mohammed ali and his house-第76部分

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　Bardissi's　camp。　This　is　clearly　treason。　As　you　yourself　admit　that　a　mistress　is　responsible　for　her　servant's　actions；　I　declare　and　shall　hold　you；　Sitta　Nefysseh；　responsible　for　your　servant's　crime。〃

〃That　you　cannot　do；　highness！　Youssouf　is　no　longer　my　servant；　is　no　longer　in　my　house。　I　have　discharged　him；　not　because　I　thought　ill　of　him；　not　because　I　desired　to　punish　him；　but　because　I　esteem　him；　because　I　know　he　was　created　for　something　better　than　to　be　only　the　servant　of　a　woman。　I　discharged　him　because　his　courage　and　nobility　of　soul　urged　him　to　draw　the　sword　and　go　out　to　battle。　He　has　gone　to　Bardissi's　camp　to　serve　in　the　ranks　of　his　Mamelukes。〃

〃That　is　to　say；〃　cried　Cousrouf；　in　angry　tones〃that　is　to　say；　Sitta　Nefysseh；　Mourad　Bey's　widow　raises　soldiers　in　her　house　for　the　army　of　our　enemy！〃

〃Could　your　highness　expect　Mourad　Bey'sthe　Mameluke　chieftain's　widow　to　raise　soldiers　for　the　enemies　of　her　deceased　husband？〃　asked　she；　throwing　her　head　back　proudly。　〃Yet　let　me　remark　this：　my　expression　was　badly　chosen。　Sitta　Nefysseh　does　not　occupy　herself　with　raising　soldiers。　Youssouf　was　brought　up　by　my　husband；　and　has　remained　in　my　house　these　few　years　since　his　death。　He　had　grown　weary　of　the　effeminate　life　he　was　leading；　and　begged　to　be　discharged　from　my　service。　I　did　as　he　requested。　I　am　not　his　mother；　not　his　sister；　and　not　his　relative。　He　is　a　freeman；　and　puts　his　freedom　to　the　best　use。　But　I　tell　you　that　he　is　not　guilty　of　the　charge　you　make　against　himhe　never　wrote　that　paper。　And　do　you　know　why　not；　Cousrouf？　Because　he　does　not　know　how　to　write。　He　is　a　warrior；　and　only　knows　how　to　write　indelible　characters　on　the　faces　of　his　enemies　with　his　sword；　and；　believe　me；　I　should　recognize　these　characters　if　they　were　inscribed　on　your　faceI　should　recognize　the　handwriting　of　my　kachef；　but　the　characters　on　that　paper　are　not　his。〃

〃Truly；　Sitta　Nefysseh；　your　audacity　is　great！〃　cried　Cousrouf。

〃But；　it　seems　to　me；　yours　is　far　greater；　forgive　me　for　saying　so；　highness。　Man　and　woman　we　stand　before　each　other；　and　you　have　publicly　branded　the　woman；　who　is　conscious　of　no　shame；　with　disgrace。〃

〃How　can　you　make　such　a　charge　against　me？　What　is　it　that　I　have　done？　You　yourself　acknowledge　that　the　master　is　justly　responsible　for　his　servants'　actions；　and　I　repeat　it：　your　kachef　has　endeavored　to　draw　my　soldiers　from　their　allegiance；　to　corrupt　them。　I　have　accused　you　of　nothing　else。〃

〃Yes；　you　have　more　than　accused　me　of　other　crimes！〃　cried　she；　throwing　back　her　veil；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　indignation。　〃Look　at　me！　In　me；　you　have　put　the　woman；　put　Mourad　Bey's　widow　to　shame。　You　have　caused　me　to　be　brought　from　my　house　by　policemen。　That　is　to　say；　you　have　insulted；　in　me；　womanly　virtue　and　honor！〃

〃How　so？〃　asked　Cousrouf；　in　astonishment。

〃Do　you　know　so　little　of　the　customs　of　our　land？　You；　the　Viceroy　of　Egypt；　do　not　know　that；　when　women　are　led　through　the　street　by　the　police；　it　is　equivalent　to　branding　them　as　lost　to　all　shame；　that　they　are　delivered　over　to　the　police　to　be　punished　by　being　conducted　through　the　public　streets；　to　the　disgrace　of　their　entire　sex！〃

〃You　go　too　far；〃　replied　the　viceroy。　〃I　did　cause　you　to　be　conducted　here。　I　sent　to　you　one　of　the　first　dignitaries　of　my　court；　the　cadi；　I　did　this　to　honor　you。　To　be　thus　conducted　by　the　cadi　through　the　street　is　not　disgraceful；　as　in　the　case　of　the　women　you　speak　of。　In　your　own　carriage　you　were　escorted　by　the　cadi　and　his　servants；　and　your　good　name　and　honor；　which　I　respect　in　common　with　all　the　world；　cannot　have　suffered　thereby。　Yet　your　conduct　has　been　culpable；　you　are　responsible　for　your　kachef's　deeds；　and　through　him　I　accuse　you　of　treason；　and　you；　Nefysseh；　must　suffer　for　your　servant's　crime。〃

〃Then；　take　my　life；　if　that　will　benefit　you；〃　said　she；　quietly。　〃I　have　nothing　to　give　you　but　that。　If　you　take　my　life；　you　will　be　accused　of　murder；　and；　believe；　this　accusation　will　be　heard　by　all　Cairo。　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　Deal　with　me　as　you　think　proper。〃

〃You　challenge　my　enmity；　you　shall　have　it！　It　were　wise　on　your　part　to　beg　me　to　pardon　Youssouf；　to　withdraw　the　accusation；　and　to　declare　yourself　ready　to　pay　the　required　sum　to　my　soldiers。〃

〃Where　is　Mourad　Bey's　widow　to　obtain　the　money？　Your　men　have　remained　in　my　house；　let　them　search　for　treasure　there。　Let　them　take　what　they　find。　Mourad's　widow　is　poor；　and　your　endeavor　is　vain。　You　will　find　nothing　of　value　in　my　house；　long　wars　have　made　Mourad's　widow　poor。　And；　if　I　had　money；　I　would　rather　cast　it　into　the　Nile；　than　to　give　it　to　the　enemies　of　my　husband！Now　I　have　spoken　and　relieved　my　heart。　Now　do　with　me　as　you　think　proper；　Cousrouf。　This　I　will；　however；　repeat；　my　kachef　Youssouf　did　not　write　the　characters　on　that　paper。　He　is　not　capable　of　corrupting　men　from　their　allegiance。　Do　you　desire　my　life？　If　so；　take　it！　But　if　you　venture　to　do　so；　prepare　yourself　to　meet　all　Cairo　in　insurrection。　Allah　is　just！　You　will　then　see　all　Cairo；　held　by　you　in　fetters　until　now；　rise　up　and　burst　its　bonds；　and　shake　its　mane　in　lion…like　wrath。〃

〃We　shall　see　if　our　lion　really　rises　in　its　wrath；　when　I；　as　I　am　in　duty　bound；　do　justice　to　those　who　have　done　wrong　and　committed　crimes！〃

He　arose　from　his　divan；　stepped　to　the　door；　and　called　one　of　his　servants。　In　answer　to　his　call；　a　servant　hastened　into　the　room。

〃Conduct　Sitta　Nefysseh　to　the　house　of　Sheik　Hesseyni；　who　lives　in　the　old　citadel；　tell　him　to　guard　her　well；　and　not　to　allow　any　one　to　see　her。〃

〃Tell　him；　cadi；〃　said　Nefysseh；　quietly；　〃tell　him　to　guard　me　as　every　jailor　guards　his　prisoner；　that　is　the　true　meaning　of　the　viceroy's　words。　Farewell；　CousroufI　am　going　to　my　prison！　May　your　conscience　reproach　you　as　little　as　mine　does　me！　Farewell！〃

She　drew　her　veil　over　her　countenance；　and　slowly　left　the　apartment。　At　the　door　sat　her　two　women　weeping　and　sobbing。　She　commanded　them　to　follow　her；　and　walked　on　as　composedly　as　if　she　were　the　princess　of　this　palace。　She　swept　down　the　marble　stairway　to　her　carriage；　as　if　about　to　take　a　drive。

〃Sitta　Nefysseh；　it　will　not　be　necessary　to　enter　your　carriage；〃　said　the　cadi；　who　had　followed　her。　〃We　shall　only　have　to　pass　through　that　little　side…door　to　be　in　the　sheik's　house。〃

〃Ah；　you　desire　to　prevent　the　people；　who　are　calling　so　loudly　after　me；　from　seeing　me　in　my　degradation；　or　rather　the　degradation　of　those　who　tread　law　and　propriety　under　foot　in　their　treatment　of　me。〃

〃Sitta　Nefysseh；　I　know　nothing　of　the　charges　made　against　you；〃　replied　the　cadi；　gruffly。　〃I　obey　the　orders　of　the　viceroy；　the　rest　does　not　concern　me。〃

〃That　is　certainly　the　most　convenient　course；〃　said　she；　derisively；　and　quietly　submitting　when　he　took　hold　of　her　arm　and　led　her　across　the　court　to　the　little　gate　in　the　wall。　The　women　followed　her。　Their　tears　no　longer　flowed；　and　they　seemed　to　consider　themselves　happy　in　being　at　least　allowed　to　accompany　their　mistress。

Dense　masses　of　people　still　stood　without。　They　called　loudly　for　Sitta　Nefysseh；　swearing　by　Allah　that　they　would　not　leave　until　she　should　be　released。　But　what　can　the　poor；　defenceless　people　do　when　confronted　by　armed　soldiers；　ready　to　fire　destructive　volleys　among　them？　What　can　they　do　but　sullenly　retire　under　such　circumstances？　This　they　now　did。　About　the　citadel　quiet　now　reigned；　but　the　streets　below　were　still　thronged　with　dense　crowds；　from　out　whose　midst　the　cries　continually　resounded：　〃Sitta　Nefysseh　has　been　arrested！　She　has　been　shamefully　conducted　through　the　streets　to　the　citadel　by　the　police！　She　has　been　publicly　insulted！　She；　the　noblest　of　women；　is　accused　of　a　great　crime！〃

When　night　came；　the　excitement　and　fury　of　the　populace　had　not　yet　subsided。　Early　on　the　morning　of　the　following　day；　dense　masses　of　people　surged　to　the　house　where　Hesseyni；　the　chief　sheik　of　the　city；　resided；　and　demanded　with　loud　clamors　that　he　should　liberate　Sitta　Nefysseh。

The　sheik　had　given　serious　consideration　to　this　difficult　and　embarrassing　case；　and；　before　the　people　forced　an　entrance；　had　already　determined　to　comply　with　their　demands。

In　solemn　procession；　their　green　turbans　on　their　heads；　and　enveloped　in　their　long　flowing　caftans；　with　their　costly　ermine　collars；　the　entire　body　of　sheiks　repaired　on　foot　to　the　palace。　With　grave　and　solemn　bearing；　these　representatives　of　public　justice　demanded　that　they　should　be　conducted　to　the　viceroy's　presence。

He　received　them　in　his　apartment；　advancing　to　meet　them　with　a　kindly　greeting。

〃What　do　you　desire；　friends？　You　know　I　am　always　glad　to　hear　the　wishes　of　the　people　as　pronounced　by　you；　their　representatives。〃

〃Then　listen　to　these　wishes；　highness！〃　said　one　of　the　sheiks。　〃The　people；　and　we　with　them；　desire　that　Sitta　Nefysseh；　who　was　yesterday　forcibly　taken　from　her　house；　be　permitted　to　return　to　the　same。　Her　house　has　been　shamefully　ill…used；　Cousrouf　Pacha！　Your　police　have　treated　it　like　the　house　of　an　enemy。　Nothing　has　remained　in　its　place；　every　thing　is　overturned　and　thrown　about。　They　were　looking　for　treasure；　highness；　and　they　found　nothing。　Sitta　Nefysseh　was　considered　rich；　and　that　was　perhaps　her　crime；　or　will　your　highness　be　kind　enough　to　inform　us　if　Sitta　Nefysseh　is　accused　of　any　other　crime！〃

〃She　is；〃　replied　Cousrouf。　〃She　is　accused　of　the　most　shameful　of　all　crimes。　Her　kachef　attempted　to　corrupt　one　of　my　soldiers；　offering　him　double　pay　if　he　would　desert　to　the　army　of　the　rebellious　Mamelukes。〃

〃Is　that　proven；　highness　？〃　asked　the　sheik。

〃It　is　proven！　I　possess　written　proof　of　the　fact。　Here　it　is；　read　it　for　yourselves。　This　attempt　has　excited　the　just　wrath　of　my　good　soldiers。　Believe　it　was　in　order　to　protect　Sitta　Nefysseh　from　the　fury　of　my　soldiers　that　I　called　her　here。　I　repeat　it；　Sitta　Nefysseh；　Mourad　Bey's　widow；　has　endeavored　to　corrupt；　and　has　offered　my　soldiers　double　pay。　She　is　now　in　my　power；　and　I　will　punish　her；　yet；　I　will　be　mercifu