mohammed ali and his house-第19部分

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latter　stepped　forward；　and　greeted　Osman　with　friendly　words；　he　then　turned；　and　fixed　his　dark…gray　eyes　on　the　young　man　who　stood　beside　him；　awaiting　his　deferential　salutation。

But　Mohammed　did　not　salute　him。　He　still　stood　erect；　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast；　beside　his　friend's　couch。

The　pacha　slowly　turned　to　the　governor。　〃Tell　me；　tschorbadji；　who　is　this　person？　Your　slave；　is　he　not？〃

〃No；〃　cried　Osman；　rising　partially　from　his　couch；　and　anticipating　his　father's　reply。　〃No；　your　excellency；　he　is　not　our　slave；　but　my　friend；　my　beloved　friend；　Mohammed　Ali。〃

〃Your　friend！　A　great　honor　for　such　a　lad；　too　great　an　honor；　I　should　think；〃　said　Cousrouf　Pacha；　directing　a　fierce　glance　at　Mohammed；　who　still　stood　erect　beside　him。

〃Why　should　your　excellency　think　so？〃　asked　he　in　sharp；　almost　threatening　tones。　〃Why　is　it　too　great　an　honor　that　the　son　of　the　tschorbadji　calls　me　his　friend？　Has　it　not　occurred　that　aristocratic　gentlemen　have　elevated　to　an　equality　with　themselves；　and　made　friends　even　of；　slaves；　and　purchased　boys？　I　remember　hearing　the　scha…er　tell　of　a　Circassian　slave　whom　the　grand…　admiral；　at　Stamboul；　purchased；　and　subsequently　called　his　friend。　He　was　not　ashamed　of　him；　although　the　lad　called　Cousrouf　was；　after　all；　only　a　slave。〃

〃In　the　name　of　Allah；　I　pray　you；　be　still！〃　cried　the　tschorbadji；　looking　anxiously　at　Mohammed。

〃And　why　should　he　be　still？〃　asked　Cousrouf；　in　cold；　cutting　tones。　〃He　is　merely　telling　a　story　learned　from　the　scha…er。　You　know；　tschorbadji；　it　is　customary　to　pay　story…tellers；　and　give　them　a　piaster。Here；　take　your　pay；　you　little　scha…er。〃

The　pacha　drew　from　his　silken　purse；　filled　with　gold…pieces；　a　ducat；　and　threw　it　at　the　boy's　feet。

Mohammed　uttered　a　cry　of　rage；　and　took　up　the　gold…piece　as　though　he　intended　to　throw　it　in　the　pacha's　face。　But　Osman　held　his　hand；　and　begged　him　in　a　low　voice　to　be　composed。

Mohammed　struggled　to　compose　himself。　His　face　was　pale；　his　lips　trembled；　and　his　eyes　gleamed　with　wrath　and　hatred；　as　he　glanced　at　the　pacha；　then　his　countenance　became　firm　and　composed。　He　beckoned　to　a　slave　who　stood　at　a　distance；　to　approach；　and　threw　him　the　gold…piece。　〃The　slave　gives　the　slave　his　reward。　Take　it；　thou　slave！〃

A　moment　of　silence　and　anxious　suspense　intervened；　and　then　Mohammed's　and　the　pacha's　eyes　met　again　in　a　fierce；　piercing　glance。　The　pacha　then　turned；　and　addressed　the　tschorbadji：

〃If　he　were　my　servant；〃　said　he；　〃I　should　have　him　taken　out　to　the　court…yard　for　his　insolence。　If　he　there　received；　as　he　richly　deserves；　the　bastinado；　I　think　he　would　soon　become　humble　and　quiet。　The　viper　bites　no　longer　when　its　fangs　are　extracted。I　tell　you；　tschorbadji；　if　he　were　my　servant；　he　should　now　receive　the　bastinado。〃

〃And　if　you　were　my　servant；〃　exclaimed　Mohammed；　haughtily；　〃I　should　treat　you　in　precisely　the　same　manner；　sir。　The　bastinado　is　very　painful；　I　am　told；　and　you　probably　know　it　by　personal　experience。　But　this　you　should　know；　too；　sir；　that　here　on　the　peninsula　of　Contessa；　slaves　only　are　chastised；　and　slaves　only　receive　the　bastinado。　I；　however；　have　never　been　a　slave；　but　always　a　free　man；　and　what　I　am　and　shall　be；　I　am；　I　am　proud　to　say；　through　myself　alone。　I　have　not　been　bought　and　bargained　for；　and　I　sleep　better　in　my　dark　little　but　than　others　who　were　once　slaves；　and　who；　having　risen　through　the　favor　of　their　masters；　now　repose　on　silken　couches。〃

〃Tschorbadji　Hassan！〃　cried　Cousrouf；　pale　with　anger；　and　hardly　capable　of　restraining　himself　from　striking　the　bold　youth　in　the　face　with　his　own　fist〃Tschorbadji　Hassan；　you　shall　punish　the　insolence　of　this　servant　who　dares　to　insult　me；　Cousrouf　Pacha。　I　demand　of　you　punishment　for　this　insolence。〃

〃I　have　broken　no　law；　and　there　is　no　law　that　condemns　me　to　punishment；〃　said　Mohammed；　firmly　and　composedly。　〃Your　excellency　does　me　the　honor　to　dispute　with　me；　that　is　all。　With　us　punishment　is　meted　out　according　to　the　law　only；　and　not　at　the　pleasure　of　every　grand　gentleman。〃

The　tschorbadji　stepped　up　to　Cousrouf　Pacha；　and　earnestly　conjured　him　to　show　mercy　to　his　son's　friend；　for　his　sake。

〃Consider　that　Osman　is　my　only　child；　and　my　only　happiness。　Consider　that　he　loves　Mohammed　as　if　he　were　a　brother。　The　physicians　say　he　would　die　if　separated　from　Mohammed。　Be　merciful；　and　forgive　the　insolence　provoked　by　your　own　overbearing　words。　I　entreat　you　to　be　merciful；　and　to　come　away　with　me。〃

He　took　Cousrouf's　arm　in　his　own；　and　drew　him　away；　almost　forcibly　entreating　him；　with　all　the　anxiety　of　a　father's　heart；　to　forgive　the　uncultured　youth；　who　knew　nothing　of　becoming　deportment　and　polished　manners。　He　was　an　untamed　lion；　unfamiliar　with　the　gentle　ways　of　the　domestic　animals。

〃And　yet　I　wish　I　had　this　young　lion　in　my　power；〃　said　Cousrouf；　gnashing　his　teeth　with　rage；　as　he　followed　the　governor。　〃I　should　extract　his　teeth；　and　prove　to　the　monster　that　he　was　not　a　lion；　but　only　a　miserable　cat；　to　be　trodden　under　my　feet！〃

The　tschorbadji　drew　him　away　more　rapidly；　that　Mohammed　might　not　hear　him。　He　had　looked　back　and　perceived　that　Mohammed　was　standing　still；　gazing　at　them　with　a　threatening　eye；　and；　in　reality　with　the　bearing　of　a　lion　prepared　for　the　deadly　spring。

When　they　had　disappeared；　Osman　rose　from　his　cushions；　stood　up；　threw　his　arms　around　his　friend's　neck；　and　kissed　his　quivering　lips。

〃I　thank　you；　my　hero；　my　king；　my　lion！　You　stood　there　like　David　before　Goliath；　and　overthrew　him　in　the　dust。　You　made　the　insolent　giant　small；　you　hero。　I　thank　you；　my　Mohammed！〃




CHAPTER　XI

THE　REVOLT。


The　great　square　which　lay　in　the　centre　of　the　village　of　Praousta　resounded　with　wild　outcries　and　clamorings。　All　the　men　of　the　place　had　assembled　by　the　sea　shore；　they　were　generally　honest；　peaceful　sailors；　but　today　they　were　raging　rebels　roused　to　revolt　against　those　in　authority；　and　refusing　obedience　to　the　tschorbadji。

Two　pale；　trembling　men　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　revolting　crowd。　They　were　evidently　Turks；　by　their　closely…fitting　uniforms；　and　the　scarlet　fez　on　their　heads；　the　short　arms　which　hung　at　their　sides　showed　them　to　be　the　kavassen；　or　the　collectors　of　the　tschorbadji。

These　collectors　were　always　an　abomination　to　the　people　of　Praousta；　they　greeted　them　constantly　with　murmuring　when　they　came　to　collect　the　taxes；　and　often；　before　now；　the　appeasing；　tranquillizing　words　of　the　sheik　had　alone　secured　the　payment　of　the　sums　demanded。　Today；　however；　their　long…restrained　indignation　had　broken　forth。　Today；　although　the　sea　was　so　still　and　peaceful；　no　one　had　gone　out　to　fish；　for　it　had　been　fully　determined　that　on　this　day　they　would　refuse　the　demands　of　the　governor's　collectors。　The　collectors　had　gone　to　the　village；　suspecting　nothing。　The　assessment　had　been　brought　by　one　of　them　several　days　before　to　the　sheik；　who　had　received　it　with　a　very　troubled　countenance。

〃A　double　tax？　〃　he　had　said；　〃that　will　be　most　unwelcome　to　the　men　of　Praousta。〃

The　messenger　of　the　tschorbadji　merely　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃They　will　pay　it；　nevertheless；　as　the　men　in　Cavalla　and　other　places　have　done。　The　money　must　be　collected。〃　Then；　with　the　haughty　bearing　which；　the　officials　of　the　tschorbadji　always　assumed；　he　retired。

The　sheik　called　together　a　council　of　the　oldest　men　of　the　village　and　the　ulemas；　and　informed　them　that　the　tschorbadji　was　compelled　to　lay　a　double　tax　on　them　at　this　time　because；　although　his　own　expenses　had　been　greater；　he　was　obliged　to　forward　the　usual　amount　to　Stamboul。　New　roads　had　been　built；　besides　that；　the　tobacco…crop　had　failed；　and　new　public　buildings　had　been　erected。　All　these　expenses　must　be　met；　as　well　as　the　full　amount　for　Stamboul；　which　must　on　no　account　be　lessened。

The　men　had　declared　at　once；　with　angry　words；　that　they　would　never　pay　the　tax。　On　the　morning　of　the　day　when　the　two　collectors　came　from　Cavalla；　the　men　of　the　village　assembled　in　the　square　as　they　had　determined　to　do；　and　greeted　them　with　loud　and　angry　clamorings。

〃We　will　pay　no　double　tax；〃　cried　Abdallah；　the　leader　of　the　fishermen。　〃It　is　quite　enough　that　we　are　obliged　to　pay　any　tax。　What　do　the　grand…sultan　and　his　ministers　do　for　us？　Not　one　of　them　aids　us　when　our　crops　fail　or　when　we　suffer　from　other　misfortunes。　When　we　have　double　crops；　must　we　not　always　pay　a　double　tax？　But　this　year　we　have　not　even　good　crops。　Our　tobacco…　crops　have　failed；　our　fishing…nets；　with　all　the　fish　we　had　taken；　have　been　lost　in　the　storms。　Tell　us；　then；　for　what　reasons　we　must　pay　a　double　tax？〃

〃The　reasons；　my　dear　fishermen；〃　said　the　collectors〃the　reasons　are；　that　the　tschorbadji　commands　it；　and　his　commands　must　be　obeyed；　because　the　grand…sultan　has　made　him　your　governor。〃

〃If　those　were　reasons；〃　shrieked　the　fishermen；　〃the　tschorbadji　could　drive　us　from　our　huts；　and　take　from　us　all　that　is　ours。　Those　are　no　reasons；　no；　we　will　not　pay　the　tax！〃

〃You　must；　and　you　will！〃　cried　the　second　officer。

That　was　the　signal　for　all　the　men　to　draw　their　knives　with　lightning…speed　from　their　belts。　They　brandished　them　in　their　fists；　pressing　from　all　sides　upon　the　two　officers；　and　swearing　to　kill　them　if　they　did　not　go　at　once　to　Cavalla　and　announce　what　had　occurred　here。

Some　of　the　men　rushed　off　to　the　dwelling　of　the　sheik；　while　others　hastened　to　bring　the　ulemas　to　the　square。

〃Are　we　to　pay　the　double　tax；　sheik？　Speak　for　us；　tell　the　officers　what　answer　they　must　take　to　the　tschorbadji。〃

The　sheik　bowed　kindly　on　every　side　as　he　made　his　way　through　the　circle　of　armed　men。　All　was　profound　silence　as　he　came　before　the　two　officers；　and　all　present　listened　in　breathless　silence　to　his　words。

〃Lo；　ye　servants　of　justice！〃　exclaimed　the　sheik　in　a　solemn　voice；　〃I　say；　go　up　to　the　city；　and　inform　the　tschorbadji　that　he　has　demanded　more　than　is　just　of　the　men　of　Praousta。〃

An　overwhelming；　thundering　huzza　interrupted　the　sheik。

〃Speak　on；〃　was　then　the　cry。　〃Le