nges of the sofas, and the silver from the
plate and the armour. He next proclaimed through the length and breadth
of the land, that, being by the hand of Allah deprived of his house, and
no longer possessing anything in his native town, he requested all who
loved him to prove their affection by bringing help in proportion. He
fixed the day of reception for each commune, and for almost each
individual of any rank, however small, according to their distance from
Tepelen, whither these evidences of loyalty were to be brought.

During five days Ali received these forced benevolences from all parts.
He sat, covered with rags, on a shabby palm-leaf mat placed. at the outer
gate of his ruined palace, holding in his left hand a villainous pipe of
the kind used by the lowest people, and in his right an old red cap,
which he extended for the donations of the passers-by. Behind stood a
Jew from Janina, charged with the office of testing each piece of gold
and valuing jewels which were offered instead of money; for, in terror,
each endeavoured to appear generous. No means of obtaining a rich
harvest were neglected; for instance, Ali distributed secretly large sums
among poor and obscure people, such as servants, mechanics, and soldiers,
in order that by returning them in public they might appear to be making
great sacrifices, so that richer and more distinguished persons could
not, without appearing ill-disposed towards the pacha, offer only the
same amount as did the poor, but were obliged to present gifts of
enormous value.

After this charity extorted from their fears, the pacha's subjects hoped
to be at peace. But a new decree proclaimed throughout Albania required
them to rebuild and refurnish the formidable palace of Tepelen entirely
at the public expense. Ali then returned to Janina, followed by his
treasure and a few women who had escaped from the flames, and whom he
disposed of amongst his friends, saying that he was no longer
sufficiently wealthy to maintain so many slaves.

Fate soon provided him with a second opportunity for amassing wealth.
Arta, a wealthy town with a Christian population, was ravaged by the
plague, and out of eight thousand inhabitants, seven thousand were swept
away. Hearing this, Ali hastened to send commissioners to prepare an
account of furniture and lands which the pacha claimed as being heir to
his subjects. A few livid and emaciated spectres were yet to be found in
the streets of Art