Sultan Achmed did not lie down all night
long, but wandered about from room to room, impatiently inquiring after
news outside. He asked whether anyone had come from the host to his
assistance? whether the people were assembling beneath the Sacred Green
Banner? and the cold sweat stood out upon his forehead when, in reply to
all his questions, he only received one crushing answer after another.
The watchers placed on the roof of the palace signified that the bivouac
fires of the insurgents were now much nearer than they had been the
night before, and that in the direction of Scutari not a single
watch-fire was visible, from which it might be suspected that the army
had broken up its camp, returned to Stambul, and made common cause with
the insurgents.
Achmed himself ascended to the roof to persuade himself of the truth of
these assertions, and wandered in a speechless agony of grief from
apartment to apartment, constantly looking to see whether the Kiaja,
the Kapudan, and the Grand Vizier were asleep or awake. Only the Kapudan
Pasha was able to sleep at all. The Kiaja was all of an ague with
apprehension, and the Grand Vizier was praying, not for himself indeed,
but for the Sultan. At last even the Kapudan was sorry for the Sultan
who was so much distressed on their account.
"Why dost thou keep waking us so often, oh, my master?" said he, "we are
still alive as thou seest. Go and sleep in thy harem and trouble not thy
soul about us any more, it is only the rebels who have to do with us
now.
Pages:
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135