It was late at night when they reached Ali Pasha's camp. The sentinels slept like badgers; you might have carried off the whole camp bodily so far as they were concerned. Apafi had to wait in front of the Pasha's tent till the latter had huddled on his clothes. The curtains of the tent were then drawn aside, and he was invited to enter. Ali Pasha was sitting with folded arms on a carpet spread out in the back part of the tent; behind him stood two gorgeously-dressed Moors with drawn scimitars. The outlines of a couple of figures were distinctly visible through the tapestry wall which separated the back part of the tent from the audience chamber--no doubt the Pasha's wives, on the alert to pick up something of what was going on. "Art thou that same Michael Apafi who was for some years the prisoner of the Tartar Mirza?" asked the Pasha, after the usual greetings. "The same, most gracious Pasha, to whom also the Khan compassionately remitted the remainder of the ransom money." "Think no more of that. The Mirza remitted the remainder of the ransom money because my master, the Sublime Sultan, commanded him so to do, and the illustrious Padishah will do yet more for thee." "Wonderingly I listen, and gratefully; not knowing how I have deserved such grace," returned Apafi. "The Sublime Sultan has heard how honestly, discreetly, and manfully thou hast borne thy doleful captivity, and how thou didst win the hearts of thy fellow-captives, insomuch that they all looked up to thee, though among slaves there is no distinction of rank. For which cause therefore, and also having regard to the fact that the present Prince of Transylvania, John Kemeny, would fain rebel against the Sublime Porte, the illustrious Padishah, I say, has for these reasons resolved to raise thee without delay to the throne of Transylvania and keep thee there." "Me! You are pleased to jest with your servant, most gracious sir!" stuttered Apafi. His eyes were blinded by excess of light. "Nay, thou hast not the slightest cause to be amazed thereat. The Padishah has but to nod, and pashas and princes become slaves, beggars, or corpses. He nods again, and beggars and slaves rise up into their places. Thou art highly favoured, for thou hast found grace before him. Use it discreetly then, but beware of abusing it!" "But, most gracious sir, does it occur to you how I'm to become a prince?" "Leave that to me. I'll make thee one." "But Transylvania has got another prince, John Kemeny." "Leave that to me also. I'll dispose of him." Apafi shrugged his shoulders. He felt that he had never been in such a mess in all his life. "My wife was quite right in her presentiment that a great misfortune was about to befall me," thought he to himself. The Pasha began again. "Summon therefore a Diet at once, so that the installation may take place as speedily as possible."