m in advance, proved decisive, and they frankly
embraced the cause of the sultan.

The garrison of the castle on the lake, whom Ali seemed anxious to offend
as much as possible, by refusing their pay, he thinking them so
compromised that they would not venture even to accept an amnesty
guaranteed by the mufti, began to desert as soon as they knew the Toxidae
had arrived at the Imperial camp. Every night these Skipetars who could
cross the moat betook themselves to Kursheed's quarters. One single man
yet baffled all the efforts of the besiegers. The chief engineer,
Caretto, like another Archimedes, still carried terror into the midst of
their camp.

Although reduced to the direst misery, Caretto could not forget that he
owed his life to the master who now only repaid his services with the
most sordid ingratitude. When he had first come to Epirus, Ali,
recognising his ability, became anxious to retain him, but without
incurring any expense. He ascertained that the Neapolitan was
passionately in love with a Mohammedan girl named Nekibi, who returned
his affection. Acting under Ali's orders, Tahir Abbas accused the woman
before the cadi of sacrilegious intercourse with an infidel. She could
only escape death by the apostasy of her lover; if he refused to deny his
God, he shared her fate, and both would perish at the stake. Caretto
refused to renounce his religion, but only Nekibi suffered death.
Caretto was withdrawn from execution, and Ali kept him concealed in a
place of safety, whence he produced him in the time of need. No one had
served him with greater zeal; it is even possible that a man of this type
would have died at his post, had his cup not been filled with
mortification and insult.

Eluding the vigilance of Athanasius Vaya, whose charge it was to keep
guard over him, Caretto let himself down by a cord fastened to the end of
a cannon: He fell at the foot of the rampart, and thence dragged himself,
with a broken arm, to the opposite camp. He had become nearly blind
through the explosion of a cartridge which had burnt his face. He was
received as well as a Christian from whom there was now nothing to fear,
could expect. He received the bread of charity, and as a refugee is only
valued in proportion to the use which can be made of him, he was despised
and forgotten.

The desertion of Caretto was soon followed by a defection which
annihilated Ali's last hopes. The garrison which had given him so many