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；　where　he　only　blamed　Fate　for　his　misfortunes。　　All　the　Skipetar　Agas　hastened　to　place　themselves　under　Kursheeds'　standard；　and　enormous　forces　now　threatened　Janina。　　All　Epirus　awaited　the　denoument　with　anxiety。

Had　he　been　less　avaricious；　Ali　might　have　enlisted　all　the　adventurers　with　whom　the　East　was　swarming；　and　made　the　sultan　tremble　in　his　capital。　　But　the　aged　pacha　clung　passionately　to　his　treasures。　　He　feared　also；　perhaps　not　unreasonably；　that　those　by　whose　aid　he　might　triumph　would　some　day　become　his　master。　　He　long　deceived　himself　with　the　idea　that　the　English；　who　had　sold　Parga　to　him；　would　never　allow　a　Turkish　fleet　to　enter　the　Ionian　Sea。　Mistaken　on　this　point；　his　foresight　was　equally　at　fault　with　regard　to　the　cowardice　of　his　sons。　　The　defection　of　his　troops　was　not　less　fatal；　and　he　only　understood　the　bearing　of　the　Greek　insurrection　which　he　himself　had　provoked；　so　far　as　to　see　that　in　this　struggle　he　was　merely　an　instrument　in　procuring　the　freedom　of　a　country　which　he　had　too　cruelly　oppressed　to　be　able　to　hold　even　an　inferior　rank　in　it。　　His　last　letter　to　the　Suliots　opened　the　eyes　of　his　followers；　but　under　the　influence　of　a　sort　of　polite　modesty　these　were　at　least　anxious　to　stipulate　for　the　life　of　their　vizier。　　Kursheed　was　obliged　to　produce　firmans　from　the　Porte；　declaring　that　if　Ali　Tepelen　submitted；　the　royal　promise　given　to　his　sons　should　be　kept；　and　that　he　should；　with　them；　be　transferred　to　Asia　Minor；　as　also　his　harem；　his　servants；　and　his　treasures；　and　allowed　to　finish　his　days　in　peace。　　Letters　from　Ali's　sons　were　shown　to　the　Agas；　testifying　to　the　good　treatment　they　had　experienced　in　their　exile；　and　whether　the　latter　believed　all　this；　or　whether　they　merely　sought　to　satisfy　their　own　consciences；　they　henceforth　thought　only　of　inducing　their　rebellious　chief　to　submit。　　Finally；　eight　months'　pay；　given　them　in　advance；　proved　decisive；　and　they　frankly　embraced　the　cause　of　the　sultan。

The　garrison　of　the　castle　on　the　lake；　whom　Ali　seemed　anxious　to　offend　as　much　as　possible；　by　refusing　their　pay；　he　thinking　them　so　compromised　that　they　would　not　venture　even　to　accept　an　amnesty　guaranteed　by　the　mufti；　began　to　desert　as　soon　as　they　knew　the　Toxidae　had　arrived　at　the　Imperial　camp。　　Every　night　these　Skipetars　who　could　cross　the　moat　betook　themselves　to　Kursheed's　quarters。　　One　single　man　yet　baffled　all　the　efforts　of　the　besiegers。　　The　chief　engineer；　Caretto；　like　another　Archimedes；　still　carried　terror　into　the　midst　of　their　camp。

Although　reduced　to　the　direst　misery；　Caretto　could　not　forget　that　he　owed　his　life　to　the　master　who　now　only　repaid　his　services　with　the　most　sordid　ingratitude。　　When　he　had　first　come　to　Epirus；　Ali；　recognising　his　ability；　became　anxious　to　retain　him；　but　without　incurring　any　expense。　　He　ascertained　that　the　Neapolitan　was　passionately　in　love　with　a　Mohammedan　girl　named　Nekibi；　who　returned　his　affection。　　Acting　under　Ali's　orders；　Tahir　Abbas　accused　the　woman　before　the　cadi　of　sacrilegious　intercourse　with　an　infidel。　　She　could　only　escape　death　by　the　apostasy　of　her　lover；　if　he　refused　to　deny　his　God；　he　shared　her　fate；　and　both　would　perish　at　the　stake。　　Caretto　refused　to　renounce　his　religion；　but　only　Nekibi　suffered　death。　　Caretto　was　withdrawn　from　execution；　and　Ali　kept　him　concealed　in　a　place　of　safety；　whence　he　produced　him　in　the　time　of　need。　　No　one　had　served　him　with　greater　zeal；　it　is　even　possible　that　a　man　of　this　type　would　have　died　at　his　post；　had　his　cup　not　been　filled　with　mortification　and　insult。

Eluding　the　vigilance　of　Athanasius　Vaya；　whose　charge　it　was　to　keep　guard　over　him；　Caretto　let　himself　down　by　a　cord　fastened　to　the　end　of　a　cannon：　He　fell　at　the　foot　of　the　rampart；　and　thence　dragged　himself；　with　a　broken　arm；　to　the　opposite　camp。　　He　had　become　nearly　blind　through　the　explosion　of　a　cartridge　which　had　burnt　his　face。　　He　was　received　as　well　as　a　Christian　from　whom　there　was　now　nothing　to　fear；　could　expect。　　He　received　the　bread　of　charity；　and　as　a　refugee　is　only　valued　in　proportion　to　the　use　which　can　be　made　of　him；　he　was　despised　and　forgotten。

The　desertion　of　Caretto　was　soon　followed　by　a　defection　which　annihilated　Ali's　last　hopes。　　The　garrison　which　had　given　him　so　many　proofs　of　devotion；　discouraged　by　his　avarice；　suffering　from　a　disastrous　epidemic；　and　no　longer　equal　to　the　necessary　labour　in　defence　of　the　place；　opened　all；　the　gates　simultaneously　to　the　enemy。　　But　the　besiegers；　fearing　a　trap；　advanced　very　slowly；　so　that　Ali；　who　had　long　prepared　against　very　sort　of　surprise；　had　time　to　gain　a　place　which　he　called　his　〃refuge。〃

It　was　a　sort　of　fortified　enclosure；　of　solid　masonry；　bristling　with　cannon；　which　surrounded　the　private　apartments　of　his　seraglio；　called　the　〃Women's　Tower。〃　　He　had　taken　care　to　demolish　everything　which　could　be　set　on　fire；　reserving　only　a　mosque　and　the　tomb　of　his　wife　Emineh；　whose　phantom；　after　announcing　an　eternal　repose；　had　ceased　to　haunt　him。　　Beneath　was　an　immense　natural　cave；　in　which　he　had　stored　ammunition；　precious　articles；　provisions；　and　the　treasures　which　had　not　been　sunk　in　the　lake。　　In　this　cave　an　apartment　had　been　made　for　Basilissa　and　his　harem；　also　a　shelter　in　which　he　retired　to　sleep　when　exhausted　with　fatigue。　　This　place　was　his　last　resort；　a　kind　of　mausoleum；　and　he　did　not　seem　distressed　at　beholding　the　castle　in　the　hands　of　his　enemies。　　He　calmly　allowed　them　to　occupy　the　entrance；　deliver　their　hostages；　overrun　the　ramparts；　count　the　cannon　which　were　on　the　platforms；　crumbling　from　the　hostile　shells；　but　when　they　came　within　hearing；　he　demanded　by　one　of　his　servants　that　Kursheed　should　send　him　an　envoy　of　distinction；　meanwhile　he　forbade　anyone　to　pass　beyond　a　certain　place　which　he　pointed　out。

Kursheed；　imagining　that；　being　in　the　last　extremity；　he　would　capitulate；　sent　out　Tahir　Abbas　and　Hagi　Bessiaris。　　Ali　listened　without　reproaching　them　for　their　treachery；　but　simply　observed　that　be　wished　to　meet　some　of　the　chief　officers。

The　Seraskier　then　deputed　his　keeper　of　the　wardrobe；　accompanied　by　his　keeper　of　the　seals　and　other　persons　of　quality。　　Ali　received　them　with　all　ceremony；　and；　after　the　usual　compliments　had　been　exchanged；　invited　them　to　descend　with　him　into　the　cavern。　　There　he　showed　them　more　than　two　thousand　barrels　of　powder　carefully　arranged　beneath　his　treasures；　his　remaining　provisions；　and　a　number　of　valuable　objects　which　adorned　this　slumbering　volcano。　　He　showed　them　also　his　bedroom；　a　sort　of　cell　richly　furnished；　and　close　to　the　powder。　　It　could　be　reached　only　by　means　of　three　doors；　the　secret　of　which　was　known　to　no　one　but　himself。　Alongside　of　this　was　the　harem；　and　in　the　neighbouring　mosque　was　quartered　his　garrison；　consisting　of　fifty　men；　all　ready　to　bury　themselves　under　the　ruins　of　this　fortification；　the　only　spot　remaining　to　him　of　all　Greece；　which　had　formerly　bent　beneath　his　authority。

After　this　exhibition；　Ali　presented　one　of　his　most　devoted　followers　to　the　envoys。　　Selim；　who　watched　over　the　fire；　was　a　youth　in　appearance　as　gentle　as　his　heart　was　intrepid；　and　his　special　duty　was　to　be　in　readiness　to　blow　up　the　whole　place　at　any　moment。　　The　pacha　gave　him　his　hand　to　kiss；　inquiring　if　he　were　ready　to　die；　to　which　he　only　responded　by　pressing　his　master's　hand　fervently　to　his　lips。　　He　never　took　his　eyes　off　Ali；　and　the　lantern；　near　which　a　match　was　constantly　smoking；　was　entrusted　only　to　him　and　to　Ali；　who　took　turns　with　him　in　watching　it。　　Ali　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；　making　as　if　to　turn　it　towards　the　powder　magazine；　and　the　envoys　fell　at　his　feet；　uttering　involuntary　cries　of　terror。　　He　smiled　at　their　fears；　and　assured　them　that；　being　wearied　of　the　weight　of　his　weapons；　he　had　only　intended　to　relieve　himself　of　some　of　them。　　He　then　begged　them　to　seat　themselves；　and　added　that　he　should　like　even　a　more　terrible　funeral　than　that　which　they　had　just　ascribed　to　him。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　drag　down　with　me；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃those　who　have　come　to　visit　me　as　friends；　it　is　Kursheed；　whom　I　have　long　regarded　as　my　brother；　his　chiefs；　those　who　have　betrayed　me；　his　whole　army　in　short；　whom　I　desire　to　follow　me　to　the　tomba　sacrifice　which　will　be　worthy　of　my　renown；　and　of　the　brilliant　end　to　which　I　aspire。〃

The　envoys　gazed　at　him　with　stupefaction；　which　did　not　diminish　when　Ali　further　informed　them　that　they　were　not　only　sitting　over　the　arch　of　a　casemate　filled　with　two　hundred　thousand　pounds　of　powder；　but　that　the　whole　castle；　which　they　had　so　rashly　occupied；　was　undermined。　　〃The　rest　you　have　seen；〃　he　said；　〃but　of　this　you　could　not　be　aware。　　My　riches　are　the　sole　cause　of　the　war　which　has　been　made　against　me；　and　in　one　moment　I　can　destroy　them。　　Life　is　nothing　to　me；　I　might　have　ended　it　among　the　Greeks；　but　could　I；　a　powerless　old　man；　resolve　to　live　on　terms　of　equality　among　those　whose　absolute　master　I　have　been？　　Thus；　whichever　way　I　look；　my　career　is　ended。　　However；　I　am　attached　to　those　who　still　surround　me；　so　hear　my　last　resolve。　　Let　a　pardon；　sealed　by　the　sultan's　hands；　be　given　me；　and　I　will　submit。　　I　will　go　to　Constantinople；　to　Asia　Minor；　or　wherever　I　am　sent。　　The　things　I　should　see　here　would　no　longer　be　fitting　for　me　to　behold。〃

To　this　Kursheed's　envoys　made　answer　that　without　doubt　these　terms　would　be　conceded。　　Ali　then　touched　his　breast　and　forehead；　and；　drawing　forth　his　watch；　presented　it　to　the　keeper　of　the　wardrobe。　〃I　mean　what　I　say；　my　friend；〃　he　observed；　〃　my　word　will　be　kept。　If　within　an　hour　thy　soldiers　are　not　withdrawn　from　this　castle　which　has　been　treacherously　yielded　to　them；　I　will　blow　it　up。　Return　to　the　Seraskier；　warn　him　that　if　he　allows　one　minute　more　to　elapse　than　the　time　specified；　his　army；　his　garrison；　I　myself　and　my　family；　will　all　perish　together：　two　hundred　thousand　pounds　of　powder　can　destroy　all　that　surrounds　us。　　Take　this　watch；　I　give　it　thee；　and　forget　not　that　I　am　a　man　of　my　word。〃　　T