"
"Well said!" cried Achmed, and thereupon he ordered the chief mufti to
bring him the Alkoran which, in all moments of doubt, the Sultans were
wont to appeal to and consult by plunging a needle through its pages,
and then turning to the last leaf in which the marks of the needle-point
were visible. Whatever words on this last page happened to be pricked
were regarded as oracular and worthy of all obedience.
On every table in the council-chamber stood an Alkoran--ten copies in
one room. The binding of one of these copies was covered with diamonds.
This copy the Chief Mufti brought to the Sultan, and gave into his hands
the needle with which the august ceremony was to be accomplished.
Meanwhile Ibrahim glanced impatiently at the three magnificent clocks
standing in the room, one beside the other. They all pointed to a
quarter to twelve. It was already late, and this ceremony of the
pricking of the Koran always took up such a lot of time.
The Sultan opened the book at the last page, pricked through by the
needle, and these were the words he read:
"He who fears the sword will find the sword his enemy, and better a
rust-eaten sword in the hand than a brightly burnished one in a sheath."
"La illah il Allah! God is one!" said Achmed bowing his head and kissing
the words of the Alkoran. "Make ready my charger, 'tis the will of God."
The Kizlar-Aga returned with the news to Adsalis and the White Prince.
Even the pricking of the Koran had gone contrary to their plans.
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