mohammed ali and his house-第82部分

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The　victors　have　decided　to　send　Cousrouf　a　prisoner　to　Cairo；　to　the　citadel　where　he　once　sat　enthroned。

Mohammed　entered　the　apartment　in　a　half…burned　house　of　Damietta　in　which　Cousrouf　was　confined。　None　else　is　in　the　room。　Without；　the　sentinel　is　pacing　to　and　fro；　and　in　an　adjoining　room　lie　two　Nubian　slaves　who　have　remained　faithful　to　their　master；　wounded　and　exhausted　by　loss　of　blood。

Cousrouf　sees　Mohammed　enter；　and　a　groan　escapes　his　breast；　involuntarily　he　carries　his　hand　to　his　belt。　He　is　unarmed！　He　cannot　hurl　himself　upon　him；　and　in　his　downfall　destroy　him　also。

Mohammed　stands　before　him；　armed；　his　eyes　fixed　on　him　in　a　hard；　cruel　gaze。　Cousrouf　feels　this；　glance；　and　knows　that　his　enemy　rejoices　in　his　humiliation。　For　a　long　time　no　word　is　spoken。　At　last　Cousrouf　raises　his　eyes　and　endeavors　to　look　his　enemy　in　the　face；　but　he　cannot。　So　terrible；　so　threatening　is　his　expression；　that　Cousrouf　shudders。　It　seems　to　him　at　this　moment　that　an　avenging　angel　stands　before　him；　and　the　viceroy；　usually　so　haughty　and　overbearing；　feels　humiliated　and　helpless。

〃Cousrouf　Pacha；〃　said　Mohammed；　after　a　long　pause；　〃look　at　me！　I　have　long　worn　a　mask；　you　placed　it　on　my　countenance；　and　I　allowed　you　to　do　so；　and　awaited　my　time。　Cousrouf　Pacha；　raise　your　eyes　and　look　at　me！　I　no　longer　wear　a　mask！〃

Cousrouf　looked　up　at　him；　and　now　his　glance　was　firm；　and　his　countenance　composed。

〃　I　see；　Mohammed　Ali；　sarechsme　by　my　grace；　I　see　that　you　now　wear　a　mask。　He　who　now　stands　before　me　is　hardly　a　human　being；　but　the　mere　embodiment　of　hatredenvy　and　hatred　personified。〃

〃You　mistake；　Cousrouf；〃　replied　Mohammed　in　haughty　tones。　〃Not　envy　and　hatred；　but　vengeance　personified。　Cousrouf；　I　have　awaited　this　hour　for　thirteen　years。　Am　I　not　to　enjoy　it　now？　Do　you　think　I　would　relinquish　it　for　all　the　wealth　and　power　of　the　world？〃

〃I　know　you　would　not；〃　replied　Cousrouf；　quietly。　〃Yet　you　would　give　all　these　thirteen　years　of　falsehood　and　trickery；　of　cunning　flattery；　yes；　you　would　give　the　miserable　triumph　of　this　hour　for　a　single　smile　of　the　slave　to　whom　I　awarded　merited　punishment。　Ah；　Mohammed　Ali；　you　fancied　yourself　the　victor。　I　am　he！　This　your　thirst　for　vengeance　proclaims。　It　tells　me　that　the　wound　in　your　heart　still　burns。　And　who　gave　you　this　wound？　I；　Cousrouf　Pacha；　and　therefore　do　you　seek　vengeance　on　me。　The　wound　still　bleeds；　and　I　am　triumphant！　Yes；　I　am　the　victor。　You　should　see　your　own　countenance　at　this　moment；　now；　you　are　not　vengeance　and　hatred；　but　misery；　personified。　Let　me　in　conclusion　proclaim　this：　Masa　is　dead；　and　I　slew　Masa。　Slay　me；　her　murderer。　But　dying；　I　shall　cry　exultingly：　'Your　wound　still　bleeds；　and　I　am　victor！　Masa　is　dead；　here　stands　her　slayer；　slay　him！'〃

For　a　moment　Mohammed　was　silent；　a　deathly　pallor　had　overspread　his　countenance；　and　his　eyes　gleamed　fiercely。　He　grasped　the　dagger　in　his　girdle；　drew　it　from　its　sheath；　and　raised　it　high　in　his　right　hand。

Cousrouf　gazed　at　him　with　a　triumphant　expression。

He　wished　for　death；　he　longed　for　it　after　his　fearful　overthrow。

Perhaps　Mohammed　read　this　in　his　glance。　His　arm　sank　slowly　to　his　side；　and　he　replaced　the　dagger　in　its　sheath。

〃Cousrouf　Pacha；　you　desire　death；　but　you　shall　not　die。　You　shall　live　to　learn　that　the　wound　in　my　heart　no　longer　bleeds；　that　it　is　healed。　If　it　were　not　so；　by　Allah；　you；　the　murderer　of　Masa；　were　already　dead！　Do　you　hear　me？　I　pronounce　the　name　I　have　not　spoken　for　many　years　the　name　Masa！　You　were　her　murderer；　not　her　judge！　You　were　not　her　master；　she　was　not　your　slave。　Her　death　was　not　lawful；　you　could　not　condemn　her；　and　therefore　do　I　call　you　a　common　murderer。　I　know　that　murderers　are　slain；　that　blood　is　atoned　for　by　blood。　This　punishment　the　heart　dictates；　and　this　punishment　the　law　of　the　land　prescribes。　But　this　punishment　were　too　mild　for　you；　Cousrouf　Pacha。　I　will　not　slay　you；　you　shall　suffer　shame　and　humiliation；　you　shall　drink　the　cup　of　bitterness　and　disgrace　to　the　very　dregs。　I　will　take　you　to　Cairo；　and　there　in　the　citadel　you　shall　await　my　last　act　of　revenge。〃

〃You　threaten　me；〃　said　Cousrouf；　quietly。〃　What　evil　can　you　add　to　that　already　inflicted？　I　do　not　fear　your　threat；　and　I　shall　not　feel　humiliated　at　being　led　a　prisoner　into　the　citadel；　where　I　once　ruled　your　master；　and　where　Mohammed　Ali；　the　sarechsme　by　my　grace；　so　often　knelt　in　the　dust　before　me。　I　have　been　vanquished　in　honorable　warfare；　and　in　a　just　cause；　and　though　you；　the　victor；　triumph　over；　I　shall　still　remain；　your　lawful　master！〃

〃Prove　this　to　the　people　of　Cairo；　see　whether　you　will　be　recognized　as　master　there；　whether　those　who　formerly　flattered　you　will　now　raise　a　finger　to　liberate　you；　or　restore　you　to　the　throne。　And　when　you　find　that　they　will　not；　then　remember；　Cousrouf　Pachathat；　too；　is　a　part　of　Mohammed　Ali's　revengehad　I　slain　you；　all　your　sufferings　would　have　been　at　an　end！　But　you　shall　live　and　suffer　for　many　a　long　year　to　come！　For　Cousrouf　Pacha　caused　Mohammed　Ali　to　suffer　for　long　years。　Then　suffer；　Cousrouf；　and；　let　me　tell　you；　from　this　hour　I　shall　suffer　no　longerfrom　this　hour　my　wounds　are　healed；　for　your　wounds　bleed。　And　now　go　to　Cairo　humiliated；　covered　with　disgrace；　the　prisoner　of　Mohammed　Ali！〃




CHAPTER　X

THE　RETURN　TO　CAIRO。


Joy　and　exultation　reign　in　Cairo。　The　united　forces　of　the　Mamelukes；　Albanians；　and　Armenians；　have　returned　home　crowned　with　victory。　Damietta　and　Rosetta　have　fallen；　and　the　Turks　have　everywhere　retreated；　a　miserable　remnant　only　have　found　safety　in　Alexandria；　where　Courschid　Pacha　rules。

The　people　throng　the　streets　to　witness　the　grand　entrance　of　the　victorious　troops。

There；　at　the　head　of　four　thousand　Mamelukes；　surrounded　by　a　body　of　beys　and　kachefs；　comes　Osman　Bey　Bardissi；　the　hero　of　so　many　battles。　How　sparkling　his　eyes；　how　radiant　the　smile　with　which　he　greets　the　populace　that　hails　him　with　shouts　of　enthusiasm！

He　passes　by；　and　now　come　the　Albanians　and　Armenians。　At　their　head　rides　the　sarechsme；　Mohammed　Ali；　around　him　his　bim　bashis；　in　their　glittering　uniforms。　But　who　is　it　that　rides　beside　him　on　the　splendidly…caparisoned　asswho　is　the　man　in　the　long　green　caftan；　trimmed　with　fur；　the　green　turban　on　his　head　adorned　with　its　glittering　crescent？　He　is　unarmed；　and　yet　he　rides　beside　the　sarechsme。　His　countenance　is　pale；　and　his　lips　are　firmly　compressed；　as　if　to　keep　back　a　cry　of　rage　that　struggles　for　utterance。　Who　is　this　man？　Can　it　be　Cousrouf　Pacha？　Yes；　it　is　he；　the　viceroy；　the　prisoner　given　to　Mohammed　Ali　by　Bardissi。　In　his　magnanimity　Mohammed　had　grasped　Bardissi's　arm；　uplifted　for　the　deadly　stroke；　and　had　thus　saved　his　enemy's　life。　And　now　he　generously　allows　the　man　whose　life　he　has　saved　to　ride　into　Cairo　at　his　side。　The　people　relate　this　to　each　other；　and　are　loud　in　their　praises　of　the　sarechsme's　magnanimity。

Was　it　magnanimity？　Ask　Cousrouf；　who　feels　that　the　favor　shown　him　by　his　enemy　is　worse　than　death；　who　feels　with　anguish　that　he　is　merely　an　object　of　contempt；　while　the　air　resounds　with　the　people's　enthusiastic　greeting　to　the　accursed　Mohammed　Ali。　Him　the　people　had　never　saluted　thus；　upon　his　head　the　sheiks　and　cadis　had　never　invoked　Allah's　blessing。

Now　the　citadel　looms　up　before　them；　the　sarechsme's　countenance　is　radiant；　smilingly　he　turns　to　Cousrouf。

〃I　take　pleasure；　highness；　in　conducting　you　to　the　citadel。　You　fled　in　the　darkness　of　night；　I　conduct　you　back　in　the　broad　light　of　day；　and　wish　you　a　pleasant　sojourn　in　your　palace。　I　regret；　however；　that　you　are　not　to　reside　there　entirely　alone。　The　great　Mameluke　Bey；　Ismail；　now　resides　there；　and　but　few　apartments　remain　unoccupied。　With　these　few　you　will　therefore　have　to　content　yourself。〃

〃I　should　be　contented　with　the　smallest　room；　though　it　lay　beneath　the　earth；　could　I　be　spared　your　presence；　traitor！　〃　mutters　Cousrouf。

〃Spared　my　presence！〃　cries　Mohammed　Ali。　〃Consider；　highness；　that　I　alone　am　to　amuse　and　entertain　you。　With　me　alone　can　you　converse；　and　recall　fond　recollections　of　the　past；　and　I　shall　therefore　not　fail　to　wait　on　your　highness　right　often。　And　now；　highness；　ride　in　advance　and　enter　the　palace　first；　as　the　master　should。〃

He　draws　rein　as　they　reach　the　gateway；　and　gives　the　ass　on　which　Cousrouf　is　mounted　a　blow　with　the　flat　of　his　sword；　that　causes　it　to　rush　into　the　court…yard　with　a　succession　of　quick　bounds。　The　soldiers　standing　around　laugh　loudly。　And　this　laughter　makes　Cousrouf's　cheeks　red　with　shame；　and　sends　tears　to　his　eyes；　tears　of　rage。

Several　of　Ismail　Bey's　Mamelukes　now　approach；　and　lift　Cousrouf　from　the　saddle　and　lead　him　into　the　house。　Mohammed　seems　to　have　forgotten　him；　let　Ismail　Bey　take　care　of　him。　To　him　Mohammed　intrusts　the　keeping　of　his　prisoner。

〃He　belongs　to　me；　Ismail；　to　me　alone；　I　only　intrust　my　prisoner　to　you　for　safe　keeping。〃

He　is　conducted　to　the　upper　chambers　of　the　citadel；　there　let　his　thoughts　prey　on　the　memory　of　her　he　murdered；　and　of　him　who　avenges　her！

The　houses　of　Cairo　are　adorned　with　carpets　and　flowers；　and　laughter　and　merry…making　are　the　order　of　the　day。

The　house　of　Mourad's　widow　also　shows　signs　of　life　with…in；　to…　day。　Sitta　Nefysseh　has　returned　to　her　home　after　a　long　sojourn　in　the　house　of　Sheik　Sadat。　The　doors　of　her　house　and　the　park…gate　are　again　thrown　open。　Sitta　Nefysseh　is　at　home；　she　sits　behind　the　golden　lattice…work　of　her　window　and　gazes　out　into　the　street。　Why　does　her　heart　throb　so　wildly？　Is　Sitta　Nefysseh　awaiting　any　one？

A　long　array　of　richly…attired　officers　passes　by。　Sitta　Nefysseh　gazes　at　them　intently；　her　heart　still　throbbing　wildly。　Suddenly　she　utters　a　low　cry；　and　with　closed　eyes　reels　back　from　the　window。　It　is　heyes；　she　has　seen　him；　the　young　Mameluke　bey；　galloping　toward　her　house　on　his　proud　steed；　followed　by　a　body　of　Mamelukes。　She　hears　him　stop　before　the　door；　and　she　knows　that　he　is　coming。

Her　countenance　radiant　with　delight；　s