dens remarkable for their
beauty, who were then carried off to his harem.

His sons, following in his footsteps, kept also scandalous households,
and seemed to dispute preeminence in evil with their father, each in his
own manner. Drunkenness was the specialty of the eldest, Mouktar,
who was without rival among the hard drinkers of Albania, and who
was reputed to have emptied a whole wine-skin in one evening after a
plentiful meal. Gifted with the hereditary violence of his family,
he had, in his drunken fury, slain several persons, among others his
sword-bearer, the companion of his childhood and confidential friend of
his whole life. Veli chose a different course. Realising the Marquis de
Sade, as his father had realised Macchiavelli, he delighted in mingling
together debauchery and cruelty, and his amusement consisted in biting
the lips he had kissed, and tearing with his nails the forms he had
caressed. The people of Janina saw with horror more than one woman in
their midst whose nose and ears he had caused to be cut off, and had
then turned into the streets.

It was indeed a reign of terror; neither fortune, life, honour, nor
family were safe. Mothers cursed their fruitfulness, and women their
beauty. Fear soon engenders corruption, and subjects are speedily
tainted by the depravity of their masters. Ali, considering a
demoralised race as easier to govern, looked on with satisfaction.

While he strengthened by every means his authority from within, he
missed no opportunity of extending his rule without. In 1803 he
declared war against the Suliots, whose independence he had frequently
endeavoured either to purchase or to overthrow. The army sent against
them, although ten thousand strong, was at first beaten everywhere. Ali
then, as usual, brought treason to his aid, and regained the advantage.
It became evident that, sooner or later, the unhappy Suliots must
succumb.

Foreseeing the horrors which their defeat would entail, Emineh, touched
with compassion, issued from her seclusion and cast herself at Ali's
feet. He raised her, seated her beside him, and inquired as to her
wishes. She spoke of generosity, of mercy; he listened as if touched and
wavering, until she named the Suliots. Then, filled with fury, he seized
a pistol and fired at her. She was not hurt, but fell to the ground
overcome with terror, and her women hastily intervened and carried her
away. For the first time in his life, perhaps, Ali shuddered