Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 4).djvu/74

56 to obey. 'In whose name do you come?' said he to him. 'I come in the name of our master, Ali Tebelin.'―'If you come from Ali him self,' said Selim, 'you know what you were charged to remit to me?'―'Yes,' said the messenger, 'and I bring you his ring.' At these words he raised his hand above his head, but it was too far off, and there was not light enough for Selim, where he was standing, to distinguish and recognize the object presented to his view. 'I do not see what you have in your hand,' said Selim. 'Approach, then,' said the messenger, 'or I will come nearer to you, if you prefer it.'―'I will agree to neither one nor the other,' replied the young soldier; 'place the object which I desire to see in that ray of light where you are, and retire whilst I examine it.'―'Be it so,' said the envoy; and he retired, after having first deposited the token agreed on in the place pointed out.

"Oh! how our hearts palpitated; for it did, indeed, seem to be a ring. But was it my father's ring? Selim, still holding in his hand the lighted match, walked toward the opening in the cavern, and aided by the ray of light, picked up the token.

"'It is well!' said he, kissing it; 'it is my master's ring!' And throwing the match on the ground, he trampled on it and extinguished it. The messenger uttered a cry of joy, and clapped his hands. At this signal four soldiers of the Seraskier Kourchid suddenly appeared, and Selim fell pierced by five blows. Each man had stabbed him separately; and, intoxicated by their crime, though still pale with fear, they rushed into the cavern looking to see if there was any fire, and rolling themselves on the bags of gold. At this moment my mother seized me in her arms, and bounding along turnings, known only to ourselves, she arrived at a private staircase of the kiosk, where was a scene of frightful tumult. The lower rooms were entirely filled with the tchodoars of Kourchid, that is to say, with our enemies. Just as my mother was on the point of pushing open a small door, we heard the voice of the pacha loud and threatening. My mother applied her eye to the crack between the boards; I luckily found a small opening, and looked in. 'What do you want?' said my father to some people who were holding a paper inscribed with characters of gold.―'What we want,' replied one of them, 'is to communicate to you the will of his highness. Do you see this firman?'―'I do,' said my father.―'Well, read it; he demands your head.'

"My father answered with a loud laugh, more frightful than any threat, and he had not ceased when two pistol-shots were discharged by his hands, and killed two men. The Palicares, who were lying around, sprang up and fired; and the room was filled with fire and smoke. At the same instant the firing began on the other side, and the balls