Nevertheless, time passed on, and neither the Seraskier nor the firman appeared.  Ali, at first uneasy, ended by rarely mentioning either the one or the other, and never was deceiver more completely deceived.  His security was so great that he loudly congratulated himself on having come to the island.  He had begun to form a net of intrigue to cause himself to be intercepted on the road when he should be sent to Constantinople, and he did not despair of soon finding numerous partisans in the Imperial army.

CHAPTER XI

For a whole week all seemed going well, when, on the morning of February 5th, Kursheed sent Hassan Pacha to convey his compliments to Ali, and announce that the sultan’s firman, so long desired, had at length arrived.  Their mutual wishes had been heard, but it was desirable, for the dignity of their sovereign, that Ali, in order to show his gratitude and submission, should order Selim to extinguish the fatal match and to leave the cave, and that the rest of the garrison should first display the Imperial standard and then evacuate the enclosure.  Only on this condition could Kursheed deliver into Ali’s hands the sultan’s decree of clemency.

Ali was alarmed, and his eyes were at length opened.  He replied hesitatingly, that on leaving the citadel he had charged Selim to obey only his own verbal order, that no written command, even though signed and sealed by himself, would produce any effect, and therefore he desired to repair himself to the castle, in order to fulfil what was required.

Thereupon a long argument ensued, in which Ali’s sagacity, skill, and artifice struggled vainly against a decided line of action.  New protestations were made to deceive him, oaths were even taken on the Koran that no evil designs, no mental reservations, were entertained.  At length, yielding to the prayers of those who surrounded him, perhaps concluding that all his skill could no longer fight against Destiny, he finally gave way.

Drawing a secret token from his bosom, he handed it to Kursheed’s envoy, saying, “Go, show this to Selim, and you will convert a dragon into a lamb.”  And in fact, at sight of the talisman, Selim prostrated himself, extinguished the match, and fell, stabbed to the heart.  At the same time the garrison withdrew, the Imperial standard displayed its blazonry, and the lake castle was occupied by the troops of the Seraskier, who rent the air with their acclamations.

It was then noon.  Ali, in the island, had lost all illusions.  His pulse beat violently, but his countenance did not betray his mental trouble.  It was noticed that he appeared at intervals to be lost in profound thought, that he yawned frequently, and continually drew his fingers through his beard.  He drank coffee and iced water several times, incessantly looked at his watch, and, taking his field-glass, surveyed by turns the camp, the castles of Janina, the Pindus range, and the peaceful waters of the lake.  Occasionally he glanced at his weapons, and then his eyes sparkled with the fire of youth and of courage.  Stationed beside him, his guards prepared their cartridges, their eyes fixed on the landing-place.