THE NEW GRAND VIZIER.
The call to prayer, "_God is great_," sounded from every minaret in
Constantinople, when Solyman the Magnificent raised the renegade Ibrahim
to a rank second only to his own imperial station. The newly appointed
prime minister received the congratulations of the assembled dignitaries
of the empire; and when this ceremony was accomplished, he repaired to
the palace of the viziership, which Piri Pasha had vacated during the
night.
A numerous escort of slaves, and a guard of honor, composed of an entire
company of Janizaries, attended Ibrahim to his new abode, the streets
through which he passed being lined with spectators anxious to obtain a
glimpse of the new minister.
But calm, almost passionless, was the expression of Ibrahim's
countenance: though he had attained to his present high station
speedily, yet he had not reached it unexpectedly; and, even in the
moment of this, his proud triumph, there was gall mingled with the cup
of honey which he quaffed. For, oh! the light of Christianity was not
extinguished within his breast; and though it no longer gleamed there to
inspire and to cheer, it nevertheless had strength enough to burn with
reproachful flame.
The multitudes cheered and prostrated themselves as he passed; but his
salutation was cold and indifferent, and he felt at that moment that he
would rather have been wandering through the Vale of Arno, hand-in-hand
with his sister, than be welcomed in the streets of Constantinople as
the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire!
O crime! thou may'st deck thy brow with flowers, and adorn thy garments
with the richest gems--thou may'st elicit the shouts of admiring
myriads, and proceed attended by guards ready to hew down those who
would treat thee with disrespect--thou may'st quit the palace of a
mighty sovereign to repair to a palace of thine own--and in thy hands
thou may'st hold the destinies of millions of human beings; but thou
canst not subdue the still small voice that whispers reproachfully in
thine ear, nor pluck from thy bosom the undying worm.
Though Ibrahim Pasha felt acutely, yet his countenance, as we have
before said, expressed nothing--he was still sufficiently master of his
emotions to retain them pent up in his own breast; and if he could not
appear perfectly happy, he would not allow the world to perceive that
his soul harbored secret care. He entered the palace now destined to
become his abode, and found himself the lord and master of an
establishment such as no Christian monarch in Europe possessed. But as
he passed through marble halls and perfumed corridors lined with
prostrate slaves--as he contemplated the splendor and magnificence, the
wealth and the luxury, by which he was now surrounded--and as he even
dwelt upon the hope--nay, the more than hope, the conviction, that he
should full soon be blest with the hand of a being whose ravishing
beauty was ever present to his mental vision--that still small voice
which he could not hush, appeared to ask what avail it was for a man, if
he gain the whole world but lose his own soul?
But Ibrahim Pasha was not the man to give way to the influence of even
reflections so harrowing as these; and he immediately applied himself to
the business of the state, to divert his mind from unpleasurable
meditations. Holding a levee that same day, he received and confirmed in
their offices all the subordinate ministers; he then dispatched letters
to the various governors of provinces to announce to them his elevation
to the grand viziership; and he conferred the Pashalic of Egypt upon the
fallen minister, Piri Pasha. In the afternoon he granted audiences to
the embassadors of the Christian powers; but the Florentine envoy, it
should be observed, had quitted Constantinople some weeks
previously--indeed, at the time when the sultan undertook his expedition
against Rhodes; for the representative of the republic had entirely
failed in the mission which had been intrusted to him by his government.
In the evening, when it was quite dusk, Ibrahim retired to his
apartment; and hastily disguising himself in a mean attire, he issued
forth by a private gate at the back part of the palace. Intent upon
putting into execution a scheme which he had hastily planned that very
afternoon, he repaired to the quarter inhabited by the Christians. There
he entered a house of humble appearance where dwelt a young Greek, with
whom he had been on friendly terms at that period when his present
greatness was totally unforeseen--indeed, while he was simply the
private secretary of the Florentine envoy. He knew that Demetrius was
poor, intelligent and trustworthy; and it was precisely an agent of this
nature that Ibrahim required for the project which he had in view.
Demetrius--such was the young Greek's name--was seated in a small and
meanly furnished apartment, in a desponding manner, and scarcely
appearing to notice the efforts which his sister, a beautiful maiden of
nineteen, was exerting to console him, when the door opened, and a man
dressed as a water-carrier entered the room.
The young Greek started up angrily, for he thought the visitor was one
of the numerous petty creditors to whom he was indebted, and whose
demands he was unable to liquidate; but the second glance which he cast,
by the light of the lamp that burnt feebly on the table, toward the
countenance of the meanly dressed individual, convinced him of his
mistake.
"His highness the grand vizier!" ejaculated Demetrius, falling on his
knees; "Calanthe!" he added, speaking rapidly to his sister, "bow down
to the representative of the sultan!"
But Ibrahim hastened to put an end to this ceremony, and assured the
brother and sister that he came thither as a friend.
"A friend!" repeated Demetrius, as if doubting whether his ears heard
aright; "is it possible that Heaven has indeed sent me a friend in one
who has the power to raise me and this poor suffering maiden from the
depths of our bitter, bitter poverty?"
"Dost thou suppose that my rapid elevation has rendered me unmindful of
former friendships?" demanded Ibrahim; although, had he not his own
purposes to serve, he would never have thought of seeking the abode, nor
inquiring after the welfare of the humble acquaintance of his obscure
days.
The young Greek knew not, however, the thorough selfishness of the
renegade's character; and he poured forth his gratitude for the vizier's
kindness and condescension with the most sincere and heart-felt fervor:
while the beauteous Calanthe's large dark eyes swam in tears of hope and
joy, as she surveyed with mingled wonder and admiration the countenance
of that high functionary whose rapid rise to power had electrified the
Ottoman capital, and whom she now saw for the first time.
"Demetrius," said Ibrahim, "I know your worth--I have appreciated your
talents; and I feel deeply for the orphan condition of your sister and
yourself. It is in my power to afford you an employment whereby you may
render me good service, and which shall be liberally rewarded. You are
already acquainted with much of my former history; and you have often
heard me speak, in terms of love and affection, of my sister Flora.
During my recent sojourn in the island of Rhodes, a Florentine nobleman,
the Count of Riverola, became my prisoner. From him I learned that he
was attached to my sister, and his language led me to believe that he
was loved in return. But alas! some few months ago Flora suddenly
disappeared; and the Count of Riverola instituted a vain search to
discover her. Too pure-minded was she to fly of her own accord from her
native city; too chaste and too deeply imbued with virtuous principles
was she to admit the suspicion that she had fled with a vile seducer.
No; force or treachery--if not _murder_," added Ibrahim, in a tone
indicative of profound emotion, "must have caused her sudden
disappearance. The Count of Riverola has doubtless ere now arrived in
Italy; and his researches will most assuredly be renewed. He promised to
communicate to me the result, but as he knew not to whom that pledge was
given--as he recognized not in me the brother of the Flora whom he
loves--I am fearful lest he forget or neglect the promise. It is,
therefore, my intention to send a secret agent to Florence--an agent who
will convey rich gifts to my aunt, but without revealing the name of him
who sends them--an agent, in a word, who may minister to the wants and
interests of my family, and report to me whether my beloved sister be
yet found, and if so, the causes of her disappearance. It seems to me
that you, Demetrius, are well fitted for this mission. Your knowledge of
the Italian language, your discreetness, your sound judgment, all render
you competent to enact the part of a good genius watching over the
interests of those who must not be allowed to learn whence flow the
bounties which suddenly pour upon them!"
"Gracious lord," said the young Greek, his countenance radiant with joy.
"I will never lose any opportunity of manifesting my devotion to the
cause in which your highness condescends to employ me."
"You will proceed alone to Italy," continued Ibrahim; "and on your
arrival in Florence, you will adopt a modest and reserved mode of life,
so that no unpleasant queries may arise as to your object in visiting
the republic."
Demetrius turned a rapidly inquiring glance upon Calanthe, who hastened
to observe that she did not fear being left unprotected in the city of
Constantinople. Ibrahim placed a heavy purse and a case containing many
costly jewels in the hands of Demetrius, saying: "These are as an
earnest of my favor and friendship;"--then, producing a second case,
tied round with a silken cord, he added, "And this is for my aunt, the
Signora Francatelli."
Demetrius promised to attend to all the instructions which he had
received; and Ibrahim Pasha took his leave of the brother and the
charming sister, the latter of whom conveyed to him the full extent of
her gratitude for his kindness and condescension toward them in a few
words uttered in a subdued tone, but with all the eloquence of her fine
dark eyes.
"Did I not love my unknown protectress," murmured Ibrahim to himself, as
he sped rapidly back to his palace, "I feel that Calanthe's eyes would
make an impression upon my heart."
Scarcely had he resumed his magnificent garb, on his return home, when a
slave announced to him that his imperial majesty, the sultan, required
his immediate attendance at the seraglio, whither he was to repair in
the most private manner possible. A sudden misgiving darted through
Ibrahim's imagination. Could Solyman have repented of the step which he
had taken in thus suddenly elevating him to the pinnacle of power? Was
his viziership to last but a few short hours? had the secret influence,
which had hitherto protected him, ceased?
Considering the times and the country in which he lived, these fears
were justifiable; and it was with a rapidly beating heart that the new
minister hastened, attended only by a single slave, to the dwelling of
his imperial master. But when he was ushered into the presence of the
sultan--his own slave remaining in the ante-room--his apprehensions were
dissipated by the smiling countenance with which the monarch greeted
him. Having signaled his attendants to retire, Solyman the Magnificent
addressed the grand vizier in the following manner:
"Thy great talents, thy zeal in our service, and the salvation which I
owed to thee in the breach at Rhodes, have been instrumental, oh,
Ibrahim! in raising thee to thy present high state. But the bounties of
the sultan are without end, as the mercy of Allah is illimitable! Thou
hast doubtless heard that among my numerous sisters, there is one of
such unrivaled beauty--such peerless loveliness, that the world hath not
seen her equal. Happy may the man deem himself on whom the fair Aischa
shall be bestowed; and thou art that happy man, Ibrahim--and Aischa is
thine."
The grand vizier threw himself at the feet of his imperial master, and
murmured expressions of gratitude--but his heart sank within him--for he
knew that in marrying the sultan's sister he should not be allowed the
enjoyment of the Mussulman privilege of polygamy, and thus his hopes of
possessing the beautiful unknown to whom he owed so much appeared to
hover on the verge of annihilation. But might not that unknown lady and
the beauteous Aischa be one and the same person? The unknown was
evidently the mistress of an influence almost illimitable; and was it
not natural to conceive that she, then, must be the sister of the
sultan? Again, the sultan had many sisters; and the one who had exerted
her interest for Ibrahim, might not be the Princess Aischa, who was now
promised to him! All these conjectures and conflicting speculations
passed through the mind of Ibrahim in far less time than we have taken
to describe their nature; and he was cruelly the prey to mingled hope
and alarm, when the sultan exclaimed, "Rise, my Vizier Azem, and follow
me."
The apostate obeyed with beating heart, and Solyman the Magnificent
conducted him along several passages and corridors to a splendidly
furnished room, which Ibrahim immediately recognized as the very one in
which he had been admitted, many months previously, to an interview with
the beauteous unknown. Yes--that was the apartment in which he had
listened to the eloquence of her soft, persuasive voice--it was there
that, intoxicated with passion, he had abjured the faith of a Christian
and embraced the creed of the false Prophet Mohammed. And, reclining on
the very sofa where he had first seen her--but attended by a troop of
charming female slaves--was the fair unknown--his secret
protectress--more lovely, more bewitching, than she appeared when last
they met.
An arch smile played upon her lips, as she rose from the magnificent
cushions--a smile which seemed to say, "I have kept my word, I have
raised thee to the highest dignity, save one in the Ottoman Empire--and
I will now crown thine happiness by giving thee my hand."
And, oh, so beauteous, so ravishingly lovely did she appear, as that
smile revealed teeth whiter than the Oriental pearls, which she wore,
and as a slight flush on her damask cheek and the bright flashing of her
eyes betrayed the joy and triumph which filled her heart--so elegant and
graceful was her faultless form, which the gorgeous Ottoman garb so
admirably became, that Ibrahim forgot all his recent compunction--lost
sight of home and friends--remembered not the awful apostasy of which he
had been guilty--but fell upon his knees in adoration of that charming
creature, while the sultan with a smile which showed that he was no
stranger to the mysteries of the past, exclaimed in a benignant tone,
"Vizier Azem! receive the hand of my well-beloved sister Aischa!"