"I thank you, Mohammed," said the tschorbadji, deeply moved. "My Osman is my only joy in life. You are a father, too, Mohammed, and you know how a father loves his child."
"I do, tschorbadji," replied he, "and as a father I beg you to look after my children sometimes. You are related to them through their mother; shield and protect them, and if the news should come that destiny has been unfavorable to me, or favorable if you will, and I shall have fallen on the field of battle, think of this moment, and watch over my boys! They will be well provided for, as far as the goods of this world are concerned. I have made over all I possess, and all I have earned since I began my business, to my wife; from this hour all that was mine is hers. I take nothing out into the world with me; I will enter it as a new man. It all came from my wife, and it is now restored to her. I am going out into the world a new man, but the old love will remain here in Cavalla with my wife and with you, and it will accompany me in the person of my beloved Osman. You need have no fear on our account. While I live, Osman shall be protected and watched over."
While they were conversing in the hall, Osman was put ting on the uniform of the bim bashi. His faithful slaves were assisting him, and rejoiced in his magnificence; and as he now stood before them in his gold-embroidered uniform, his too slender waist encircled with a broad leather girdle, from which dangled his sword with its golden hilt, and to which his two pistols, with jewelled stocks, were attached, his slaves cried out with delight, and fell on their knees and kissed his feet.
He told them to rise and to get themselves ready, as these two faithful servants were to accompany him.
When they had gone, Osman sank down upon his cushions exhausted.
"0 Allah, give me strength sufficient to walk down to the shore with the appearance of health.-Be strong, poor, weak breast, suppress your pain until I have reached the ship!—Make me strong, Allah, until my aim is attained, until I have proved to my friend that I love him."
Hearing footsteps approaching, he sprang to his feet and assumed a cheerful and composed manner, as his father and Mohammed came in and announced that all was in readiness for their departure, and that the soldiers were only waiting for their bim bashi to march down to the shore.
"I, however, my bim bashi, have come with a request," said Mohammed, quickly, "and I hope he will not refuse his boulouk bashi's first request. I beg you, Osman, to go with your father in advance to the shore, and take up your position there. I will then follow with the soldiers, and pass with them in review before you. This is appropriate, and you must al low the boulouk bashi and the soldiers to show you these honors."
"If such is the custom, then let it be so," said Osman, smiling.—
"Let us now go, father, as Mohammed requests."
"But I also have a request to make, my son," said the tschorbadji. "I have met with an accident: in crossing the court-yard I sprained my ankle slightly, and I cannot walk, as it pains me. You must therefore do me the kindness to al low yourself to be carried down with me in the palanquin. It will excite no surprise; the soldiers saw me when the accident occurred, and no one will suppose it is on your account."