ron, who had throughout shown himself
devoted to the sultan, was nominated Pacha of Delvino in place of
Capelan. He sequestered all the property of his predecessor, as
confiscated to the sultan, and thus deprived Ali Tepeleni of all the
fruits of his crime.

This disappointment kindled the wrath of the ambitious Ali. He swore
vengeance for the spoliation of which he considered himself the victim.
But the moment was not favourable for putting his projects in train. The
murder of Capelan, which its perpetrator intended for a mere crime,
proved a huge blunder. The numerous enemies of Tepeleni, silent under
the administration of the late pacha, whose resentment they had cause to
fear, soon made common cause under the new one, for whose support they
had hopes. Ali saw the danger, sought and found the means to obviate it.
He succeeded in making a match between Ali of Argyro-Castron, who was
unmarried, and Chainitza, his own sister. This alliance secured to him
the government of Tigre, which he held under Capelan. But that was not
sufficient. He must put himself in a state of security against the
dangers he had lately, experienced, and establish himself on a firm
footing' against possible accidents. He soon formed a plan, which he
himself described to the French Consul in the following words:--

"Years were elapsing," said he, "and brought no important change in my
position. I was an important partisan, it is true, and strongly
supported, but I held no title or Government employment of my own. I
recognised the necessity of establishing myself firmly in my birthplace.
I had devoted friends, and formidable foes, bent on my destruction, whom
I must put out of the way, for my own safety. I set about a plan for
destroying them at one blow, and ended by devising one with which I ought
to have commenced my career. Had I done so, I should have saved much
time and pains.

"I was in the habit of going every day, after hunting, for a siesta in a
neighbouring wood. A confidential servant of mine suggested to my
enemies the idea of surprising me and assassinating one there. I myself
supplied the plan of the conspiracy, which was adopted. On the day
agreed upon, I preceded my adversaries to the place where I was
accustomed to repose, and caused a goat to be pinioned and muzzled, and
fastened under the tree, covered with my cape; I then returned home by a
roundabout path. Soon after I had left, the conspirators arrived, and