Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/106

 the cause of victory. For instance, he did the Christians a great deal of harm at Famagusta, in the island of Cyprus. After this he became beglerbeg, then pasha, and lastly grand vizier. He was also engaged at the siege of Malta, conducted a campaign against the Persians, and remained some years in favour, which continued till a few weeks before we arrived at Constantinople. He was then, no one knows why, suspended from all his offices. However, as a faithful friend, so long as fortune favoured him, he never forgot his cousin Ferhat, but always helped him higher and higher, till, finally, he helped him to the highest dignity, so that Ferhat had, in our time, been made grand vizier, in the place of Synan.

With regard to Ferhat, Herr Resident Petsch related to us, that, some years ago, (at that time Herr Petsch was secretary to the imperial ambassador at Constantinople, and Ferhat a pasha,) the imperial ambassador died, (to the best of my recollection he was an Austrian gentleman, Herr von Zizing, ) and when his corpse had been removed to Austria, the Emperor Rudolf thought fit to appoint and confirm Herr Petsch, seeing that he was a worthy man, as his ambassador in place of the preceding one. It being a custom among courtiers to wish each other joy of their posts, Ferhat gave orders for Herr Petsch to be visited and congratulated on his new office through his steward. The steward informed Herr Petsch that he ought to give the pasha about 1,000 dollars, and a handsome beaker. He sent him the beaker, but no money. When, therefore, Ferhat was made grand vizier he sent for Herr Doctor Petsch,