mohammed ali and his house-第41部分

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each　us　here　on　our　peninsula。〃

〃I　hope　it　may；〃　said　the　pacha；　softly；　as　he　proudly　inclined　his　head。　〃Yes；　I　hope　it　may。　My　glory　will　resound　throughout　the　world；　and　may；　perhaps；　be　trumpeted　forth　by　the　virgin　Fame；　so　favorable　to　me；　even　here　in　this　rocky　nest。　The　imperial　majesty　in　Stamboul　has　elected　me　to　great　things；　and　Allah　will　permit　me　to　live　to　fulfil　them。〃

〃He　will　certainly　do　so；〃　protested　the　governor。〃And　now；　my　son；　with　his　excellency's　permission；　I　will　call　the　slaves；　and　have　you　carried　down　again。　I　am　afraid　we　are　trespassing　on　valuable　time；　as　his　excellency　will　have　many　things　to　attend　to。〃

The　pacha　assented　to　this　by　his　silence；　and　the　governor　hastened　to　call　the　slaves；　that　they　might　bear　his　son　down　into　the　garden。

The　pacha　pressed　Osman's　hand　once　more；　assured　him　of　his　friendship；　and　promised　him　solemnly　that　Mohammed　need　no　longer　be　fearful　and　anxious。

〃And　he　is　not；〃　cried　Osman；　quickly；　〃he　fears　nothing。〃

〃Be　still；　my　son；〃　exclaimed　the　governor；　interrupting　him　hastily；　〃his　excellency　only　means　that　he　will　be　considerate　with　him；　and　that　you　will　have　nothing　to　fear　on　Mohammed's　account。　And　now；　come；　let　us　go。〃

He　then　bowed　profoundly　to　the　pacha；　and　walked　out　beside　the　couch　on　which　the　slaves　were　carrying　his　son。

The　pacha's　countenance　grew　still　darker　when　the　door　had　closed　behind　father　and　son。

〃This　Osman　is　shrewd；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃He　knows　how　to　divine　one's　thoughts。Achmed　and　Ali；　come　in！〃

The　eunuchs　glided　in　through　the　side…entrance；　and　remained　standing　near　the　door；　their　heads　profoundly　inclined。　He　slowly　raised　his　hand；　and　beckoned　to　them　to　come　nearer。

〃What　progress　have　you　made　in　your　search？〃

The　eunuchs　threw　themselves　on　the　floor；　profound　humiliation　depicted　on　their　faces。

〃Mighty　and　gracious　master！　we　have　been　tardy　slaves；　and　humbly　acknowledge　our　fault；　we　will　do　all　we　can　to　redeem　it；　and　we　hope　soon　to　bring　better　news。　Yes；　we　hope；　gracious　master；　that　we　shall　soon　be　able　to　announce　what　our　master　desires　to　know。〃

〃Then　you　have　a　trace？〃　said　the　pacha；　his　countenance　lighting　up　with　joy。

〃Yes；　master；　as　yet　only　a　trace；　but　we　hope　soon　to　have　certainty。〃

〃Good；　I　will　inquire　no　further。　But　of　one　thing　I　must　remind　you：　three　days　have　already　passed；　within　the　next　four　days　you　will　have　brought　me　the　runaway　slave　or　your　heads　fall。〃

〃O　gracious　master；　we　hope　to　do　so　much　sooner！〃

〃It　is　well；〃　said　the　pacha；　with　a　slight　inclination　of　his　haughty　head。　〃And　now　listen　further：　spread　the　report　of　my　departure　tomorrow　morning；　say　that　Cousrouf　Pacha　will　perhaps　depart　this　evening；　with　his　harem　and　his　servants；　to　return　no　more。〃

〃It　shall　be　as　our　gracious　master　commands；〃　said　the　two　eunuchs。

〃You　know　Mohammed　Ali；　the　new　boulouk　bashi？〃

〃Yes；　excellency；　we　know　him。〃

〃Let　no　one　dare　do　him　a　bodily　injury。　Look　down　humbly　when　you　pass　him；　and；　if　he　insults　you　with　word　or　look；　step　nevertheless　respectfully　aside。　Let　none　of　you　dare　to　touch　him　to　injure　a　hair　of　his　head；　or　to　seek　his　life　with　poison；　the　dagger；　or　any　other　weapon。　Let　the　life　of　Mohammed　Ali；　the　new　boulouk　bashi；　be　sacred　to　you　all。　Have　you　heard？〃

〃We　have　heard；　mighty　master。〃

With　an　impatient　gesture　he　dismissed　them；　and　he　continued　to　walk　to　and　fro　in　his　room　long　after　they　had　gone　out。　His　brow　is　dark；　evil　thoughts　fill　his　breast。

〃I　have　sworn　the　triple　oath；　and　I　must　keep　it。　I　no　longer　threaten　him　personally。　Woe　to　him　if　my　suspicion　proves　true；　and　Masa　has　found　an　asylum　and　protection　with　him！　I　will　keep　my　word！　No　hair　of　Mohammed's　head　shall　be　injured；　but　I　will　punish　him　through　her；　for　truly；　if　he　loves　her；　such　punishment　will　be　harder　than　any　thing　I　could　do　to　him　personally。　The　eunuchs　say　they　are　on　her　track；　and　it　must　be　so；　or　they　would　not　dare　to　say　it。　And　these　bloodhounds；　being　once　on　the　track；　are　sure　to　catch　their　prey！〃

The　eunuchs　had　faithfully　obeyed　their　master's　command；　and　hardly　had　an　hour　elapsed　when　all　Praousta　knew　that　Cousrouf　Pacha　was　on　the　point　of　taking　his　departure　from　the　peninsula；　to　return　no　more。

They　were　also　informed　that　a　ship　had　come　to　convey　him　back　to　Stamboul；　where　the　grand…sultan　was　to　recompense　him　for　his　long　exile　with　power；　magnificence；　and　honors。　The　matter　was　much　discussed；　and　they　whisperingly　confessed　to　each　other　that　they　would　be　well　pleased　to　know　that　the　proud　man；　who　was　the　cause　of　so　much　unhappiness；　had　taken　his　departure。

Was　it　not　on　his　account　that　the　double　tax　had　been　imposed　on　the　people？　Had　not　the　extra　expenditure　been　incurred　on　his　account？　True；　the　tschorbadji　had　attempted　to　deny　this；　but　the　additional　expense　was　nevertheless　clearly　owing　to　the　pacha's　presence　in　Cavalla。　Moreover；　the　sad　story　of　the　unhappy　Masa；　who　had　chosen　to　die　rather　than　become　a　slave；　was　now　known。　Yes；　she　had　taken　her　own　lifeof　that；　no　one　now　entertained　a　doubt。　She　had　assuredly　thrown　herself　from　the　cliffs　into　the　sea。　Some　boys；　who　were　engaged　at　night　in　setting　out　nets；　had　seen　a　white　figure　alone　on　the　Ear　of　Bucephalus。

That　white　figure　was　certainly　Masa。　She　had　thrown　herself　into　the　sea　in　order　that　she；　the　free　daughter　of　the　sheik；　might　not　be　compelled　to　become　a　slave　and　enter　the　harem　of　the　stranger。　They　had　sought　for　the　body　of　the　poor　girl　on　the　shore　and　among　the　cliffs。　The　sea　had；　however；　been　stormy　throughout　the　entire　day；　and　the　surging　waves　must　have　borne　her　away　into　the　depths；　where　she　had　become　a　welcome　prey　to　the　greedy　shark。　Nowhere　a　trace　of　her；　she　is　surely　dead。

The　complaints　and　lamentations　of　the　sheik　are　also　silencedhe　reclines　motionless　on　his　cushions。　Grief　and　anxiety　have　made　him　helpless；　and　chained　him　to　his　couch。　He　suffers　in　silence；　and　his　friends　hope　that　death　will　soon　release　him　from　his　misery。

And　this　overbearing　stranger；　Cousrouf　Pacha；　is　to　blame　for　all　this！

He　gave　himself　the　appearance　of　graciously　making　the　fishermen　a　present　of　the　money　to　pay　the　double　tax。　But　he　had　deceived　them。　Oh；　had　they　but　known　that　Masa　had　sold　herself　for　this　money；　they　never　would　have　accepted　it！　They　therefore　hate　this　haughty　stranger；　and　are　glad　that　he　is　about　to　leave　their　coast　forever。

The　ship　still　lies　quietly　at　anchor；　her　streamers　flutter　gayly　in　the　air；　her　sides　are　hung　with　bright…colored　carpets；　and　garlands　of　flowers　are　entwined　with　her　rigging。　The　ship　presents　a　brilliant　spectacle；　and　it　may　well　be　that　the　pacha　is　to　embark　this　very　evening。　But　no！　Night　sinks　down；　and　all　remains　dark　on　board　the　ship；　which　casts　a　huge　shadow　across　the　waves。　No；　Cousrouf　Pacha　will　certainly　not　embark　this　evening。　The　night　is　dark；　and　all　is　still　in　Praousta　and　on　the　sea…shore。

And　who　would　care　to　be　up　and　abroad　at　this　late　hour！　Whoever　has　a　hut　and　a　bed；　remains　at　home　and　does　not　go　out　into　the　night。　No；　no　one　is　abroad。

But　is　not　that　the　sound　of　footsteps　that　now　breaks　in　upon　the　stillness　of　the　night？

A　dark　shadow　is　gliding　along　among　the　cliffs　on　the　shore。　Who　can　say　that　it　is　a　human　being！　No　star　sheds　its　light　on　his　paththe　moon　is　obscured　behind　dark　clouds。　It　is　perhaps　an　eagle　that　has　been　cast　down　by　the　storm；　and　is　now　wearily　winging　its　flight　across　the　cliffs。　Who　can　say　that　it　is　a　man　that　is　gliding　among　the　cliffs？　No　one　sees　him；　no　one　can　betray　him。　The　shadow　now　stands　still　for　a　moment；　and　for　a　single　moment　the　moon　breaks　forth　from　behind　the　dark　clouds。　It　sees　the　figure；　it　sees　the　man　who　stands　there　on　a　rock；　his　large；　luminous　eyes　gazing　anxiously；　suspiciously　about　him；　as　though　he　feared　betrayal。

The　kindly　moon　has　permitted　him　to　take　a　look　at　the　landscape　round　about　him；　and　to　assure　him　there　is　no　one　in　the　vicinity　to　betray　him。　All　is　at　rest；　he　alone　is　awake　and　abroad。　The　moon　has　done　enough；　it　glides　behind　a　dark　cloud　and　conceals　itself　again。

The　waves　murmur　at　the　feet　of　him　who　has　been　standing　there　listening；　and　he　now　glides　down　from　the　cliff　to　the　opening　in　the　rock。　He　creeps　in　at　this　opening；　and　on　through　the　narrow　passage　to　the　cave；　until　he　can　stand　upright。　He　now　utters　a　cry；　and　his　cry　is　answered　in　the　distance。　He　stands　still　and　leans　against　the　wall　of　the　cave；　overwhelmed　either　with　anxiety　or　happiness。　It　is　with　happiness；　for　he　will　find　her：　she　has　answered　him。




CHAPTER　XII

THE　PARADISE　UNDER　THE　EARTH。


They　rest　heart　to　heart　for　a　moment；　and　then　Mohammed　sinks　down　on　his　knees；　and　kisses　the　hem　of　her　dress　and　her　little　feet；　and　she　bows　down　to　him　and　whispers　in　his　ear　words　which　he　hardly　understands；　and　yet　each　of　them　resounds　in　his　soul　like　heavenly　music。

〃O　these　little　feet！　They　were　not　created　to　come　in　contact　with　the　earth；　and　to　be　wounded　by　thorns。　You　should　tread　on　flowers　only；　and　flutter　from　rose　to　rose　as　the　butterfly　from　flower　to　flower。　Alas；　and　yet　your　home　is　now　a　dark　cave！　Masa；　it　tortures　me　to　see　you　here；　under　the　earth　and　in　darkness。〃

〃Is　it　then　dark　here？〃　asked　she；　in　her　sweet　voice。　〃I　thought　we　had　the　light　of　the　stars　here！　Yes；　look　there；　I　am　right；　look　there！〃　She　raised　her　arm　and　pointed　upward　to　the　opening　in　the　roof　of　the　cave　through　which　the　heavens　looked　down。　〃See；　Mohammed；　there　are　the　stars；　there　are　the　heavens。　Let　us　seat　ourselves　on　this　beautiful　spot。〃

〃You　are　right；　Masa。　There　is　starlight　in　this　cave；　although　clouds　obscure　the　heavens。　Yes；　here　in　our　paradise　we　are　elevated　above　all　earthly　care；　here　is　our　heaven；　and　you　are　the　revelation　of　Allah。　O　Masa；　let　me　sink　down　before　you　in　adoration；　kiss　the　hem　of　your　garment；　and　entreat　your　forgiveness！〃

〃My　forgiveness？〃　said　she；　nestling　her　little　head　on　his　breast；　as　they　sat　side　by　side　on　the　cushions　brought　here　by　Mohamm