'"
"Min Allah; God forbid! That old woman has lived a long while, why
shouldn't we?"
"I don't know; but she has had the bowstring and is not yet dead. We may
not be so fortunate."
"May we never have it at all; then shall we escape, O pacha."
"True, Mustapha; so give me the bottle."
Chapter XXI
The next evening the old woman made her appearance, without raising any
difficulty, as on the previous day, and took her seat before the pacha,
and thus continued:--
As I stated to your highness last evening when I broke off my
narrative, I was in the highest favour with the sultan, who made me his
confidant. He had often mentioned to me the distinguished services of a
young seraskier, whom he had lately appointed capitan pacha, to combat
in the north against a barbarous nation called Sclavonians, or Russians.
My curiosity was raised to see this Rustam of a warrior, for his
exploits and unvaried success were constantly the theme of the sultan's
encomiums. A Georgian slave, who had been the favourite previous to my
arrival, and who had never forgiven my supplanting her, had been sent to
him by the sultan as a compliment; and this rare distinction had been
conferred upon him on the day when I requested leave to remain behind
the screen in the hall of the divan, that I might behold this celebrated
and distinguished person. He was indeed a splendid figure, and his face
was equally perfect. He formed, in outward appearance, all that I could
imagine of a hero.
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