Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/110

 there were some thousands of people there, nevertheless there was no shouting, no conversation, no moving hither and thither, but all stood so quietly that we could not help wondering; nay, even the janissaries, although furious and licentious people in war, here observed greater obedience towards their commander than boys towards their preceptor, standing as quiet as if they had been hewn out of marble. The aforesaid two pashas, when they came walking, without any suite, between these spahis and janissaries, laid both hands on their breasts, and bending their heads, did obeisance first to the janissaries and then to the spahis, all of whom, by way of reply, bent their heads almost to their knees, and stood thus stooping till the pashas had passed them all. And when the pashas had announced the imperial ambassadors, saying that they desired to kiss the Sultan’s hand, they again saluted the spahis and janissaries on both sides, returned to our lords the ambassadors, and instructed them how they and the principal persons of their suite were to behave in the Sultan’s presence. They also forbad my lord the ambassador to take any number of people with him; and he acted on their advice, not taking with him any but persons of baronial or equestrian rank. The presents of silver plate were held by janissaries in front of the Emperor’s apartment, that he might see them.

My lords the ambassadors, and we in their train, walked after the pashas through these troops, and did reverence to all of them on each side, taking off our hats and bending our heads, which was done to us in return by them. When we arrived at the imperial apartments, an eunuch, Kapi Aga, the chief chamberlain, came out