The Prince of India; Or, Why Constantinople Fell - Volume 01

the pearls travel up and down the groove in the blade, listening to their low ringing, and searching for inscriptions. This went on until Co

for doubting him!-Come, Mirza, come see

ise, and was presently leani

nd could read a little. You preferred Italian, and when I brought the learned men, and submitted to them that Hebrew was one of a famil

ere the happiest

off then because I could not do without you.... But for the matter now.

xamined

re letters-I see t

ell

L-O-M

him when he was born, and he has always made the same reply: 'I will tell when you are Lord of Constantinople.' ... How he hates Christ and the Christians! ... This is indeed the sword of Solomon-and he found it in the tomb of Hiram, and gives it to me as the elect of the stars now. Ponder it, O Mirza! Now at the mid of the night in which I whistle up my dogs of war to loose them

ght, Corti was

u are not the Mirza I sent away, I want to see your f

was perfectly collected. Mahommed fingered the ruby hil

er than I loved my father, better than I loved my brothers, well as I loved my mother-with a love surpassing all I ever knew but one, and of that we will presently speak. If honor has a soul, it lives in you, and the b

peaking

y full moon of full moons less. She was parted from me; and with whose eyes could I see her so well as with yours, O my falcon? Who else would report

ke. "My Lord is about committing himself to so

ined, uncertainly, but added

anges I have undergone are material; and in recounting them I anticipate his an

when you went away. Was not

ch nothing escapes-a cup without a leak. He

s,

d was pr

of the

s. First, then, the affection which at my going was my Lord's, and which gave me to see

t so, and still you leave me flattered. How far you

ror of th

his gifts so many

a Chri

ifference between God and Allah. Yeste

ifference is between

a Jewess, the mother of the

cess Irene"-Mahommed half raised his hands, his brows knit, his eyes

n recover

oice a little raised. "My love of her

I came here to make the avowal,

die for the

d has s

omething else i

-hon

a summons for an executioner; instead, Mahommed's eyes became humid, and resting his el

. Kismet! ... But you, my poor Mirza, you should know me better. You are my brother without guile. I am not afraid to love you. I do love you. Let us see.... Your letters from Constantinople-I have them all-told me so much more than you intended, I could not suspect your fidelity. They prepared me for everything you have confessed. Hear how in my mind I disposed of them point by point.... 'Mirza,' I said, 'pities the Gabour Emperor; in the end he will love him. Loving a hundred men is less miraculous in a man than loving one. He will make comparisons. Why not? The Gabour appeals to him through his weakness, I through my strength. I wou

d drew a box, and opening it, produced a collar of lace fas

raving." The Count took the cameo, looked

the Corti! Go

e these, and what

o half-boots for a child, on which, ne

my Lord-my

n, and embraced his knees, sayin

I am to die or live-if it be death, I pray him to com

I prefer to have y

t was reseated, M

e you to offer her? While I-well, by this sword of Solomon, to-morrow morning I set out to say to her: 'For thy love, O my full Moon of full Moons, for thy love thou shalt have the redemption of thy Church.'... And besides, did I not foresee your passion? Courtiers stoop low and take pains to win favor; but no courtier, not even a professional, intending merely to please me, co

kept color faithfully. Often as I beheld it, I said: 'Mirza loves her because he cannot help it; yet he is

y Lo

s, and you have to return. Of

At the risk of your dis

t is

t was after I offered myself to the lion-O Heaven! how nearly I lost my honor! Oh, the agony of that silence! The anguish of that remembrance! I have kep

and through the links in his surcoat the

med w

am under compact to sell my religion. I love a noble woman, yet am pledged to keep her safely, and deliver her to another. O my Lord, my Lord! Thi

r Mi

I am not

What we are saying would have become us ten years ago, not now. It is unmanly. I had a purpose in sending for you.... Your mission in Constantinople ends in the morning at four o'clock. In other words, O Mirza, the condition passes from preparation for war with the Gabour to war. Observe now.

ose, his counte

run forward of your

stion now is, whom will yo

y Lo

whether you love me less. I prefe

my L

y of mine who must go down before you. And that you may not be under restraint of conscience or arm

oblig

back to the city free of every obligation to me-arm-free, mind-free. Be a C

incess Iren

ed at the Cou

mor, the galley and its crew, I give them to you without an accounting. You cannot deliver them to me or dispose of them,

face r

nerosity, I cannot acc

in the performance; but now-so have the changes wrought-that which was honorable to Mirza the Emir is scandalous to Count Corti. After four o'clock you will owe me no duty; neither wil

Lord's ene

tested with e

will govern. And now

will, and giving it expression in a look, he l

a promotion for you, Emir. Af

echless-he co

. With women rank and riches are as candles to moths. On the other side your advantage is double; you are a Christian, and may be in her eyes day after day. And not to leave you in mean conditi

estates

er for your cap. If this were less true, comes then the argument: How can you dispose of the properties in hand, and quiet the gossips in the G

g: "I cannot comprehend my Lord. Su

build a mosque with five minarets because other builders stopped with three? ... To the sum of

ws with listen

It demanded self-denial-something I am unused to.... Here it is-I am willing to call Heaven in, and let it d

spirit arose

my Lord may appoint. I am ready.

inst them, and fled or been lost. It may be so with me; but I will march, and in my turn assault them, and thou defending with thy best might. If I am beaten, if I retire, be the cause of failure this or that,

hen, my

ruggle, and conduct her to Sancta Sophia, an

ted. He turned pale and

I am treating with, or Count Corti? Are

it is a wager

l it

s. Change them, my Lord-allow her to be consulted

clinched

r woman lay her head o

t replie

n would be again

uggled with hi

will go through with it. Take the condition, Emir. If I

e, my

and in my household

e to the Count was wonderful

. I accept. In no other mode could the issue b

med a

terview is finished.-A

the box containing the

ter you are to be to me Ugo, Count Corti.... My falcon hat

. Prostrating himself,

n ever. Death to the stranger who in

iring, Mahomm

ty of the Princess Irene may require you to communicate with me.

lected an

om me," he said. "My Lord w

ry Gabour who dares look over the wall sh

ount

nderole, or if it be reported to him, let him look if my shield be black; if so, he shall come himself with a shield the color of mine, and place himself in

rti, the issue is wi

tside the door, the Count

he Prince smiled while speaking-"I have stayed to thank

serv

esires to add to the obligation, he will send the ro

l send

, Count

y face, expecting at least an inquiry after Lael. He rec

ount, drew out of the gate with Nilo. The gladness of the