United States or Kuwait ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
These negotiations, suspended the first time by M. Dro-vetti, the French consul at Alexandria, co-operating with the pasha, were again renewed some time after through the influence of the English ambassador, who, in the name of his country, demanded the re-establishment of the Mamluks, guaranteeing the fidelity of Elfi.
Elfi Bey had not told him his father's name, but had enjoined upon him with the greatest precision, on the fourth day of the coming month Ramadan, on which day he would be two-and-twenty years old, to repair to the celebrated pillar El-Serujah, four days' journey east of Alexandria: there he should offer to the men who would be standing by the pillar, a dagger which he gave him, with these words, "Here am I, whom ye seek!"
On his deathbed Elfi Bey called Omar to him, and then told him that he was not his nephew, but the son of a great king, who, having been warned of coming dangers by his astrologers, had sent the young prince away and made a vow not to see him till his twenty-second birthday.
Mehemet Ali had no sooner been proclaimed than Elfi, who had reorganised his party in Upper Egypt, did all in his power to overthrow the new pasha. He first offered to assist Kourshyd to regain his former position; he promised his allegiance to the Porte on condition of the dismissal of Mehemet Ali, and then turned his attention to England.
On the second day of their journey Labakan questioned Omar as to the orders he had to carry out, and to his surprise heard this tale. Elfi Bey, Pacha of Cairo, had brought up Omar from his earliest childhood, and the boy had never known his parents.
He told Labakan that his own name was Omar, that he was a nephew of Elfi Bey, and was travelling in order to carry out a command given him by his uncle on his death bed. Labakan was not quite so open in his confidences, but hinted that he too was of noble birth and was travelling for pleasure. The two young men took a fancy to each other and rode on together.
But shortly before, Elfi Bey, having been attacked by his enemies, and, after three disastrous engagements, mortally wounded, was obliged to flee, and disclosed to his charge that he was not his nephew, but the son of a powerful lord, who, inspired with fear by the prophecy of his astrologer, had sent the young prince away from his court, with an oath never to see him again until his twenty-second birthday.
Elfi Bey, the bashaw of Cairo, had brought up Omar from his earliest childhood; the young man had never known his parents.
'I have been taught how to manage a horse, to draw a sword, and to throw a lance some sixty paces, but I never learnt to sew, and such a thing would have been thought beneath the notice of the pupil of Elfi Bey, the ruler of Cairo. 'Ah, true son of your father, cried the queen; 'if only I might embrace you and call you son!
But the art of the needle is unknown to me; it were unworthy a pupil of Elfi Bey, the lord of Cairo!" "Oh, thou true son of my heart!" exclaimed the sultana. "Ah, that I might embrace thee, and call thee, son! Forgive me, husband and master," she continued, turning to the sultan, "for having set on foot this stratagem against you. See you not now who is prince, and who tailor?
Word Of The Day