rose the great Mosque of
Sultan Selim, with its majestic dome surrounded by slender
sky-piercing minarets. Its 999 windows shone glorious in the rays of
the setting sun:--Sultan Selim, the glory of Adrianople, the ruin of
the architect who schemed its wondrous beauty; since he, poor wretch,
was executed on the completion of the marvel, for this crime only,
that he had placed 999 windows within its walls, and had missed,
though but by one, the miracle of a full thousand.

The Vizier continued: 'The woman declares she hath come hither on
foot, alone and unattended. Her tale is that she came by the sea from
the Isles of Britain with several companions (filled all of them with
the same desire to behold the face of the Sublime Magnificence) so far
as Smyrna; where, declaring their wish unto the English Consul there,
he, like a wise-hearted man, advised her and her companions "by all
means to forbear."

'They not heeding and still urgently beseeching him to bring them
further on their journey, the Consul dissembled and used guile.
Therefore, the while he pretended all friendliness and promised to
help forward their enterprise, he in truth set them instead on board a
ship bound for Venice and no wise for Constantinople, hoping thereby
to thwart their purpose, and to force them to return to their native
land. Some of the company, discovering this after the ship had set
sail, though lamenting, did resign themselves to their fate. Only this
maid, strong in soul, would not be turned from her purpose, but
declared constantly that Allah, who had commanded her to come, would
surely bring her there where He would have her, even to the presence
of the Grand Seignior himself. And lo! even as she spoke, a violent
storm arose, the ship was driven out of her course and cast upon the
Island of Zante with its rugged peaks; and there, speaking to the
ship-master, she persuaded him to put her ashore on the opposite coast
of the mainland, even at the place known as the Black Mountain; and
thence she hath made her way hither on foot, alone, and hath met with
nothing but lovingkindness from young and old, so she saith, as the
Messenger of the Great King.'

The Sultan's interest was aroused at last: 'Afoot--from the Black
Mountain!--incredible! A woman, and alone! It is a journey of many
hundreds of miles, and through wild, mountainous country. What proof
hast thou that she speaketh truly?'

'My interpreter hath questioned her closely as to