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He especially who at such a time should venture to cross the piazza of the Etmeidan would have been judged very temerarious or very ill-informed, inasmuch as three of the gates of the barracks of the Janissaries open upon this piazza; and the Janissaries, even when they are in a good humour, are not over particular as to the sort of jokes they choose to play, for their own private amusement, upon those who may chance to fall into their hands.
"I suppose your heels are itching? or perhaps you are tired of having ears and noses? Open all your shop-doors this instant, I say! for whoever keeps them closed after this command shall be hanged up in front of his own shop-door!" The shopkeepers, full of terror, began to take down their shutters forthwith. From thence he galloped off towards the Etmeidan.
They listened to his revilings in silence, gave way before him, and made a way for his prancing steed. Halil was not there, had he but been there the Kapudan Pasha would not have waited twice for an answer. So here also Abdi succeeded in trotting through the ranks of the rioters, and so at last directed his way towards the Etmeidan.
"I am sorry for you, my brave Janissaries," observed the Kapudan Pasha sadly. "And we are sorry for you, famous Kapudan Pasha!" Then Abdi quitted the Etmeidan. He perceived how the crowd parted before him everywhere as he advanced; but it also did not escape him that behind his back they immediately closed up again when he had passed.
The person so accosted instantly stopped short, and fixing the interrogator with a stony look, replied angrily: "Go straight on and you'll be there immediately." At these words the knees of the questioner smote together. "Woe is me! worthy Mussulman, I prythee be not wrath, I did not ask thee where the Etmeidan was because I wanted to go there, but to avoid straying into it.
Suddenly a great cry of woe arose from one end of the city to the other, the people seized their arms and rushed off to the Etmeidan under three banners. They had no other leader now but Janaki, all the rest had escaped or were dead. So now they brought him forward.
When the clamorous mob invited him to the Etmeidan he wrote to his daughter on a tiny shred of vellum, and tied the letter beneath the wing of the pigeon. And this is what he wrote: "God's grace be with thee! Wait not for Halil, he is dead. The Janissaries have killed him. And I shall not be long after him, take my word for it. But live thou and watch over thy child.
He had not sufficient strength of mind to endure the gaze of the Sultan till Sulali should return. Far rather would he go with him also to the rebels. Besides they already understood each other very well. The envoys found Halil sitting under his tent in the Etmeidan. Sulali drew near to him and delivered the message of the Sultan. But he did not deliver it in the words of Achmed.
Scarce anyone would believe that those wails and screams did not form part and parcel of the all-pervading cries of joy. Meanwhile in the Etmeidan a much more free-and-easy sort of entertainment is taking place.
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