nificent broke up the divan in haste, ordering the
members of the council to return each immediately to his own abode. In
the evening a functionary of the imperial household was sent to the
palace of the grand vizier to demand the seals of office; and thus fell
Piri Pasha.

It was midnight when the sultan sent to order Ibrahim Pasha to wait upon
him without delay. The conference that ensued was long and interesting,
and it was already near daybreak when messengers were dispatched to the
various members of the divan to summon them to the seraglio. Then, in
the presence of all the rank and talent in the capital, the sultan
demanded of Ibrahim whether he felt sufficient confidence in himself to
undertake the weight and responsibility of office. All eyes were fixed
earnestly upon that mere youth of scarcely twenty-three, who was thus
solemnly adjured.

In a firm voice he replied that with the favor of the sultan and the
blessing of the Most High, he did not despair of being enabled to
restore the Ottoman Empire to its late prosperity and glory. The
astronomer of the court declared that the hour was favorable to invest
the new grand vizier with the insignia of office; and at the moment when
the call to prayer, "God is great!" sounded from every minaret in
Constantinople, Ibrahim Pasha received the imperial seals from the hand
of the sultan.

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE NEW GRAND VIZIER.

The call to prayer, "_God is great_," sounded from every minaret in
Constantinople, when Solyman the Magnificent raised the renegade Ibrahim
to a rank second only to his own imperial station. The newly appointed
prime minister received the congratulations of the assembled dignitaries
of the empire; and when this ceremony was accomplished, he repaired to
the palace of the viziership, which Piri Pasha had vacated during the
night.

A numerous escort of slaves, and a guard of honor, composed of an entire
company of Janizaries, attended Ibrahim to his new abode, the streets
through which he passed being lined with spectators anxious to obtain a
glimpse of the new minister.

But calm, almost passionless, was the expression of Ibrahim's
countenance: though he had attained to his present high station
speedily, yet he had not reached it unexpectedly; and, even in the
moment of this, his proud triumph, there was gall mingled with the cup
of honey which he quaffed. For, oh! the light of Christianity was not
extinguished within his breast; and