Halil the Pedlar

the Kapudan Pasha had succeeded in hitting upon a dodge which the most famous garden

ery waist and middle of autumn, and then to get the tulip-bulbs

r it falls on the desert, tiny oases, full of flowers and verdure, immediately spring up amidst the burning, drifting sand-hills, and burnt and pulverized black marble which is only to be found in the Dead Mountains. A judicious intermingling of this mixture produces a soft, porous, and exceedingly

bulbs well covered with it, adding continually layers of fresh snow as the first layers melted, so that the hoodwinked tulips really believed it was now winter; and when to

sulmans had triumphed, or after fortresses which their arms had captured. Then, however, the Kapudan Pasha was obliged to go to sea an

udan Pasha's gardeners came to him with the joyful intelligence that B

n the point of blooming, and he would be unable to see it. How he would

lf. The day of rest appointed for the morrow permitted the Kapudan Pasha to get himself rowed across to h

m! All four of them, yes, a

e pale green on the lower were rose-coloured on the upper surface, and those of th

ves, with yellow edges, symbolized, perhaps, the fifteen hundred Venet

all round it; moreover, the green stripes passed into red, and the rose ones into liver-colour, and a bright yellow str

d from the garden of the Dalai Lama. It was snow-white, without the slightest nuance of any ot

was enraptured by

alty, perhaps even Egypt, who could tell. He therefore ordered that costly china vases should be brought to him in wh

th mould, a breathless bostanji came rushing towards him at full speed, quite out of b

ickly, for all Stambu

s, you blockhead; don't you see that

e a man to death, Mashallah! he will rise no more. Hasten,

he had raised with both hands, in the porcelain vase, and pressed the e

, my son?" he then

Stambul have ri

people? Do you mean the cobblers, the h

y have all ris

there directly and t

tinguish the burning city with this wa

m to four bostanjis, bidding them carry the flowers through the canal to the Sultan's palace at Scutari, while he had his horse saddl

to Stambul as death awaited him there. At this the Kapudan Pasha simply shrugged his shoulders. What an idea! To be frightened of an army of bakers and cobblers indeed! It was sheer nonsense, so he tried to persuade the Kiaja to turn back again

ja was making a very considerable detour, while he himself was taking the direct road straight

hortly," he cried by w

e Kiaja to himself as he raced away again, while

Reis-Effendi, on whose walls were inscribed in

o the Ch

the Gran

the Kapu

o the Ki

ome softa or other, for cobblers and tailors cannot write of course. Not

hem a mounted trumpeter with one of those large Turkish field-horns which are audible a mile off, a

as thus addressing the

, lay aside his handiwork, and assemble in the piazza; those of you, however, who are bakers of bread or sellers of flesh, keep your shops open, for whosoever resists this decree his shop will be treated as common booty. As for t

e upon the crier, and snatching the horn from his hand hit him a blow with it on the back, whic

a Giaour of the Hungarian race that I might be able to heap upon you all the curses and reproaches that your conduct deserves, ye dogs! What do you want then? Have you not enough to eat? Do you want war because you are tired of peace? War, indeed, though you would take good care to keep out of it. To remain

ch dispersed in terror before him, and with proud self-satisfaction the Kapudan Pasha saw how the pe

ew a long blast in the captured horn, and addressed some well-chosen remar

he Bezesztan, where

s are itching?-or perhaps you are tired of having ears and noses? Open all your shop-doors this instant,

terror, began to take dow

alloped off towa

word could be heard for the fearful din, which completely drowned the voices of a few stump-orat

the horn blown by the Kapudan Pasha dominated th

, Abdi addressed them

might fall upon you!-would that these houses might bury you!-would that ye might turn into four-footed beasts who can do nothing but bark! Lower your heads, ye wretched creatures, and go and hide yourselves behind your mud-walls! And let not a single

way before him, and made a way for his prancing steed. Halil was not there, ha

rough the ranks of the rioters, and so at

ary regiment had been erected in the midst of the camp. They had been taken by for

ctedly that they were only aware of his

n your w

ere? Not one of them dared to draw a sword against him, yet not one of the

azza. Abdi Pasha rode straight towards it. The Janissaries rem

amongst them, and anticipating th

on!" said Abdi with all th

e to answer articulately, but he shook his head by

ried Abdi once more, sternly regard

simply proceeded to wind

r the third time, with a voice of thund

the mud-stained end which had been sticking i

ttle fighting against the Giaours, for you deserve to have a glorious name; but don't ask me for thi

ped to their feet and, drawing their swords, for

rave Janissaries," observ

y for you, famou

ore him everywhere as he advanced; but it also did not escape him tha

rce of arms," he said to himself as away he rode throug

painted in the most alarming colours by the fugitive Kiaja and the Janissary Aga, the Sultan had called together the g

e had held a long deliberation with

was now pre

the foe. If it were found possible to unite with Abdullah Pasha all was won. Stambul was to be left to itself, and the

ost to battle just then; but he wished it to be withdrawn from

ating with the rebels an

ed his head approvingly. The Sultana

the negociations were still proceeding, the ringleaders of the rebellion were to be quietly disposed of one after the other, whereas the Sultana insinuated that the Sultan should appease t

t the counsel of

Kapudan Pasha, Abdi, en

According to the account of the Kiaja he h

he doorkeepers as he passed through whether his messengers had arrived yet with the tulips. "No," was the reply. "Then

adishah, took his place among the viziers, and they regarded him wit

, I understand?" inquired

from thence with

ople want?" ask

t to eat

rink then," murmured the

o they comp

and that the earth does not produce bread without being tilled, and

e matter, Abdi. How do you pr

ives and children. Those who have stirred them up are in the camp of the Janissaries-there you will find their leaders. It would be a pity, perhaps, to destroy all who have ex

fied. "Who would dare to d

" said Abdi bluntly. Afte

ltan who brok

y the advice of the Kiaja Beg, to go back to the t

en the Aja Sophia and the Mosque of Achmed, and let the imams call the people to prayer. Let Damad Ibrahim remain outside with the host, that in case of need he may hasten to suppress the insurgents. Let th

hmed shoo

st quit my side. The Grand Vizier, the Chief Mufti, th

after the other, the Padishah did

e corners of the street. The heads of these four men

ghest in power when misfortune overtook the realm. But how then had they of

s bowed th

nd ordered that they should be conveyed to Stambul, to the Sultana Asseki, with the message that he himself would not be long after the

Sultan's robe, and then remained behin

riendly smile, "in an hour's time our four heads will not be worth an earless pitcher,"

poor

p. They were all fully convinced that Achmed wou