escape from his difficulty by the help of gold and intrigue. Without
discontinuing the pleasures in which he was immersed, he contented
himself with sending presents and humble petitions to Constantinople.
But both were alike useless, for no one even ventured to transmit them
to the sultan, who had sworn to cut off the head of anyone who dared
mention the name of Ali Tepeleni in his presence.

Receiving no answer to his overtures, Ali became a prey to terrible
anxiety. As he one day opened the Koran to consult it as to his future,
his divining rod stopped at verse 82, chap. xix., which says, "He doth
flatter himself in vain. He shall appear before our tribunal naked and
bare." Ali closed the book and spat three times into his bosom. He was
yielding to the most dire presentiments, when a courier, arriving from
the capital, informed him that all hope of pardon was lost.

He ordered his galley to be immediately prepared, and left his seraglio,
casting a look of sadness on the beautiful gardens where only yesterday
he had received the homage of his prostrate slaves. He bade farewell
to his wives, saying that he hoped soon to return, and descended to the
shore, where the rowers received him with acclamations. The sail was set
to a favourable breeze, and Ali, leaving the shore he was never to see
again, sailed towards Erevesa, where he hoped to meet the Lord High
Commissioner Maitland. But the time of prosperity had gone by, and the
regard which had once been shown him changed with his fortunes. The
interview he sought was not granted.

The sultan now ordered a fleet to be equipped, which, after Ramadan, was
to disembark troops on the coast of Epirus, while all the neighbouring
pachas received orders to hold themselves in readiness to march with all
the troops of their respective Governments against Ali, whose name was