mohammed ali and his house-第77部分

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ffered　my　soldiers　double　pay。　She　is　now　in　my　power；　and　I　will　punish　her；　yet；　I　will　be　merciful　on　your　account。　Let　her　do　as　she　offeredlet　her　give　my　soldiers　their　pay；　and　her　offence　shall　be　overlooked　this　time。〃

〃That　would　be　a　punishment　not　prescribed　by　law；〃　replied　the　sheik；　quietly。　〃If　Sitta　Nefysseh　is　really　guilty　of　the　crime　of　which　you　accuse　her；　she　is　indeed　very　culpable；　highness；　but　she　can　not　atone　for　it　with　money。　Her　guilt　must；　however；　be　proven；　and　it　devolves　upon　us；　the　representatives　of　public　justice；　to　consider　and　determine　whether　Sitta　Nefysseh　is　guilty　or　not。〃

〃Does　not　my　word　suffice？〃　cried　Cousrouf；　passionately。　〃I　tell　you　that　she　is　guilty；　that　I　have　proof　of　her　guilt；　and　I　declare　that　this　suffices。　I　repeat　what　I　have　said；　if　she　pays　my　soldiers　she　is　free。〃

〃That　does　not　suffice！〃　replied　the　sheik。　〃We　must　first　know　whether　Sitta　Nefysseh　confesses　herself　guilty。　In　accordance　with　the　law　and　with　your　permission；　highness；　let　two　of　the　sheiks　go　to　Sitta　Nefysseh　and　ask　her　if　she　confesses　herself　guilty；　and；　further；　what　she　has　to　say　in　her　defence。　This　is　just；　and　this　must　be　done。〃

〃Do　as　you　say。　Go　to　her。　But　her　own　declaration　of　her　innocence　will　not　suffice　for　me。　She　must　have　as　much　proof　of　her　innocence　as　I　have　of　her　guilt。　Go　to　Sitta　Nefysseh。　You　will　find　her　in　the　house　of　Sheik　Hesseyni。〃

With　a　profound　bow　the　sheiks　withdrew　from　the　viceroy's　apartment　and　repaired　to　the　house　of　Sheik　Hesseyni。

Sitta　Nefysseh　greeted　the　cadis　and　sheiks　with　profound　deference　and　perfect　composure。

〃I　see；〃　said　she；　gently；　〃you　believe　in　my　innocence；　and　know　that　Sitta　Nefysseh　is　guilty　of　no　crime；　and　has　been　unjustly　covered　with　shame。〃

〃We　well　know　that　you　have　committed　no　crime；〃　said　the　sheik。　〃The　viceroy；　however；　accuses　you　of　having　attempted　to　corrupt　his　soldiers　through　your　kachef；　tell　us；　is　this　true？〃

〃You　well　know　that　it　is　not　true！　Why　should　I　do　it；　and　how　could　I　be　so　foolish　as　to　attempt　such　a　thing？　I　give　you　my　word；　I　swear　by　the　memory　of　Mourad　Bey；　I　am　innocent　of　the　crime　of　which　I　am　accused。　I　have　not　attempted　to　corrupt　the　soldiers　of　Cousrouf　Pacha；　nor　have　I　authorized　my　kachef　to　do　so。　Believe　me；　I　speak　the　truth。　But；　tell　me；　was　that　all　the　viceroy　said？　I　think　I　see　through　his　plans；　and　understand　this　accusation。　Did　he　not　name　the　punishment　he　intended　to　inflict　on　me？〃

〃He　did。　You　are　to　he　set　at　liberty　as　soon　as　you　pay　his　soldierswhat　he　maintains　you　promisedtheir　double　pay。〃

〃Is　it　not　as　I　said？〃　cried　she；　in　derisive　tones。　〃Cousrouf　Pacha　wants　money！　He　has　heard　stories　of　my　wealth；　and　believes　me　rich；　and　now；　relying　on　a　woman's　timidity；　he　endeavors　to　extort　money　from　me。　He　wants　money；　and　therefore　makes　this　shameful　charge。　Go；　I　beg　you；　to　the　viceroy；　and　tell　him　Mourad's　widow　is　poor；　and　has　nothing　with　which　to　appease　his　rapacity。　Let　him　take　my　life　if　he　will。　I　am　innocent；　and　if　be　causes　me　to　be　put　to　death；　I　shall　charge　him　with　murder　at　Allah's　footstool！　I　have　nothing　else　to　give　him。　Let　him　deal　with　me　as　he　thinks　proper。〃

〃We　will　tell　him　all　you　say；　for　you　are　in　the　right；　Sitta　Nefysseh；〃　replied　the　sheik。　〃　And　if　you　possessed　all　the　wealth　of　Egypt；　with　the　millions　that　lie　buried　in　its　deserts；　you　would　be　justified　in　secreting　them　from　the　tyranny　and　fraud　that　seek　to　extort　from　you　your　property。　We　will　therefore　defend　you　to　the　best　of　our　ability。Come；　sheiks；　let　us　return　to　the　viceroy。〃

They　repaired　to　the　citadel；　and　told　the　viceroy　what　had　passed。

〃She　is　really　poor；　highness；〃　said　the　cadi。　〃She　declares　her　innocence。　She　does　not　possess　the　treasure　you　speak　of；　and　therefore　she　can　not　comply　with　your　demands。　Her　house　has　been　searched　through；　and；　as　you　are　aware；　nothing　has　been　found。〃

〃No；　nothing　has　been　found；〃　said　the　viceroy　to　himself；　stepping；　back　and　walking　thoughtfully　to　and　fro。　〃A　fearful　thought　occurs　to　me！　Mohammed　Ali　may　have　advised　me　to　take　this　step　with　an　evil　purpose；　seeking　my　destruction。　He　hates　me　in　his　heart！　I　was　a　fool　to　allow　myself　to　be　persuaded　to　stretch　out　my　hand　after　this　woman's　wealth。　But　I　will　be　avenged　on　Mohammed！　However；　having　once　embarked　in　this　undertaking；　I　will　at　least　endeavor　to　withdraw　from　it　creditably。　I　must　give　myself　the　appearance　of　still　believing　in　Sitta　Nefysseh's　guilt。〃

He　turned　to　the　sheiks；　who　were　awaiting　his　decision　in　respectful　silence。　In　haughty　terms　he　declined　to　admit　that　he　had　been　deceived；　and　that　Sitta　Nefysseh　was　innocent。

〃The　accused　must　be　punished！　〃　cried　Cousrouf；　in　loud　and　threatening　tones。

The　cadi　drew　himself　up　and　gazed　firmly　at　the　viceroy。

〃Highness；　our　patience　is　now　at　an　end。　We　have　sought　to　obtain　justice　by　peaceful　entreaties。　You　refuse　it；　and　your　refusal　is　an　insult　to　us；　the　servants　of　our　holy　religion；　and　the　representatives　of　the　people。　Here；　we　have　therefore　nothing　more　to　say　or　to　do。　Nothing　is　left　us　but　to　depart　and　repair　to　the　mosque　of　El…Azar；　where　the　head　of　the　martyr　Sel…Kosyn　is　buried。　There　we　will　gather　the　people　about　us　and　decide　as　justice　shall　require。Come；　ye　sheiks；　let　us　go　to　the　mosque！〃

〃Do　so！〃　cried　Cousrouf；　haughtily。　〃But；　let　me　tell　you　this：　if　you　excite　the　people　to　revolt；　my　cannon　shall　thunder　among　you！　You　will　be　responsible　for　the　consequences。〃

They　made　no　reply；　but　turned　and　left　the　apartment。




CHAPTER　VII

MONEY！　PAY！


Without　in　the　vestibule　they　met　Mustapha；　the　guardian　of　the　revenues　of　the　holy　temple　of　Mecca。　Beside　him　stood　several　of　the　leading　citizens　of　Cairo。　They　had　come　to　settle　amicably；　if　possible；　the　grave　difficulty　between　the　viceroy　and　the　sheiks。

〃Do　not　let　it　come　to　extremes；　cadi；〃　said　the　oualy；　in　warning　tones。　〃You　know　the　viceroy　is　very　powerful；　and　his　fierce　soldiers　take　delight　in　slaughter。〃

〃No；　do　not　let　it　come　to　extremes；〃　said　the　others；　joining　in　his　entreaty。　〃Consider　that　they　are　strong；　and　we　are　weak。〃

〃No　we　are　strong；　for　we　are　in　the　right；〃　said　the　cadi。　〃We　cannot　allow　justice　to　be　set　at　defiance；　and　the　noblest　of　the　women　of　Cairo　to　be　shamefully　insulted。　The　people　look　to　us；　their　representatives；　to　protect　them；　and　woe　to　us　if　we　fail　to　discharge　our　duty！　Come；　let　us　to　the　mosque；　and　there　render　to　the　people　an　account　of　what　we　have　done。〃

〃Do　this　at　your　peril！〃　cried　Mustapha。　〃O　cadi；　the　viceroy　is　resolute　and　defies　us　with　his　troops。　Let　me　at　least　make　an　attempt　to　settle　the　matter　peaceably。〃

〃Let　him　do　so；〃　cried　the　others。　At　last；　the　cadi　consented　to　wait　until　the　oualy　should　have　seen　the　viceroy。

〃If　he　liberates　Sitta　Nefysseh；　and　allows　you　to　conduct　her　through　the　streets；　will　you　be　satisfied？〃

〃Not　satisfied；　but　we　will　demand　nothing　more；〃　said　the　cadi；　〃although　the　viceroy　should　be　required　to　confess；　publicly；　that　the　accusation　is　unjust。〃

〃That　is　too　much。　This　the　viceroy　cannot　and　will　not　do；〃　cried　the　oualy。　〃Be　contented　if　he　sets　the　Sitta　at　liberty；　and　allows　you　to　show　her　to　the　people。〃

〃But　we　demand；　in　addition；〃　said　the　cadi；　〃that　he　with　draw　his　police　from　her　house。〃

〃That　he　has　already　done；〃　said　the　oualy；　smiling。　〃Not　finding　what　they　sought；　the　soldiers　have　quietly　with　drawn。〃

〃Then　I　shall　go　at　once　to　the　viceroy；　and　endeavor　to　soften　his　severity；〃　cried　Mustapha　Aga。　〃Await　my　return　here。〃

Mustapha　hastened　to　the　viceroy's　apartment。　In　a　few　minutes　he　returned；　his　countenance　radiant　with　delight。

〃Ye　men；　the　viceroy　has　graciously　accorded　what　we　demand；　and　you　are　to　conduct　the　Sitta　in　triumph　through　the　city。　What；　cadi！　you　receive　this　intelligence　calmly　and　gloomily？〃

〃The　times　are　gloomy　and　lowering；〃　said　the　cadi。　〃That　the　viceroy　sets　the　Sitta　at　liberty　proves　only　that　he　had　no　right　to　arrest　her；　and　that　the　viceroy　does　right　or　wrong　at　his　own　pleasure。　That　saddens　me。　Come；　let　us　go　after　Sitta　Nefysseh。〃

〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　Mustapha。　〃The　viceroy　annexes　a　little　condition　to　his　consent。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　said　the　cadi；　quietly。

〃The　viceroy　requires　that　the　Sitta　shall　not　return　to　her　house；　as　he　has　been　informed　that　she　often　receives　the　visits　of　the　Mameluke　chieftains　there。　Her　house　is　in　the　outskirts　of　the　city；　and　it　is　difficult　to　observe　those　who　enter　and　leave　it。　It　is　peculiarly　accessible　to　the　enemy；　and　the　viceroy　therefore　requires　that　Sitta　Nefysseh　shall　no　longer　reside　there；　but　in　the　house　of　Sheik　Sadat。　She　cannot　refuse　to　do　this。〃

〃And　she　will　not；〃　said　Sheik　Sadat。　〃No；　she　will　not　refuse　to　honor　the　abode　of　her　old　friend　with　her　presence。　Come；　let　us　go。〃

They　then　repaired　at　once　to　the　house　of　Sheik　Hesseyni；　who；　already　informed　of　what　had　taken　place；　came　forward　to　meet　them；　leading　Sitta　Nefysseh。　She　extended　her　hand　to　the　cadi；　and　then　turned　to　Sadat：

〃Will　you　receive　me　into　your　dwelling？　Will　you　extend　your　hospitality　to　the　poor　woman　who　has　been　driven　from　her　own　home？〃

〃Welcome　to　my　house；　Sitta！〃　cried　Sadat。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　with　you　my　noble　friend　Mourad　Bey　will　also　cross　my　threshold　once　more。　Your　presence　in　my　humble　house　will　do　me　great　honor。　How　delighted　my　wives　will　be　to　receive　you！〃

The　people　had　again　assembled　in　front　of　the　gates　of　the　citadel。　As　these　were　now　opened；　and　Sitta　Nefysseh　appeared　coming　toward　them　in　the　midst　of　her　escort；　the　people　recognized　her　queenly　figure　and　bearing；　although　her　face　was　veiled。　Shouts　of　delight　rent　the　air。　〃Long　live　Sitta　Nefysseh；　and　the　cadi！　Praised　be　Allah　that　we　have　a　cadi　who　enforces　our　rights！〃　‘　Cousrouf　sat　on　his　divan　in　his　apartment。　He　heard　this　cry；　and　muttered　between　his　teeth；　〃These　rebels　shall　pay　for　this！〃

The　shouting　populace　conducted　Sitta　Nefysseh　in　triumph　through　the　streets。　The　cadi　was　loudly　applauded；　and　the　viceroy　d