80 THE CAPEDGI BACHI. 



sovereign ? Pshaw ! thou mayest sit in the presence of a vizier ; 

 for I am blind if thy youth and thy noble sentiments have not inter- 

 ested me." Then a sinister idea would flash across his soul. " But 

 no/' he added aloud, as if to silence the suspicions that tormented 

 him " the Porte does not confide to such young hands the execution 

 of her bloody orders ; when she wants an assassin to get rid of a 

 vizier, she selects one of those old courtiers whose bosom can conceal 

 without shuddering, the death firman whose hand is skilful in seizing 

 the favourable moment to strike the mortal blow. Oh yes ! one must 

 have lived long to be trusted with such a mission. No, my son/' 

 said he, observing that Ahmed was affected : " I will banish all sus- 

 picion. Though I knew that thy bosom concealed the fatal writing, 

 that the Grand Vizier had given thee his secret instructions, with the 

 poison that was to end my existence, I should be unable to resist the 

 favourable impression thou hast made upon me/' A profound emo- 

 tion was Ahmed's only answer. " Oh yes, child/' continued the 

 Pacha ; " thou hast a noble soul the air of the seraglio that at- 

 mosphere of eunuchs, has not corrupted thy heart the name then of 

 the old jannizary has reached thy ears. Glory is then no chimera, 

 since her voice is heard within those redoubted walls ; for there it 

 was, that germinated in thy heart the desire of learning the glorious 

 trade of arms under old Hussein. Praises be to God ! thou hast come 

 at a favourable moment ; for the red-headed Persians appear at length 

 resolved on accepting battle: to-morrow, God willing, thou shalt 

 fight by my side." 



This reception decided Ahmed's fortune : it is true that he fought 

 with courage, that he took Bassorah ; but all these successes were in 

 his reception, for had he not obtained them, the friendship of the 

 Vizier alone would have ensured his elevation. In fact, the Porte 

 soon made him a Pacha of two tails, without knowing whom they 

 elevated to this dignity. But what did that matter ? Hussein Pacha 

 had solicited it. There are moments when nothing is refused a vizier, 

 but then this is the time when his enemies begin to rejoice. 



Fifteen years had elapsed : Mustapha was still at Constantinople, 

 a simple capedgi-bachi he was ignorant of Ahmed's elevation he 

 might even have forgotten him, if his hatred had not constantly 

 brought him back to his recollection. One day he encountered in 

 the streets of the capital, a man who had just arrived from Aleppo; he 

 heard him with indifference relate the lofty deeds of Ahmed Pacha, 

 governor of that holy city ; but his amazement was extreme, when 

 this man added mysteriously, that it was suspected that this same 

 pacha was formerly an itch-oglan, who had fled from the seraglio, 

 and of whom no tidings were ever heard. Mustapha returned like 

 lightning to his house, summoned Suleeman his confidant, and ordered 

 him instantly to depart for Aleppo. " The Pacha who governs there, 

 they tell me, is Ahmed, my mortal enemy. See with thine own eyes 

 if this be true, and return and tell me." 



" The son of the barber-bachi, a vizier !" he exclaimed, when alone 

 " that Ahmed whose glory and name was wormwood to me, with- 

 out knowing him while I am but an obscure capidgi. But no ; 

 fate cannot thus persecute me : if she refuse to realize my dreams of 



