cle, and appointed the former "Ruler a the
Marriage Feast," in which capacity he was charged to conduct the bride to
Janina and deliver her to her husband, the young Veli Bey. He had
accomplished his mission satisfactorily, and was received by Ali with all
apparent hospitality. The festival began on his arrival towards the end
of November 1791, and had already continued several days, when suddenly
it was announced that a shot had been fired upon Ali, who had only
escaped by a miracle, and that the assassin was still at large. This
news spread terror through the city and the palace, and everyone dreaded
being seized as the guilty person. Spies were everywhere employed, but
they declared search was useless, and that there must bean extensive
conspiracy against Ali's life. The latter complained of being surrounded
by enemies, and announced that henceforth he would receive only one
person at a time, who should lay down his arms before entering the hall
now set apart for public audience. It was a chamber built over a vault,
and entered by a sort of trap-door, only reached by a ladder.

After having for several days received his couriers in this sort of
dovecot, Ali summoned his nephew in order to entrust with him the wedding
gifts. Murad took this as a sign of favour, and joyfully acknowledged
the congratulations of his friends. He presented himself at the time
arranged, the guards at the foot of the ladder demanded his arms, which
he gave up readily, and ascended the ladder full of hope. Scarcely had
the trap-door closed behind him when a pistol ball, fired from a dark
corner, broke his shoulder blade, and he fell, but sprang up and
attempted to fly. Ali issued from his hiding place and sprang upon him,
but notwithstanding his wound the young bey defended himself vigorously,
uttering terrible cries. The pacha, eager to finish, and finding his
hands insufficient, caught a burning log from the hearth, struck his
nephew in the face with it, felled him to the ground, and completed his
bloody task. This accomplished, Ali called for help with loud cries, and
when his guards entered he showed the bruises he had received and the
blood with which he was covered, declaring that he had killed in
self-defence a villain who endeavoured to assassinate him. He ordered
the body to be searched, and a letter was found in a pocket which Ali had
himself just placed there, which purported to give the details of the
pretended conspir