ali pacha-第10节

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ught　refuge　at　his　feet。　Ali；　astonished；　asked　who　she　was。　　She　answered　with　a　look　of　mingled　innocence　and　terror；　kissing　his　hands；　which　she　bathed　with　tears；　and　said：

〃O　my　lord！　　I　implore　thee　to　intercede　with　the　terrible　vizier　Ali　for　my　mother　and　brothers。　　My　father　is　dead；　behold　where　he　hangs　at　the　door　of　our　cottage！　　But　we　have　done　nothing　to　rouse　the　anger　of　our　dreadful　master。　　My　mother　is　a　poor　woman　who　never　offended　anyone；　and　we　are　only　weak　children。　　Save　us　from　him！〃

Touched　in　spite　of　himself；　the　pacha　took　the　girl　in　his　arms；　and　answered　her　with　a　gentle　smile。

〃Thou　hast　come　to　the　wrong　man；　child：　I　am　this　terrible　vizier。〃

〃Oh　no；　no！　　you　are　good；　you　will　be　our　good　lord。〃

〃Well；　be　comforted；　my　child；　and　show　me　thy　mother　and　thy　brothers；　they　shall　be　spared。　　Thou　hast　saved　their　lives。〃

And　as　she　knelt　at　his　feet；　overcome　with　joy；　he　raised　her　and　asked　her　name。

〃Basilessa；〃　she　replied。

〃Basilessa；　Queen！　　it　is　a　name　of　good　augury。　　Basilessa；　thou　shalt　dwell　with　me　henceforth。〃

And　he　collected　the　members　of　her　family；　and　gave　orders　for　them　to　be　sent　to　Janina　in　company　with　the　maiden；　who　repaid　his　mercy　with　boundless　love　and　devotion。

Let　us　mention　one　trait　of　gratitude　shown　by　Ali　at　the　end　of　this　expedition；　and　his　record　of　good　deeds　is　then　closed。　　Compelled　by　a　storm　to　take　refuge　in　a　miserable　hamlet；　he　inquired　its　name；　and　on　hearing　it　appeared　surprised　and　thoughtful；　as　if　trying　to　recall　lost　memories。　　Suddenly　he　asked　if　a　woman　named　Nouza　dwelt　in　the　village；　and　was　told　there　was　an　old　infirm　woman　of　that　name　in　great　poverty。　　He　ordered　her　to　be　brought　before　him。　　She　came　and　prostrated　herself　in　terror。　　Ali　raised　her　kindly。

〃Dost　thou　not　know　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Have　mercy；　great　Vizier；〃　answered　the　poor　woman；　who；　having　nothing　to　lose　but　her　life；　imagined　that　even　that　would　be　taken　from　her。

〃I　see；〃　said　the　pacha；　〃that　if　thou　knowest　me；　thou　dost　not　really　recognise　me。〃

The　woman　looked　at　him　wonderingly；　not　understanding　his　words　in　the　least。

〃Dost　thou　remember；〃　continued　Ali；　〃that　forty　years　ago　a　young　man　asked　for　shelter　from　the　foes　who　pursued　him？　　Without　inquiring　his　name　or　standing；　thou　didst　hide　him　in　thy　humble　house；　and　dressed　his　wounds；　and　shared　thy　scanty　food　with　him；　and　when　he　was　able　to　go　forward　thou　didst　stand　on　thy　threshold　to　wish　him　good　luck　and　success。　　Thy　wishes　were　heard；　for　the　young　man　was　Ali　Tepeleni；　and　I　who　speak　am　he！〃

The　old　woman　stood　overwhelmed　with　astonishment。　　She　departed　calling　down　blessings　on　the　pasha；　who　assured　her　a　pension　of　fifteen　hundred　francs　for　the　rest　of　her　days。

But　these　two　good　actions　are　only　flashes　of　light　illuminating　the　dark　horizon　of　Ali's　life　for　a　brief　moment。　　Returned　to　Janina；　he　resumed　his　tyranny；　his　intrigues；　and　cruelty。　　Not　content　with　the　vast　territory　which　owned　his　sway；　he　again　invaded　that　of　his　neighbours　on　every　pretext。　　Phocis；　Mtolia；　Acarnania；　were　by　turns　occupied　by　his　troops；　the　country　ravaged；　and　the　inhabitants　decimated。　　At　the　same　time　he　compelled　Ibrahim　Pacha　to　surrender　his　last　remaining　daughter；　and　give　her　in　marriage　to　his　nephew；　Aden　Bey；　the　son　of　Chainitza。　　This　new　alliance　with　a　family　he　had　so　often　attacked　and　despoiled　gave　him　fresh　arms　against　it；　whether　by　being　enabled　better　to　watch　the　pasha's　sons；　or　to　entice　them　into　some　snare　with　greater　ease。

Whilst　he　thus　married　his　nephew；　he　did　not　neglect　the　advancement　of　his　sons。　　By　the　aid　of　the　French　Ambassador；　whom　he　had　convinced　of　his　devotion　to　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　he　succeeded　in　getting　the　pachalik　of　Morea　bestowed　on　Veli；　and　that　of　Lepanto　on　Mouktar。　　But　as　in　placing　his　sons　in　these　exalted　positions　his　only　aim　was　to　aggrandise　and　consolidate　his　own　power；　he　himself　ordered　their　retinues；　giving　them　officers　of　his　own　choosing。　　When　they　departed　to　their　governments；　he　kept　their　wives；　their　children；　and　even　their　furniture　as　pledges；　saying　that　they　ought　not　to　be　encumbered　with　domestic　establishments　in　time　of　war；　Turkey　just　then　being　at　open　war　with　England。　　He　also　made　use　of　this　opportunity　to　get　rid　of　people　who　displeased　him；　among　others；　of　a　certain　Ismail　Pacho　Bey；　who　had　been　alternately　both　tool　and　enemy；　whom　he　made　secretary　to　his　son　Veli；　professedly　as　a　pledge　of　reconciliation　and　favour；　but　really　in　order　to　despoil　him　more　easily　of　the　considerable　property　which　he　possessed　at　Janina。　　Pacho　was　not　deceived；　and　showed　his　resentment　openly。　　〃The　wretch　banishes　me；〃　he　cried；　pointing　out　Ali；　who　was　sitting　at　a　window　in　the　palace；　〃he　sends　me　away　in　order　to　rob　me；　but　I　will　avenge　myself　whatever　happens；　and　I　shall　die　content　if　I　can　procure　his　destruction　at　the　price　of　my　own。〃

Continually　increasing　his　power；　Ali　endeavoured　to　consolidate　it　permanently。　　He　had　entered　by　degrees　into　secret　negotiations　with　all　the　great　powers　of　Europe；　hoping　in　the　end　to　make　himself　independent；　and　to　obtain　recognition　as　Prince　of　Greece。　　A　mysterious　and　unforeseen　incident　betrayed　this　to　the　Porte；　and　furnished　actual　proofs　of　his　treason　in　letters　confirmed　by　Ali's　own　seal。　　The　Sultan　Selim　immediately；　sent　to　Janina　a　〃　kapidgi…bachi；〃　or　plenipotentiary；　to　examine　into　the　case　and　try　the　delinquent。

Arrived　at　Janina；　this　officer　placed　before　Ali　the　proofs　of　his　understanding　with　the　enemies　of　the　State。　　Ali　was　not　strong　enough　to　throw　off　the　mask；　and　yet　could　not　deny　such　overwhelming　evidence。　　He　determined　to　obtain　time。

〃No　wonder；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　appear　guilty　in　the　eyes　of　His　Highness。　　This　seal　is；　certainly　mine；　I　cannot　deny　it；　but　the　writing　is　not　that　of　my　secretaries；　and　the　seal　must　have　been　obtained　and　used　to　sign　these　guilty　letters　in　order　to　ruin　me。　I　pray　you　to　grant　me　a　few　days　in　order　to　clear　up　this　iniquitous　mystery；　which　compromises　me　in　the　eyes　of　my　master　the　sultan　and　of　all　good　Mahommedans。　　May　Allah　grant　me　the　means　of　proving　my　innocence；　which　is　as　pure　as　the　rays　of　the　sun；　although　everything　seems　against　me！〃

After　this　conference；　Ali；　pretending　to　be　engaged　in　a　secret　inquiry；　considered　how　he　could　legally　escape　from　this　predicament。　　He　spent　some　days　in　making　plans　which　were　given　up　as　soon　as　formed；　until　his　fertile　genius　at　length　suggested　a　means　of　getting　clear　of　one　of　the　greatest　difficulties　in　which　he　had　ever　found　himself。　　Sending　for　a　Greek　whom　he　had　often　employed；　he　addressed　him　thus：

〃Thou　knowest　I　have　always　shown　thee　favour；　and　the　day　is　arrived　when　thy　fortune　shall　be　made。　　Henceforth　thou　shalt　be　as　my　son；　thy　children　shall　be　as　mine；　my　house　shall　be　thy　home；　and　in　return　for　my　benefits　I　require　one　small　service。　　This　accursed　kapidgi…bachi　has　come　hither　bringing　certain　papers　signed　with　my　seal；　intending　to　use　them　to　my　discredit；　and　thus　to　extort　money　from　me。　　Of　money　I　have　already　given　too　much；　and　I　intend　this　time　to　escape　without　being　plundered　except　for　the　sake　of　a　good　servant　like　thee。　　Therefore；　my　son；　thou　shalt　go　before　the　tribunal　when　I　tell　thee；　and　declare　before　this　kapidgi…bachi　and　the　cadi　that　thou　hast　written　these　letters　attributed　to　me；　and　that　thou　didst　seal　them　with　my　seal；　in　order　to　give　them　due　weight　and　importance。〃

The　unhappy　Greek　grew　pale　and　strove　to　answer。

〃What　fearest　thou；　my　son？〃　resumed　Ali。　　〃Speak；　am　I　not　thy　good　master？　　Thou　wilt　be　sure　of　my　lasting　favour；　and　who　is　there　to　dread　when　I　protect　thee？　　Is　it　the　kapidgi…bachi？　he　has　no　authority　here。　　I　have　thrown　twenty　as　good　as　he　into　the　lake！　If　more　is　required　to　reassure　thee；　I　swear　by　the　Prophet；　by　my　own　and　my　sons'　heads；　that　no　harm　shall　come　to　thee　from　him。　　Be　ready；　then；　to　do　as　I　tell　thee；　and　beware　of　mentioning　this　matter　to　anyone；　in　order　that　all　may　be　accomplished　according　to　our　mutual　wishes。〃

More　terrified　by　dread　of　the　pacha；　from　whose　wrath　in　case　of　refusal　there　was　no　chance　of　escape；　than　tempted　by　his　promises；　the　Greek　undertook　the　false　swearing　required。　　Ali；　delighted；　dismissed　him　with　a　thousand　assurances　of　protection；　and　then　requested　the　presence　of　the　sultan's　envoy；　to　whom　he　said；　with　much　emotion：

〃I　have　at　length　unravelled　the　infernal　plot　laid　against　me；　it　is　the　work　of　a　man　in　the　pay　of　the　implacable　enemies　of　the　Sublime　Porte；　and　who　is　a　Russian　agent。　　He　is　in　my　power；　and　I　have　given　him　hopes　of　pardon　on　condition　of　full　confession。　　Will　you　then　summon　the　cadi；　the　judges　and　ecclesiastics　of　the　town；　in　order　that　they　may　hear　the　guilty　man's　deposition；　and　that　the　light　of　truth　may　purify　their　minds？〃

〃The　tribunal　was　soon　assembled；　and　the　trembling　Greek　appeared　in　the　midst　of　a　solemn　silence。　　〃Knowest　thou　this　writing？〃　demanded　the　cadi。〃It　is　mine。〃〃And　this　seal？〃〃It　is　that　of　my　master；　Al