The tent be it understood was open towards the plain overlooking the whole camp and the river beyond.
A military band was just then crossing the ground not far from the tent, quite alone; no regiment was coming after it.
"Methinks, thou mutinous dog, 'tis no answer to my question to inquire what regiment is now passing by, for it maybe that I know better than thou why it has arrived; nor is it part of my duty to mention the rabble by name; suffice it that I hear the trumpets and see the banners."
The Pashas looked at each other; there was neither regiment nor banners.
"So that's it, eh?" said Kiuprile, spitting in front of him; and with that he rose from his place, and, without looking at Hassan, took Kucsuk and Feriz by the arm. "Come!" said he to the other generals—"you can go now!" he cried to the guards, and the whole assembly withdrew from the tent.
Hassan fell back on his carpet. He himself had betrayed his great defect.
Azrael rushed from her hiding-place.
"Oh, my master!" she cried; "thou didst wrongly interpret my words, and so made everything go wrong."
"I am lost," he stammered, and quite beside himself he plunged into the interior of the tent to pray with the dervishes.
Yffim Beg stood there as if his soul had been filched from him; while Azrael approached him with a smile of devilish scorn and stroked his face down with her hand.