THE CAPEDCI BACH1. 85 



silvery cane of the kawas, where the lieutenant of the Grand 

 Signior sits surrounded by the Acans of the province, is not a spot 

 worthy of thy holy presence, or that thy words would not bear fruit 

 in a heart full of loyalty to our Sublime Sultan ?" 



" Vizier, I had resolved to see thee, but I waited/' rejoined Mus- 

 tapha, with a freezing energy. 



" Until now, then, the moment was not auspicious," said the 

 Pacha, with a superstitious and fearful expression. " Whatever is 

 precipitate is unfortunate. But since thou art come to day to sit 

 upon my divan, thou hast doubtless read in the stars that our inter- 

 view would have a better result." 



" Yes, vizier, I hope so." 



The Kawas were ten paces distant the eyes of the Scheik glis- 

 tened like a tiger's suddenly a poignard glittered in his hand, and, 

 with the rapidity of lightning, it was buried in the heart of the 

 Pacha. 



" Remember the Itch Oglan Mustapha," said the Scheik, as he 

 struck the fatal blow. " Strike down the wretch/' exclaimed the 

 expiring Pacha, and in an instant twenty yatagans glittered above 

 his head ; but he, mounted on the divan, opposed to them the dreaded 

 firman. The kawas bent their heads with respect the order was 

 executed, while Mustapha, under the safe guard of the bloody fir- 

 man, returned to the Teke, despatched a Tartar to the Porte, and, 

 reasuming his ordinary life, left to others the care of governing the 

 province during the interregnum. 



The Tartar, on his return, brought the orders of the Porte, ap- 

 pointing Mustapha Bey a Pacha of three tails and governor of 

 Aleppo. 



About two years afterwards, a group of Turks, with a grave and 

 careless air, were contemplating a head that had just been placed in 

 a niche over the principal gate of the Seraglio at Constantinople. 

 This head appeared to have been cut off some time ; the skin was 

 wrinkled and as yellow as parchment ; it had evidently made a long 

 journey, for in order to preserve it, it had been salted. Above this 

 head was the following inscription: " Mustapha Pacha, a treacher- 

 ous slave of the Grand Signior, in spite of those bountiful looks 

 which his Highness had deigned to cast upon him from the imperial 

 stirrup, has deserved this punishment for having tyrannized over 

 and goaded to revolt the corporations of the city of Aleppo, of which 

 he was governor, and for having neglected to conciliate the friend- 

 ship of the Arab tribes." 



" Let this be a warning to all unfaithful servants !" 



