Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-06-06
A SUBLIME
S u NJ NJ N S
A Story Of Turkey and the Sultan

put his affairs In order. 10 write few
notes to friends. 10 communicate with
the ambassador or with the consul. 10
send a telegram. No all he was to do
was 70 go with the guards who had
taken him directly To the prison and
locked him up with no hint Of why or
wherefore.
, He could not SO much as guess why
he was there But then there had
been others. He remembered them
well Montinet. the oriental scholar
who had lived in peace for years aud
suddenly had been summoned 10 be
seen no more among his friends nor
even heard OF by them. There was
Salons who never had returned from
the ride he started out upon one after
noon, though his household waited
days aud weeks and mouths Then
there was Moreili. the musician. and
little Grigo, whom every one had
loved. whose life had all JOY and mer-
riment. but who had vanished like the
others as though changed to air.
Now his turn had come. and why?
He could think OF nothing whatever
that could have offended anyone hold
ing authority III STEAMBOAT.
With his elbows on the rough table
before him. he looked back TO the day
when first he saw the Thespian Bos-
phorus He had come for months
holiday, and the magic scenery. with
its infinity of panoramas. had be-
witched him. The one month had
heightened into ~. and the artist In
him had been supremely happy. As
physician. too. he had been attract
ed by STEAMBOAT. but from very diff
ferent reason than that which had at
tracted the artist. namely, the citys
filth. Where there was so much fifth
strange diseases that western Europe
know nothing Of He had stayed on
account of this filth. and his reward
had been ample. as medals and diplo-
mas in his quarters showed.
The literature of the east had been
another charm to hold him. He had
delighted in Il and had translated
much. He also had put some western
stories into Arabic, and had won dis
tinction by so doing
But il was all done now. His lab
oratory work, his pictures. his studies
and translations were OF the time that
has been. He should never see his
manuscripts or be In his beloved
studio again. He like those others
whom he had been thinking of had
come to the end He might have
known II. He had been fool--but
why? Why why? He asked him
self with a sort of madness over again
and again. why? Why should II be?
What had he done? Was he not use
ful?. Had he not done good? Had he
not saved lives? He had. He had
saved many lives. He had taught the
people how they might save them
selves when diseases came He had
been the friend OF all, and had never
so much as thought of politics or ut
tered word about the state.
He pressed his hands TO his head
and tried once more to think. staring
at the dull blank wall before him.
Then the door of the cell opened and
an officer came in.
You are DR.. Jani?" he inquired.
II am. but
"You have been translating a story
nom the French, which has been run
ming as a serial in the Weekly Cres-
cent?"
Il have been translating a story
from the French, a romance. in which
there is not one word that could give
offense. not word that"
AS before he was interrupted.
Il am commanded by the sultan"
said the officer. that you are to re-
main here until the translation is fin
ished- His majesty desires to read
the remainder of the story immediate
ly. Whatever you may require for
the task win be brought here with the
greatest possible dispatch"
And so it happened that all was not
over for DR. JAM. Indeed, so eager
was the sublime porte to have tie
story that he dispensed with the for
mality of having the story written out.
and had the doctor brought into his
study. where the translation was I'm
ished orally. The sultan had many
questions to ask the doctor read
aloud. which the man of medicine. be
ing learned in the literatures both of
the east and of the west. and being.
furthermore. an artist, was able to an
-
gave the sultan the liveliest satisfac-
ton.
Instead. therefore. OF never seeing
his Stamboui home again. the doctor
returned there on the second day after
his arrest wearing an especial deco
ration and driving in royal carriage
with an escort. But he was not quite
himself again for many weeks.