Who is this man? Can it be Cousrouf Pacha? Yes, it is he,
the viceroy, the prisoner given to Mohammed Ali by Bardissi. In his
magnanimity Mohammed had grasped Bardissi's arm, uplifted for the
deadly stroke, and had thus saved his enemy's life. And now he
generously allows the man whose life he has saved to ride into Cairo
at his side. The people relate this to each other, and are loud in
their praises of the sarechsme's magnanimity.
Was it magnanimity? Ask Cousrouf, who feels that the favor shown him
by his enemy is worse than death, who feels with anguish that he is
merely an object of contempt, while the air resounds with the
people's enthusiastic greeting to the accursed Mohammed Ali. Him the
people had never saluted thus; upon his head the sheiks and cadis
had never invoked Allah's blessing.
Now the citadel looms up before them; the sarechsme's countenance is
radiant; smilingly he turns to Cousrouf.
"I take pleasure, highness, in conducting you to the citadel. You
fled in the darkness of night; I conduct you back in the broad light
of day, and wish you a pleasant sojourn in your palace. I regret,
however, that you are not to reside there entirely alone. The great
Mameluke Bey, Ismail, now resides there, and but few apartments
remain unoccupied. With these few you will therefore have to content
yourself."
"I should be contented with the smallest room, though it lay beneath
the earth, could I be spared your presence, traitor! " mutters
Cousrouf.
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