The Prince of India, Volume II

s, and proven himself a just man and a conscientious ruler. How great he is remains for demon

tal on the south, belonged to the Turks, and they used it for every purpose-military, commercial, governmental-used it as un

s, to carpet the way to Paradise; but for George Castriot, [Footnote: Iskander-beg-Scanderbeg. Vide GIBBON's Roman Empire.] he had abandoned the cimeter. Keeping terms of amity with such a neighbor was easy-the Emperor had merely to

ople. This, however, was business of the Emperor's own inauguration, and in point of seriousness could not stand comparison with another affair imposed upon him by inheritance-keeping the religious factions domiciled in the capital from tearing each other to pieces. The latter called for qualities

al matters of the gravest import are thrust upon him simultaneously, one domestic, the other forei

hommed is Sultan, and the old regime, with its friendly policies and stately courtesies, is at an end, imposing

m solemn assurances of his disposition to observe every existing treaty. The response seems to have made him over-confident. Into the gilded council chamber at Blacherne he drew his personal friends and official advisers, and heard them with patience and dignity. At the close of a series of deliberative sessions which had a

's) eldest son Mahomet, after the death of his father, would have embraced the Christian Religion, being in his childhood instruc

s Grandfather by the mother's side, as some will have it; howbeit some others write that the Despot his daughter, Amurath his wife (the Despot's daughter, Amurath's wife) w

action is significant of a mother. Mothers-in-law are not usually so doting.] The daughter of a Servian prince, she is supposed to have been a Christian. After the interment of Amurath, she had been returned to her native land. Her age was ab

is known beyond the fact that he was a grandson of Sultan Solyman. Sometime presumably in the reign of John Palaeologus, the Prince appeared in the Greek capital as a pretender to the Sultanate; and his claim must have had color

pinion of the council, for demanding an increase of the stipend. Instruc

e vizierat descended almost in birthright, and a friend to the Greeks, most likely from long association with Amurath, although he has suffered severe aspersion on their account. Kalil advised Phranza to drop the stipend. His master, he said, was not afraid of Orchan, if the latter took the field as an open claimant, short work would be made of him. The warning was disregarded. Phranza submitted his propo

he was not mourning the loss of his royal father, he was studying designs for a palace, pr

ng potentate during one of the nights of his residence in the Moslem capital! He would have found him in a chamber of impenetrable privacy, l

was himself deeply versed in the intricate and subtle science of planetary prediction-"we are agreed that as thou art to essay the war as its beginner, we should have the most favorable Ascendant, determinable by the Lord, and the Planet or Planets therein or in conjunction or aspec

ce," said Mahommed, intensely

of the adepts have preferred Scorpio for the Ascendant, because it is a fixed sign, Mars pleases me best; wherefore toward him have I directed all my observat

arly bright: "And the ultimate-the time, the time, O Prince! Hast thou found it?

smiled whil

serious) "it is never to be forgotten-no, not even by the most exalted of men-that the Planets march by order of Allah alone." ... Then tak

hed till the nails seemed burro

e!-the day-the ho

ince appeared to reply from it: "A

the y

undred and

two," Mahommed repeated slowly, as if writing and verifying ea

ng probably to submit himself at that moment to

this mighty business who is worthier to be the firs

saluted a

no opportunity which might offer to press them to conclusions. Afterwhile Mahommed went into Asia to suppress an insurrection in

onstantinople, thy master, that the Sult

ed by the brevity of the communication, "di

ined-that

ple with the answer. For the first time he vent

e useful to his sovereign, could he have heard Ma

assion; then he called them Gabours.] asked the Sultan, angrily. "It was not enough to waylay me in my palace; he pursued me into th

"Until March twenty-sixth, fo

t him to sle

ll send anothe

not be so many days of rest?-so

senals full? Has he his ships, and sailors, and

N

have cannon. Has he found

med f

of marriage, keeping the matter of the stipend open, he may give half relief an

, quickly, "as you go o

ssador of my brother of Constantin

the se

the report he might have said with truth-a person styling himself Prince

. But it is necessary to leave them for the time, that we may return and see if the Emperor