Egypt -- History -- Mohammed Ali, 1805-1849 -- Fiction; Muhammad Ali Basha, Governor of Egypt, 1769-1849 -- Fiction
"I do, tschorbadji," replied he, "and as a father I beg you to look
after my children sometimes. You are related to them through their
mother; shield and protect them, and if the news should come that
destiny has been unfavorable to me, or favorable if you will, and I
shall have fallen on the field of battle, think of this moment, and
watch over my boys! They will be well provided for, as far as the
goods of this world are concerned. I have made over all I possess,
and all I have earned since I began my business, to my wife; from
this hour all that was mine is hers. I take nothing out into the
world with me; I will enter it as a new man. It all came from my
wife, and it is now restored to her. I am going out into the world a
new man, but the old love will remain here in Cavalla with my wife
and with you, and it will accompany me in the person of my beloved
Osman. You need have no fear on our account. While I live, Osman
shall be protected and watched over."
While they were conversing in the hall, Osman was put ting on the
uniform of the bim bashi. His faithful slaves were assisting him,
and rejoiced in his magnificence; and as he now stood before them in
his gold-embroidered uniform, his too slender waist encircled with a
broad leather girdle, from which dangled his sword with its golden
hilt, and to which his two pistols, with jewelled stocks, were
attached, his slaves cried out with delight, and fell on their knees
and kissed his feet.
He told them to rise and to get themselves ready, as these two
faithful servants were to accompany him.
When they had gone, Osman sank down upon his cushions exhausted.
"0 Allah, give me strength sufficient to walk down to the shore with
the appearance of health.-Be strong, poor, weak breast, suppress
your pain until I have reached the ship!--Make me strong, Allah,
until my aim is attained, until I have proved to my friend that I
love him."
Hearing footsteps approaching, he sprang to his feet and assumed a
cheerful and composed manner, as his father and Mohammed came in and
announced that all was in readiness for their departure, and that
the soldiers were only waiting for their bim bashi to march down to
the shore.
"I, however, my bim bashi, have come with a request," said Mohammed,
quickly, "and I hope he will not refuse his boulouk bashi's first
request. I beg you, Osman, to go with your father in advance to the
shore, and take up your position there. I will then follow with the
soldiers, and pass with them in review before you. This is
appropriate, and you must al low the boulouk bashi and the soldiers
to show you these honors."
"If such is the custom, then let it be so," said Osman, smiling.--
"Let us now go, father, as Mohammed requests."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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