The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-28 00:00:00

A ROMANCE OF THE HAREM.
The following singular narrative is given in a letter
to the Semaphore of Marseilles :
" A few years ago a, Greek girl of uncommon
beauty was married to Mr. Melinger, an English
physician residing at Constantinople, where he had
acquired a high reputation. Several children were
born of this marriage, which, to all appearance!,
seemed likely to continue a happy one. Thanks to
his profession and to his distinguished merits, Mr.
Melinger received frequent visits from the highest
dignitaries of the empire, and among others from his
Excellency Fethi-Pacha, now son-in-law of the
Sultan. It would appear that the doctor having dis-
covered the existence of an intrigue between this
gentleman and his wife, resolved upon quitting Con,
stantinople, and taking the guilty one over to Eng-
land ; but the Greek refused to submit, doubtless bent
upon other schemes, for she soon after obtained a
divorce, and abandoned her children and her husband.
After her divorce the connexion of Madame Melinger
with Fethi-Pacha was but of short duration. But
she shortly accomplished the conquest of Mehemet
Pacha, who had just been appointed to the Governor-
ship of Belgrade ; and in order the more entirely
to captivate this distinguished personage she became
a Mussulman—a circumstance which immediately
induced the enamoured Pacha to take her with him
to his seat of government, and, finally, to make her
his wife. Although greatly attached to his wife,
Mehemet's happiness was not complete, as there was
reason to fear that their union would be sterile. Ac-
cordingly, he one day ventured a kind of reproach to
his wile on the subject, who immediately replied with
a smile, 'ls this the cause of your dejection, my
Lord? why did you not mention it sooner ?" Ilow
so ?" Would you prefer a boy or a girl ?" A boy
by all means.' You shall have one. After a short
interval the crafty Greek feigned to be in the con-
dition her lord desired, while every means were em-
ployed prudently to exile him from his wife's apart-
ment. The blindness of his passion rendered this an
easy task, nor did a doubt cross his mind as to the
legitimacy of the infant presented to him, which he
named Belgrade Bey, and the town showed itself
duly sensible of its sponsorial honours by the most
splendid rejoicings. A short time afterwards his
Excellency Mehemet Pacha was recalled to Constan-
tinople, and subsequently appointed Ambassador
of the Ottoman Porte in London. But pre-
vious to his departure he expressed a wish
that he might have another boy, a brother and a
companion for the beloved Belgrade. His happiness,
he said, would not be completed unless he
had two fine children almost of the same age, of whose
future career he already formed the most brilliant an-
ticipations. As she had done in the first instance,
his wife replied, ' You shall have one." Impossible
exclaimed the husband, at first astounded. 'As
truly as Mahomet is our prophet.' 'Well,' replied
Mehemet, God is great ! and it was thus that you
announced my first-born.' At the end of a month
she again declared herself enceinte, and the Pacha
was the most delighted of men, but he was soon ob-
liged to set out for London, and his wife was left at
Constantinople to complete her accouchement. This
was all the Greek desired, and using the same means
as before, she presented one fine morning to her as-
sembled slaves, and to a few persons of her husband's
family, a fine child of the male sex, who received the
name of Usnud Bey. After the lapse of a few days
the child fell seriously ill, and was sent, by order of
the physicians, to Pera, under the care of its gover-
ness. Pere, as every one knows, is a suburb of
Constantinople, inhabited by the mercantile commu-
nity and by the European Ambassadors. Its air is
purer than that of the city, and, accordingly,
young Usnud was soon brought back in perfect
health by his governess—the same woman who had
performed the office of nurse at the birth of Belgrade.
Singularly enough, however, an old black eunuch who
had brought up the Pacha, possessed his entire confi-
dence, and managed his entire household, could by no
means recognise Usnud Bay in the child which was
thus brought back, and in the presence of several
slaves said to his mistress, 'Well, my lady, if that
child be Usnud Bey, he has become singularly altered
by his sojourn at Pera among the infidels. The
mother remained silent, and carried off the child, di-
recting a fierce glance at the eunuch. Doubt had es-
tablished itself, however, in the old man's mind ;
moreover, he had long been enlightened with respect
to his mistress's doings ; he knew the whole history of
Belgrade Bey, and the reason he had not mentioned
it to his master was, that at the time he discovered
the trick the Pacha had already grown fond of the
little being whom he believed to be his son, and the
eunuch had not had the courage to undeceive him.
But two supposititious children in the first place, and
then the impudent substitution of another child to the
one which had been received as a legitimate offspring,
formed a complication of knavery of which the indig-
nant old man refused to render himself an accomplice by
remaining longer inactive. He betook himself to Pere,
and proceeding step by step in his investigations with
that cautious prudence and insinuating artifice so
peculiar to the people of the East, and especially to
the inmates of the harem, he succeeded in acquiring
positive evidence of the death of the veritable Usnud
Bey, and of the substitution of a child of the same
age, purchased of parents in the lowest grade of life.
Tne eunuch then returned, and, pointing to the pre-
tended Usnud Bey, said to his mistress, Madam, let
me beg of you to send that child back to his father—
Mossul, the fisherman. I know all.' At these words
the woman became livid, and left him, saying, "It is
well.'
" Shortly before the time of afternoon prayer she
sent for the eunuch, and was told that he was taking
a bath. No sooner did she hear this than her project
was immediately formed. The old man, as we have
said, was governor of the Pacha's household, and as
such occupied a sumptuous apartment, to which a
bath-room was attached for his private use ; it was
here that his mistress sought him out. The eunuch
was attended by two slaves ; she dismissed them with
an imperious gesture, and remained alone with the
old man. You were determined to find it out, then ?'
she said. Yes, and I did find it out.' To whom
have you spoken about what you have discovered ?'
To no one yet, but I shall write to my master.'
How much do you want to hold your tongue ?'
Nothing, I am determined to speak." And to
write ?" Yes, I mean to write.' ' take that
to seal your letter with!' At these words she
threw a noose round the neck of the wretched old
man, and commenced strangling him. The eunuch
was feeble, and, taken by surprise, could offer but
little resistance. He struggled in vain, his assassin
continued to draw the fatal- noose tighter and tighter
still, and as she redoubled her efforts she exclaimed
with the rage of a fury, Ah ! you wanted to know
all—you shall know more than you bargained for !
You sought for light, did you ? here's eternal dark-
ness for you! Now write to your master ! write old
fool !' At the vocferations of the assassin and the
groans of the victim one of the
,slaves returned into
the apartment, and at the sight of the horrible scene,
rushed out and began crying all over the house.
'The khanum (mistress of the house) is murdering—
the khanum is strangling the eunuch !' A scene of
general confusion ensued. Some of the slaves rushed
terror-struck into the street, repeating one after the
other, The khanum is murdering I the him= is
murdering Others hastened to the bath-room, and
only reached it as the old eunuch, overpowered, was
stretched out senseless upon the marble floor. Be-
traying no alarm at the publicity of her deed, the
khan= loosened the noose, and slowly retired between
a double row of her servants, whose imprecations fol-
lowed her to the door of her apartment. The eunuch
had been kind to the slaves, and they lamented
his loss. One of them raised him from the ground
and discovered that he still breathed. They rubbed
him, and a physician was sent for, but it was too late.
The wretched man returned to life for a few mo-
ments, and found sufficient strength completely to
denounce the guilty one, and to give a detailed ac-
count of his assassination, but he expired immediately
after. All Constantinople was soon thrown into a
state of agitation at the news of the crime, which
spread with the rapidity of lightning. The Cadi
arrived, and in spite of the hhanurn's rank, the
authorities determined that she should be arrested and
conveyed to prison. A courier was then immediately
dispatched to London, to apprise Mehemet Pacha of
the fatal occurrence. The culprit has already been
examined several times, and up to the present time
the only defence she has set up is that she possessed a
power of life and death over the eunuch, whom she
considered as her slave. The affair remains at
this stage for the present, and all further proceedings
will be suspended until the arrival of a communication
from London, or of the husband himself. As you
may imagine, this mournful event has created a sen-
sation in the higher circles of the Mussulman society.
It is presumed, however, that the Sultan will not be
deterred by the rank of the criminal, and that the
nishment of the crime will be signal."

THE SOLICITOR-GENERALSHIP.—The Dublin
Evening Post says :—" We can new state as a certainty that
Mr. H. G. Hughes, QC., has been named Solicitor• Ge-
neral. This appointment, we believe, will give great satis-
fiction to the bar and the public, for no man's professional
character stands higher than Mr. Hughes."
ILLNESS OF THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.—We
regret to learn that his Grace the Duke of Newcastle is in
such a precarious state of health as to leave but little hope
of his recovery. The knowledge of this circumstance has
caused a general feeling of regret throughout the district and
among parties entertaining different political opinions. The
demise of his son, Lord William Clinton, has augmented the
grief of his Grace's numerous relatives and tenantry. Lord
Lincoln, with Lords Charles and Robert and the Ladies
Clinton, are in attendance on their noble parent. Prayers
were offered for his Grace on Sunday last in Worksop and
other churches in the neighbourhood.
MANSION nersE.—The Lord Mayor and Lady
Mayoress entertained, last evening, the Sheriffs previous to
their retirement from office. A numerous party of the
members of the corporation and tin it ladies were invited to
meet them. For this evening his Lordship has issued invita-
tions to the Aldermen, Sheriffs, Under-Sheriffs, and Chap-
lains, the ex-Sheriffs and their officers, to meet the Lord
Mayor Elect.