CHAPTER XXXVI.
To better understand the events just recited, we must trace somescenes which had been enacted elsewhere.
During the sojourn of Constantine and Morsinia in Constantinople, theTurks had made no progress toward the conquest of Albania. The wallsof Croia, upon which they turned their thousands of men, andexhaustless resources of siege apparatus, served only to display thevalor and skill of the assailants, the superior genius of Castriot,and the endurance of his bands of patriots.
The haughty Sultan Amurath, broken in health, more by the chagrin ofhis ill success than by exposures or casual disease, retired toAdrianople, in company with his son, Prince Mahomet, who was satisfiedwith a few lessons in the science of military manoeuvering as taughtby the dripping sword of Castriot; and preferred to practice hisacquirements upon other and less dangerous antagonists. Prince Mahomethad scarcely withdrawn to Magnesia in Asia Minor, and celebrated hisnuptials with the daughter of the Turkoman Emir, when news was broughtof the death of his father.
The prince was hardly twenty-one years of age; but his first act wasominous of the promptitude, self-assertion and diligence of the wholesubsequent career of this man, whose success on the field and in thedivan made him the foremost monarch of his age.
On hearing the news he turned to Captain Ballaban, for whom the youngPadishah entertained the fondest affection, and who had accompaniedhim to Magnesia in the capacity of kavass.--
"I shall leave to you, Captain, the duty of representing me at theburial of my royal father at Brusa, after which meet me atAdrianople."
Leaping into the saddle, he cried to the company about him, "Let thosewho love me, follow me!" and spurred his Arab steed to the Hellespont.
The magnificent cortege of the dead Sultan moved rapidly from theEuropean capital of the Turks to their ancient one in Asia Minor. Thethoughts of the attendants were more toward the new hand which woulddistribute the favors or terrors of empire, than toward the hand whichwas now cold.
Captain Ballaban was in time to join the reverent circle whichcommitted the royal body to its ancestral resting place. They buriedit with simple sepulchral rites, in the open field, unshadowed byminaret or costly mosque or memorial column; that, as the dyingPadishah had said, "the mercy and blessing of God might come unto himby the shining of the sun and moon, and the falling of the rain anddew of heaven upon his grave."
Sultan Mahomet II. was scarcely within the seraglio at Adrianople whenCaptain Ballaban reported for duty. Passing through the outer orcommon court, he entered by the second gate into the square surroundedby the barracks of the Janizaries, who, as the body guard of themonarch, occupied quarters abutting on those of the Sultan.
Near the third gate was gathered a crowd of Janizaries, in angrydebate; for as soon as they realized that the firm and experiencedhand of Amurath was no longer on the helm, the pride and audacity ofthis corps inaugurated rebellion.
"The Janizaries have saved the empire, let them enjoy it," cried one.
"Our swords extended the Moslem power, so will we have extension ofprivilege," cried another.
"Why should Kalil Pasha be Grand Vizier instead of our chief Aga?Kalil is one of the Giaour Ortachi.[70]
"Down with the Vizier!" rang among the barracks.
"A mere child is Padishah! one of no judgment the Hunkiar!"
"My brothers," said Captain Ballaban. "You know not the new Padishah.Well might Amurath have said to him what Othman said to Orchan: 'Myson, I am dying: and I die without regret, because I leave such asuccessor as thou art.' Believe me, my brothers, if Mahomet is young,he is strong. If he is inexperienced in the methods of government, itis because heaven wills that he shall invent better ones."
"Your head is turned by the Padishah's favors," muttered an oldguardsman.
"But am I not a Janizary?" cried the captain, "and it is as a Janizarythat the Padishah loves me, as he loves us all. I once heard him saythat the white wool on a Janizary's cap was more honorable than thehorse tail on the tent spear of another. Old Selim here can tell youthat, as a child, Mahomet was fonder of the Janizary's mess than ofthe feast in the harem."
"Yes," said old Selim, with voice trembling through age, but loud withthe enthusiasm excited by the captain's appeal. "My hands taughtMahomet his first parries and thrusts; and he would sit by our fire tolisten to the stories of the valor of our corps, and clap his hands,and cry 'good Selim, I would rather be a Janizary than be a prince.'"The old man's eyes filled with tears as he added, "And all the fourthousand prophets bless the Padishah!"
While this scene was being enacted without, the young Sultan wasreclining, with the full sense of his new dignity, upon the sofa whichhad never been pressed except by the person of royalty. It was coveredwith a cloth of gold and crimson velvet, relieved by fringes ofpearls. Before it was spread a carpet of silk, an inch thick, whosesoftness, both of texture and tints, made a luxuriant contrast withits border, which was crocheted with cords of silver and gold. Thewalls of his chamber were enriched with tiles of alabaster, agate, andturquoise. The ceiling was plated with beaten silver, hatched atintervals with mouldings of gold; near to which were windows ofstained glass made of hundreds of pieces closely joined to formtransparent mosaic pictures, through which the variegated lightflooded the apartment.
Mahomet was himself in striking contrast with his surroundings. He wasdressed in neglige, with loose gown, large slippers, and white skullcap.
Before the Sultan stood the Grand Vizier, Kalil, bedizened in thecostume of his office:--an enormous turban in whose twisted folds wasa band of gold; a bournous of brocade, enlivened by flowers wroughtupon it in green and red; and a cashmere sash gleaming with thejewelled handle of his yataghan.
"They are even now in revolt, your Majesty," said the Vizier. "Yoursafety will be best served by severe measures. They say the iron hasnot grown into your nerves yet."
The Sultan colored. After a moment's pause he replied. "When CaptainBallaban comes we will think of that matter."
"The captain had just arrived as I entered, Sire."
"Then announce to the Janizaries that the seven thousand falconers andgame keepers which my father allowed to eat up our revenue, as thebugs infest the trees, are abolished; and their income appropriated tothe better equipment of the Janizaries."
"But, Sire, would you sharpen the fangs of----"
"Silence! I have said it," said Mahomet, striking his hand on hisknee. "But what is this demand from Constantinople?"
"That the pay for the detention of your Cousin Orkran atConstantinople shall be doubled, or the Greeks will let him loose tocontest the throne with your Majesty."
"Assent to the demand," said the Sultan. "The time will the soonercome to avenge the insult, if we seem not to see it."
The Vizier continued looking at his tablets. "Maria Sultana[71] asks,through the Kislar Aga, that she may be allowed, since the death ofher lord, to return to her kindred."
"Let her go! She is a Giaour whose cursed blood was not bettered bysix and twenty years' habitation with my father. She is fair enough inher wrinkles for some Christian prince, and George Brankovitch needsto make new alliances."
"Hunyades"--said the Vizier.
"Ay, make peace with him, and with Scanderbeg, too, if that wild beastcan be tamed, which I much doubt."
The Sultan rose from his cushion, his form animated with strongexcitement, and, putting his hand upon the shoulders of theVizier--who drew back at the strange familiarity--and looking himfixedly in the face, he whispered: "Everything must wait,"--and thewords hissed in the hot eagerness with which he said them--"until--Ihave Constantinople."
Turning upon his heel, he withdrew toward his private chamber.
The Sultan threw himself upon his bed. The Capee Aga, or chief of thewhite eunuchs, whose duty it was to act as valet-de-chambre, as wellas to stand at the right hand of the Sultan on state occasions, beganto draw the curtains around the silver posts upon which the bedrested.
"You may leave me," said hi
s majesty. "Nay, hold! Send CaptainBallaban of the Janizaries."
As the young officer entered, the face of the Sultan relaxed.
"You make me a man again, comrade," said he, grasping his hand. "Thesefew days playing Sultan make me feel as old as the empire. I hatethis parade of boring viziers and mincing eunuchs; and to be shut uphere with these palace proprieties is as irksome to me as Timour'siron cage was to my grandfather Bajazet. I think I shall put my haremon horse-back, and take to the fields. Scudding out of Albania withScanderbeg at one's heels were preferable to this busy idleness. Youhave had a rapid ride to get from Brusa so soon, and look winded. Rollyourself on that wolf's skin. I killed that fellow in Caramania. Bythe turban of Abraham! your red head looks well against the blackhide. But why don't you laugh? Have they made a Padishah of you, too,that you must mask your face with care?"
"I have a care, Sire," said the soldier.
"Tell me it," said the Sultan, "and I'll make it fly away as fast asthe Prophet's horse took him to the seventh heaven."
"The Janizaries are restless, Sire."
"Does not the donative I have announced pacify them?"
"I have not heard of it," said the officer.
"Listen! Is not that their shout?" Shout after shout rent the air fromthe court without.
The Janizary turned pale; but in a moment said, "Your donative hasbeen announced. They are cheering your Majesty."
"Long live the Padishah!" "Long life to Mahomet!" rang again andagain.
"I thank you, Sire," eagerly cried the young man, kissing the hand ofthe Sultan.
"What else would they have?" asked he.
"Nothing but chance to show their gratitude by valiant service," wasthe reply.
"This they shall have, with you to lead them," putting his hand on theyoung officer's shoulder.
"Nay, Sire, I may not supplant those who are my superiors by virtue ofservice already rendered."
"But I command it. The corps shall to-morrow be put under your ordersas their chief Aga."
"I beg your Majesty to desist from this purpose," said Ballaban. "Thespirit of the corps, its efficiency, depends upon the strictestobservance of the ancient rules of Orchan and Aladdin. By them we havebeen made what we are."
"But," cried Mahomet angrily, "there shall be no other will than minethroughout the army."
"I would have no other will than thine, Sire," was the response; "butit were well if your will should be to leave the Janizaries' ruleuntouched."
"You young rebel!" cried Mahomet, half vexed yet half pleased as,bursting into a laugh, he dashed over the face of his friend a jar oficed sherbet which was upon a lacquered stand at his side.
"You may thank the devil that it wasn't the arrow I once shot youwith," said the playful tyrant, as Ballaban jumped to his feet.
"If you were not the Sultan now, I would pull you from the bed, as Ipulled you from your horse that day," replied the good-naturedfavorite, making a motion as if to execute the threat.
"You are right," said Mahomet rising. "I am Sultan! Sultan? pshaw! YetSultan, surely." He paced the floor in deep agitation, and at lengthsaid, "I have a duty to perform, than which I would rather cut off myarms."
"Let me do the deed, though it takes my arm and my life," saidBallaban eagerly.
"You know not what it is, my old comrade."
"But I pledge before I know," was the response which came fromstiffened lips and bowed head, as the captain made his obeisance.
The Sultan looked him in the face long and earnestly, and then,turning away, said:
"No! no! there are hands less noble than yours."
"But try me, Sire."
"You know the custom of our ancestors, approved by the wisdom ofdivans, as an expedient essential to the peace and safety of theempire, that--But I can not speak it: nor will I ask it of you. Leaveme, Captain. Come to-morrow at this hour. I shall need the relief ofyour company then, even more than to-day."
FOOTNOTES:
[70] Brothers of the infidels.
[71] One of the sultanas of Amurath II. and daughter of GeorgeBrankovitch, Despot of Servia.
The Captain of the Janizaries Page 36
