going to
execution. Ali, however, received him with the utmost cordiality: He
assured the priest of his repentance, his good intentions, his esteem for
the Greek captains, and then gave him a paper which startled him
considerably. It was a despatch, intercepted by Ali, from Khalid Effendi
to the Seraskier Ismail, ordering the latter to exterminate all
Christians capable of bearing arms. All male children were to be
circumcised, and brought up to form a legion drilled in European fashion;
and the letter went on to explain how the Suliots, the Armatolis, the
Greek races of the mainland and those of the Archipelago should be
disposed of. Seeing the effect produced on the monk by the perusal of
this paper, Ali hastened to make him the most advantageous offers,
declaring that his own wish was to give Greece a political existence, and
only requiring that the Suliot captains should send him a certain number
of their children as hostages. He then had cloaks and arms brought which
he presented to the monk, dismissing him in haste, in order that darkness
might favour his return.

The next day Ali was resting, with his head on Basilissa's lap, when he
was informed that the enemy was advancing upon the intrenchments which
had been raised in the midst of the ruins of Janina. Already the
outposts had been forced, and the fury of the assailants threatened to
triumph over all obstacles. Ali immediately ordered a sortie of all his
troops, announcing that he himself would conduct it. His master of the
horse brought him the famous Arab charger called the Dervish, his chief
huntsman presented him with his guns, weapons still famous in Epirus,
where they figure in the ballads of the Skipetars. The first was an
enormous gun, of Versailles manufacture, formerly presented by the
conqueror of the Pyramids to Djezzar, the Pacha of St. Jean-d'Arc, who
amused himself by enclosing living victims in the walls of his palace, in
order that he might hear their groans in the midst of his festivities.
Next came a carabine given to the Pacha of Janina in the name of Napoleon
in 1806; then the battle musket of Charles XII of Sweden, and finally--
the much revered sabre of Krim-Guerai. The signal was given; the draw
bridge crossed; the Guegues and other adventurers uttered a terrific
shout; to which the cries of the assailants replied. Ali placed himself
on a height, whence his eagle eye sought to discern the hostile chiefs;
but he called and def