  deposed  and 
the  banished  Kaplan  Giraj  appointed  in  his  stead." 

"  Very  well,  we  will  inform  Kaplan  Giraj  of  his 
promotion  presently." 

"  Not  presently,  but  instantly.  Instantly,  I  say, 
without  the  least  delay." 

Musli  accompanied  his  eloquence  with  such  gesticu- 
lations that  the  Grand  Vizier  thought  it  prudent  to 
fall  back  before  him. 

"Don't  you  feel  well?"  he  asked  Musli,  who  had 
suddenly  become  silent.  In  his  excitement  he  had 
forgotten  the  other  demands. 

"Ah!  I  have  it,"  he  said,  and  sitting  down  on  the 
floor  at  his  ease,  he  took  the  list  from  his  bosom  and 
extending  it  on  the  floor,  began  reciting  Halil 
Patrona's  nominations  seriatim. 

The  Grand  Vizier  approved  of  the  whole  thing, 
he  had  no  objection  to  make  to  anything. 

Musli  left  Janaki's  elevation  last  of  all .-  "  He  you 
must  make  Voivode  of  Moldavia,"  said  he. 

Suddenly  Kabakulak  went  quite  deaf.  He  could 
not  hear  a  word  of  Musli's  last  demand. 

Musli  drew  nearer  to  him,  and  making  a  speaking- 
trumpet  out  of  his  hands,  bawled  in  his  ear  : 

"  Janaki  I  am  talking  about." 

"Yes,  yes!     I  hear,  I  hear.     You  want  him  to  be 


236  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

allowed  to  provide  the  Sultan's  kitchen  with  the  flesh 
of  bullocks  and  sheep.  So  be  it !  He  shall  have  the 
charge." 

"  Would  that  the  angel  Izrafil  might  blow  his 
trumpet  in  thine  ear ! "  said  MusH  to  himself  sotto 
voce.  "I  am  not  talking  of  his  trade  as  a  butcher," 
added  he  aloud.  "  I  say  that  he  is  to  be  made  Prince 
of  Moldavia." 

Kabakulak  now  thought  it  just  as  well  to  show 
that  he  heard  what  had  been  asked,  and  repHed  very 
gravely  : 

"You  know  not  what  you  are  asking.  The 
Padishah,  only  four  days  ago,  gave  this  office  to  Prince 
Ghyka,  who  is  a  wise  and  distinguished  man.  The 
Sultan  cannot  go  back  from  his  word." 

"  A  wise  and  distinguished  man !  "  cried  Musli  in 
amazement.  "  What  am  I  to  understand  by  that  ?  Is 
there  any  difference  then  between  one  Giaour  and 
another  ?  " 

"  The  Sultan  has  so  ordered  it,  and  without  his 
knowledge  I  cannot  take  upon  myself  to  alter  his 
decrees." 

"  Very  well,  go  to  the  Sultan  then  and  get  him  to 
undo  again  what  he  has  done.  For  the  rest  you  can 
do  what  you  like  for  what  I  care,  only  beware  of  one 
thing,  beware  lest  you  lose  the  favour  of  Halil 
Patrona!" 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  237 

Kabakulak  by  this  time  had  had  nearly  enough  of 
Mush,  but  the  latter  still  continued  diligently  to  con- 
sult his  list.  He  recollected  that  Halil  Patrona  had 
charged  him  to  say  something  else,  but  what  it  was 
he  could  not  for  the  life  of  him  call  to  mind. 

"  Ah,  yes !  now  I  have  it !  "  he  cried  at  last.  "  Halil 
commands  that  those  nasty  palaces  which  stand  by 
the  Sweet  Waters  shall  be  burnt  to  the  ground." 

"  I  suppose,  my  worthy  incendiaries,  you  will  next 
ask  permission  to  plunder  Stambul  out  and  out  ?  " 

"  It  is  too  bad  of  you,  Kabakulak,  to  speak  like 
that.  Halil  does  not  want  the  palaces  burnt  for  the 
love  of  the  thing,  but  because  he  does  not  want  the 
generals  to  have  an  asylum  where  they  may  hide, 
plant  flowers,  and  wallow  in  vile  delights  just  when 
they  ought  to  be  hastening  to  the  camp.  If  every 
pasha  had  not  his  paradise  here  on  earth  and  now, 
many  more  of  them  would  desire  the  heavenly 
Paradise.  That  is  why  Halil  Patrona  would  have  all 
those  houses  of  evil  luxury  burnt  to  the  ground." 

"  May  Halil  Patrona  live  long  enough  to  see  it 
come  to  pass.     This  also  will  I  report  to  the  Sultan." 

"  Look  sharp  about  it  then !  I  will  wait  in  your 
room  here  till  you  come  back." 

"  You  will  wait  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  never  mind  about  me !  I  have  given  orders 
that  my  dinner  is  to  be  sent  after  me  here.    I  look 


238  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

to  you  for  coffee  and  tobacco,  and  if  you  happen  to 
be  delayed  till  early  to-morrow  morning,  you  will  find 
me  sleeping  here  on  the  carpet." 

Kabakulak  could  now  see  that  he  had  to  do  with  a 
man  of  character  who  would  not  stir  from  the  spot 
till  everything  had  been  settled  completely  to  his 
satisfaction.  The  most  expeditious  mode  of  ending 
matters  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  to  summon  a 
couple  of  ciauses  and  make  them  lay  the  rascal's  head 
at  his  own  feet,  but  the  political  horizon  was  not  yet 
sufficiently  serene  for  such  acts  of  daring.  The 
bands  of  the  insurgents  were  still  encamping  in  the 
pubhc  square  outside.  First  of  all  they  must  be  hood- 
winked and  pacified,  only  after  that  would  it  be 
possible  to  proceed  to  extreme  measures  against  them. 

All  that  the  Grand  Vizier  could  do,  therefore,  was 
frankly  to  present  all  Halil  Patrona's  demands  to  the 
Sultan. 

Mahmud  granted  everything  on  the  spot. 

In  an  hour's  time  the  firmans  and  hatti-scherifs,  de- 
posing and  elevating  the  various  functionaries,  were 
in  Musli's  hands  as  desired. 

Only  as  to  the  method  of  destroying  the  kiosks 
did  the  Sultan  venture  to  make  a  suggestion.  They 
had  better  not  be  burnt  to  the  ground,  he  opined,  for 
thereby  the  Mussulmans  would  make  themselves  the 
laughing-stock  of  the  whole  Christian  world ;  but  he 


GLIMPSES  INTO  THE  FUTURE.  239 

undertook  to  dilapidate  the  walls  and  devastate  the 
pleasure-gardens. 

And  within  three  days  one  hundred  and  twenty 
splendid  kiosks,  standing  beside  the  Sweet  Waters, 
had  become  so  many  rubbish  heaps ;  and  the  rare 
and  costly  plants  of  the  beautiful  flower-gardens  were 
chucked  into  the  water,  and  the  groves  of  amorous 
dallying  were  cut  down  to  the  very  roots.  Only  ruins 
were  now  to  be  seen  in  the  place  of  the  fairy  palaces 
wherein  all  manner  of  earthly  joys  had  hitherto  built 
their  nests,  and  all  this  ruin  was  wrought  in  three 
days  by  Halil  Patrona,  just  because  there  is  but  one 
God,  and  therefore  but  one  Paradise,  and  because 
this  Paradise  is  not  on  earth  but  in  Heaven,  and  those 
who  would  attain  thereto  must  strive  and  struggle 
valiantly  for  it  in  this  life. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

HUMAN     HOPES. 

A  TIME  will  come  when  the  star  has  risen  so  high 
that  it  can  rise  no  higher,  and  perchance  learns  to 
know  that  before  long  it  must  begin  its  inevitable 
descent!  .  .  . 

All  Halil  Patroria's  wildest  dreams  had  been 
realised.  There  he  stood  at  the  very  apex  of 
sovereignty,  whence  the  course  of  empires,  the  destiny 
of  worlds  can  be  controlled.  Ministers  of  State  were 
pulled  down  or  lifted  up  at  his  bidding,  armies  were 
sent  against  foreign  powers  as  he  directed,  princes 
were  strengthened  on  their  thrones  because  Halil 
Patrona  wished  it,  and  the  great  men  of  the  empire 
lay  in  the  dust  at  his  feet. 

For  whole  days  at  a  time  he  sat  reading  the  books 
of  the  Ottoman  chroniclers,  the  famous  Rashid  and 
the  wise  Chelbizade,  and  after  that  he  would  pore 
over  maps  and  charts  and  draw  Hnes  of  different 
colours  across  them  in  all  directions,  and  dot  them 
with  dots  which  he  alone  understood  the  meaning  of» 


HUMAN  HOPES.  241 

And  those  lines  and  dots  stretched  far,  far  away 
beyond  the  borders  of  the  empire,  right  into  the 
midst  of  Podoha  and  the  Ukraine.  He  knew,  and 
he  only,  what  he  meant  by  them. 

The  projects  he  was  hatching  required  centuries 
for  their  fulfilment — what  is  the  life  of  a  mere  man? 

In  thought  he  endowed  the  rejuvenescent  Ottom.an 
Empire  with  the  energies  of  a  thousand  years.  Once 
more  he  perceived  its  conquering  sword  winning  fresh 
victories,  and  extending  its  dominions  towards  the 
East  and  the  South,  but  especially  towards  the  North. 
He  saw  the  most  powerful  of  nations  do  it  homage ; 
he  saw  the  guardian-angels  of  Islam  close  their  eyes 
before  the  blinding  flashes  of  the  triumphant  swords 
of  the  sons  of  Osman,  and  hasten  to  record  in  the 
Book  of  the  Future  events  very  different  from  those 
which  had  been  written  down  before. 

Ah,  human  hopes,  human  hopes! — the  blast  blows 
upon  them  and  they  crumble  away  to  nothing. 

But  Halil's  breast  beat  with  a  still  greater  joy,  with 
a  still  loftier  hope,  when  turning  away  from  the  tumult 
of  the  world,  he  opened  the  door  of  his  private  room 
and  entered  therein. 

What  voices  arc  those  which  it  does  his  soul 
good  to  hearken  to?  Why  does  he  pause  and  stand 
listening  before  the  curtain  ?     What  is  he  listening  to  ? 

It  is  the  feeble  cry  of  a  child,  a  little  baby  child. 

Q 


242  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

A  few  days  before  Gül-Bejáze  bore  him  a  son,  on  the 
anniversary  of  the  very  day  when  he  made  her  his 
wife.  This  child  was  the  purest  part  of  Hahl's  joy, 
the  loftiest  star  of  his  hopes.  Whithersoever  I  may 
one  day  rise,  he  would  reflect,  this  child  shall  rise 
with  me.  Whatever  I  shall  not  be  able  to  achieve, 
he  will  accomplish.  Those  happier,  more  glorious 
times  which  I  shall  never  be  able  to  see,  he  will 
rejoice  in.  Through  him  I  shall  leave  behind  me  in 
Ottoman  history  an  eternal  fame — a  fame  like  to  that 
of  the  Kiiprili  family,  which  for  a  whole  century  and 
a  half  gave  heroes  and  saints  and  sages  to  the  empire. 

Gül-Bejáze  wanted  the  child  to  be  called  Ferhád, 
or  Sender,  as  so  many  of  the  children  of  the  poor 
were  wont  to  be  called ;  but  HaHl  gave  him  the  name 
of  Behram.  "He  is  a  man-child,"  said  Halil,  "who 
will  one  day  be  called  to  great  things." 

Human  calculations,  human  hopes,  what  are  they? 
To-day  the  tree  stands  full  of  blossoms,  to-morrow 
it  lies  prone  on  the  ground,  cut  down  to  the  very 
roots. 

Who  shall  strive  with  the  Almighty,  and  from  what 
son  of  man  does  the  Lord  God  take  counsel? 

Halil  stole  on  tip-toe  to  the  bed  of  his  wife  who 
was  playing  with  the  child ;  she  did  not  perceive  him 
till  he  was  quite  close  to  her.  How  they  rejoiced 
together  I     The  baby  wandered  from  hand  to  hand ; 


HUMAN  HOPES.  243 

how  they  embraced  and  kissed  it!     Both  of  them 
seemed  to  hve  their  hves  over  again  in  the  Httle  child. 

And  now  old  Janaki  also  drew  nigh.  His  face  was 
smiling,  but  whenever  he  opened  his  mouth  his  words 
were  sad  and  gloomy.  All  joy  vanished  from  his 
life  the  moment  he  was  made  a  voivode,  just  as  if 
he  felt  that  only  Death  could  relieve  him  of  that 
dignity.  He  had  a  peculiar  joy  in  perpetually  prophe- 
sying evil  things. 

"  If  only  you  could  bring  the  child  up !  "  he  cried ; 
"  but  you  will  not  live  long  enough  to  do  that.  Men 
like  you,  Halil,  never  live  long,  and  I  don't  want  to 
survive  you.  You  will  see  me  die,  if  see  you  can;' 
and  when  you  die,  your  child  will  be  doubly  an 
orphan." 

With  such  words  did  he  trouble  them.  They  were 
always  reHeved  when,  at  last,  he  would  creep  into 
a  corner  and  fall  asleep  from  sheer  weariness,  for  his 
anxiety  made  him  more  and  more  somnolent  as  he 
grew  older. 

But  again  the  door  opened,  and  there  entered  the 
Kadun-Kiet-Khuda,  the  guardian  of  the  ladies  of  the 
Seraglio,  accompanied  by  two  slave-girls  carrying  a 
splendid  porcelain  pitcher,  which  they  deposited  at 
the  sick  woman's  bed  with  this  humble  salutation : 

"  The  Sultana  Validé  greets  thee  and  sends  thee 
this  sherbet  I '  • 


244  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

The  Sultana  Validé,  or  Dowager,  used  only  to  send 
special  messages  to  the  Sultan's  favourite  wives  when 
they  lay  in  child-bed;  this,  therefore,  was  a  great 
distinction  for  the  wife  of  Halil  Patrona — or  a  great 
humiliation  for  the  Sultana. 

And  a  great  humiliation  it  certainly  was  for  the 
latter. 

It  was  by  the  command  of  Sultan  Mahmud  that  the 
Sultana  had  sent  the  sherbet. 

"  You  see,"  said  Halil,  "  the  great  ones  of  the  earth 
kiss  the  dust  off  your  feet.  There  are  slaves  besides 
those  in  the  bazaars,  and  the  first  become  the  last. 
Rejoice  in  the  present,  my  princess,  and  catch  Fortune 
on  the  wing." 

"Fortune,  Halil,"  said  his  wife  with  a  mournful 
smile,  "  is  like  the  eels  of  the  Bosphorus,  it  slips  from 
your  grasp  just  as  you  fancy  you  hold  it  fast." 

And  Halil  believed  that  he  held  it  fast  in  his  grasp. 

The  highest  officers  of  state  were  his  friends  and 
colleagues,  the  Sultan  himself  was  under  obligations 
to  him,  for  indeed  Halil  had  fetched  him  from  the 
dungeon  of  the  Seven  Towers  to  place  him  on  the 
throne. 

And  at  that  very  moment  they  were  digging  the 
snare  for  him  into  which  he  was  to  fall. 

The  Sultan  who  could  not  endure  the  thought  that 
he  was  under  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  a  poor  oppressed 


HUMAN  HOPES.  245 

pedlar,  the  Sultana  who  could  never  forget  the 
humiliation  she  had  suffered  because  of  Gül-Bejáze, 
the  Kizlar-Aga  who  feared  the  influence  of  Halil,  the 
Grand  Vizier  who  had  been  compelled  to  eat  humble 
pie — all  of  them  had  long  been  waiting  for  an  occasion 
to  ruin  him. 


One  day  the  Sultan  distributed  thirty  wagon-loads 
of  money  among  the  forty  thousand  Janissaries  and 
the  sixteen  thousand  Topadshis  in  the  capital  because 
they  had  proposed  to  be  reconciled  with  the  Seraglio 
and  reassemble  beneath  the  banner  of  the  Prophet. 
The  insurgent  mob,  moreover,  promised  to  disperse 
under  two  conditions :  a  complete  amnesty  for  past 
offences,  and  permission  to  retain  two  of  their  banners 
that  they  might  be  able  to  assemble  together  again  in 
case  anything  was  undertaken  against  them.  Their 
requests  were  all  granted.  Halil  Patrona,  too,  was 
honoured  by  being  made  one  of  the  privy  councillors 
of  the  Divan. 

Seven-and-twenty  of  the  popular  leaders  were  in- 
vited at  the  same  time  to  appear  in  the  Divan  and 
assist  in  its  deliberations.  Halil  Patrona  was  the 
life  and  soul  of  the  lot. 

He  inspired  them  with  magnanimous,  enlightened 
resolutions,   and   when    in    his   enthusiastic   way    he 


246  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

addressed  them,  the  worthy  cobblers  and  fishermen 
felt  themselves  turned  into  heroes,  and  it  seemed  as 
if  they  were  the  leaders  of  the  nation,  while  the  pashas 
and  grandees  sitting  beside  them  were  mere  fishermen 
and  cobblers. 

Everyone  of  his  old  friends  and  his  new  colleagues 
looked  up  to  and  admired  him. 

Only  one  person  could  not  reconcile  himself  with 
the  thought  that  he  owed  his  power  to  a  pedlar  who 
had  risen  from  the  dust — and  this  man  was  Kaplan 
Giraj,  the  Khan  of  the  Crimea. 

He  was  to  be  Halil's  betrayer. 

He  informed  the  Grand  Vizier  of  the  projects  of 
Halil,  who  wished  to  persuade  the  Sultan  to  declare 
war  against  Russia,  because  Russia  was  actively  assist- 
ing Persia.  Moldavia  and  the  Crimea  were  the  start- 
ing points  of  the  armies  that  were  to  clip  the  wings 
of  the  menacing  northern  foe,  and  thereby  nullify  the 
terrible  prophecies  of  the  "  Takimi  Vekai." 

Kaplan  Giraj  informed  Kabakulak  of  these  designs, 
and  they  agreed  that  a  man  with  such  temerarious 
projects  in  his  head  ought  not  to  live  any  longer — 
he  was  much  too  dangerous. 

They  resolved  that  he  should  be  killed  during  the 
deliberations  at  the  house  of  the  Grand  Vizier.  For 
this  purpose  they  chose  from  among  the  most  daring 
of  the  Janissaries  those  officers  who  had  a  grudge 


HUMAN  HOPES.  247 

against  Halil  for  enforcing  discipline  against  them, 
and  were  also  jealous  of  what  they  called  his  usurpa- 
tion of  authority.  These  men  they  took  with  them 
to  the  council  as  members  of  the  Divan. 

It  was  arranged  thus.  When  Halil  had  brought 
forward  and  defended  his  motion  for  a  war  against 
Russia,  then  Kaplan  Giraj  would  argue  against  the 
project,  whereupon  Halil  was  sure  to  lose  his  temper. 
The  Khan  thereupon  was  to  rush  upon  him  with  a 
drawn  sword,  and  this  was  to  be  the  signal  for  the 
Janissary  officers  to  rise  in  a  body  and  massacre  all 
Halil's  followers. 

So  it  was  a  well-prepared  trap  into  which  Halil  and 
his  associates  were  to  fall,  and  they  had  not  the 
slightest  suspicion  of  the  danger  that  was  hanging 
over  their  heads. 


The  Grand  Vizier  sat  in  the  centre  of  the 
councillors,  beside  him  on  his  right  hand  sat  Kaplan 
Giraj,  while  the  place  of  honour  on  his  left  was  re- 
served for  Halil  Patrona.  All  around  sat  the  Spahi 
and  Janissary  officers  with  their  swords  in  their 
hands. 

The  plot  was  well  contrived,  the  whole  affair  was 
bound  to  be  over  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  popular  deputies  arrived  ;   there  were  seven- 


248  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

and-twenty  of  them,  not  including  Halil  Patrona. 
The  Janissary  officers  were  sixty  in  number. 

Kabakulak  beckoned  to  HaHl  to  sit  on  his  left 
hand,  the  others  were  so  arranged  that  each  one  of 
them  sat  between  a  couple  of  Janissary  officers.  As 
soon  as  Kaplan  Giraj  gave  the  signal  by  drawing  his 
sword  against  Halil,  the  Janissaries  were  to  fall  upon 
their  victims  and  cut  them  down. 

"  My  dear  son,"  said  the  Grand  Vizier  to  Halil, 
when  they  had  all  taken  their  places,  "  behold,  at  thy 
desire,  we  have  summoned  the  council  and  the  chief 
officers  of  the  Army ;  tell  them,  I  pray  thee,  wherefore 
thou  hast  called  them  together !  " 

Halil  thereupon  arose,  and  turning  towards  the 
assembly  thus  addressed  it: 

"  Mussulmans !  faithful  followers  of  the  Prophet ! 
If  any  one  of  you  were  to  hear  that  his  house  was  on 
fire,  would  he  need  lengthy  explanations  before 
hastening  away  to  extinguish  it?  If  ye  were  to  hear 
that  robbers  had  broken  into  your  houses  and  were 
plundering  your  goods — if  ye  were  to  hear  that 
ruffians  were  throttling  your  little  children  or  your 
aged  parents,  or  threatening  the  lives  of  your  wives 
with  drawn  swords,  would  you  wait  for  further  con- 
firmation or  persuasion  before  doing  anything,  or 
would  you  not  rather  rush  away  of  your  own  accord 
to  slay  these  robbers  and  murderers?     And  lo!  what 


HUMAN  HOPES.  249 

is  more  than  our  houses,  more  than  our  property,  more 
than  our  children,  our  parents,  or  our  wives — our 
Fatherland,  our  faith  is  threatened  with  destruction 
by  our  enemy.  And  this  enemy  has  all  the  will  but 
not  yet  the  power  to  accomplish  what  he  threatens ; 
and  his  design  is  never  abandoned,  but  is  handed  down 
from  father  to  son,  for  never  will  he  make  peace,  he 
will  ever  slay  and  destroy  till  he  himself  is  destroyed 
and  slain — this  enemy  is  the  Muscovite.  Our  fathers 
heard  very  little  of  that  name,  our  sons  will  hear  more, 
and  our  grandsons  will  weep  exceedingly  because  of 
it.  Our  rehgion  bids  us  to  be  resigned  to  the 
decrees  of  fate,  but  only  cowards  will  be  content  to 
sit  with  their  hands  in  their  laps  because  the  pre- 
diestined  fate  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  is  written  in 
Heaven.  If  the  prophecy  says  that  a  time  must  come 
when  the  Ottoman  Empire  must  fall  to  pieces  because 
of  the  cowardice  of  the  Ottoman  nation,  does  it  not 
depend  upon  us  and  our  children  whether  the 
prophecy  be  accomplished,  or  whether  its  fulfilment 
be  far  removed  from  us?  Of  a  truth  the  signification 
of  that  prophecy  is  this:  We  shall  perish  if  we  are 
cowards ;  let  us  not  be  cowards  then,  and  never  shall 
we  perish.  And  if  the  foe  whose  sword  shall  one 
day  deal  the  nations  of  Muhammad  the  most  terrible 
wounds,  and  whose  giant  footsteps  shall  leave  on 
Turkish  soil  the  bloodiest  and  most  shameful  imprints 


250  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

— if  I  say  this  foe  be  already  pointed  out  to  us,  why 
should  we  not  anticipate  him,  why  should  we  wait 
till  he  has  grown  big  enough  to  swallow  us  up 
when  we  are  now  strong  enough  to  destroy  him? 
The  opportunity  is  favourable.  The  Cossacks  de- 
mand help  from  us  against  the  Muscovite  dominion. 
If  we  give  them  this  help  they  will  be  our  allies,  if 
we  withhold  it  they  will  become  our  adversaries.  The 
Tartars,  the  Circassians,  and  Moldavians  are  the 
bulwarks  of  our  Empire,  let  us  join  to  them  the 
Cossacks  also,  and  not  wait  until  they  all  become  the 
bulwarks  of  our  northern  foe  instead,  and  he  will  lead 
them  all  against  us.  When  he  built  the  fortress  of 
Azov  he  showed  us  plainly  what  he  meant  by  it.  Let 
us  also  now  show  that  we  understood  his  intentions 
and  raze  that  fortress  to  the  ground." 

With  these  words  Halil  resumed  his  place. 

As  pre-arranged  Kaplan  Giraj  now  stood  up  in  his 
turn. 

Halil  fully  expected  that  the  Tartar  Khan,  who 
was  to  have  played  such  an  important  part  in  his 
project,  inasmuch  as  his  dominions  were  directly  in 
the  way  of  an  invading  enemy,  and  therefore  most 
nearly  threatened,  would  warmly  support  his  proposi- 
tion. All  the  greater  then  was  his  amazement  when 
Kaplan  Giraj  turned  towards  him  with  a  contemptuous 
smile  and  replied  in  these  words : 


HUMAN  HOPES.  251 

"It  is  a  great  calamity  for  an  Empire  when  its 
leading  counsellors  are  ignorant.  I  will  not  question 
your  good  intentions,  Halil,  but  it  strikes  me  as  very 
comical  that  you  should  wish  us,  on  the  strength  of 
the  prophecy  of  a  Turkish  recluse,  to  declare  war 
against  one  of  our  neighbours  who  is  actually  living 
at  peace  with  us,  is  doing  us  no  harm,  and  harbours 
no  mischievous  designs  against  us.  You  speak  as 
if  Europe  was  absolutely  uninhabited  by  any  but  our- 
selves, as  if  there  was  no  such  thing  as  powerful 
nations  on  every  side  of  us,  jealous  neighbours  all 
of  them  who  would  incontinently  fall  upon  us  with 
their  banded  might  in  case  of  a  war  unjustly  begun 
by  us.  All  this  comes  from  the  simple  fact  that  you 
do  not  understand  the  world,  Halil.  How  could  you, 
a.  mere  petty  huckster,  be  expected  to  do  so?  So 
pray  leave  in  peace  Imperial  affairs,  and  whenever 
you  think  fit  to  occupy  your  time  in  reading  poems 
and  fairy-tales,  don't  fancy  they  are  actual  facts." 

The  representatives  of  the  people  regarded  the 
Khajn  with  amazement.  Halil,  with  a  bitter  look, 
measured  him  from  head  to  foot.  He  knew  now  that 
he  had  been  betrayed.  And  he  had  been  betrayed  by 
the  very  man  to  whom  he  had  assigned  a  hero's 
part ! 

With  a  smiling  face  he  turned  towards  him.  He 
had  no  thought  now  that  he  had  fallen  into  a  trap. 


252  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

He  addressed  the  Khan  as  if  they  were  both  in  the 
room  together  alone. 

"  Truly  you  spoke  the  truth,  Kaplan  Giraj,  when 
you  reproached  me  with  the  shame  of  ignorance.  I 
never  learnt  anything  but  the  Koran,  I  have  never  had 
the  opportunity  of  reading  those  books  which  mock 
at  the  things  which  are  written  in  the  Koran ;  I  only 
know  that  when  the  Prophet  proclaimed  war  against 
the  idolators  he  never  inquired  of  the  neighbouring 
nations,  Shall  I  do  this,  or  shall  I  not  do  it?  and  so 
he  always  triumphed.  I  know  this,  too,  that  since  the 
Divan  has  taken  to  debating  and  negociating  with 
its  enemies,  the  Ottoman  armies  have  been  driven 
across  the  three  rivers — the  Danube,  the  Dnieper,  and 
the  Pruth — and  melt  away  and  perish  in  every  direc- 
tion. I  am  a  rough  and  ignorant  man  I  know,  there- 
fore do  not  be  amazed  at  me  if  I  would  defend  the 
faith  of  Mohammed  with  the  sword  when,  perhaps, 
there  may  be  other  means  of  doing  so  with  which 
I  am  unacquainted.  I,  on  the  other  hand,  will  not 
be  astonished  that  you,  a  scion  of  the  princely 
Crimean  family,  should  be  afraid  of  war.  You  were 
born  a  ruler  and  know  therefore  that  your  life  is 
precious.  You  embelHsh  the  deeds  of  your  enemy 
that  you  may  not  be  obliged  to  fight  against  him. 
You  say  'tis  a  good  neighbour,  a  peaceful  neighbour, 
he  does  no  harm,  although  you  very  well  know  that 


HUMAN  HOPES.  253 

it  was  the  Muscovite  guns  which  drove  our  Timariots 
out  of  Kermanshan,  and  that  the  Persians  were 
allowed  to  march  through  Russian  territory  in  order 
to  fall  upon  our  general  Abdullah  Pasha  from  behind. 
But  there  is  nothing  hostile  about  all  this  in  your  eyes, 
you  are  perfectly  contented  with  }'0ur  fate.  War 
might  deprive  you  of  your  Khannish  dignity,  while 
in  peaceful  times  you  can  peaceably  retain  it.  It 
matters  not  to  you  whose  servant  you  may  be  so  long 
as  you  hold  sway  in  your  own  domain,  and  you  call 
him  a  blockhead  who  does  not  look  after  himself  first 
of  all.  Yes,  Kaplan  Giraj,  I  am  a  blockhead  no  doubt, 
for  I  am  not  afraid  to  risk  losing  this  wretched  life, 
awaiting  my  reward  in  another  world.  I  was  not 
bom  in  silks  and  purples  but  in  the  love  of  my 
country  and  the  fear  of  God,  while  you  are  wise 
enough  to  be  satisfied  with  the  joys  of  this  life.  But, 
by  way  of  reward  for  betraying  your  good  friend, 
may  Allah  cause  you,  one  day,  to  become  the  slave 
of  your  enemies,  so  that  he  who  was  wont  to  be  called 
Kaplan*  may  henceforth  be  named  Sichian."t 

Even  had  nothing  been  preconcerted,  Kaplan 
Giraj's  sword  must  needs  have  leaped  from  its  sheath 
at  these  mortally  insulting  words.  Furiously  he 
leaped  from  his  seat  with  his  flashing  sword  in  his 
hand. 

•  Tiger,      t  Mouse. 


254  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Ah!  but  now  it  was  the  turn  of  the  Grand  Vizier 
and  all  the  other  conspirators  to  be  amazed. 

The  Janissaries  who  had  been  placed  by  the  side 
of  the  popular  leaders  never  budged  from  their  seats, 
and  not  one  of  them  drew  his  weapon  at  the  given 
signal. 

Such  inertia  was  so  ine'xplicable  to  the  initiated 
that  Kaplan  Giraj  remained  standing  in  front  of  Halil 
paralyzed  with  astonishment.  As  for  Halil  he  simply 
crossed  his  arms  over  his  breast  and  gazed  upon  him 
contemptuously.  The  Janissary  officers  had  disre- 
garded the  signal. 

"I  am  well  aware,"  said  Halil  to  the  Khan  with 
cold  sobriety — "  I  am  well  aware  what  sort  of  respect 
is  due  to  this  place,  and  therefore  I  do  not  draw  my 
sword  against  yours  even  in  self-defence.  For  though 
I  am  not  so  well  versed  in  European  customs  as  you 
are,  and  know  not  whether  it  is  usual  in  the  council- 
chambers  of  foreign  nations  to  settle  matters  with  the 
sword,  or  whether  it  is  the  rule  in  the  French  or 
the  English  cabinet  that  he  who  cuts  down  his 
opponent  in  mid-council  is  in  the  right  and  his  opinion 
must  needs  prevail — but  of  so  much  I  am  certain, 
that  it  is  not  the  habit  to  settle  matters  with  naked 
weapons  in  the  Ottoman  Divan.  Now  that  the 
council  is  over,  however,  perhaps  you  would  like  to 
descend  with  me  into  the  gardens  where  we  may  settle 


HUMAN  HOPES.  255 

the  business  out  of  hand,  and  free  one  another  from 
the  thought  that  death  is  terrible." 

Hahl's  cold  collected  bearing  silenced,  disarmed  his 
enemies.  The  eyes  of  the  Grand  Vizier  and  the 
Khan  surveyed  the  ranks  of  the  Janissary  officers, 
while  Halil's  faithful  adherents  began  to  assemble 
round  their  leader. 

"Then  there  is  no  answer  to  the  words  of  Halil 
Patrona?"  inquired  Kabakulak  at  last  tentatively. 

They  were  all  silent. 

"  Have  you  no  answer  at  all  then?  '* 

At  this  all  the  Janissaries  arose,  and  one  of  them 
stepping  forward  said : 

"Halil  is  right.  We  agree  with  all  that  he  has 
said." 

The  Grand  Vizier  did  not  know  whether  he  was 
standing  on  his  head  or  his  heels.  Kaplan  Giraj 
wrathfuUy  thrust  his  sword  back  again  into  its 
scabbard.  All  the  Janissary  officers  evidently  were 
on  Halil  Patrona's  side. 

It  was  impossible  not  to  observe  the  confusion  in 
the  faces  of  the  chief  plotters  ;  the  well-laid  plot  could 
not  be  carried  out. 

After  a  long  interval  Kabakulak  was  the  first  to 
recover  himself,  and  tried  to  put  a  new  face  on  matters 
till  a  better  opportunity  should  arise. 

"  Such  important  resolutions,"  said  he,  "  cannot  be 


256  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

carried  into  effect  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
Sultan.  To-morrow,  therefore,  let  us  all  assemble  in 
the  Seraglio  to  lay  our  desires  before  the  Padishah. 
You  also  will  be  there,  Halil,  and  you  also,  Kaplan 
Giraj." 

"  Which  of  us  twain  will  be  there  Allah  only 
knows,"  said  Halil. 

"  There,  my  son,  you  spake  not  well ;  nay,  very 
ill  hast  thou  spoken.  It  is  a  horrible  thing  when  two 
Mussulmans  revile  one  another.  Be  reconciled  rather, 
and  extend  to  each  other  the  hand  of  fellowship!  I 
will  not  allow  you  to  hght.  Both  of  you  spoke  with 
good  intentions,  and  he  is  a  criminal  who  will  not 
forget  personal  insults  when  it  is  a  question  of  the 
commonweal.  Forgive  one  another  and  shake  hands, 
I  say." 

And  he  seized  the  reluctant  hands  of  both  men  and 
absolutely  forced  them  to  shake  hands  with  each 
other.  But  he  could  not  prevent  their  eyes  from 
meeting,  and  though  swords  were  denied  them  their 
glances  of  mutual  hatred  were  enough  to  wound  to 
the  death. 

After  the  council  broke  up,  Halil's  enemies  re- 
mained behind  with  the  Grand  Vizier.  Kaplan  Giraj 
gnashed  his  teeth  with  rage. 

"  Didn't  I  tell  you  not  to  let  him  speak !  "  he  ex- 
claimed, "  for  when  once  he  opens  his  mouth  he  turns 


HUMAN  HOPES.  257 

every  drawn  sword  against  us,  and  drives  wrath  from 
the  breasts  of  men  with  the  glamour  of  his  tongue." 

So  they  had  three  days  wherein  to  hatch  a  fresh 
plot. 


The  session  of  the  Divan  was  fixed  for  three  days 
later.  Halil  Patrona  employed  the  interval  like  a 
man  who  feels  that  his  last  hour  is  at  hand.  He 
would  have  been  very  short-sighted  not  to  have  per- 
ceived that  judgment  had  already  been  pronounced 
against  him,  although  his  enemies  were  still  doubtful 
how  to  carry  it  into  execution. 

He  resigned  himself  to  his  fate  as  it  became  a  pious 
Mussulman  to  do.  He  had  only  one  anxiety  which 
he  would  gladly  have  been  rid  of — what  was  to  be- 
come of  his  wife  and  child. 

On  the  evening  of  the  last  day  he  led  Giil-Bejaze 
down  to  the  shore  of  the  Bosphorus  as  if  he  would 
take  a  walk  with  her.  The  woman  carried  her  child 
in  her  arms. 

Since  the  woman  had  had  a  child  she  had  acquired 
a  much  braver  aspect.  The  gentlest  animcJ  will  be 
audacious  when  it  has  young  ones,  even  the  dove  be- 
comes savage  when  it  is  hatching  its  fledgelings. 

Halil  put  his  wife  into  a  covered  boat,  wliich  was 
soon  flying  along  under  the  impulse  of  his  muscukir 

K 


258  HAUL  THE  PEDLAR. 

arms.  The  child  rejoiced  aloud  at  the  rocking  of  the 
boat,  he  fancied  it  was  the  motion  of  his  cradle.  The 
eyes  of  the  woman  were  fixed  now  upon  the  sky  and 
now  upon  the  unruffled  surface  of  the  watery  mirror. 
A  star  smiled  down  upon  her  wheresoever  she  gazed. 
The  evening  was  very  still. 

"  Knowest  thou  whither  I  am  taking  thee,  Giil- 
Bejáze?"  asked  her  husband. 

"  If  thou  wert  to  ask  me  whither  thou  oughtest  to 
send  me,  I  would  say  take  me  to  some  remote  and 
peaceful  valley  enclosed  all  around  by  lofty  mountains. 
Build  me  there  a  little  hut  by  the  side  of  a  bubbling 
spring,  and  let  there  be  a  little  garden  in  front  of  the 
little  hut.  Let  me  stroll  beneath  the  leaves  of  the 
cedar-trees,  where  I  may  hear  no  other  sound  but  the 
cooing  of  the  wood-pigeon ;  let  me  pluck  flowers  on 
the  banks  of  the  purling  brook,  and  spy  upon  the 
wild  deer ;  let  me  live  there  and  die  there — live  in 
thine  arms  and  die  in  the  flowering  field  by  the  side 
of  the  purling  brook.  If  thou  wert  to  ask  me,  whither 
shall  I  take  thee,  so  would  I  answer." 

"  Thou  hast  said  it,"  replied  Halil,  shipping  the 
oars,  for  the  rising  evening  breeze  had  stiffened  out 
the  sail  and  the  little  boat  was  flying  along  of  its 
own  accord ;  then  he  sat  him  down  beside  his  wife 
and  continued,  "  I  am  indeed  sending  thee  to  a  remote 
and  hidden  valley,  where  a  little  hut  stands  on  the 


HUMAN  HOPES.  259 

banks  of  a  purling  stream.  I  have  prepared  it  for 
thee,  and  there  shalt  thou  dwell  with  thy  child." 

"And  thou  thyself?" 

"  I  will  guide  thee  to  the  opposite  shore,  there  an 
old  family  servant  of  thy  father's  awaits  thee  with 
saddled  mules.  He  loves  thee  dearly,  and  will  bring 
thee  into  that  quiet  valley  and  he  must  never  leave 
thee." 

"And  thou?" 

"  This  little  coffer  thou  wilt  take  with  thee  ;  it  con- 
tains money  which  I  got  from  thy  father  ;  no  curse,  no 
blood  is  upon  it,  it  shall  be  thine  and  thy  children's." 

"And  thou?"  inquired  Gül-Bejáze  for  the  third 
time,  and  she  was  very  near  to  bursting  into  tears. 

"  I  shall  have  to  return  to  Stambul.  But  I  will  come 
after  thee.  Perhaps  to-morrow,  perhaps  the  day  after 
to-morrow,  perhaps  later  still.  It  may  be  very  much 
sooner,  it  may  be  much  later.  But  thou  wait  for  me. 
Every  evening  spread  the  table  for  me,  for  thou 
knowest  not  when  I  may  arrive." 

The  tears  of  Gül-Bejáze  began  to  fall  upon  the  child 
she  held  to  her  breast. 

"Why  weepest  thou?"  asked  Halil.  " 'Tis  foohsh 
of  thee.  Leave-taking  is  short,  suspense  only  is  long. 
It  will  be  better  with  thee  than  with  mc,  for  thou  wilt 
have  the  child  while  I  shall  have  nothing  left,  yet  I 
do  not  weep  because  we  shall  so  soon  meet  again." 


26o  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

Meanwhile  they  had  reached  the  shore,  the  old 
servant  was  awaiting  them  with  the  two  mules.  Hahl 
helped  his  wife  to  descend  from^  the  boat. 

Gül-Bejáze  buried  her  head  in  her  husband's  bosom 
and  tenderly  embraced  him.  * 

"  Go  not  back,  leave  me  not  alone,"  said  she ;  "  do 
not  leave  us,  come  with  us.  What  dost  thou  seek  in 
that  big  desolate  city  when  we  are  no  longer  there? 
Come  with  us,  let  us  all  go  together,  vanish  with  us. 
Let  them  search  for  thee,  and  may  their  search  be  as 
vain  as  the  search  for  a  star  fallen  from  Heaven ;  it 
is  not  good  for  thee  to  be  in  high  places." 

Halil  made  no  reply.  His  wife  spoke  the  truth, 
but  pride  prevented  him  from  escaping  like  a  coward 
when  he  knew  that  his  enemies  were  conspiring 
against  him.  Presently  he  said  to  Gül-Bejáze  with 
a  reassuring  voice : 

"  Do  not  be  anxious  on  my  account,  I  have  a  talis- 
man with  me.  Why  dost  thou  smile?  Thou  a 
Christian  woman  dost  not  believe  in  talismans?  My 
talisman  is  my  heart,  surely  thou  believest  in  it  now? 
It  has  always  helped  me  hitherto." 

And  with  that  Halil  kissed  his  wife  and  his  child 
and  returned  to  the  boat.  He  seized  the  oars  in  his 
powerful  hands  and  was  soon  some  distance  from  the 
shore.  And  as  he  rowed  further  and  further  away 
into   the   gloom  of  evening  he  saw  his   abandoned 


HUMAN  HOPES.  261 

wife  still  standing  on  the  shore  with  her  child  clasped 
to  her  breast,  and  the  further  he  receded  the  keener 
grew  his  anguish  of  heart  because  he  durst  not  turn 
back  to  them  and  kiss  and  embrace  them  once  more. 


Early  in  the  morning  the  gigantic  Halil  Pelivan, 
accompanied  by  twelve  bostanjis,  appeared  among  the 
Janissaries  with  three  asses  laden  with  five  little 
panniers,  containing  five  thousand  ducats  which  he 
emptied  upon  the  ground  and  distributed  among  the 
brave  fellows. 

"  The  Grand  Vizier  sends  you  this,  my  worthy 
comrades,"  cried  he. 

This  was  the  only  way  of  talking  sense  to  the 
Janissaries. 

"  And  now  I  have  to  ask  something  of  you." 

"Say  on!" 

"  Is  there  among  you  any  fellow  who  loves  nobody, 
who  would  be  capable  of  slaying  his  own  dear  father 
if  he  were  commanded  so  to  do  and  well  paid  for  it, 
who  is  afraid  of  nothing,  has  no  bowels  of  compassion, 
and  cannot  be  made  to  falter  by  tlie  words  of  the 
wise  ? " 

In  response  to  this  challenge,  hundreds  and 
hundreds    of    the    Janissaries    stepped    out    of    their 


202  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

ranks,  declaring  that  they  were  just  the  boys  to  satisfy 
Pelivan's  demands. 

PeHvan  selected  from  amongst  them  two-and- 
thirty  of  the  most  muscular  and  truculent,  and  com- 
manded them  to  follow  him  into  the  SeragHo. 

Once  there  he  conducted  them  into  the  Porcelain 
Chamber,  made  them  squat  down  on  the  precious 
carpets,  put  before  them  quantities  of  the  most 
savoury  food,  which  they  washed  down  with  the  rich 
wine  of  Cypress  and  the  heating  Muskoveto,  a  mys- 
terious beverage  generally  reserved  for  the  Sultan's 
use,  which  is  supposed  to  confer  courage  and  virility. 
When  they  had  well  eaten  and  drunken  moreover, 
Pelivan  supplied  them  with  as  much  opium  as  they 
wanted. 

Shortly  afterwards  there  came  out  to  them  the 
Grand  Vizier,  the  lame  Pasha,  Topal  Ozman,  Pats- 
majezade,  the  chief  Justiciary  of  Rumelia,  the 
cobbler's  son,  and  the  Tartar  Khan,  who  patted  their 
shoulders,  tasted  of  their  food,  drank  out  of  their 
goblets,  and  after  telling  them  what  fine  brave  fellows 
they  were,  discreetly  withdrew. 

The  Divan  meanwhile  had  assembled  in  the  Hall 
of  Lions. 

There  were  gathered  together  the  Ulemas,  the 
Viziers,  and  the  representatives  of  the  people.  Halil 
Patrona  was  there  also ;    and  presently  Kabakulak, 


HUMAN  HOPES.  263 

Topal  Ozman,  Patsmajezade,  and  Kaplan  Giraj 
arrived  likewise  and  took  their  places. 

The  Grand  Vizier  turned  first  of  all  to  Halil,  whom 
he  addressed  with  benign  condescension. 

"  The  Padishah  assures  thee  through  me  of  his 
grace  and  favour,  and  of  his  own  good  pleasure 
appoints  thee  Beglerbeg  of  Rumelia." 

And  with  that  a  couple  of  diilbendars  advanced 
with  the  costly  kaftan  of  investiture. 

Halil  Patrona  reflected  for  an  instant. 

The  Sultan  indeed  had  always  been  gracious  to- 
wards him.  He  evidently  wanted  to  favour  him  with 
an  honourable  way  of  retreat.  He  was  offering  him 
a  high  dignity  whereby  he  might  be  able  to  withdraw 
from  the  capital,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  gratify  his 
ambition.  The  Sultan  really  had  a  kindly  heart  then. 
He  rewards  the  man  whom  his  ministers  would  punish 
as  a  malefactor. 

But  his  hesitation  only  lasted  for  a  moment.  Then 
he  recovered  himself  and  resolutely  answered : 

"  I  will  not  accept  that  kaftan.  For  myself  I  ask 
nothing.  I  did  not  come  here  to  receive  high  ofhce, 
I  came  to  hear  war  proclaimed." 

The  Grand  Vizier  bowed  down  before  him. 

"  Thy  word  is  decisive.  The  Padishah  has  decided 
that  what  thou  and  thy  comrades  demand  shall  be 
accomplished.      The   Grand   Seignior  himself  awaits 


264  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

thee  in  the  Porcelain  Chamber.  There  war  shall  be 
proclaimed,  and  the  kaftans  of  remembrance  dis- 
tributed to  thee  and  thy  fellows." 

And  with  that  the  Ulemas  and  Halil's  comrades 
were  led  away  to  the  kiosk  of  Erivan. 

"  And  ye  who  are  the  finest  fellows  of  us  all,"  said 
Kabakulak,  turning  to  Halil  and  Musli — "ye,  Halil 
and  Musli,  come  first  of  all  to  kiss  the  Sultan's  hand." 

Halil  with  a  cold  smile  pressed  Musli's  hand  Even 
now  poor  Musli  had  no  idea  what  was  about  to  befall 
them.  Only  when  at  "  the  gate  of  the  cold  spring  " 
the  Spahis  on  guard  divested  them  of  their  weapons, 
for  none  may  approach  the  Sultan  with  a  sword  by 
him — only,  then,  I  say,  did  he  have  a  dim  sensation 
that  all  was  not  well. 

In  the  Sofa  Chamber,  where  the  Divan  is  erected, 
is  a  niche  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  chamber  by 
a  high  golden  trellis-work  screen,  behind  whose 
curtains  it  is  the  traditional  custom  of  the  Sultan 
to  listen  privately  to  the  deliberations  of  his  coun- 
sellors. From  behind  these  curtains  a  woman's  face 
was  now  peeping.  It  was  Adsalis,  the  favourite 
Sultana,  and  behind  her  stood  Elhaj  Beshir,  the 
Kizlar-Aga.  Both  of  them  knew  there  would  be  a 
peculiar  spectacle,  something  well  worth  seeing  in 
that  chamber  to-day. 

The  curtains  covering  the  doors  of  the  Porcelain 


HUMAN  HOPES.  265 

Chamber  bulged  out,  and  immediately  afterwards  two 
men  entered.  They  advanced  to  the  steps  of  the 
Sultan's  throne,  knelt  down  there,  and  kissed  the  hem 
of  the  Sultan's  garment. 

Mahmud  was  sitting  on  his  throne,  the  same  instant 
Kabakulak  clapped  his  hands  and  cried : 

"  Bring  in  their  kaftans !  " 

At  these  words  out  of  the  adjoining  apartment 
rushed  Pelivan  and  the  thirty-two  Janissaries  with 
drawn  swords. 

Mahmud  hid  his  face  so  as  not  to  see  what  was 
about  to  happen. 

"  Halil !  we  are  betrayed !  "  exclaimed  Musli,  and 
placing  himself  in  front  of  his  comrade  he  received 
on  his  own  body  the  first  blow  which  Pelivan  had 
aimed  at  Halil. 

"  In  vain  hast  thou  written  thy  name  above  mine, 
Patrona,"  roared  the  giant,  waving  his  huge  broad- 
sword above  his  head. 

At  these  words  Halil  drew  forth  from  his  girdle  a 
dagger  which  he  had  secreted  there,  and  hurled  it 
with  such  force  at  Pelivan  that  the  sharp  point  pierced 
his  left  shoulder. 

But  the  next  moment  he  was  felled  to  the  ground 
by  a  mortal  blow. 

While  still  on  his  knees  he  raised  his  eyes  to 
Heaven  and  said : 


266  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

"  It  is  the  will  of  Allah." 

At  another  blow  he  collapsed,  and  falling  prone 
breathed  forth  his  last  sigh : 

"  I  die,  but  my  son  is  still  alive." 

And  he  died. 

Then  all  his  associates  were  brought  into  the  Sofa 
Chamber  one  by  one  from  the  Erivan  kiosk  where 
they  had  been  robed  in  splendid  kaftans,  and  as  they 
entered  the  room  were  decapitated  one  after  the  other. 
They  had  not  even  time  to  shut  their  eyes  before  the 
fatal  stroke  descended. 

Six-and-twenty  of  them  perished  there  and  then. 

Only  three  survived  the  day,  Sulali,  Mohammed  the 
dervish,  and  Alir  Aalem,  the  custodian  of  the  sacred 
banner  and  justiciary  of  Stambul.  All  three  were 
Ulemas,  and  therefore  not  even  the  Sultan  was  free 
to  slay  them. 

Accordingly  the  Grand  Vizier  appointed  them  all 
Sandjak-Begs,  or  governors  of  provinces. 

As  they  knew  nothing  of  the  death  of  their  com- 
rades  they  accepted  the  dignities  conferred  upon 
them,  renouncing  at  the  same  time  as  usual  their  office 
of  Ulemas. 

The  following  day  they  were  all  put  to  death. 

On  the  third  day  after  that  the  people  of  the  city 
in  their  walks  abroad  saw  eight-and-thirty  severed 
heads  stuck  on  the  ends  of  spears  over  the  central 


HUMAN  HOPES.  267 

gate  of  the  Seraglio.  All  these  heads,  with  their  start- 
ing eyes  and  widely  parted  lips,  seemed  to  be  speaking 
to  the  amazed  multitudes ;  only  Halil  Patrona  s  eyes 
were  closed  and  his  lips  sealed 

Suddenly  a  great  cry  of  woe  arose  from  one  end 
of  the  city  to  the  other,  the  people  seized  their 
arms  and  rushed  off  to  the  Etmeidan  under  three 
banners. 

They  had  no  other  leader  now  but  Janaki,  all  the 
rest  had  escaped  or  were  dead.  So  now  they  brought 
hun  forward.  The  tidings  of  Hahl's  death  wrought 
no  change  in  him,  he  had  foreseen  it  long  before,  and 
was  well  aware  that  Gül-Bejáze  had  departed  from 
the  capital.  He  had  himself  prepared  for  her  the 
little  dwelling  in  the  valley  lost  among  the  ravines 
of  Mount  Taurus,  which  was  scarce  known  to  any 
save  to  him  and  the  few  dwellers  there,  and  he  had 
brought  back  with  him  from  thence  a  pair  of  carrier- 
pigeons,  so  that  in  case  of  necessity  he  might  be  able 
to  send  messages  to  his  daughter  without  having  to 
depend  on  human  agency. 

When  the  clamorous  mob  invited  him  to  the 
Etmeidan  he  wrote  to  his  daughter  on  a  tiny  shred 
of  vellum,  and  tied  the  letter  beneath  the  wing  of 
the  pigeon. 

And  this  is  what  he  wrote : 

"  God's  grace  be  with  thee !    Wait  not  for  Halil,  he 


268  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

is  dead.  The  Janissaries  have  killed  him.  And  I 
shall  not  be  long  after  him,  take  my  word  for  it.  But 
live  thou  and  watch  over  thy  child. — Janaki." 

With  that  he  opened  the  window  and  let  the  dove 
go,  and  she,  rising  swiftly  into  the  air,  remained 
poised  on  high  for  a  time  with  fluttering  pinions,  and 
then,  with  the  swiftness  and  directness  of  a  well-aimed 
dart,  she  flew  straight  towards  the  mountains. 

"  Poor  Irene ! "  sighed  Janaki,  buckling  on  his 
sword  with  which  he  certainly  was  not  very  likely  to 
kill  anybody — and  he  accompanied  the  insurgents  to 
the  Etmeidan. 

In  Stambul  things  were  all  topsy-turvy  once  more. 
The  seventh  Janissary  regiment,  when  the  two-and- 
thirty  Janissaries  returned  to  them  with  bloody  swords 
boasting  of  their  deed,  rushed  upon  them  and  cut 
them  to  pieces.  The  new  Janissary  Aga  was 
shot  dead  within  his  own  gates.  Kabakulak  retired 
within  a  mosque.  Halil  Pelivan,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed Kulkiaja,  hid  himself  in  a  drain  pipe  for  three 
whole  days,  and  never  emerged  therefrom  so  long  as 
the  uproar  lasted. 

Three  days  later  all  was  quiet  again. 

A  new  name  came  to  the  front  which  quelled  the 
risen  tempest — the  last  scion  of  the  famous  Kiiprili 
family,  every  member  of  which  was  a  hero. 

Achmed    Kiiprilizade    collected    together    the    ten 


HUMAN  HOPES.  269 

thousand  shebejis,  bostanjis,  and  baltajis  who 
dwelt  round  the  Seragho,  and  when  everyone  was  in 
despair  attacked  the  rebels  in  the  open  streets,  routed 
them  in  the  piazzas,  and  in  three  days  seven  thousand 
of  the  people  fell  beneath  his  blows — and  so  the  realm 
had  peace  once  more. 

Janaki  also  fell.  They  chopped  off  his  head  and 
he  offered  not  the  slightest  resistance. 

As  for  Pelivan  and  Kabakulak  they  were  banished 
for  their  cowardice. 

So  Achmed  Kiiprilizade  became  Grand  Vizier. 

As  for  Achmed  III.  he  lived  nine  years  longer  in 
the  Seven  Towers,  and  tradition  says  he  died  by 
poison. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE     EMPTY     PLACE. 

Everything  was  now  calm  and  quiet,  and  the  world 
pursued  its  ordinary  course ;  but  far  away  among  the 
Blue  Mountains  dwells  a  woman  who  knows  nothing 
of  all  that  is  going  on  around  her,  and  who  every 
evening  ascends  the  highest  summit  of  the  hills  sur- 
rounding her  little  hut  and  gazes  eagerly,  longingly, 
in  the  direction  of  Stambul,  following  with  her  eyes 
the  long  zig-zag  path  which  vanishes  in  the  dim 
distance — ^will  he  come  to-day  whom  she  has  so 
long  awaited  in  vain? 

Every  evening  she  returns  mournfully  to  her  Httle 
dwelling,  and  whenever  she  sits  down  to  supper  she 
places  opposite  to  her  a  platter  and  a  mug — and  so 
she  waits  for  him  who  comes  not  At  night  she  lays 
Halil's  pillow  beside  her,  and  puts  their  child  between 
the  pillow  and  herself  that  he  may  find  it  there  when 
he  comes. 

And  so  day  follows  day. 

One  day  there  came  a  tapping  at  her  window. 
With  joy  she  leaps  from  her  bed  to  open  it. 


HUMAN  HOPES.  271 

It  is  not  Halil  but  a  pigeon — a  carrier-pigeon  bring- 
ing a  letter. 

Gül-Bejáze  opens  the  letter  and  reads  it  through 
— and  a  second  time  she  reads  it  through,  and  then  she 
reads  it  through  a  third  time,  and  then  she  begins  to 
smile  and  whispers  to  herself : 

"  He  will  be  here  directly," 

From  henceforth  a  mild  insanity  takes  possession 
of  the  woman's  mind' — a  species  of  dumb  monomania 
which  is  only  observable  when  her  fixed  idea  happens 
to  be  touched  upon. 

At  eventide  she  again  betakes  herself  to  the  road 
which  leads  out  of  the  valley.  She  shows  the  letter 
to  an  old  serving-maid,  telling  her  that  the  letter  says 
that  Halil  is  about  to  arrive,  and  a  good  supper  must 
be  made  ready  for  him.  The  servant  cannot  read,  so 
she  believes  her  mistress. 

An  hour  later  the  woman  comes  back  to  the  house 
full  of  joy,  her  cheeks  have  quite  a  colour  so  quickly 
has  she  come. 

"Hast  thou  not  seen  him?"  she  inquires  of  the 
servant 

"Whom,  my  mistress?" 

"Halil.  He  has  arrived.  He  came  another  way, 
and  must  be  in  the  house  by  now." 

The  servant  fancies  that  perchance  Halil  hns  come 
secretly  and  she,  also  full  of  joy,  follows  her  mistress 


372  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

into  the  room  where  the  table  has  been  spread  for 
tvvo  persons. 

"Well,  thou  seest  that  he  is  here,"  cries  Giil- 
Bejáze,  pointing  to  the  empty  place,  and  rushing  to 
the  spot,  she  embraces  an  invisible  shape,  her 
burning  kisses  resound  through  the  air,  and  her 
eyes  intoxicated  with  delight  gaze  lovingly — at 
nothing. 

"  Look  at  thy  child !  "  she  cries,  lifting  up  her  little 
son  ;  "  take  him  in  thine  arms.  So !  Kiss  him  not  so 
roughly,  for  he  is  asleep.  Look!  thy  kisses  have 
awakened  him.  Thy  beard  has  tickled  him,  and  he 
has  opened  his  eyes.  Rock  him  in  thine  arms  a  little. 
Thou  wert  so  fond  of  nursing  him  once  upon  a  time. 
So!  take  him  on  thy  lap.  What!  art  thou  tired? 
Wait  and  I  will  fill  up  thy  glass  for  thee.  Isn't  the 
water  icy-cold?  I  have  just  filled  it  from  the  spring 
myself." 

Then  she  heaps  more  food  on  her  husband's 
platter,  and  rejoices  that  his  appetite  is  so  good. 

Then  after  supper  she  links  her  arm  in  his  and, 
whispering  and  chatting  tenderly,  leads  him  into  the 
garden  in  the  bright  moonlit  evening.  The  faithful 
servant  with  tears  in  her  eyes  watches  her  as  she 
walks  all  alone  along  the  garden  path,  from  end  to 
end,  beneath  the  trees,  acting  as  if  she  were  whisper- 
inp-  and  chatting  with  someone.    She  keeps  on  asking 


HUMAN  HOPES.  273 

him  questions  and  listening  to  his  replies,  or  she  tells 
him  all  manner  of  tales  that  he  has  not  heard  before. 
She  tells  him  all  that  has  happened  to  her  since  they 
last  separated,  and  shows  him  all  the  little  birds  and 
the  pretty  flowers.  After  that  she  bids  him  step  into 
a  little  bower,  makes  him  sit  down  beside  her,  moves 
her  kaftan  a  little  to  one  side  so  that  he  may  not  sit 
upon  it,  and  that  she  may  crouch  up  close  beside  him, 
and  then  she  whispers  and  talks  to  him  so  lovingly 
and  so  bhssfully,  and  finally  returns  to  the  little  hut 
so  full  of  shamefaced  joy,  looking  behind  her  every 
now  and  then  to  cast  another  loving  glance — at 
whom  ? 

And  inside  the  house  she  prepares  his  bed  for  him, 
and  plax:cs  a  soft  pillow  for  his  head,  lays  her  own 
warm  soft  arm  beneath  his  head,  presses  him  to  her 
bosom  and  kisses  him,  and  then  lays  her  child  between 
them  and  goes  quietly  to  sleep  after  pressing  his  hand 
once  more — whose  hand? 

The  next  day  from  morn  to  eve  she  again  waits 
for  him,  and  at  dusk  sets  out  once  more  along  the 
road,  and  when  she  comes  back  finds  him  once  more 
in  the  httle  hut  ...  oh,  happy  delusion! 

And  thus  it  goes  on  from  day  to  day. 

From  morn  to  eve  the  woman  accomplishes  her 
usual  work,  her  neighbours  and  acquaintances  per- 
ceive no  change  in  her ;  but  as  soon  as  the  sun  sets 


274  HALIL  THE  PEDLAR. 

she  leaves  everyone  and  everything  and  avoids  all 
society,  for  now  Halil  is  expecting  her  in  the  open 
bower  of  the  little  garden. 

Punctually  she  appears  before  him  as  soon  as  the 
sun  has  set  It  has  become  quite  a  habit  with  her 
already.  She  so  arranges  her  work  that  she  always 
has  a  leisure  hour  at  such  times.  Sometimes,  too, 
Halil  is  in  a  good  humour,  but  at  others  he  is  sad  and 
sorrowful.  She  tells  this  to. the  old  serving-maid  over 
and  over  again.  Sometimes,  too,  she  whispers  in  her 
ear  that  Halil  is  cudgelling  his  brains  with  all  sorts 
of  great  ideas,  but  she  is  not  to  speak  about  it  to  any- 
one, as  that  might  easily  cost  Halil  his  life. 

Poor  Halil !  Long,  long  ago  his  body  has  crumbled 
into  dust.  Death  can  do  him  no  harm  now. 

And  thus  the  "  White  Rose  "  grows  old  and  grey 
and  gradually  fades  away.  Not  a  single  night  does 
the  beloved  guest  remain  away  from  her.  For  years 
and  years,  long — long  years,  he  comes  to  her  every 
evening. 

And  as  her  son  grows  up,  as  he  becomes  a  man 
with  the  capacity  of  judging  and  understanding,  he 
hears  his  mother  conversing  every  evening  with  an 
invisible  shape,  and  she  would  have  her  little  son 
greet  this  stranger,  for  she  tells  him  it  is  his  father. 
And  she  praises  the  son  to  the  father,  and  says  what 
a  good,  kind-hearted  lad  he  is,  and  she  compares  their 


HUMAN  HOPES.  275 

faces  one  with  the  other.  He  is  the  very  image  of 
his  father,  she  says  ;  only  Hahl  is  now  getting  old, 
his  beard  has  begun  to  be  white.  Yes,  Halil  is  getting 
aged.     Otherwise  he  would  be  exactly  like  his  son. 

And  the  son  knows  very  well  that  his  father,  Hahl 
Patrona,  was  slain  man}',  many  long  years  ago  by  the 
Janissaries. 


THE   END. 


Jarrold  &  Sons,  The  Empire  Press,  Norwich  and  London. 


SELECT/gyS   FROJÍ 
/ARNOLD   &   SO.VS' 
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SANS  RL^-ROCHC 


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Gerard.     With  Special  Preface  by  the  Author. 

"  Full  of  vigour     .     .     ,     his  touches  of  humour  are  excellent." — Alorning  Post. 
"An  interesting  story." — Tivtes. 

The     Green     Book.       (Freedom     Under     the 

Snow.)         {Sixth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  Mrs.  Waugli. 
With  a  finely  engraved  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"  Brilliantly  drawn     .     .     .     a  book  to  be  read." — Daily  CIiro)ticte. 

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With  .1  specially  engraved  Photogravure  Portrait  of 
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A  Hungarian   Nabob.      {Ft/th  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  R.  Nisbet  Bain. 
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In  Tight   Places.      {Third  Edition.) 

By  Major  Arthur  Griffiths,  Author  of  "  For- 
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"  A  lively  and  varied  series  of  cosmopolitan  crime,  with  plenty  of  mixed  adventure 
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St.    Peter's    Umbrella.      {Third  Edition.) 

By  Kálmán  Mikszáth,  Author  of  "The  Good 
People  of  Palvez."  Translated  from  the  original 
Hungarian  by  \V.  B.  Worswick.  With  Introduction 
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The  Adventures  of  Cyrano  de  Bergerac. 

Captain   Satan.      {Fotinh  Edition.) 

Yxom  the  French  of  Louis  Gallet.  With  specially 
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A  Woman's   Burden.      {Third Edition.) 

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Being  the  Memoirs  of  Our  First  Rebelh'on,  by  John 
Vivian,  of  Middle  Plantation,  Virginia.  By  Hulbcrt 
P^'uller,  Author  of  "  God's  Rebel."  With  ten  charming 
Illustrations  by  Frank  T.  Merrill. ...         .     6/  = 

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An  ima    ViliS.         {Seco?id  Edition.) 

A  tale  of  the  Great  Siberian  Steppe.  By  Marva 
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By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  R.  Nisbet  Bain. 
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"A  fascinating  story— a  brilliant  and  lurid  series  of  pictures  drawn  by  a  great 
master's  hand." — Daily  Chronicle. 

Eyes   Like  the  Sea.      {Fourth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  R.  Nisbet  Bain. 
With  a  fine  Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"  In  wealth  of  incident,  in  variety  aná  interest  of  characterisation,  in  the  richness 
and  humour  of  its  surprises,  '  Eyes  Like  the  Sea'  ranks  with  the  finest  work  of  the 
great  Hungarian  romancer.  All  is  told  with  delightful  and  touching  candour." — The 
iipectator. 

Halil  the  Pedlar ;  The  White  Rose.    {Now  ready.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  R,  Nisbet  Bain. 
With  a  Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

This  beautiful  and  picturesque  tale  of  Oriental  life  reads  like  a 
chapter  out  of  the  "  Arabian  Nights."  The  heroine  is  a  beautiful 
young  Greek  girl  who  escapes  the  gilded  dishonour  of  the  harem  by 
feigning  death  and  enduring  torments.  The  scene  of  the  story  is 
Stambul,  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  every  phase  of  life  in  the  great 
metropolis  is  described  with  singular  fidelity. 

Carpathia   Knox.      {Third  Edition.) 

By  Curtis  Yorke,  Author  of  "  Hush,"  "  That  Little 
Girl,"  "  A  Romance  of  Modern  London,"  etc.  With  a 
charming  Photogravure  Portrait  of  the  Author.       6/- 

"  A  very  graphic  and  realistic  glimpse  ©f  Spanish  life.  Full  of  freshness  and 
prettily  tola."— Aberdeen  Free  Press. 

Jocelyn   Erroll.      {Third  Edition.) 

By  Curtis  Yorke,  Author  of  "  Once,"  "  Dudley," 
"  The  Wild  Ruthvens,"  etc.  With  a  fine  Photogravure 
Portrait  of  the  Author.  ....  6/- 

"  Clever  and  fascinating,  as  is  everything  by  this  víút^r."— Dundee  Advertiser. 

Valentine:    A  Story  of  Ideals.     {Fourth  Edition.) 

By  Curtis  Yorke,  Author  of  "The  Medlicotts," 
«  His  Heart  to  Win,"  "  Because  of  the  Child,"  etc.     6/- 

"It  would  indeed  be  hard  to  find  a  brighter,  cheerier  book  .  .  .  and  few 
readers  of  '  Valentine '  will  be  able  to  resist  her  charming  personality."— 77** 
Speaker, 


LIST    OF    FICTION. 


The  Gray  House  of  the  Quarries,    {second  Edition.) 

V>Y  Mary  H.  Xorris.  With  etched  Frontispiece 
by  Edmund  H.  Garrett  .         .         .         .         5/- 

"  Susanna  is  a  splendid   study.     No  person   who   takes   up  the  book  can   resist 
its  fascination." — IVestminsttr  Keview. 

Distaff.  {Second  Edition.) 

By  :\rARYA  RODZIEWICZ,  Author  of  "  Anima  Vilis," 
etc.  Translated  from  the  Poh'sh  by  Count  S.  C.  de 
Soissons.  With  a  finely  engraved  Portrait  of  the 
Author 5/- 

"  A  pheasant  story,  full  of  ability." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 
"A  striking  novel.'' — Spectator. 

The  Captive  of  Pekin.      {Fourth  Edition.) 

A  Realistic  Story  of  Chinese  Life  and  Manners. 
By  Charles  Hannán.  With  twenty-three  graphic 
Illustrations  from  life,  depicting  the  Chinese  torture 
fiends,  by  A.  J.  B.  Salmon 5/. 

"  Told  with  great  vividness,  a  thrilling  story   dramatically  told.     The  reader'* 
interest  does  not  flag  from  beginning  to  end." — The  Times. 
"A  powerfully  written  and  absorbing  story." — Morning  Fost. 

A  Daughter  of  Mystery.      {Second  Edition.) 

By  K  Norman  Silver     .        .        .        .        6/- 

"  It  cannot  comfortably  be  laid  down  until  it  is  finished.  The  plots  and  counter- 
plots make  the  brain  reel.  The  book  should  be  read,  and  will  repay  the  most 
exacting  lovers  of  the  exciting." — Daily  Ne'ws. 

Wayfarers    All.  {Second  Edition.) 

By  Leslie  Keith,  Author  of  "  'Lisbeth,"  "  Isly 
Bonnie  Lady." 6/- 

"  An  extremely  entertaining  and   sympathetic   romance.     The   Misses  Green   are 

m.istcrly    characterisations,    and     so     are      Ruth's     fascinating     children." — Daily 
J'cic^aph. 

The   Inn   by   the   Shore.     {Fifteenth  Thousand.) 

By  Florence  Warden,  Author  of  "The  House 
on  the  iMarsh,"  etc. 3/6 

"A  rattling  stor>-,  told  in  a  lively  way,  incident  following  on  incident  in  rapid 
succession."  — ZJa/Vy  Chronicle. 

Judy  a  Jilt.  {Third  Edition.) 

By  .AIr.s.  Conney,  Author  of  "A  Lady  House 
Breaker,"  "  Gold  for  Dross,"  etc.       .         .         .         ^1^ 

"Written  in  Mrs.  Conney's  happiest  manner  'Judy  a  J. It'  is  a  telling  story 
throughout." — Daily  Telegraph. 


JARROLD    AND    SONS' 


The   Tone   King;.      {Third  Edu ion.) 

A  Romance  of  the  Life  of  Mozart.  By  Herihert 
Rau.  Translated  by  J.  E.  S.  Rae.  With  specially 
engraved  Portrait  of  Mozart   >         .         .         .         6/  = 

"  A  lively  story.  The  narrative  of  his  achievements  as  a  boy  and  man,  deftly 
built  up  to  com[)letene.ss  by  Mr.  Herihert  Rau,  is  delightful  reading  throughout." — 
Daily  Telegraph. 

"  Full  of  tire  and  musical  passion." — Literciry  World. 

Over   One   Hundred   Thousand   Copies 
Sold  \\\  America- 

The  Golden  Dog;  (Le  Ciiien  D'Or).  {Third Edition.) 

A  Romance  of  the  days  of  Louis  Quinze  in  Quebec. 
By  William  Kirby,  F.R.S.C.       .        .        •  '^     ó/= 

"Brimful  of  interest  and  excitement,  the  novel  may  be  read  with  pleasure,  and 
finished  with  regret." — Sheffield  Independent. 

Memory  Street. 

By  Martha  Baker  Dunn,  Author  of  "Sleeping 
Beauty,"  "Lias' Wife,"  etc 6/  = 

"This  charming  story  is  not  only  one  of  daily  actions,  but  of  important  epochs. 
The  novel  is  bright  and  alert,  the  personages  are  natural,  the  story  is  graphic  and 
true  to  the  very  last." — Boston  Times. 

God's  RebeL 

By    HULBERT    Fuller,    Author    of   "Vivian    of 

Virginia." 

"  A  book     .     .     .     palpitating  with  intensity." — St.  PauTs  Despatch. 
"  Most  interesting  throughout." — Albany  Times. 

The  Rejuvenation  of  Miss  Semaphore. 

( 1  'h  irt  let  h    Thousawi. ) 

A  Farcical  Novel.  By  Hal  Godfrey  (Miss  C. 
O'Conor  Eccles) 0/  = 

"A  lightsome,  laughable  farce.  .  .  .  Some  delightfully  grotesque  situations. 
The  humour  of  the  book  is  most  enjoyable." — Daily  Mail. 

"  Is  the  clever  expansion  of  a  clever  idea.  Well  written,  drawn  to  the  life,  and 
full  of  fun." — Black  and  White. 

The   Man   Who   Forgot.      {Second  Edition.) 

By  John  Mackie,  Author  of  the  "Prodigal's 
Brother,"  "  Sinners  Twain,"  etc.  With  a  special 
Photogravure  Portrait  of  the  Author        ,         .         (>/  = 

"  An  exciting  tale    .     .     .     distinctly  a  book  to  read  and  enjoy." — Daily  Mail. 
"A  vigorous  and  exciting  story.     Some  part   of  the   action   of  the  book   is  laid 
in  Java,  and  the  catastrophe  of  Krakatoa  is  described  with  a  vividness  that  makes 
real  to  us  that  appalling  upheaving  of  Nature."— -/^liz/y  News. 


LIST    OF    FICTION. 


The    Poor    Plutocrats.     (As   We  Grow  Old.) 

{Fourth    Ediuon.) 

By  Maurus  JÓKAL  Translated  by  R.  Nisbet  Bain. 
With  a  fine  Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"Distinctly  a  novel  of  incident  and  adventure,  the  whole  atmosphere  i'i  fre^^h  and 
new;  the  ways  of  life,  the  j^'cople  of  those  ciiriuiis  towns  and  villages  and  lonely 
mountains,  are  a  revchnioii  and  a  novelty.  Put  before  us  by  tha  pen  of  a  master  like 
Jókai,  the  effect  is  to  stir  and  interest  in  an  unusual  degree."—  U  iiiy  Clironicle. 

The   Day  of  Wrath.      {Fifth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  from  the  Hun- 
garian by  R.  Nisbet  Bain.  With  a  Photogravure 
Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"  It  is  wildly  exciting— having  once  begun  you  cannot  stop,  but  must  %o  hurtling 
on  to  the  end.  The  descriptive  passages  are  remarkably  vivid  and  lurid." — Bi*u:k 
and  White, 

Dr.    Dumany's   Wife.      {Fourth  Eduion.) 

By  Maurus  JóKAL  Translated  by  F.  Stein itz 
(under  the  author's  personal  supervision).  With 
specially  engraved  Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr. 
Jokai. 

''  With  kaleidoscopic  rapidity,  scene  after  scene  passes  before  us.  The  novel  shows 
us  in  a  high  degree  the  craft  of  the  story-teller." — Literature. 

The   Nameless   Castie.      {Fifth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  JóKAL  Translated  by  S.  E.  Boggs 
(under  the  author's  personal  supervision).  With  a 
Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"ToUl  with  infinite  delicacy  and  charm,  an  enthralling  romance."— 7V<i  Bookman, 

Debts  of   Honor,      {f-onrth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  A.  B.  Yolland. 
With  a  charming  Photogravure  Portrait  of  Dr.  and 
Madame  Jókai. 

"  Full  of  life  and  incident.  Jokai's  inimitable  pen,  vivid,  fiery,  hunioroiis,  never 
fails  to  stir  and  attract." — Daily  Ttie^ropk. 

'Midst  the  Wild   Carpathians.      {Fourth  Edition.) 

By  Maurus  Jókai.  Translated  by  R.  Nisbet  Bain. 
With  a  specially  engraved  Portrait  of  Dr.  Jókai. 

"  Will  enthral  all  English  lovers  of  romanc-i." — Saiurdny  Rrz<ic~i<. 

"  It  is  powerful,  it  is  vigorous,  and,  what  is  more  thaji  all,  it  is  fresh."— /Af  Suh. 


JARROLD    AND    SONS'    LIST    OF    FICTION. 

Cherry   Ripe.      (35^^  Thousand.) 

By  Helen    Mathers,   Author  of  "Comin'   thro' 
the  Rye." 3/6 

"  It  has  humour,  it  has  poetry,  it  hrus  dramatic  force.     .     .     .     Must  take  rank 
amongst  our  stronger  and  more  original  fiction." — Newcastle  Daily  Leader. 

NEW  UNIFORM  EDITION  BY  HELEN  MATHERS. 

Crown  SvOf  cloth  gilt,  3/6  each. 
The    Story    of    a    Sin,         {Seventh  Edition.) 

Eyre's  Acquittal.      (Sequel  to  the  above.) 

{Fifth  Edition.) 

Jock  o'   Hazelgreen.      {Fifth  Edition.) 

My  Lady  Green   Sleeves.      {Seventh  Edition.) 

Found    Out.         (lOS'-ö^  Thousand.) 

The  Lovely  Malincourt.      {sixth  Edition.) 

Miss     Providence.  {Fourth  Edition.) 

By  Miss  Dorothea  Gerard.    .   .   3^5 

"A  story  to  be  read  with  genuine  pleasure." — Weekly  Sun. 
The    Winds    of     March.  {Second  Edition.) 

By  George  Knight.        ....        3/6 

"  A  clever  story,  cleverly  told,  and  exceedingly  well  worth  reading."— //f«r//i  and 
Hevic. 

The  Prodigal's  Brother.      {Secoiid  Edition.) 

By   John    Mackie,    Author   of  "The    Man    Who 
Forgot,"  etc 3/Ó 

"  His  characters  are  well  defined    ....    a  book  well  worth    eading."— Z^a/'/y 
Mail. 

"  An  excellent  story." — Bookman. 


Selections  from  Jarrold  and  Sons'  List. 

Hungarian  Literature: 

An    Historical    and    Critical    Survey. 

By  CniL  KEICM  (Doctor  Juris), 

Author  of  '■^History  of  Civilization,^'*   ^^ Historical  Atlas  of  Modem 
History^''  "  Graco-Rútnan  Institutions í^  etc. 

Crown  8vo.  Cloth,    Gilt   Top,    63. 

With  Map  of  Hungary. 


SOME     PRESS     OPINIONS. 

Dally  Chronicle— 

"  A  work  of  no  small  merit  and  ability.  It  supplies  a  long- 
felt  want.  Dr.  Reich  has  evidently  read  up  his  subject  with 
care  and  conscientiousness,  and  displays  no  small  ability  in 
marshalling  an  immense  array  of  facts.  He  has  presented  us 
with  an  exceedingly  lucid  and  pregnant  account  of  one  of  the 
most  original  and  fascinating  literatures  of  Europe." 

Sunday  Times— 

"  Dr.  Reich  has  done  us  a  very  real  service,  and  his  work 
should  be  widely  known,  and  take  a  permanent  place  among 
our  literary  reference  books." 

The  Globe— 

"  It  should  be  in  great  demand  among  those  who  desire  to 
add  to  their  knowledge  of  European  poetry  and  fiction." 

Academy— 

"An  excellent  piece  of  work,  lucid,  and  well  proportioned, 
displaying  considerable  critical  faculty  and  great  historical 
knowledge." 

Bookaeller- 

"We  hope  the  volume  will  find  a  wide  circulation  among 
educated  English  readers." 


London:  Jarrold  and  Sons,  10  and  11,  Warwick  Lane,  E.C, 


Selections  froin  Jarrold  and  Sons'  List. 


"Thomas  Hoore  " : 

Being  Anecdotes,  Bon-mots,  and  Epigrams  from 
the  Journal  of  Thomas  Moore. 

Edited,  with  Notes,  by  Wilmot  Harrison,  Author  of 
•'  Memorable  London  Houses,"  etc.  With  Special 
Introduction  by  Richard  Garnett,  LL.D.,  and 
Frontispiece  Portrait  of  Thomas  Moore. 

Crown  8vo.  Cloth  neat,  3/6. 


SOME     PRESS     OPINIONS. 

The  Morning  Leader— 

"  No  happier  beginning  could  have  been  made  than  by  the  anecdotes,  bon- 
mots,  and  epigrams  from  the  '  Journal  of  Thomas  Moore.'  The  fame  of  Moore 
as  a  poet  has  sadly  diminished  since  his  death.  All  the  more,  therefore,  as  Mr. 
Richard  Garnett,  in  his  scholarly  introduction  demands,  should  we  be  glad  to 
preserve  his  name  and  fame  as  a  raconteur,  a  story-teller  who  carries  us 
irresistibly  back  to  the  very  atmosphere  breathed  by  Byron  and  Washington 
Irving." 

Literature— 

"  Mr.  Garnett's  introduction  gives  a  delightful  picture  of  the  man  and  his 
social  charm.  The  collection  is  a  storehouse  of  good  things  said  by  men  noted 
for  the  brilliance  of  their  conversation.  Much  pleasure  can  be  extracted,  and  no 
small  knowledge  of  an  intensely  social  period." 

Pall  Mall  Gazette— 

"  Every  one  of  the  pages  has  sparkle  and  animation  in  it.  Moore  knew 
everybody  worth  knowing  in  his  time,  and  he  introduces  us  to  men  who  have 
taken  their  places  in  history — not  by  any  formidable  description,  but  with  an  en- 
joyable joke  and  a  good-natured  story." 


London:  Jarrold  and  Sons,  lo  and  ii,  Warwick  Lane,  E.C. 


The   "GREENBACK"    Series 


OF 


Popular  Novels 

BY    AUTHORS    OF    THE    DAY. 


Crown  ZvOj  doth  gilt^  neat^  ^s.  6d.  caclu 


HELEN   MATHERS. 

CHERRY  RIPE!     (21) 
THE  STORY  OF  A  SIN.     (22) 
EYRE'S  ACQUITTAL.     (23) 
JOCK  O'  HAZELGREEN.     (24) 
MY  LADY  GREEN  SLEEVES. 

(25) 
FOUND  OUT.     (26) 
THE    LOVELY     MALINCOURT. 

(39) 

CURTIS  YORKE. 


THAT  LITTLE  GIRL.    (8) 

DUDLEY,     (g) 

THE  WILD  RUTHVENS.     (lo) 

THE  BROWN  PORTMANTEAU. 

(") 
HUSH!     (12) 

ONCE!     (13) 

A       ROMANCE      OF      MODERN 

LONDON.     (14) 
HIS  HEART  TO  WIN.     (15) 
DARRELL  CHEVASNEY.     (16) 
BETWEEN  THE  SILENCES.  (17) 
A  RECORD  OF  DISCORDS.     (20) 
THE  MEDLICOTTS.     (27) 
VALENTINE.     (57) 


MRS.  LEITH  ADAMS. 

LOUIS  DRAYCOTT.     (i) 
GEOFFREY  STIRLING.     (2) 
BONNIE  KATE.     (3) 
A  GARRISON  ROMANCE.     (40) 
MADELON  LEMOINE.     (46) 
THE  PEYTON  ROMANCE.     (18) 

MAY  CROMMELIN. 

FOR     THE      SAKE      OF      THE 

FAMILY.     (49) 
BAY  RONALD.     (50) 
LOVE  KNOTS.     (59) 

J.  S.  FLETCHER. 

OLD  LATTIMER'S  LEGACY.    (7) 

ROWLAND  GREY. 

BY  VIRTUE  OF  HIS  OFFICE.    (44) 
THE  POWER  OF  THE  DOG.     (53) 

MRS.  HERBERT  MARTIN. 

LINDSAY'S  GIRL.     (32) 
BRITOMART.     (45) 


JARROLD  &  SONS,  10  &  II,  WARWICK  LANE,  E.G. 


The  "  Greenback  "  Series  of  Popular  Novels  connmud, 

JOHN  MACKIE. 


THE     PRODIGAL'S     BROTHER. 

(5X) 
DOROTHEA  OERARD. 

MISS  PROVIDENCE.     (56) 
IZA  DUFFUS  HARDY. 

A  NEW  OTHELLO.     (4) 

SOMERVILLE  QIBNEY. 

THE  MAID  OF  LONDON  BRIDGE 

(5) 
T.  W^.  SPEIGHT. 

THE    HEART  OF  A  MYSTERY. 

(28) 
IN  THE  DEAD  OF  NIGHT.    (43) 

MAJOR  NORRIS  PAUL. 

EVELINE  WELLWOOD.     (6) 

MRS.  BAQOT  HARTE. 

WRONGLY  CONDEMNED.     (33) 

LINDA  GARDINER. 

MRS.  WYLDE.     (36) 

AQNES  MARCHBANK. 

RUTH  FARMER.     (38) 

MRS.  H.  H.  PENROSE. 

THE  LOVE  THAT  NEVER  DIES. 
(48) 
MRS.  CONNEY. 

JUDY  A  JILT.     (54) 

DR.  PHILPOT  CROWTHER. 

THE   TRAVAIL   OF    HIS   SOUL. 

(58) 


SCOTT  GRAHAM. 

A  BOLT  FROM  THE  BLUE.     (42) 
THE  GOLDEN  MILESTONE.  (19) 

ESMfe  STUART. 

HARUM  SCARUM.    (41) 
MRS.  A.  PHILLIPS. 

MAN  PROPOSES.    (29) 

MRS.  E.  NEWMAN. 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  HADDONS. 

(30) 

EASTVV^OOD  KIDSON. 

ALLANSON'S  LITTLE  WOMAN 
(31) 
MARGARET  MOULE. 

THE  THIRTEENTH    BRYDAIN. 
(34) 

ELEANOR  HOLMES. 

THROUGH     ANOTHER    MAN'S 
EYES.     (35) 

E.  M.  DAVY. 

A  PRINCE  OF  COMO.     (37) 
MARGARET  PARKER. 

THE     DESIRE    OF    THEIH 
HEARTS.    (47) 

HADLEY  WELFORD. 

WHOSE  DEED?     (52) 

GEO.  KNIGHT. 

THE  WINDS  OF  MARCH.     (55) 
Others  in  Preparation. 


JARROLD  &  SONS,  10  &  H.  WARWICK  LANE,  E.C.