He had turned the wild herd loose, but was now
unable to manage it. The soldiers demanded their pay of the caimacan
as savagely as they had demanded it of Cousrouf.
But where was the necessary money to be obtained? Money was the
pretext on which he began the revolt, and now he finds himself
enthroned in the palace as caimacan with empty coffers, Cousrouf
having taken with him whatever treasure he possessed. He had invoked
curses upon himself by endeavoring to procure money by force and
extortion. What had become of the promises solemnly made to the
people by the caimacan on the first day of his rule?--
"Peace and quiet shall prevail in the land, and happiness be the
portion of the much-tormented inhabitants of Cairo."
Instead of peace, he has brought upon them new discord and revolt;
instead of happiness, new misery.
In order to appease the wrath of his soldiers, he caused a number of
the leading citizens to be arrested, and, upon their refusal to pay
the money demanded of them, several of them were stretched on the
rack, and others beheaded.
Finally, nothing remained to the new caimacan but to do as Cousrouf
had done, and meet the demands of his soldiers with the statement
that he had no money, and could not pay them.
The savage cry of the soldiery for pay was renewed in front of the
citadel day after day with increased fierceness, and at last the two
bim bashis, Moussa and Ismail Aga, were sent up to the citadel to
the caimacan to make a final appeal for pay on the part of the
soldiers.
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