Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

36 articles on this Page

To-day's Short Story

News
Cite
Share

To-day's Short Story HYPNOTISED HIS EXECUTIONER No one has ever seen a similar epistle to tha.t which the Pasha of Kars sent, one hundred years ago, to his Highness the Saltan of Selim, third of tha.t name. This strange missive was composed of eight signs. which. taken together, formed two words of- terrible signification, causing the Sultan frightful anger upon reading it. "iia,rut jok" ("Powder has given out"), said the i-asiia. Thd news was serious, for if the Pasha had no more povrcLer how could he repulse the assault of tiie Sue^iaas? He would have to surrender, and Ears, the key of the Caucasus, w-,>uit fall into the hands of the soldiers of the Great Catherine. Th-e Sultan summoned hirf Grand Vixier, Ibrahim, an old and ugly man, bnt very intelligent. When he entered, bent in executing the many^eala- Kulaeks prescribed by etiquette, the amiable Padishah, instead of saluting, hit him on the he a rl. "1 rascal! miscreant! roared his High- rotv-, greatly exasperated. "Is this the way you 'vatch over my arms? I am no longer astonished that the cursed Muscovites check oue brave soldiers, if ail my generals are in trie sa.:r:.c predicament as my captain at Kars: Without power, indeed! But ex- plain how it happened that a fort as impor- tan:, as that of Kaj^ should warn ammuni- tion ?" "Probably it has burned its last cart- ridge," humbly suggested the Grand Vizier, ■without faring to rise. "You are an imbecile, Ibrahim. I have a mind to throw you in prison at once. If tho Pasha had no powder, he probably has l'r, money to buy it, 90 to-morrow morning at. day-break you start out a. caravan filled with a thousand purses of silver." "YOUl" orders shall be obeyed, your Majesty," replied Ibrahim, with humility. "To-T.orrow a thousand purses will set oat for Kars." Happy to have escaped so easily, the Grand Vizier left the palace and proceeded slowly to the residence of the brave Hassa This cunning Persian never allowed a. sum of money to leave the bank without at first de- ducting an honest interest of 20 per cent. Thus, instead of 1,000 purses, Hassan counted out only SCO, but the Sultan wanted 1,000, so I the Grand Vizier signed a note for 2,000, and received 1,600. ) Reaching home, the faithful Ibrahim took the superfluous 600, and hid it under the mattress of the di van,tthen sent for the Khaznadar-Pasha, treasrur er-generaL, to con- j fide the care of sending the silver into Asia Minor. Ibrahim was a true Turkish functionary, and the sight of the little purses made him ref ?ct — "You pretty silver things! You are des- tined to be devoured by the cannon! The noble metal of which you are made will go up in smoke, and shall I do nothing to ?top tbs vacdaham? No. Allah would not pai- don me if I did not make the attempt. If I cannot save you. ail, at least it is my duty to protect some of you. Since the Pasha wished to kill the Russians, he should put in two shells in each cannon, thus using only half as much powder. Consequently, he does not need but half this sum." Thanks to thw suotle reasoning. Ibrahim, finding his conscience at peace-, hurried to put away 500 purses under the inattreae with. the others. Wfuat is most astonishing, when Khaz- nadar took possession of the remaining 500, he reflected also: — Oh, Allah," paid he. if the Pasha was ) not an imbecile he would know how to spare his ammunition. Instead of sending useless bails and bullets great distances, he ought: to let the enemy approach, then mtssacre them with cartridges. Why should I pre- vent this brave Pasha from giving proof of t his bravery? It is my duty to fumieh. an occasion for it. Then here, are 250 purses for him and the same for me." The Karavanbachi—chief of the caravan— aaid in turn, "Two hundred and nity pUe.s are too heavy for cue camel and too light for two. I know I ought not to maltreat an j animal; the Koran forbids it. My duty i.i II to divide this sum evenly." It was done. The janizary who set out with some soldiers to escort the camel loaded with the 125 purses unceremoniously helped himself to half the load. Beaching Kara unimpeded, he placed the t2 purses at the feet of the Pasha. Sixty-two purses and a half." saM the captain to himself. "That is v?ry little to buy a.TI1m.unition. "What will I do? Ah. I will give it to my secretary, who com- plained just now 01 having no more sand to dry biB writing! In this way one of uj at least will have what is waiting." Eight days later tho Pfushu. of Kirs sent to cis Majesty the Sultaai Selim a new message, laconic and terrible. Three eigns sufficed to transmit the fatal news Taken"! Kars was taken. The unfortunate Pasha. was sent at once to Constantinople and thrown into prison. One morning they brought him before his Highness. The Pasha began to plead his cause boldly and frankly: You say, light of the faithful, that you eent me 1,000 purses to enable me to bU7 some powder. Now, if I had received them I would have been able to check the Bus- sians. Kars would still belong to your Majesty. I swear upon the Koran I received only 6Z. purses. You send me 1.000 purses, but only reached me. It is because the sum has been divided by two four tirnee. In other terms, you have been robbed four times, glorious SacLLshah. 2vow, if you desire to know the names of the robbers, nothing would be more easy. They are those through whoee hands the money passed." Very well, Ali," replied the Sultan," you are a good soldier and a loyal servant, who has not yet learned the art of lying. You will re-enter my good graces, and I will return all your grades and privileges.' As for this miserable Ibrahim, the first and greatest robber of the four, he will pay dearly for his infamous action. I will teach him what the Sultan Selim does to a Grand Vizier who has the audacity to rob his master. You go, my faithful Ali, a.nd find him this evening before the hour of prayer, and present hhn this noose of red silk. He will understand. Go!" In his sumptuous pala-ce at Ortakoe, whoca terraced gardens descended to the eea, the Grand Vizier, Ibrahim, reposed, leaning against a pile of pillows, fingering his amber beads. Before him, in a basin, burned a perfumed miiture, whose fragrance filled the place. Suddenly the heavy hanging which con- cealed the doccr lifted, and Ali Paflha entered. "Upon seeing before him one whom he believed was still in prison, Ibrahim felt a sinister presentiment. "Let your last hour be happy," said Ali, in a. grave voice, stopping upon the silL Ibrahim did not misunderstand the sense of these words; he knew by the salute that Ali could be only the messenger of death. and that he held concealed in the folds of his caftan the terrible silken noose. Still the face or Ibrahim remained passive; his eyes burned a. little brighter. Slowly he said: "AHah wishes it. Allah is powerful. We are at his feet only miserable worms of the dust. Let his will be accomplished. Render me this la,t service of waiting a. moment, and let me finish my ablutions and prayers. You know Mahomet has proclaimed sacred the vows of the dying." The Grand Vizier very slowly raised his arms and placed the palms of his hands over his ears. His large, black eyes. burning with,a strange fire, rested upou AU Pasha. The brave captain, nervous and troubled, did not know how to account for thie singular attitude. Little by little a. strange, inexplicable happiness overcame him. It seemed tp him that his bedv, and hia mind, detached from terreetial things, floated in the pure regi<jng of ether, softly oradled. by perfumed zephyrs. Slowly his eyes closed, his head inclined upon his breast, and leaning against the divan where be had fallen, he slept. "He tJps," cried the Grand Vizier. with triumphant joy. Then, seating himself gravely upon the divan in front of his victim, whom he watched constantly, Ibrahim began the following recital, articulating each word slowly, as if he I wished to thoroughly engrave the words upon the mind: "When I first delivered the fatal news he made his ablutions, then prayed prostrated, ae the Koran prescribes. Hia prayer finished, he seated himself upon a divan in front of his victim, and taking from a slave the cord, he made a eliding knot, passing it around his neck. He looked at me for the last time, crossed his arms upon his breast, and made a sign to I. the slaves, who seized each an end of the oord, a.nd drew it with all their might. Finally, a last jolt, tho head fell back; the arms dropped inert; it was over. One of the slaves detached the cord. What a horriule black mark it left in the white They covered the corpse with a mantle. Your justice was satisfied, o. sublime Sultan! When Ibrahim had finished his recital, he I extended himself on the ground. One of the slaves covered him with his mantle; then I approaching Ali Pasha, struck him twice upon his face. Tho brave captain opened his eye, and looked around as though he had had a painful dream. The slave, inclining profoundly before him, returned the red noose. Pardon, noble Pasha. said the Blare. "Would you not like to see him?" Never, unfortunate one," replied Ali. I should never sleep again." Peace be with him," said the faithful servant to the gracious Sultan Selim when reciting the details of the death of the Grand Vizier. You say the agony was very long," added the Padishah. "Ternble. your Majesty." responded Aii. One would ha-ve thought he had seven souls nailed to h i, body." At midnight, when the moon concealed her silver distc behind the mountains, a vessel glided rapidly and eilently upon the Mntle waves of the Boephorus. Upon the deck the ex-Grand Vizier Ibrahim surrounded by his wives and children were seated. Conff\=<s, my sweet Kadite," said Ibrahim to the eldest of his eompa,nror.3, "that it would have been too beastly to die für 5 purses of silver. Ooce again have I cause to know th",t I made a good purchase when I bought you at the market at Cairo. It was yoa that revealed to me the secret of the women of Egypt—this secret, thanks to which no one can put to sleep hi.) neighbour. "To put that poor Ali to sleep was only child's play. I would like to know what punishment hie Highness will inflict upon him when, wishing to proceed with my interment, he will perceive that I have fooled them. Poor AU What a pity he is so honest! II I could have taken him, with me. The Czarina would have made him a colonel, ae she will' make me a general. The great Catherine is a good and hospitable person, especially to Turks, particularly when they know the secret of arl the strong placed of the Danube." With these hopeful words, Ibrahim stretched himself upon the mats, and slept the sleep of the just.

Advertising

ICZARINA'S ILL-HEALTH I

| A Lingering DeathI ! A Lingerig…

, - - I I For Women Folk.…

Passing Pleasantries.

SLEEP-WALKING IN STREETI

! THE FOREIGN MAILS I

NIGHT ESCAPADEI

ILONDON ELECTRIC SUPPLY

h THE CHRISTIAN,"

HANGED BY MISTAKE

I-*-THE MORNING WALK.-

IThirty-Six Years After.

M.C.C. v Bendigo.

I Pantomime in Cardiff

TO-MORROWS PROGRAMME.

IFor FootballersI

Advertising

Miniature Rifle Shooting

ISKITTLES

Advertising

Entombed Miners

"DUMMY" PARCEL MYSTERY

POPE AND BRAMPTON LEGACY

[..: ISTEEL TRADE SUPREMACY

ISLlPPEDON ICE-COVERED CRG

I RAILWAY PORTER KILLED

I KING OF SPAIN AND MEXICO

SHEERNESSPINNACEDISASTER

IMAIL CART WITHOUT A DRIVER

IBAZAAR AT PONTYPOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL BAZAAR

I MUTINEERS TO BE SHOT

ICOTTON PRODUCTION

Advertising