Captain Ballaban was among the first to learn of the personality of
the odalisk who had escaped at the time of the race. His first thought
was to aid her in eluding pursuit, presuming that she had gone alone
and without accomplice. But when the horses were discovered at the
Seven Towers, he gave way to a fit of jealousy. In his mind he accused
Morsinia of having made him her dupe; for, notwithstanding his
assurances of aid, she had evidently made a confidant of another. His
better disposition, however, soon led him to believe that she had been
spirited away through some plan devised in the brain of Scanderbeg.
While he rejoiced for her, he was disconsolate for himself; and
determined that, upon his return to the war in Albania, to which field
he knew it was the purpose of the Padishah to transfer him, he would
discover the truth regarding her. He had learned from her secret
missives, which Kala Hanoum had brought him before the flight, of the
death of his father Milosch and his mother Helena, and the supposed
death of his brother Constantine. There were, then, no ties of
kinship, and but this one tie of affection to Morsinia, to divide his
allegiance to the Padishah. And Morsinia had faded again from reality,
if not into his mere dream, at least into the vaguest hope. His ardent
soul found relief only by plunging into the excitement of the military
service.
Mahomet had not exhausted his favors to Ballaban by the gift of the
Albanian Venus, Elissa. Summoning him one day he repeated his purpose
of designating him as the chief Aga of the Janizaries, the old chief
having been slain in a recent engagement. Ballaban remonstrated, as
once before, against this interference with the order of the corps, in
which the choice of chief Aga was left to the vote of the soldiers
themselves.
Mahomet replied angrily--"I tell you, Ballaban, my will shall now be
supreme over every branch of my service. My fathers felt the
independence of the Janizaries to be a menace to their thrones. Their
power shall be curbed to my hand, or the whole order shall be
abolished."
"Beware!" replied Ballaban. "You know not the alertness of the lion
whose lair you would invade. I will serve my Padishah with my life in
all other ways, but my vows forbid my treachery to my corps. Strike
off my head, if you will, but I cannot be Aga, except by the sovereign
consent of my brothers."
"I shall not take off your head, comrade," replied Mahomet. "I need
what is in it too much, though it belongs to a young rebel. But
begone! I shall work my plans without asking your advice in the
matter."
A firman was issued by which the Padishah claimed the supreme power of
appointing to command in all grades of the military service. Within an
hour after its proclamation, the Janizaries were in open defiance of
the sovereign. Before their movements could be anticipated, the great
court in front of the selamlik in the seraglio was filled with the
enraged soldiery. That sign of terror which had blanched the faces of
former Padishahs--the inverted soup-kettle--was planted before the
very doors of the palace, and the Sultan was a prisoner within.
"Recall the firman! Long live the Yeni-Tscheri!" rang among the
seraglio walls, and was echoed over the city.
The Sultan not appearing, there rose another cry, at first only a
murmur, but at length pouring from thousands of hoarse throats,--
"Down with Mahomet! Live the Yeni-Tscheri!"
Still the Sultan made no response. There was a hurried consultation
among the leaders of the insurgents. Then a rapid movement throughout
the crowd. For a moment it seemed as if they had turned every man
against his fellow. But Mahomet's experienced eye, as he watched from
the latticed window, saw that the swarm of men was only taking shape.
The mob was transformed into companies. Between the ranks passed men,
as if they rose out of the ground; some dragging cannon; some bearing
scaling ladders.
Mahomet appeared upon the platform, dressed in full armor. He raised
his sword, when silence fell upon the multitude.
"I am your Padishah."
"Long live Mahomet!" was the cry.
"Do I not command every faithful Ottoman? Who will follow where
Mahomet leads?"
"All! all!" rang the response.
"Then reverse the kettle!" commanded he, his face lit with the
assumption of victory.
"Reverse the firman!" was the answer.
"Never!" cried the monarch, infuriated with this unexpected challenge
of his authority.
The Janizaries retreated a few steps from the platform. The Padishah
assumed that they were awed by his determination, and smiled in his
triumph. But his face was as quickly shaded with astonishment; for the
movement of the insurgents was only to allow the cannon to be
advanced.
The sagacity of the monarch never forsook him. Not even the wildness
of passion could long lead him beyond the suggestion of policy.
Raising his hand for silence, he again spoke.
"We are misunderstanding each other, my brave Yeni-Tscheri. If you
have grievance let your Agas present it, for the Padishah shall be the
father of his people, and the Yeni-Tscheri are the eldest born of his
children."
The Sultan withdrew. Eight Agas held a hurried consultation, and
presented themselves to the sovereign to offer him absolute and
unquestioning obedience upon the condition of their retaining as
absolute and unquestioned self-government within the corps.
While they were in consultation, Captain Ballaban appeared among the
troops. He waved his hand to address them.
"He is bought by the Padishah. We must not hear him," cried one and
another.
"My brothers!" said the Captain, having after a few moments gained
their attention. "I love the Padishah. But I adore that royal hand
chiefly because, beyond that of any of the heirs of Othman, it has
already bestowed favor upon our corps. But our order is sacred. He may
command to the field, and in the field, but it must be from without.
We must choose our own Aga as of old."
"Long live Ballaban!" rose from every side.
The speaker broke into a rhapsodic narration of the glories of the
corps, interwoven with the recital of the exploits of the Padishah,
during which he was interrupted by cheer after cheer, mingled with the
cry of "Ballaban! Ballaban forever!"
The Sultan, hearing the shout, shrewdly seized upon the opportunity it
suggested, and leaving the Agas, rushed to the platform. He shouted--
"Allah be praised! Allah has given one mind to the Padishah and to his
faithful Yeni-Tscheri. Ballaban forever! Yes, take him! Take him for
your Aga! The will of the corps and the will of the sovereign are one,
for it is the will of Allah that sways us all!"
The soldiers, caught by the enthusiasm of the instant, repeated the
shout, drowning the voices of the few who were clear-headed enough to
remember that the firman had not been withdrawn.
"Ballaban! Long live Ballaban Aga! Long live Mahomet Padishah!"
The Agas appeared, but were impotent to assert their dissent. As well
might they have attempted to howl down a hurricane as to make
themselves heard in the confusion. Indeed, their presence upon the
platform was regarded by the corps as their endorsement of the
Padishah's desire, and served to stimulate the enthusiasm that broke
out in redoubled applause.
Mahomet followed up his advantage, and formally confirmed the apparent
election by announcing--
"A donative! A double pay to every one of the Yeni-Tscheri! and the
Padishah's fifth of the spoil shall be divided to the host!"
The multitude were wild with delight. The inverted soup-kettle was
turned over, and swung by its handle from the top of the staff;
following which, the crowd poured out from the court.[105]
Within a few days Ballaban, as chief Aga, led his corps toward
Albania.