Let the life of Mohammed Ali, the new
boulouk bashi, be sacred to you all. Have you heard?"
"We have heard, mighty master."
With an impatient gesture he dismissed them, and he continued to
walk to and fro in his room long after they had gone out. His brow
is dark, evil thoughts fill his breast.
"I have sworn the triple oath, and I must keep it. I no longer
threaten him personally. Woe to him if my suspicion proves true, and
Masa has found an asylum and protection with him! I will keep my
word! No hair of Mohammed's head shall be injured, but I will punish
him through her; for truly, if he loves her, such punishment will be
harder than any thing I could do to him personally. The eunuchs say
they are on her track, and it must be so, or they would not dare to
say it. And these bloodhounds, being once on the track, are sure to
catch their prey!"
The eunuchs had faithfully obeyed their master's command, and hardly
had an hour elapsed when all Praousta knew that Cousrouf Pacha was
on the point of taking his departure from the peninsula, to return
no more.
They were also informed that a ship had come to convey him back to
Stamboul, where the grand-sultan was to recompense him for his long
exile with power, magnificence, and honors. The matter was much
discussed, and they whisperingly confessed to each other that they
would be well pleased to know that the proud man, who was the cause
of so much unhappiness, had taken his departure.
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