A strange fire gleamed for an instant in Mohammed's eyes, and he compressed his lips firmly. How could he who had inflicted such intolerable anguish upon him, how could he question him as to his heart's history? Woe to him for so doing! for this, too, shall retribution be visited upon him!
"Yes, highness, I have a family. I have a wife and three sons at home in Cavalla."
"One wife only!" said the pacha. "Are you contented with one wife?"
"One is often too many," replied Mohammed. "But this does not apply to my wife. She is the niece of the tschorbadji, and devoted to me. I have no cause to complain of her."
"Is that all?" asked the pacha, with an air of indifference. "You have nothing further to say of her? Then you do not love her, I suppose?"
"Highness, I believe love was torn from my heart in my youth."
"Everyone says that until he loves," replied Cousrouf, composedly blowing clouds of smoke from his mouth. "Yet, in my opinion, one is never too old to love; the heart never grows old. Let me know it if you feel that another love can blossom in your heart, and that you wish, in addition to the wife you have long possessed—and I know that possession gives satiety—another, a young and beautiful wife. Perhaps I can find such a one for you. And I will do so, Mohammed, if you return victorious from the new campaign."
"A new campaign? and against whom?" was Mohammed's only response.
"Against whom? Against the insolent Mameluke beys, of course. The time has come to dispose of them finally," said Cousrouf. "Listen, general. The grand-sultan, weary of these incessant struggles with the rebellious Mameluke beys, is resolved to bring them to a conclusion, and restore peace to the province of Egypt. You, however, have now been here long enough to know that peace in Egypt means death and destruction to the Mameluke beys."
"Yes, highness, peace in Egypt means death to the Mameluke beys!" replied Mohammed Ali. "Truly, while one of them survives, so long will his proud, ambitious heart prompt him to endeavor to reconquer the rule which he believes is predestined for the Mameluke beys by Allah and the prophet."