When he appeared on the balcony the light of the torches fell full upon him, and the Janissaries recognized him. Every one at once pointed their fingers at him, and immediately an angry and scornful howl arose.
"Look! that is the Sultan! Behold the Caliph—the Caliph, the Padishah of the Moslems—in the garb of the Giaours! That is Mahmoud, the ally of our enemies!"
The Sultan shrank before this furious uproar of the mob, and, involuntarily falling back, stammered, pale as death:
"With what shall we allay this tempest?"
His servants, with quivering lips, stood around him. At that moment they neither feared nor respected their master.
Suddenly a bold young ichoglan rushed towards the Sultan, and answered his question in a courageous and confident voice:
"With swords, with guns, with weapons!"
It was Thomar.
The Sultan scrutinized the youth from head to foot, amazed at his audacity; then hastening back to his dressing-chamber, exchanged his ball dress for his royal robes, and, coming back from the inner apartments, descended into the court-yard.
The guns were already pointed at the gates, the topijis stood beside them, match in hand, impatiently awaiting the order to fire.