mohammed ali and his house-第18部分

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ungs；　inherited　from　my　mother；　and　if　it　were　not　for　you；　if　I　had　not　been　sustained　by　your　healthy　and　vigorous　mind　and　disposition；　I　should　have　died　long　since。　Therefore；　do　not　say　that　you　have　cause　to　be　grateful　to　me。　My　father　and　I　both　have　cause　to　be　grateful　to　you；　for　my　father　loves　me　and　rejoices　in　my　life；　and　I；　too；　am　very　glad　to　live。　The　sun　is　so　beautiful；　it　is　so　delightful　to　look　at　the　deep…blue　sky；　the　flowers　are　so　fragrant；　and　finally　it　is　such　a　pleasure　to　see　you　and　to　rejoice　in　your　vigorous　mind。　I　therefore　owe　every　thing　to　you；　Mohammed；　and　father　and　I　know　this；　and　are　very　thankful。〃

〃Those　are　sweet　words；　Osman；〃　said　Mohammed；　bestowing　an　affectionate　look　on　his　friend。　〃You　are　so　noble　and　generous；　that　you　wish　to　make　it　appear　that　all　the　benefits　I　have　received　from　you　were　bestowed　by　me。　But　Allah　knows　that　I　am　profoundly　grateful；　and　I　am　aware；　too；　that　I　have　cause　to　be。　Only　consider；　that　to　you　and　your　father　I　owe　all　that　I　know。　Have　I　not　been　allowed　to　share　the　instruction　given　you？　Has　not　the　scha…er；　whom　your　father；　as　his　narratives　pleased　us　so　much；　kept　here　at　a　heavy　expense；　instructed　me；　too；　and　taught　us　both　the　history　of　our　own　and　of　all　other　countries？　Have　I　not　had　the　same　opportunities　as　yourself　of　learning　of　all　that　is　going　on　out　in　the　world？　Did　I　not　share　your　instruction　in　all　other　branches？　Have　not　the　poems　of　our　land　been　read　to　us；　and　have　we　not　learned　to　understand　the　Koran；　and　receive　into　our　souls　the　wise　teachings　of　the　prophet　Mahommed？　Have　we　not　also　learned　the　difficult　science　of　algebra；　and　are　we　not　familiar　with　the　laws　of　justice？　Do　I　not　owe　it　entirely　to　the　instruction　which　I　have　shared　with　you　that　I　can　also　read　the　Koran　and　the　books　of　the　prophets　and　poets？　Ah；　Osman；　I　still　remember　with　shame　how　I　was　sorrowfully　compelled　to　confess　to　our　teacher　in　our　first　lessons；　that　I　knew　and　understood　nothing；　that　I　could　not　read；　and　did　not　even　know　the　letters　and　figures。〃

〃And　how　rapidly　you　learned　all　this！〃　said　Osman。　〃It　surprised　everybody；　and　I　assure　you　the　scha…rer　is　always　charmed　when　he　speaks　of　you；　and　he　listens　admiringly　to　what　you　say　after　the　lessons　are　over。　Yes；　the　scha…rer　says；　if　you　only　would　you　could　become　one　of　the　greatest　of　scholars；　so　rapid　has　been　your　progress；　but…〃

〃But　one　thing　I　have　not　learned〃；　said　Mohammed；　interrupting　him　with　a　smile〃。　You　were　about　to　begin　the　old　story；　were　you　not；　Osman？　'But　you　never　would　learn　to　write；'　you　were　about　to　say。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　intended　to　say；　my　friend；　and　this　one　thing　you　must　still　learn：　to　use　the　pen　and　write　down　your　thoughts　on　paper。〃

〃I　cannot〃；　cried　Mohammed；　impatiently；　〃my　hands　are　too　rough。　The　oar　and　the　gun　have　made　my　fingers　so　stiff　that　I　cannot　use　the　pen。〃

〃Then　let　it　be　so。　I　will　torment　you　about　it　no　longer。〃　said　Osman；　with　a　sigh。　〃You　are　my　head　and　I　am　your　hand。　You　think　for　me；　and　I　shall　write　for　you。　So　shall　it　be　throughout　our　entire　lives；　for　together　we　two　must　remain；　and　nothing　can　separate　us。　Is　it　not　so；　my　friend？　Say　it；　and　say　it　often；　that　nothing　can　separate　us。　For　you　must　know　that　if　fate　should　tear　you　from　me　it　would　kill　me；　and　that　you　cannot　intend：　therefore；　we　shall　ever　remain　together；　shall　we　not？〃

〃We　shall　ever　remain　together；〃　said　Mohammed。　〃That　is　Osman；　consider　well　what　you　are　saying；　for　you　are　nearly　eighteen　years　old。〃

〃As　you　are；〃　responded　Osman；　smiling。

〃Only　with　this　difference；　that　your　father　will　give　you　with　your　eighteenth　year；　a　beautiful　aristocratic　lady　to　wife；　and　establish　a　harem　for　you；　while　Mohammed　Ali　will　never　have　either　a　sweetheart　or　a　harem；　but　will　always　remain　alone　and　unwedded。〃

〃Who　knows？〃　replied　Osman；　laughing。　〃Those　who　assure　us　they　will　never　love；　says　the　poet；　are　the　one's　that　fall　in　love　soonest。　One　is　easily　surprised　by　the　enemy　who　is　not　feared；　and　against　whose　snares　the　heart　is　not　on　its　guard　。　。　。　This　will　be　your　fate；　Mohammed。　Your　heart　is　not　on　its　guard；　and　does　not　fear　the　enemy；　love　。　。　。　But　my　poor　heart　has　no　cause　to　fear　and　be　on　its　guard；　let　me　repeat　it；　Mohammed；　look　at　me。　Can　the　poor；　pale　youth；　with　his　wan　countenance；　his　sunken　breast；　and　his　weak　breath　can　he　think　of　marrying？　Or　do　you　suppose　I　would　care　to　become　a　subject　of　jest　in　the　harem　to　the　female　slaves　and　servants；　who　would　have　to　wait　on　the　sick　man？　True；　the　tschorbadji；　my　father；　has　sometimes　spoken　of　giving　me　an　establishment　of　my　own　with　my　eighteenth　year。　I　remained　silent；　for　fortunately　it　is　at　present　impossible。　My　establishment　was　to　have　been　above　in　the　upper　saloons；　and　fortunately　Cousrouf　Pacha　with　his　harem　is　still　in　possession　of　that　part　of　our　house。　May　he　long　remain　there！　I　do　not　wish　it　on　his　account；　or　because　I　love　him；　but　solely　because　my　father　must　now　delay　the　execution　of　this　plan。　May　Cousrouf　Pacha；　therefore；　long　remain！〃

〃I　do　not　wish　it；〃　said　Mohammed；　gloomily；　〃he　is　a　hard；　proud　man；　better　in　his　own　estimation　than　anybody　here　in　Cavalla；　better　even　than　the　tschorbadji。　I　never　saw　a　prouder　man。　And　what　right　has　he　to　be　so？　Has　he　not　fallen　into　disgrace　with　the　sultan？　Did　he　not　come　here　because　he　was　banished　from　Stamboul？　And　do　you　know　why　he　was　banished？　I　will　tell　you：　becauseso　have　strangers　who　have　come　here　reported；　because　he　sought　the　death　of　his　benefactor　and　master；　the　grand　admiral；　Hussein　Pacha；　in　order　that　he　might　put　himself　in　his　place。　Isn't　this　horrible；　Osman？　The　grand…admiral　had　bought　him　as　a　slave；　and　then；　because　he　loved　him；　made　him　free；　and　a　wealthy　man；　he　had　him　instructed；　and　persuaded　the　sultan　to　appoint　him　bey　and　pasha；　and　in　return　for　all　this；　Cousrouf　Pacha　attempted　to　poison　his　faithful　master　and　benefactor；　and　calumniated　him　to　the　grand　sultan。　Isn't　this　horrible？〃

〃It　certainly　would　be　if　it　were　true；〃　said　Osman；　〃yet　I　do　not　believe　it。　Much　is　told　and　said　of　the　great　and　mighty；　and　they　are　often　calumniated　and　accused　of　evil　deeds　which　they　have　not　committed。　If　it　were　so；　do　you　not　suppose　the　grand…admiral；　Hussein　Pacha；　the　mighty　man；　and　the　grand…sultan；　would　have　punished　him　as　he　deserved？　No；　my　father　says　differently；　and　has　received　from　Stamboul　other　and　more　reliable　information。　Cousrouf　Pasha　has　fallen　into　disgracethat　is　a　fixed　factand　the　sultan　has　sent　him　into　exile。　Yet　he　did　so　against　the　wish　of　the　Grand…Admiral　Hussein。　Do　you　know　why？　Consrouf　has　fallen　into　disgrace？　Because　he　refused　to　go　to　Egypt　as　pacha；　declaring　that　was　equivalent　to　sending　him　into　an　open　grave；　as　he　should　never　return　home　from　that　land　of　rebels　and　Mamelukes。　The　sultan　wished　to　send　him　to　Egypt　because　he　suspected　him　of　having　a　secret　amorous　intrigue　with　one　of　the　sultanas。　The　sultan　had　been　told　that　Cousrouf　Pacha　was　in　the　habit　of　being　secretly　conducted　to　the　sultana's　chamber　at　night　by　a　female　slave。　As　the　sultan　stealthily　approached　and　opened　the　door　of　the　chamber；　he　heard　a　rustling　and　whispering；　but　was　so　dark　in　the　room　that　he　could　see　nothing。　He　called　slaves　with　torches　to　his　assistance。　They　searched　the　room；　but　found　nothing。　The　sultana　stood　on　the　balcony　looking　out　into　the　starlit　night。　She　met　her　husband　with　a　smiling　countenance；　saying　the　night　was　so　beautiful；　she　had　gone　out　to　gaze　at　the　stars。　The　sultan；　it　is　said；　gnashed　his　teeth　with　rage；　but　kept　silence；　as　it　would　have　been　unworthy　of　his　dignity　to　threaten　where　he　could　not　also　punish。　On　the　following　morning　he　sent　Cousrouf　Pacha　into　exile　to　this　place；　my　father　tells　me。　But　it　is　thought　the　sultan's　anger　will　soon　expend　itself；　and　that　his　friend　the　grand…admiral；　Hussein　Pacha；　will　succeed　in　restoring　his　favorite　to　honor。　Cousrouf　Pacha；　my　father　says；　is　already　heartily　tired　of　his　tedious　sojourn　here；　and　has　written　to　Hussein　Pacha　that　he　is　now　ready　to　go　to　Egypt　as　pacha。〃

〃Ready　to　revel　in　the　glories　of　the　world！　Truly　this　great　Cousrouf　Pacha　is　very　condescending；　〃cried　Mohammed；　in　derisive　tones。　〃He　acts　as　though　he　were　conferring　a　favor　in　accepting　that　for　which　another　would　give　his　heart's　blood。〃

〃Would　you；　Mohammed？　〃　asked　Osman；　smiling。

〃I　would　give　my　blood；　drop　by　drop；　only　retaining　enough　to　sustain　life。　Oh；　to　live　there；　to　go　to　Egypt　as　the　grand…　sultan's　pacha；　to　rule　in　that　beautiful　land；　to　make　the　rebels；　the　Mamelukes；　and　the　beys；　bow　down　in　the　dust。　To　vanquish　them　all；　Osman；　this　is　my　dream　of　bliss；　this　is　but　no；　I　am　still　the　same　foolish　boy；　dreaming　of　impossibilities。　See；　there　come　those　of　whom　we　have　been　speaking；〃　raising　his　hand　and　pointing　to　the　hallway。　〃There　comes　the　tschorbadji　with　Cousrouf　Pacha。　Let　me　go　now；　Osman；　it　is　unpleasant　to　be　in　the　vicinity　of　this　haughty　man；　my　heart　always　fiercely　resents　his　insolence。　Let　me　go！〃

Osman　held　him　back。　〃See；　they　are　looking　at　us；　Mohammed。　If　you　should　go　now；　it　would　look　as　though　you　desired　to　avoid　my　father　also；　and　that　you　assuredly　do　not　wish。　Moreover；　the　haughty　gentleman　might　think　that　respect　for　him　made　you　run　away；　as　the　lizard　flees　before　the　footstep　of　man。　Stay！〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Mohammed；　〃I　shall　stay。〃

He　straightened　himself　up；　threw　his　head　back　proudly；　folded　his　arms　on　his　breast；　and　stood　beside　his　friend's　couch；　gazing　composedly　at　the　two　gentlemen　who　were　advancing　toward　them；　followed　by　a　number　of　slaves。

As　they　came　nearer；　the　tschorbadji　stepped　hastily　forward　to　greet　his　son　with　loving；　tender　words。　Mohammed　inclined　his　head　with　profound　reverence　before　the　father　of　his　beloved　friend。　He　then　raised　his　head　again；　and　firmly　met　the　glance　of　the　haughty　Cousrouf　Pacha；　without　any　manifestation　of　deference　whatever。　The　latter　stepped　forward；　and　greeted　Osman　with　friendly　words；　he　then　turned；　and　fixed　his　dark…gr