mohammed ali and his house-第51部分

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eautiful　land　of　the　Pharaohs；　and　converted　it　into　a　hideous　corpse。

The　battle…fields　of　Aboukir；　the　Pyramids　of　Gheezeh；　the　blood…　soaked　fields　of　Syria；　the　overthrown　walls　of　St。　Jean　d'Acre；　and　of　the　magnifient　city　of　the　caliphs；　Cairo；　tell　of　the　French　general；　Bonaparte；　who；　at　the　head　of　his　army；　had　entered　upon　a　crusade　in　order　to　bless　Egypt　with　civilization。　This　was　his　pretext。　He　intended；　with　his　sans　culottes；　to　carry　civilization　to　the　Orient；　and；　not　being　able　to　convert　them　to　Christianity　by　persuasion　or；　trickery；　he　determined　to　baptize　them　with　blood。

At　first　the　Mameluke　beys；　who　until　then　had　ruled　in　Egypt；　and　had；　in　protracted　struggles；　endeavored　to　cast　off　their　allegiance　to　the　grand…sultan；　had　supposed　it　would　be　an　easy　matter　to　drive　back　the　French　barbarians　from　the　yellow　shores　of　Africa。

Mourad　Bey；　the　chief　of　all　the　Mameluke　beys；　was　sitting　at　a　joyous　banquet　in　Alexandria；　when　several　of　his　officers　rushed　into　the　hall　to　announce　that　a　number　of　ships　were　entering　the　harbor；　and　that　a　body　of　Franks　had　already　landed。　The　Mameluke　chieftain　laughed；　and；　without　rising　from　his　seat；　said　to　the　messengers；　〃Give　these　French　beggars　a　bakshish；　and　tell　them　to　clear　out；　or　Mourad　Bey　will　compel　them　to　do　so。〃

〃But；〃　observed　the　English　consul；　who　had　just　entered　the　hall；　〃excellency；　these　Franks　have　come　to　possess　themselves　of　Egypt。　Hasten　to　make　preparations　for　your　defence。〃

Mourad　Bey　laughed　again。　〃You　take　a　gloomy　view　of　things；　my　friend。Go　and　give　these　wretches　something　to　eat；　and；　as　I　have　already　ordered；　a　little　money　also；　and　then　advise　them　to　depart　with　all　speed；　or　I　will　have　them　driven　off　by　my　servants。〃

But　the　Franks　were　not　to　be　driven　off　so　easily。　They　were　bringing　civilization；　the　glory　of　the　French　Republic；　to　Egypt；　and　were　determined　to　make　them　happy　by　force。　The　republic　at　home　had　become　too　small　for　the　great　general。　〃Europe　is　a　mere　mole…hill；〃　he　had　said；　〃there　never　were　great　kingdoms　and　great　enterprises　elsewhere　than　in　the　Orient；　where　six　hundred　million　people　live！〃

And　it　was　indeed　a　great　enterprise　that　Bonaparte　wished　to　attempt　in　Egypt；　and　great　things　be　really　did　accomplish　there。　So　great　were　they；　that　General　Kleber；　in　secret　his　enemy　and　rival；　could　nevertheless　not　refrain　from　saying；　after　one　of　the　victories：

〃You　are　as　great；　Bonaparte；　as　the　world；　but　the　world　is　too　small　for　your　glory！〃

And　yet　a　day　had　come　when　the　man　who　was　too　great　for　the　world　had　to　make　himself　small　before　the　victorious　Mameluke　beys；　when　he　secretly；　accompanied　by　a　few　faithful　followers　only；　departed　from　Egypt　to　return　to　the　mole…hill　Europe；　to　seek　a　crown　for　himself　there。　Bonaparte　had　left　behind；　in　want　and　misery；　the　army　that　had　suffered　so　much；　not　only　from　battle　and　disease；　but　also　from　the　cruelty　of　its　leaders。　Was　it　not　at　Jaffa　that　Bonaparte　caused　the　sick　and　wounded　to　be　poisoned；　in　order　to　shorten　their　sufferings？　And　one　other　deed　of　cruelty　of　the　general　of　civilization；　who　had　gone　to　Egypt　to　confer　happiness　upon　the　unbelievers；　stands　recorded　in　the　books　of　history。　Was　it　not　in　Egypt　that　the　French　general　caused　the　prisoners　of　war　who　had　surrendered　to　General　Desaix　to　be　led　down　to　the　seashore　and　shot；　contrary　to　the　usages　of　warfare？　Four　thousand　Arabian　soldiers　were　assassinated　in　this　manner。　This　was　one　of　the　monuments　of　civilization　erected　by　the　French　general　in　the　Orient！　And　the　revolt　in　Cairo；　the　massacre　of　so　many　French　soldiers；　and　the　hatred　of　the　whole　people；　was　the　harvest　reaped　by　Bonaparte　for　this　bloody　deed。

〃Death　to　the　Franks！〃　was　the　cry　of　every　Egyptianthe　cry　that　was　common　to　the　Mameluke　chieftain　and　the　lowest　fellah。

〃Death　to　the　Franks！〃　murmured　the　sheiks　and　ulemas　with　each　prayer。　And　when　Bonaparte　had　secretly　fled；　this　ominous　cry　resounded　through　all　Egypt〃Death　to　the　Franks！〃

General　Kleber；　Bonaparte's　successor；　was　the　first　victim　sacrificed。　At　Cairo；　on　the　grand　square　of　the　Esbekieh；　under　the　large　sycamore　at　a　corner　of　the　harem　of　one　of　the　Mameluke　beys；　he　was　stricken　down　by　the　dagger　of　a　fanatical　Turk。　And　now　terror　and　dismay　possessed　itself　of　the　whole　army；　and　not　only　were　the　Egyptians　glad　when　the　command　came　from　Europe　that　the　French　soldiers　should　embark；　but　the　latter　also　esteemed　themselves　happy　when；　from　the　decks　of　their　ships；　they　saw　the　yellow　coast　of　Africa　gradually　disappear。　Since　then；　bright；　happy　days　seemed　to　have　come　again　for　the　proud　Mameluke　beys；　and　happiness　appeared　to　dawn　again　over　the　stricken　land。　The　English；　who；　off　the　coast　of　Egypt；　had　destroyed　the　French　ships；　their　armada；　were　now　masters　of　the　situation。　They　united　themselves　with　the　Mameluke　beys；　and　undertook　to　mediate　between　them　and　the　Turkish　ruler。

〃Egypt　is　to　be　blessed　with　peace；　and　they　who　have　so　long　contended　with　each　other　in　bitter　hostility　are　to　extend　their　hands　to　each　other。　Let　recognition　be　accorded　to　the　Mameluke　beys；　and　favorable　conditions　of　peace　offered　them；　and　they　will　submit。〃　This　Lord　Balan　had　announced　to　the　grand…sultan；　and　his　first　servant；　the　grand…vizier；　at　Stamboul。　And　he　had　gone　to　and　fro；　from　Cairo　to　Stamboul；　from　Stamboul　to　Cairo；　until　peace　was　at　last；　as　it　seemed；　secured。

〃The　Mameluke　beys；〃　so　read　the　last　decision　of　the　grand…sultan；　Selim　II。；　〃are　to　leave　Cairo　and　to　go　to　Upper　Egypt；　where　large　tracts　of　land　are　to　be　assigned　them；　with　their　wives；　their　treasures；　and　their　servants；　to　rule　there　in　freedom　and　magnificence。〃

The　Mamelukes　took　these　propositions　into　favorable　consideration；　they　were　weary　of　bloodshed　and　longed　for　the　peaceful　desert　plains　and　for　the　sunny　tents；　where　they　could　rest　from　their　long　struggles　in　quiet　comfort；　listen　to　the　songs　of　the　female　slaves；　and　gaze　at　the　voluptuous　dances　of　the　almehs。　Yes；　they　will　return　home　to　the　beloved　south；　to　the　cataracts　of　the　Nile；　to　the　sunny　shores　where　the　temple　ruins　of　by…gone　magnificence　stand　out　against　the　deep　blue　sky。

Yes；　they　longed　for　peace；　and　for　the　sublime　stillness　of　the　desert；　they　consented　to　Lord　Balan's　proposition；　and　declared　themselves　ready　to　meet　the　servants　of　the　sultan；　and　arrange　with　them　the　boundaries　of　the　tracts　of　land　that　were　to　be　assigned　to　them；　and　to　conclude　peace。　They　had；　therefore；　in　response　to　the　invitation　of　the　Turks；　come　out　to　the　peninsula　of　Aboukir。　There；　on　the　wide　plain　that　had　three　years　before　been　drenched　with　the　blood　of　the　French　and　the　Egyptians；　now　stood　the　stately　tents　of　the　Turks　and　the　Mamelukes。

It　was　a　splendid　spectacle；　the　wide　plain　with　its　array　of　gayly…　decorated　tents；　with　its　great　squares；　on　which　the　Mamelukes　mounted　on　their　proud　steeds；　displayed　their　skill　with　the　spear　and　the　gun；　exciting　the　admiration　of　the　Turks　by　their　skill　and　agility。

All　was　festivity；　and　life　was　enjoyed　as　though　it　were　an　uninterrupted　chain　of　pleasures。　Yet　there　were　some　who　felt　less　contented　than　these　Mameluke　beys；　some　who　had　learned　from　the　French　that　promises　and　assurances　of　friendship　were　not　always　to　be　relied　on。

Many　of　the　beys　had　brought　their　wives　with　them；　for　the　wives　of　the　beys　enjoyed　greater　liberty　than　those　of　the　Turks；　and　they　could　move　about　among　the　tents；　with　as　little　constraint　as　in　the　streets　of　Cairo。　The　Mameluke　honors　his　bey's　wife；　and　bows　down　in　the　dust　before　her；　when　she　passes　by　with　head　erect　and　veiled　countenance；　followed　by　her　slaves。

On　this；　the　fourteenth　day　of　their　sojourn　at　Aboukir；　the　Mamelukes　also　bow　profoundly　before　a　woman　who；　followed　by　two　servants；　is　passing　down　between　the　double　row　of　tents；　and　whisper　to　each　other：　〃This　is　the　wife　of　our　greatest　chieftain；　the　deceased　Mourad　Bey！　How　does　it　happen　that　she　has　left　her　beautiful　palace　in　Cairo？　For　what　purpose　has　Sitta　Nefysseh　come　to　Aboukir？〃

And　when　she　had　passed；　the　Mamelukes　raised　their　heads　and　followed　with　their　eyes　the　white　form　as　it　swept　on　between　the　tents；　and　observed　with　astonishment　that　Mourad　Bey's　widow　had　stopped　at　the　tent　of　the　bey　who　was　now　their　first　chief；　at　the　tent　of　Osman　Bey　Bardissi。　Mourad's　widow；　and　those　who　accompanied　her；　entered　this　tent。

He　lay　on　the　divan；　smoking　his　chibouque。　But　upon　her　appearance　at　the　entrance　to　the　tent；　he　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃You　here；　Sitta…you　in　the　camp　at　Aboukir？〃

〃I　have　come　to　speak　with　you；〃　she　replied；　earnestly。〃Let　the　rest　leave　the　tent。　Mourad's　widow　can　be　alone　with　the　man　whom　her　deceased　husband　called　his　dear　friend。〃

He　waved　his　hand　imperiously；　and　all　the　servants　with　drew　from　the　tent；　closing　the　gold…embroidered　curtains　behind　them。

〃Speak！〃　said　the　bey；　in　deferential　tones。　〃Your　servant　hears；　and　is　ready　to　obey　your　commands。〃

〃I　have　not　come　to　command；〃　replied　she；　〃I　have　come　to　warn　you；　Osman。〃

〃To　warn　me；　Sitta？〃

〃Yes；　Osman。　You　have　allowed　yourselves　to　be　deceived　by　the　flattering　words　of　those　who　call　themselves　your　friends；　but　can　never　be　other　than　your　enemies。　Do　you　suppose　that　the　sultan　will　ever　give　you；　his　hated　enemiesyou；　the　haughty　Mameluke　beys…your　rights　and　your　freedom？　I；　who　gazed　in　my　dying　Mourad's　eyes　and　read　his　last　thoughts；　I　say　to　you；　that　the　sultan　will　not　rest　until　death　has　closed　your　lips　forever；　or　until　you　have　closed　his！　I　tell　you　they　are　planning　your　destruction。　Do　not　ask　from　what　source　my　information　comes。　The　wise　man　will　listen　and　take　the　advice　of　the　woman　who　was　his　friend's　wife。　Demand　this　very　day；　that；　after　these　long…continued　festivities；　the　grave　matters　that　call　you　here　be　immediately　proceeded　with；　demand　that　the　conditions　on　which　the　sultan　is　to　make　you　free　and　independent　in　Upper　Egypt　be　plainly　stated。　And　if　they　will　not　name　them；　then　embark　in　your　boats　before　the　sun　sets；　and　retu