ntly than when he was introduced to the grand vizier; and the
sultan commanded that henceforth Ibrahim should remain attached to his
person in the capacity of keeper of the imperial archives.

We should observe that the dispatches which the Florentine Envoy wrote
to the government of the republic, contained but a brief and vague
allusion to the apostasy of Alessandro Francatelli; merely mentioning
that the youth had become a Mussulman, and entered the service of the
grand vizier, but not stating either the name which he had adopted or
the brilliant prospects which had so suddenly and marvelously opened
before him. The Florentine Embassador treated the matter thus lightly,
because he was afraid of incurring the blame of his government for not
having kept a more stringent watch over his subordinate, were he to
attach any importance to the fact of Alessandro's apostasy. But he hoped
that by merely glancing at the event as one scarcely worth special
notice, the Council of Florence would be led to treat it with equal
levity. Nor was the embassador deceived in his calculation; and thus the
accounts which reached Florence relative to Alessandro's renegadism--and
which were not indeed communicated to the council until some months
after the occurrence of the apostasy itself--were vague and indefinite
to a degree.

And had Ibrahim no remorse? Did he never think of his lovely sister
Flora, and of his affectionate aunt who, in his boyhood, had made such
great and generous sacrifices to rear them honorably? Oh! yes;--but a
more powerful idea dominated the remembrance of kindred, and the
attachment to home--and that idea was ambition! Moreover, the hope of
speedily achieving that greatness which was to render him eligible and
worthy to possess the charming being whose powerful influence seemed to
surround him with a constant halo of protection, and to soothe down all
the asperities which are usually found in the career of those who rise
suddenly and rise highly--this ardent, longing hope not only encouraged
him to put forth all his energies to make himself master of a glorious
position, but also subdued to no small extent the feelings of
compunction which would otherwise have been too bitter, too agonizing to
endure.

His mind was, moreover, constantly occupied. When not in attendance upon
the sultan, he devoted all his time to render himself intimately
acquainted with the laws, polity, diplomatic history, resources,
condition, an