"I thank thee, Halil! Make of me what thou wilt, but listen, first of all, to the message of the Padishah which he has entrusted to me, for I am in very great doubt whether it be thou or Sultan Achmed who is now Lord of all the Moslems. Tell me, therefore, what thou dost require of the Sultan, and if thy demands be lawful and of good report they shall be granted, provided that thou dost promise to disperse thy following."
Then Halil Patrona stood up before the Sulali, and with a severe and motionless countenance answered:
"Our demands are few and soon told. We demand the delivery to us of the four arch-traitors who have brought disaster upon the realm. They are the Kul Kiaja, the Kapudan Pasha, the Chief Mufti, and the Grand Vizier."
"I ask much, you say. To-morrow I shall ask still more. If you agree to my terms, to-morrow there shall be peace. But if you come again to me to-morrow, then there will be peace neither to-morrow nor any other morrow."
Sulali returned to the Sultan and his ministers who were still all assembled together.
Full of suspense they awaited the message of Halil.
Sulali dared not say it all at once. Only gradually did he let the cat out of the bag.
"I have found out the demands of the insurgents," said he. "They demand that the Kiaja Beg be handed over to them."
The Kiaja suddenly grew paler than a wax figure.
"Such a faithful old servant as he has been to me too," sighed Achmed. "Well, well, hand him over, and now I hope they will be satisfied."
With tottering footsteps the Kiaja stepped among the bostanjis.
"Him also. My most valiant seaman!" exclaimed Achmed sorrowfully.
"Mashallah!" cried the Kapudan cheerfully, "I am theirs," and with a look of determined courage he stepped forth and also joined the bostanjis. "Weep not on my account, oh Padishah! A brave man is always ready to die a heroic death in the place of danger, and shall I not, moreover, be dying in your defence? Hale us away, bostanjis; do not tremble, my sons. Which of you best understands to twist the string? Come, come, fear nothing, I will show you myself how to arrange the silken cord properly. Long live the Sultan!"
And with that he quitted the room, rather leading the bostanjis than being led by them, he did not even lay aside his sword.