Giulia hesitated and turned a frightened glance toward Alberto’s expressionless face. Then she said quickly, “No, I have never really loved you-never. At least not after I found the man who could master me. This you never understood, though often I angered you to make you behave like a man and beat me. Ah, Michael, as a husband you’ve been worse than a eunuch.”
She was now such a stranger to me that I did not even hate her. This strangeness terrified me more than all else, and I could not conceive how I had ever kissed her limbs and her false lips, and with tears. At last in a tremulous voice I said, “The sun is setting and soon the stars will come out. Forgive me then, Giulia, for having spoiled your life and wearied you so long. No doubt it is partly my fault that during our life together you have been turned into a witch-a wild beast incapable of mercy. In my madness I fancied that deep love meant warmth and kindness between two people, and some mutual solace in the hideous loneliness that is the lot of each one of us. I don’t blame you, Giulia. The mistake was mine and I blame only myself.”
Giulia stared at me without grasping a word of what I was saying. I might have been speaking an unknown language. As I had no wish to delight her by displaying my terror of death, I straightened my trembling body and with head erect descended the stairs without giving her a glance. I believe I never even stammered as in the name of the Merciful and Compassionate I begged the Kislar-Aga respectfully to be prompt in the execution of his task. He started from his pleasant snooze, regarded me benignly, and clapped his fat hands. The three mutes at once entered the room, the first of them bearing beneath his arm a bundle that I supposed to contain the necessary black kaftan. I could not but feel some curiosity as to the color of the silken noose. For the green I could not dare to hope, but even the red would have been a mark of high favor, for the salary I received entitled me to no more than the modest yellow cord.
But when the mute unfolded the bundle I was surprised to see only a large leather sack which he spread out upon the floor. At a sign from the Kislar-Aga he took out a hempen rope and while the other two seized Alberto firmly by the arms, he slipped the loop over die slave’s head from behind and strangled him so swiftly and deftly that he had no time to realize what was happening. Alberto had fallen lifeless with a swollen and distorted face before Giulia had taken it in. Then she sprang on the kneeling eunuch like a cat, but his comrades knew their business. They caught her arms and twisted them behind her, holding her fast. She kicked, howled, and tossed her head from side to side, her eyes bloodshot with fury. The Kislar-Aga surveyed her with his head on one side, as if deriving pleasure from her anguish.
To me he said courteously, “Forgive me, slave Michael. By command of my sovereign lady I am to see that your wife is strangled, after which she will be sewn into a leather sack and thrown into the Marmara. Sultana Khurrem is as you know a devout lady and abominates the indecencies of which your wife Giulia has so repeatedly been guilty. Only recently did she learn how criminally Giulia abused her confidence by disguising her lover as a eunuch so as to take him with her into the forbidden apartments of the Seraglio. Naturally you are guiltless of this and I share your deep sorrow, but so shameful an offense must be punished and I can assure you that in future the noble Sultana Khurrem will be more discriminating in her choice of company.”
Giulia had ceased her outcry and was now listening incredulously to his quiet speech. Froth appeared at the corners of her mouth as she screamed, “Are you out of your mind, Kislar-Aga? You shall pay for this with your head. I know too much about you and your secret dealings with the Seraglio physicians.”
“Quite so,” said the Kislar-Aga, and his fat, pale face was stony. “You know too much, you foolish woman. It is for that reason that
Sultana Khurrem has resolved to render you harmless. You should have understood that long ago-you should have seen it in the sand!”
With that he had had enough of words. Once more he gave a sign, the noose was slipped about Giulia’s throat and drawn tight, so that her wild shriek was cut short. Trembling all over I turned away my head, unwilling to see those eyes fade in death. Her body was then lashed to Alberto’s and both were pushed into the sack, which was quickly sewn up. When at last the mutes had departed with their burden I said in astonishment, “How dare they leave us alone together? I might have a weapon upon me and in my terror of death do you an injury. And why put off the inevitable any longer, for I suppose that my fate at your hands was preordained before my birth, noble Kislar- Aga.”
He stroked his bulging chin and his eyes were cold as steel as he replied, “I have executed the Sultana’s orders as confirmed by the Sultan. You also were to have been strangled, but here matters took an unexpected turn. The Sultan, noble man, greatly admires loyalty and daring, though he does not care to speak his mind to the Sultana. Perhaps too he stands just now in special need of acquiring merit. Therefore he commanded me secretly, without Sultana Khurrem’s knowledge, to spare you, because you risked your life to give Grand Vizier Ibrahim an honorable burial. The city was in so disturbed a state that you might have been torn in pieces for it. I may tell you in confidence that your action has greatly healed and solaced his heart. Yet, as you will understand, he is compelled to banish you from the city, that the Sultana may never learn of your reprieve. He is once more a prey to profound melancholy and needs the consolation of white arms and a soft embrace. But you have placed me in a grave dilemma, Michael el-Hakim. I am bound to obey the Sultan’s express command, yet I greatly fear the wrath of Sultana Khurrem. Whither will you go, Michael?”
“What do you say to Egypt, noble Kislar-Aga?” I asked meekly. “I fancy that that land is far enough away, and I believe I could find refuge there if you allow it.”
While I was speaking there entered on noiseless feet a little eunuch who was also a mute; he closely scrutinized my appearance and with a gesture invited me to be seated. He then began to shave me, and afterward set out many materials and pots of color.
“Egypt will do very well,” the Kislar-Aga assented. “You must forget your former life and assume a new name. You must also alter your appearance. My barber is now shaving you and will next dye your skin brown. Don’t be afraid at the wrinkles that will appear on your face as a result-they will disappear in a few weeks. Tomorrow the Sultan is to proclaim the dissolution of the brotherhood of whom Ibrahim was grand master. Countless dervishes will be fleeing for fear of the Mufti, and if you disguise yourself as one of them you need not fear detection. Remember only to talk as little as possible-and try in every way to behave yourself, or Sultana Khurrem will never forgive me.”
The queer tone in which he said this made me suddenly suspicious, and I leaned forward to look more closely at the inscrutable face of a man trained in the Seraglio.
“Noble Kislar-Aga! Only the mutes have seen us and the Sultan need know nothing of what happens. How comes it that you’re willing to spare me, when in general I know you to be a shrewd man?”
“I am a Moslem,” he replied piously, “and the Sultan is Allah’s shadow on earth. It is he alone whom I must obey, though it should cost me my head.” He stroked his fat chin, coughed, and added casually, “Of course I expect a present worthy of you, and I fancy I shall not be disappointed. No doubt you will allow me to glance into the sack that you’ll be taking with you to Egypt.”
“Alas, what are you saying? Through my wife’s extravagance I’m a poor man, as you must know. I own nothing but my house and furniture, and these I freely give you.”