hours and lofty plans."

"You are as yet too young to quarrel with Fortune," replied the
stranger, "and for myself, I have not yet settled my accounts with her.
However, for the present farewell, dear Nicaeus!"

"Farewell," replied the Prince of Athens, "farewell, dear Iskander!"



CHAPTER 2


Iskander was the youngest son of the Prince of Epirus, who, with the
other Grecian princes, had, at the commencement of the reign of Amurath
the Second, in vain resisted the progress of the Turkish arms in
Europe. The Prince of Epirus had obtained peace by yielding his four
sons as hostages to the Turkish sovereign, who engaged that they should
be educated in all the accomplishments of their rank, and with a due
deference to their faith. On the death of the Prince of Epirus,
however, Amurath could not resist the opportunity that then offered
itself of adding to his empire the rich principality he had long
coveted. A Turkish force instantly marched into Epirus, and seized
upon Croia, the capital city, and the children of its late ruler were
doomed to death. The beauty, talents, and valour of the youngest son,
saved him, however, from the fate of his poisoned brothers. Iskander
was educated at Adrianople, in the Moslemin faith, and as he, at a very
early age, exceeded in feats of arms all the Moslemin warriors, he
became a prime favourite of the Sultan, and speedily rose in his
service to the highest rank.