y.
Comprehending at once the evil which this man,--trained in his own
school,--might cause him, he exclaimed, "Ah! if Heaven would only
restore me the strength of my youth, I would plunge my sword into his
heart even in the midst of the Divan."

It was not long before Ali's enemies found an extremely suitable
opportunity for opening their attack. Veli Pacha, who had for his own
profit increased the Thessalian taxation fivefold, had in doing so
caused so much oppression that many of the inhabitants preferred the
griefs and dangers of emigration rather than remain under so tyrannical
a rule. A great number of Greeks sought refuge at Odessa, and the
great Turkish families assembled round Pacho Bey and Abdi Effendi at
Constantinople, who lost no opportunity of interceding in their favour.
The sultan, who as yet did not dare to act openly against the Tepelenian
family, was at least able to relegate Veli to the obscure post of
Lepanto, and Veli, much disgusted, was obliged to obey. He quitted the
new palace he had just built at Rapehani, and betook himself to the
place of exile, accompanied by actors, Bohemian dancers, bear leaders,
and a crowd of prostitutes.

Thus attacked in the person of his most powerful son, Ali thought
to terrify his enemies by a daring blow. He sent three Albanians to
Constantinople to assassinate Pacho Bey. They fell upon him as he was
proceeding to the Mosque of Saint-Sophia, on the day on which the sultan
also went in order to be present at the Friday ceremonial prayer, and
fired several shots at him. He was wounded, but not mortally.

The assassins, caught red-handed, were hung at the gate of the Imperial
Seraglio, but not before confessing that they were sent by the Pacha of
Janina. The Divan, comprehending at last that so dangerous a man must be
dealt with at any cost, recapitulated all Ali's crimes, and pronounced a
sentence against him which was confirmed by a decree of the Grand Mufti.
It set forth that Ali Tepelen, having many times obtained pardon for his
crimes, was now guilty of high treason in the first degree, and that he
would, as recalcitrant, be placed under the ban of the Empire if he did
not within forty days appear at the Gilded Threshold of the Felicitous
Gate of the Monarch who dispenses crowns to the princes who reign in
this world, in order to justify himself. As may be supposed, submission
to such an order was about the last thing Ali contemplated. As he failed
to appear,