from a dark corner, broke his shoulder blade, and he fell, but sprang up
and attempted to fly. Ali issued from his hiding place and sprang
upon him, but notwithstanding his wound the young bey defended himself
vigorously, uttering terrible cries. The pacha, eager to finish, and
finding his hands insufficient, caught a burning log from the hearth,
struck his nephew in the face with it, felled him to the ground, and
completed his bloody task. This accomplished, Ali called for help with
loud cries, and when his guards entered he showed the bruises he had
received and the blood with which he was covered, declaring that he had
killed in self-defence a villain who endeavoured to assassinate him.
He ordered the body to be searched, and a letter was found in a pocket
which Ali had himself just placed there, which purported to give the
details of the pretended conspiracy.

As Murad's brother was seriously compromised by this letter, he also
was immediately seized, and strangled without any pretence of trial. The
whole palace rejoiced, thanks were rendered to Heaven by one of those
sacrifices of animals still occasionally made in the East to celebrate
an escape from great danger, and Ali released some prisoners in order
to show his gratitude to Providence for having protected him from so
horrible a crime. He received congratulatory visits, and composed an
apology attested by a judicial declaration by the cadi, in which
the memory of Murad and his brother was declared accursed. Finally,
commissioners, escorted by a strong body of soldiers, were sent to seize
the property of the two brothers, because, said the decree, it was
just that the injured should inherit the possessions of his would-be
assassins.

Thus was exterminated the only family capable of opposing the Pacha
of Janina, or which could counterbalance his influence over the weak