The Prince of India, Volume II

nce more to the White Castle at the

mitting the sun to show himself in a field of spotless blue. At the edge of the mountainous steep above Roumeli Hissar, the d

tents and brushwood booths extending from the shore back to the h

ittle river, reaching out into the sweep of the Bosphorus, boats open and boats roofe

storing time. Two things, besides the locality, identified them-their turb

e same Sweet Waters. Then it was of Persians; now it is of Turks; and curiously there are no soldiers to be seen, but only working men, w

n front of the Palace of Julian down at Constantinople opened, and a boat passed out into the Marmora. Five m

ered the gate, and finding no purchaser in the galley

o the Count, "the Light of the Wor

ed to strike the Coun

d helmet. Ere the other could answer, he added a saving c

even fit to stop an arrow. They thought the old Castle of Bajazet-Ilderim another Jehan-Numa. By the delights of Paradise, O Emir-ha, ha, ha!-it was good to see how little the Light of the World cared for them! At the Castle, he took in with him for household the ancient Gabour Ortachi-Khalil and a Prince of India, whom he calls his Messenger of the Stars; the rest were left to shift for themselv

ss Irene," the Count repe

nging Sheik'-only the Prophet knows of such a Sheik-'has been here, bidden by Sultan Mahommed to see if her house had been respected, and inquire if she has yet her health and happiness.' With that, he called for his horse, and went through the garden a

stopped

bone I bring you.... Before sitting to his pilaf, our Lord Mahommed sent me here. 'Thou knowest to get in

now,

s too wise

r, Ali. I shall get

seated himself in the fisher's boat, a great cloak covering hi

is thi

f war are down from the Black

e Count showed the Sultan's signet, a

now with res

hich the first sight of the Princess Irene had thrown hi

tournaments, hawking, and hunting, found one abiding regret on his throne-he could have a favorite but never a comrade. The denial only stimulated the desire, un

aw the honor intended, and discerned that acceptance would place him in better position to get informatio

h the seclusion of the Julian residence was so favorable to the par

f keeping the Moslem crew of his galley apart brought about a compromise. His Majesty would require the Count's

jousted with him, instructed him in riding, trained him to sword and bow. Every day during certain hours he had his new master's life at mercy. With a thrust of sword, stroke of battle-axe, or f

efore which the better gifts of God to rulers-mercy, justice, discrimination, recognition of truth, loyalty, services-were as willows in the sweep of a wave. Constantine, on the other hand, was thoughtful, just, merciful, tender-hearted, indisposed to offend or to fancy provocation int

unt's new footi

d more than he was aware by the standing accorde

every morning to inquire after her health. Ere long he was the recipient of an invitation to come in person; after which his visits increased i

eal the discovery from him, and still more careful not to encourage his hope. She placed the favor shown him to the account of

he Cynegion. This led to detail of her relations with Sergius, concluding with the declaration: "I gave h

but did not know of your giving the signal. Has any one impugned your moti

e Lord has taken

something else.... I remember the words of the Creed-or if I have t

word fo

stand you gave

is Father

. Are they indeed say

en

e book cont

ent from the table,

On the margins opposite them ther

, most humbly. I wi

nt, it i

did not understand

Christian?"

ly, and bowed w

r is a Ch

f faith underlying his mother's prayers for his return to her, and the

you gave me; and knowing now who Christ is, I am ready to

glows through the transparency; so her c

His will, O Count-then wilt thou be

e before on his face obscured it again

ber that night he was never so weak. He resorted to the book, but could not read. It seemed to accuse him. "Thou Islamite-thou son of Mahomet,

is beard, buried his head in his

esus-O my mother!"

were reproachful-her lips moved-she spoke: "Count Corti, I am she whom thou lovest; but what dost thou? Is it not enough to betray my kinsman? Thy courage-what makest thou of it but wickedness? ... Write of me to thy master. Come every day, and c

writhing. To shut out the word abhorrent above all other

erer! When thou hast delivered me to Mah

e garden. And it was only the beginning of misery. Such the introduction

the kindly face of the master he was betraying? He thought of the Princess. Could he endure her

, and there was relief in the speed. The air, whisked through, was soothing. At length he came to a wood, wild and interminable, Belgrade, though he knew it not, and dismounting by a stream, he spent the day there. If now and then the steed turned its

sions; otherwise long life could not be; a

s, the Count wa

stion in the Emperor's look. "Yesterday I had to ride.

sighed: "Would I had

. If the Emperor was never so gracious, she seemed never so charming. He wrot

m conformity to his present sympathies, it would give him a right to wear the Princess' favor on his helmet. But a fear shook the resort out of mind. Mahommed, whether successful or defeated, would demand an explanation of him, possibly an accounting. He knew the Sultan. Of all the schemes presented, the most plausible was flight. There was the gate, and he its keeper, and beyond the gate, the sunny Italian shore, and his father's castle. T

served to hide the flight of time. He was drifting-ahead, and

Constantinople and the most wretched, the

Tired-ashamed-angry with himself

e Sultan; indeed, had he been less resolute, his master's promp

campaign was in progress the Conqueror resolved himself into a soldierly example of indifference to luxury. I

sentinel, and two jauntily attired pages in waiting. Surrendering his sword to the chamberlain, the Count halted before the door, while being announced; at the

to account for the change. It may have had origin in the higher prescience sometimes an endowment of the spirit by which we stand advised of a friend or an enemy; most likely, however, it was a consequence of the curious tales abroad in Constantinople; for at the recognition up sprang the

ackage wrapped in gold-

ce raised his eyes-st

the Emir-which have I

tation let in upon the falsity of his position. Far from losing presence of mind,

e heard before I can answ

the Prince b

ion has been a trying one, but you have conducted it like a master. The Lord Mahommed has thanke

p brightly burning, and two large unrolled maps. In one of the latter, the Coun

rfully contributed to arousing the fanatical spirit of the Sultan's Mohammedan subjects. The four were standing in the attitude usual to Turkish officials in presence of a

nger points of his right hand upon the map unknown to the Count, and speaking earnestly. "You will take it, and make

be difficult to say which of t

r asked: "You say you superintended

and returned: "My Lord m

n of Heaven that the time is ripe for the

ere, my

nd let his eyes rest a moment upon Cou

" he said. "What is th

by the waters of Megiddo; they fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.' Now art thou truly Sultan of Sultans. To-morrow-the twenty-sixth of March-will be memorable amongst da

faces on their hands. The Prince of India did the same. Count

the masters of boats, and the chiefs charged with duties. At four o'clock in the morning

ackward with repeated genuflect

of men! Let them

Prince of India beckoned Syama to come, and taking

rd Mahomme

t?" Mahomm

. Who can resist them? ... In the tomb of Hiram, King of Tyre, the friend of King Solomon, I found a sarcophagus. It was covered with a model in marble of the Temple of the Hebrew Almighty God. Removing the lid, lo! the mummy of Hiram, a crown upon its head, and at its fe

ast fold of the cloth aside, drew b

n-all of you, come look. Tell

of splendor, its scabbard a mass of brilliants, its hilt a ruby

ord Mahommed," said

back a stream of pearls started and ran, ringing musically, and would n

ople, for the stars and every secret m

"Oh, my Lord! with that symbol in hand, march, and surely as Tabor is among the mountains and Carm

eft kisses on the sam

oats cast loose from the Asiatic shore, and with six thousand laborers, handmen to a thousand master masons, crossed at racing speed to Europe. "God is God, and Mahomet is his Pr

uring as the Pyramids, were defined and swarming with laborers. The three Pachas, Kalil, Sarudje, and Saganos, superintende

hristian towns and churches on the Bosphorus were remorselessly levelled for the stones in them; wherefo

in the war so long a fervid dream,

old Asometon promontory he reconnoitred the country up to the ditch of Co