I will now fly to my tent; there near
the Pyramids I shall meet my daughter Butheita, and she will arrange
the rest.
You will find me at your tent by morning. If I am not there, Osman
Bey Bardissi, you will know that the Bedouin sheik, Arnhyn, is no
longer among the living, and that the sarechsme, Mohammed Ali, has
been too shrewd for him."
BOOK. IV
THE VICEROY.
CHAPTER I
BUTHEITA.
On the green fields of Gheezeh, near the verge of the yellow desert,
lies Mohammed Ali encamped with his forces. Five thousand brave
soldiers, among them the Albanian corps, the best troops of the
Turkish army, are under the command of the young sarechsme. In
advance of him, Youssouf Bey is marching upon the Mamelukes with a
corps of almost equal strength. According to the viceroy's
instructions, Mohammed Ali is to wait and see if Youssouf Bey does
not prove strong enough to vanquish the Mamelukes unaided; if this
should prove to be the case, it would not be advisable to lead a
splendid army corps into battle unnecessarily.
Mohammed Ali, however, well understood the secret meaning of the
viceroy's instructions. Youssouf Bey is his lieutenant, his
favorite, and his master is desirous that he alone shall reap the
golden fruit of victory. If he is defeated, Mohammed is to march to
Youssouf's assistance with all possible speed. The latter is a day's
march in advance, and when his messengers reach Mohammed it will
already be too late; the battle will have been lost and a new one
will have to be fought with the elated victors.
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