The Yale expositor., 1917-03-15

ulation at present, waS ruled once by
q Turkish paSha whoSe true history
Is as wonderful as anything IN ro-
nance. This man, All TepeIenti,
known as the Lion of JaninG, IS the
subject of the novel from tOhtch to-
days story IS toritten-"The Last
Days of JaniSSaries," by MGur,Ls Jo-
kai, the great Hungarian sOriter.
Ali Tepelenti, pasha Of Albania, was
hard beset. All the violence that had
redeemed his seventy-nine years of life
was rising against him, north, south,
east and west, reincarnated into rebel
lion and revenge. His own wife had
Joined his foes. In COnstantinople his
enemies had whispered successfully to
the sultan.
Undismayed, the old lion awaited
the onset in Janina, that fairy city OF
minarets and palaces which dominated
Albania and mirrored its gold and
white loveliness in glass-green, deep
Lake Acheruz.
There was ample reason for his con-
fidence. His citadel, standing on an
isthmus formed by the lake and the
river that flows from 1t, was such a
thing as might well defy siege and as
sault. It's secrets were known to none
but himself, for he had removed the
builders from the earth. Deep bitches,
steep bastions, iron-plated draw
bridges and portals, fringes of sharp
stakes, hundred cannon, and horde
of devoted soldiers made the castle of
Janina impregnable so long as it was
| guarded well.
But was 1t guarded well? The task
| lay on his three sons, Mukhtar Bey,
Sulaiman Bey, and Vely Bey; and Ali
doubted. He had hidden them prepare
for war, each In his own field, and each
! had made excuses that the old man ac-
cepted with an indulgent smile on his
mouth and fury in his heart. 1t was
the time of the Feast of Bairam, and
Ali knew well that they had planned to
bring their three harems together and
celebrate it in wild revels.
That night he stole out and inspect
ed his fortress. 1t was as he had
feared. The gates were all but un-
guarded. Slaves and officers sat in
hidden corners, drinking. Music and
laughter sounded from the harem. An
army might have rushed in with flying
banners.
With temper cold as steel All
turned to the inner portion of the cita
del and entered the rOSe-embOwered
house of Mukhtar Bey through secret
entrance known to him alone. 1t lee
him to wall whence he could peer
through a hidden orifice at his sons
banquet chamber.
The three brothers were surrounded
by beauties far surprising any that the
angels Monkar and Nakir could prom
ise men in the next world. There were
dancers and players. There was for
hidden wine. Ali's heart almost stood
still when Makhtar Bey raised hi
glass and called aloud on the prophe
to join them and taste of wine anC
kisses, challenging him to say tina
paradise held damsels lovelier thai
theirs.
In the late afternoon Of the next da.
Ali commanded the three sons to Joil
him at food In the inner keep of tn
citadel, a grim round building know
as the red tower which looked dow
on Lake Acheruz.
AS they were slipping their coffee
the sound of oars was heard on tn
Of a g
gle semicircular window and say
three enormous fat-bottomed barge
being rowed into the middle Of the lax
by muscular slaves.
! The faces of the three Beys e1
pressed delight, for all the damseis G
their harems were in the boats. The
thought that 1t was a surprise designe
by their father to please them, an
Mukhtar Bey said gaily that the
, should invite the old man to the mex
I feast.
Ali smiled. "Truly your damse
: are most beauteous," he said, an
. stroked his white beard from end
end. 81 am not surprised that 20
I like to stay at home here and abstai
' from the toll of war. Now, last nigl
a 1 dreamed q dream. The prophet stoo
before me and told me that you ha
D invited him as your guest" The sol
D looked at each other startled, but A
o smiling graciously, continued: "Tl
@ prophet told me that 1t was not me-
a he should come to your damsels; the
> should rather go to him."
!. "What meanest thou| asked Il
three, almost with one voice.
For answer Ali|whistled shrilly. II
/, oarsmen dropped their oars, fun
themselves to the bottom of the barg
and wrested out great wooden plug
d Then they jumped overheard and swa
ashore.
y The water burst in, spouting In lit
fountains. The women shrieked.
Mukhtar ran to the door. 1t W
locked. He hurled himself against G
y. massive thing impotently, raging, S
laiman tore at the iron gratings of &
L ...s..... uV.o o,.foc rf fho fxyo rnan a