"So long as you keep your sovereign word to me you will be regarded as a
Sovereign in my camp." This was Timur Lenk's promise to his opponent.
Whichever direction Bajazet took, he was received with the honours paid
to a Sovereign, and imperial pomp surrounded his tent. Overnight, whilst
the captive Sultan was walking in front of his camp, he found a screw of
parchment lying before him, on which the following words were written:
"MY SULTAN,--Your sons are coming with fresh forces
against Tamerlan; Jacob Bey will break upon Angora.
The Waiwode is returning with reinforcements. Be
prepared. We are making a subterranean way from the
Bakery which will lead into your tent. To-night all
will be ready. Be ready yourself also. At daybreak
disguise yourselves as bakers, and you can escape with
your wife and sons into the open, where you will find
your horses awaiting you. Be ready!
"YOUR FRIENDS!"
This letter was too tempting for Bajazet, and he eagerly seized the
opportunity offered. It was indeed a fact that a subterranean way was
made to his tent, but it was Tamerlan's workmen who constructed it! At
midnight the hammering of the subterranean poleaxes let the Sultan know
that his rescuing body of moles were coming! The earth gave way under
his feet, and from a narrow passage human heads rose up from the earth
before him. "Come!" whispered the head which ascended from the earth's
depths. "Come!" And the Sultan followed the enticer, taking with him
Maria and his son Muza. They could only proceed in bent form along the
footpath, holding one another's hands. Finally the neck of the cavernous
way became visible. The extreme end was the Bakery oven. When Bajazet
was going to step out from the low opening, some one put out a hand to
assist him, and when he emerged he who had given him a helping hand did
not release his own. The Sultan looked at him. Timur Lenk stood before
him!
"What! Is this your sovereign word?" he softly demanded of the terrified
Bajazet.
The Sultan saw that he was trapped. Timur threw away his hand from him:
"This is not the hand of a Sovereign. It is the hand of a slave."
So saying, he turned away and left him to himself. Bajazet saw only the
executioners before him, carrying chains and iron rods in their hands!