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

on promontory, out of a gate attached to the High Residence of Blacherne, familiarly known as

cheered him as, turning to the right after issuance from the gate, he plunged at a lively trot into the ravine at the foot of the wall, practically an immense natural fosse

ddle-bow, a curved sword considerably longer, though not so broad as a cimeter, a bow and quiver of arrows at his back, and a small shield or buckler over the quiver. The favorite chestnut Arab served him for mount, its head and neck

f riding, due to their short stirrups, was indic

ing. His object in this small organization was a support to rush in after him rather than a battle front. That is, in a charge he was to be the lance's point, and they the broadening of the lance's blade; while he was engaged, intent on the foe before him, eight of them were to guard him right and left, and, as the exigencies of combat mig

f the contest, knowing how swiftly it was coming, and believed it possible to defend the city successfully. At

ons of the Greeks; still he fancied the first serious blow struck by the Turks, the

nt Corti was thus making ready to defend. This may be said of them generally: It seeme

would think of such a thing? If he comes, we will sh

g over the intermediate hills, almost see into Constantinople, the careless populace hooted at the exaggeration: "There be royal idiots

a passing ship. "What flag was the ship flying?" "The Venetian." "Ah, that settles it," the public cried. "Th

ter than the air at Adrianople, had effected a treaty by which the Podesta of Galata bound his city to neutrality; still the compl

r might be fired from them at once. The Greeks only jeered. Some said: "Oh, the Mahound must be intending a salute for the man in the moon of Ramazan!" Others decided: "Well, he is crazier than we thought him

an was levying unheard-of armies; he had half a million recruits already, but wanted a million. "Oh, h

viousness to danger had one fostering circumstance-the gat

s more at stake than he? He is a soldier, if he is an azymite. He

a great deal i

only remained open, but traffic went in and out of them unhindered-out even to the Turkish camp, the Byzantines actually competing with their neighbors of Galata in the furnishment of supplies. Nay, at this very period every morning a troop of the Imperial guard convoyed a wagon from Blacher

ions between the potentates were slippery, if

ice is of no moment; certain it is the Emperor acted upon the advice. He summoned a council, and proposed war; but was advised to send a protesting embassy to the enemy. A scornful answer was returned. Seeing the timidity of his cabinet

were his enemies, many openly preferring a Turk to an azymite. A more discouraging prospect it is difficult to imagine. There was but one hope left him. Europe was full of professional soldiers. Perhaps the Pope

oumeli Hissar was finished, one of his anxieties was in a measure relieved. The other was more serious. Then the frequency with which he climbed the Tower of Isaac, the hours he passed there gazing wistfully southward down the mirror of the Marmora, became observable. The valorous, knightly he

Asiatic communications is answered. There was nothing for him but a siege. To that alternative the last of the Roma

began to ravage the fields, and the watchmen, hastening from their little huts on the hills to drive them out, were set upon by the soldiers and beaten. They complained to the Emperor, and he sent an embassy to the Sultan praying him to save the crops from ruin. In reply, Mahomme

oly Father have not arrived; but they are on the way, and until they come we must defend ourselves. Cold and indifferent my people have certainly been. Now I will make a last effort to arouse them. Go out toward Hissar,

advance upon the city before you are entirely prepared. Permit me to sel

ssed by a bridge below the site of the present neglected country palace of the Sultan. Up on the heights he turned left of Pera, and after half an hour's rapid movement was trending northward parallel with the B

ratulation at having before him an opportunity to recommend himself to the Emperor, wi

tion of his guide ar

rks, th

he

that

e Count beheld the sign of alar

illage-to ou

nd get me to the fire. Is t

er the hi

t bro

to a path, b

ng the gallop, pushed the guide forward. Shortly a p

? What is the m

Turks, th

em? Stand,

ke in on us. We were a dozen to their fifty or more. We only escaped, and they set fire

hey mo

horses, som

are the

ield on t

en there to come and pick up their dead. Tell them not t

the Coun

ng, smoking, momentarily widening; through the cloud a company of Turkish soldiers halted, mostly horsemen, their arms glinting brightly in

m standing, drew their swords, and brought their bucklers forward. Then he led them into the field. A few words more, directions probably, and h

pt the slope, and with only the moving line of fire as an impedi

re being charged, or they may have despised the assailants on account of their inferiority in numbers, or

d seemingly brighter of the passage just made. Fleckings of flame clung to the horses. What the battle-cry of the Berbers we may not tell. They screamed something un-Christian, echoes of the Desert. Then the enemy stir

ve to form his companions-but it was too late. "Christ and our Lady of Blacherne!"-and with that Corti was in their midst; and after him, into the lane he opened, his Berbers

, the Turkish mass flew apart, and went helter-skelter off, each man str

succeeded, for to say truth, he was not an unwilling foeman. A brief combat

e poor people with only their harvest knives for

ered to pu

wh

d the S

no shame. I know

they slew o

I have a message for the Lord Mahommed. Swear by the b

ierce of temper, and if I must die, the stroke may be

come wi

d to patches for want of stalks to feed it, the Count led the way back to the point at w

Mahommed, and say to him, Ugo, Count Corti, salute him, and prays him to look at the banderole, and

ed moon in the centre, and on the face of the moon a wh

my Lord's guard of the Palace." Then looking the Count full in the face, he

ou my name and

message to my Lord-I swear i

inople. Anticipating a speedy reappearance of the Turks, hostilities being now unavoidable, Count Corti despatched messengers everywhere along the Bosphorus, warning the farmers and villagers to let their fields go, and seek refuge in the city. So it came about that the escort of the murdered peasants momentarily increased until at the bridge over the Sweet Waters of Europe it became a colum

ssenger to the Emperor, he took stand at the bridge; and well enough, for about dusk a horde of Turkish militia swept down from the

entire district from Galata to Fanar on the Black Sea was reduced to ashes. The Greek

burdens away; so the greater part of them at an early hour after nightfall appeared at

e of the massacre, and that the corpses of the harvesters would be conveyed to the Hippodrome for public exposure, having

dles, and formed in front. Behind trudged the worn, dust-covered, wretched fugitives; and as they failed to realize their rescue, and that they were at last in safety, they did not abate their lamentations.

nd balconies. Afar they heard the chanting of the sextons, monotonous, yet solemnly effective; afar they saw the swaying candles and torches; and an awful silence signalized the approach of the pageant; but when it was up, and the bodies were borne past, especially when the ghastly countenances of the sufferers were under eye plainly visible in the red torchlig

ddle of the oblong area, he bade them lay their

r poor countrymen shall lie here all tomorrow, every gaping wound crying for vengeance.

nd no one permitted to pass out. Singular to say, a number of eunuchs belonging to the Sultan were caught and held. Some of the enraged Greeks insisted on their dea

st is in God; if it shall please him to mollify your heart, I shall rejoice in the change; if he delivers the city in your hands, I submit witho

with a formal de

romised. They lay in a row near the Twisted Serpent, and the people

but it was succeeded by fear, and when the organization of companies was attempted, the exodus was shameful. Thousands fle

ousand Greeks took the arms of