He now told me that twenty-five years ago the Turks and Christians got on very well together, but ever since the Crimean war the Russian Government has been actively engaged in tampering with the Armenian subjects of the Porte, and has been doing its best to sow the seeds of disaffection amongst the younger Armenians, by promising to make them counts and dukes in the event of their rising in arms against the Porte. "If it were not for Russian intrigues," continued the Pacha, "we Turks should be very good friends with the Christians. But Ignatieff is very clever, he will not let us alone, and does his best to create discord in our ranks." I mentioned the case of the Italian lady, and asked him if he could not do something for her. "It is a very difficult question," replied the Pacha; "her husband, the engineer, was a refugee Pole, and had lost his nationality as a Russian subject. Moreover, his father lives in Russia, and may claim that the son's property should be administered according to Muscovite laws. Then there is an infant child; and, besides this, the lady herself is an Italian, and is expecting another baby. We have written to Constantinople for instructions, when they arrive we shall know what proportion of the husband's property is due to the widow." "What should you advise to be done in the matter?" he inquired. "My opinion is that you ought to give the lady sufficient money to pay her expenses so far as Constantinople; for there she can speak to her own Ambassador, and arrange the business more easily than it can be done here." "Not a bad idea," said the Pacha. "I will advance two months of her husband's salary." "_Gell!_ come!" he cried to a crowd of servants who were waiting outside, and whilst one attendant handed him a cigarette, and a second some coffee, the Pacha desired a third to tell his treasurer that he wished to speak to him immediately. This official now arrived. "I want two months' wages from the sum owing to the late engineer to be brought here at once," said the governor. "But no order about the distribution of the property has come from Constantinople," replied the treasurer hesitatingly; "if we pay any money to the widow, we shall be held responsible for it ourselves." "No," I said, "I will be responsible for the amount. If the authorities at Constantinople say that you have done wrong, I will repay you the money." "Certainly not," said the Pacha; "the responsibility is mine. My orders are to be instantly obeyed," he added. "Is the money to be paid in caime or silver?" asked the treasurer. "Silver," was the reply. "When the poor woman's husband died, caime was worth as much as medjidis, but now there is a great difference, she must not be the loser. Run!" he cried. "On my head be it!" replied the treasurer. In a few minutes he returned with a small sack of silver. "Will you take it to the lady yourself?" said the governor, handing me the bag. "And when do you leave Sivas?" he added.