‘In the first place,’ said Fakredeen, ‘until this accursed peace intrigue of the foreign consuls, which will not last as long as the carnival, the Mountain was more troubled than ever, and the Porte, backed up by Sir Canning, is obstinate against any prince of our house exercising the rule.’
‘Do you call that good news?’
‘It serves. In the first place it keeps my good uncle, the Emir Bescheer and his sons, prisoners at the Seven Towers. Now, I will tell you what I have done. I have sent to my uncle and offered him two hundred thousand piastres a year for his life and that of his sons, if they will represent to the Porte that none but a prince of the house of Shehaab can possibly pacify and administer Lebanon, and that, to obtain this necessary end, they are ready to resign their rights in favour of any other member of the family.’
‘What then?’ said the Lady of Bethany, taking her nargileh from her mouth.
‘Why, then,’ said Fakredeen, ‘I am by another agent working upon Riza Pasha to this effect, that of all the princes of the great house of Shehaab, there is none so well adapted to support the interests of the Porte as the Emir Fakredeen, and for these three principal reasons: in the first place, because he is a prince of great qualities——’
‘Your proof of them to the vizir would be better than your assertion.’
‘Exactly,’ said Fakredeen. ‘I prove them by my second reason, which is a guaranty to his excellency of the whole revenue of the first year of my princedom, provided I receive the berat.’
‘I can tell you something,’ said the lady, ‘Riza shakes a little. He is too fond of first-fruits. His nomination will not be popular.’
‘Yes it will, when the divan takes into consideration the third reason for my appointment,’ said the prince. ‘Namely, that the Emir Fakredeen is the only prince of the great house of Shehaab who is a good Mussulman.’
‘You a good Mussulman! Why, I thought you had sent two months ago Archbishop Murad to Paris, urging King Louis to support you, because, amongst other reasons, being a Christian prince, you would defend the faith and privileges of the Maronites.’