The messenger soon returns with a dejected look. "It is in vain, general, in vain! His highness desires no peaceful settlement. He says he will make no compromise with rebels! You are to return to your house; he says he can dispose of these rebels without any assistance!"
"Is that his opinion?" asked Taher, bowing profoundly. "The wisdom of the viceroy is inscrutable. I retire, as he commands."
He hastily quitted the apartment, went down to his soldiers and called his bim bashis to his side.
"I was with his highness, and endeavored to settle this difficulty without further bloodshed. But he declined, and said there could be no settlement between you and him except at the cannon's mouth, and that be would pay you with your own blood!"
The soldiers answered their general's words with a fierce roar; when this at last subsided, he continued: "The viceroy says the defterdar is to pay you—that you must look to him. Let us do so, soldiers! Let us compel him to pay!"
"Yes, be shall pay us!" cried they; and the wild masses again rushed to the house of the defterdar.
The closed gates are torn asunder; and Taher Pacha's Armenians and
Mohammed Ali's Albanians run with savage cries into the house.
"I have no money!" cries the defterdar, with pale, trembling lips.
"Where are your books, your accounts? We will take you, together with your books, to our general."
"Do so, do so!" groaned the defterdar, pointing to his books. "Take me, with my books, to Taher Pacha."