Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Ali Pacha - Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas père
page 47 of 140 (33%)
And he collected the members of her family, and gave orders for them to
be sent to Janina in company with the maiden, who repaid his mercy with
boundless love and devotion.

Let us mention one trait of gratitude shown by Ali at the end of this
expedition, and his record of good deeds is then closed. Compelled by a
storm to take refuge in a miserable hamlet, he inquired its name, and
on hearing it appeared surprised and thoughtful, as if trying to recall
lost memories. Suddenly he asked if a woman named Nouza dwelt in the
village, and was told there was an old infirm woman of that name in
great poverty. He ordered her to be brought before him. She came and
prostrated herself in terror. Ali raised her kindly.

"Dost thou not know me?" he asked.

"Have mercy, great Vizier," answered the poor woman, who, having nothing
to lose but her life, imagined that even that would be taken from her.

"I see," said the pacha, "that if thou knowest me, thou dost not really
recognise me."

The woman looked at him wonderingly, not understanding his words in the
least.

"Dost thou remember," continued Ali, "that forty years ago a young man
asked for shelter from the foes who pursued him? Without inquiring his
name or standing, thou didst hide him in thy humble house, and dressed
his wounds, and shared thy scanty food with him, and when he was able to
go forward thou didst stand on thy threshold to wish him good luck and
success. Thy wishes were heard, for the young man was Ali Tepeleni, and
DigitalOcean Referral Badge