CHAPTER XXIV.
"Do you know the mind of Gauton who commands at the citadel inSfetigrade?" asked Amesa of his new confederate, as they parted.
"I have talked with him," replied the man. "He is very cautious."
"Discover his opinion on the matter of my advancement," said Amesa.
"Send him some gift," suggested the man, "I will take it to him. He isvery fond of dogs, and I learn that he has just lost a valuablemastiff. Could you replace it from your kennels at the castle?"
"No, but I have a greyhound, of straight breed since his ancestorscame out of the ark. His jaws are as slender as a heron's beak: chestdeep as a lion's: belly thin as a weasel's: a double span of my armsfrom tip to tail. To-morrow night meet me at the castle. Should I nothave arrived, this will give you admission," presenting him with asmall knife, on the bone handle of which was a rude carving of thecrest of Amesa. "Give it to the warden. He will recognize it."
Long before the arrival of Amesa and Drakul at the castle in companywith Elissa, the stranger, whom the reader will recognize as CaptainBallaban dressed as an Albanian peasant, had been admitted. He hadwandered about the court, mounted the parapet, inspected thedraw-bridge and portcullis, clambered down and up again the almostprecipitous scarp of the rock, and asked a hundred questions of theservants regarding the paths by which the castle was approached. Theold warden entertained him with stories of Amesa's early life, hisacquisition of the estate, and his prowess in battle; in all of which,while the warden intended only the praise of his master, he discoveredto the attentive listener all the weaknesses of the voivode'scharacter.
Upon Amesa's arrival late in the day, Ballaban avoided muchintercourse with him, except in relation to the selection of the dog.To Elissa he gave a few words of advice, to the effect that she wasnow the object of the young lord's adoration; and that, in order tosecure her advantage, she should make as much as possible a mystery ofher previous life. With this council--which was as much as he dared toventure upon in his own ignorance of the exact part he wasplaying--Ballaban departed, leading a magnificent hound in leash. Alittle way from the castle he sat down, and drawing from his breast aroll of paper, added certain lines and comments, as he muttered tohimself,--
"I have made neater drawings than this for old Bestorf in the schoolof the Yeni-Tscheri, but none that will please the Aga more. There isnot a goat path on the borders that I have not got. A sudden movementof our armies, occupying ground here and here and here, where I haveblazed the trees, would hold this country against Ivan Beg andScanderbeg. And with this black-hearted traitor, Amesa, in myfingers!--Well! Let's see! I will force him into open rebellionagainst Scanderbeg, unless he is deeper witted than he seems. Butwhich plan would be best in the long run?--to stir up a feud betweenhim and Scanderbeg, and let them cut each other's throats? Or,inveigle him to open alliance with our side, under promise of beingmade king of Albania? That last would settle all the Moslem troublewith these Giaours. And it could be done. The Padishah offeredScanderbeg the country on condition of paying a nominal tribute, andwould offer the same to Amesa. And Amesa would take it, though he hadto become Moslem. I will leave these propositions with the Aga," saidhe, folding up the papers, and putting them back into his bosom. "Ineither case I shall keep my vow with Amesa to help him againstScanderbeg. But the devil help them both!"
Whistling a snatch of a rude tune, part of which belonged to anAlbanian religious hymn he had heard in his rambles, and part to aTurkish love song--swinging his long arms, and striding as far at eachstep as his short legs would allow him, he went down the mountain.
The Captain of the Janizaries Page 24
