will remain only a thousand or so large ones. You will realize how greatly this must simplify the work of the taxgatherers and strengthen the present government, since the new landowners will be fully aware that they stand or fall with King Zapolya.”
The Grand Vizier said wearily, “I don’t want to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs, but I must protect the Sultan’s subjects and the interests of my own servants. Antar shall therefore take possession of his wife’s estates, but in order not to impede King Zapolya’s excellent land reform I will gladly allow him to add other properties to his own and so make it as large as the rest. See that my wishes are respected, Aloisio Gritti, if you would remain my friend.”
I nudged Andy to make him fall on his knees and kiss the Grand Vizier’s hand, and the delighted bride followed her husband’s example. The Seraskier then dismissed them. But I remained, meaning to strike while the iron was hot, and held Father Julianus by the arm. When Master Gritti had left a great weariness came over Ibrahim’s handsome face; I noticed that he had grown thinner during the campaign and that lines had appeared on his smooth white brow. He said with a yawn, “It’s late, Michael el-Hakim. Why do you burden me with your presence any longer?”
I answered, “The moon shines while the sun reposes. Night is the moon’s time. Let me speak and so serve you, mean slave though I am.”
He said, “Be seated, my slave, and let the Christian priest sit also, since he is so much older than we.”
He brought out a flagon and three goblets from under his cushions and allowed us to drink to his prosperity. Sipping a little himself, he said, “Speak your mind, Michael el-Hakim.”
I replied in carefully chosen words. “There is but one war-that between the Sultan and the Emperor, Islam and Europe, the Crescent and the Cross. The Emperor himself has often said that his main object is to unite all Christian lands in a common crusade to crush Ottoman power. Any Christian who opposes the Emperor is therefore-whether he knows it or not-the Sultan’s ally. The heretic Luther and his followers are the best of these and you would do well to give him secret support, further his aims, and above all champion the cause of religious freedom.”
The Grand Vizier gazed at me searchingly and asked, “During your wanderings in Germany did you ever hear of a certain Margrave Philip, the ruler of a principality called Hesse? He has taken Luther under his protection. Is he a powerful man? How large is his domain? Can he be trusted?”
I felt a pang at my heart as he spoke that name. I saw in my mind’s eye a fair-haired, blue-eyed man in armor surveying the gashed body of a priest who lay in a pool of blood; I saw him sitting in the sunshine with his hands about his knees, before a church door in Franken- hausen. Since those violent days an eternity had passed and I had lived many lives; but now I realized to my surprise that only five years lay between me and that chance encounter. I answered eagerly, “I know him. He told me in jest that he thought of appointing Luther to be his house chaplain. His province is a modest one and he is burdened by debt, unless he has since enriched himself by the theft of church lands. But he is a warlike man and a fine horseman. I can’t answer for his integrity, for he struck me as a singularly cold-blooded creature to whom religion was an instrument of temporal profit rather than a path to salvation.”
The Grand Vizier flung his golden goblet at my head and cried, “Why have you never told me all this before, you dog? I could have made good use of it last spring when King Zapolya was negotiating with Duke Philip’s secret envoy.”
I rubbed the growing bump on my forehead and retorted in injured tones, “Why did you never ask me? Now perhaps you understand what you lose by denying me your confidence and ignoring my knowledge of Christian politics. You have treated me like the meanest of slaves and shut me up with that senile old fellow Piri-reis, to play with toy boats in a sandbox. But now tell me honestly what agreement you have made with Duke Philip and the Protestants. Pay no heed to Father Julianus, for he understands nothing of our language and will keep quiet so long as he has a wine jar within reach. I am curious to hear these things and will gladly give you my advice.”
The Grand Vizier looked a little ashamed of his hastiness, and said, “It’s true that I’ve underrated your capabilities, Michael el-Hakim, and I should have placed more faith in your stars, as Khaireddin did, and my friend Mustafa ben-Nakir. Last spring, having made his protest before parliament, this Philip of Hesse sought to unite the other Protestant German princes in an alliance, to defend their faith against the Emperor and his power. For the same reason he sent secret envoys to the court of France and to King Zapolya, to beg for help. He was shrewd enough to foresee the inevitable clash between the Emperor and the Protestants, and as soon as he heard that the Sultan was preparing to march on Europe he declared himself willing to raise the standard of revolt in the German states. But the other princes feared attack by the rest of Germany if they joined us; and I suspected his own good faith, knowing that these heretics quarrel among themselves and hold conflicting beliefs. I therefore urged this fiery duke, through King Zapolya, to seek first religious unity within his party. No doubt the foremost prophets-the prophet of the Swiss Confederation, for example, and those of Germany-are now met together in some German city to arrive at a common religious formula. In such circumstances the German Catholics will find themselves squeezed between the Protestant princes in the north and the Confederation in the south, as a glance at the map will show.”
I answered candidly, “Luther is an obstinate man, as I know. He likes to be cock of the walk and will tolerate no other prophet beside him. Sectarianism is in the very nature of heresy, for once men begin to interpret the Scriptures for themselves each does it as best suits him until all is confusion and every prophet vows that God speaks directly through his mouth. Nevertheless they are all Christians, and a united Protestant Germany would turn with equal repugnance from both Islam and the Pope.”
“No, no, you’re wrong, Michael el-Hakim. No bitterer hatred exists than that between sects of the same religion. Do you not remember that when Mohammed the Conqueror brought Constantinople under Ottoman rule the Greek church chose Sultan rather than Pope, and it was this schism rather than the weapons of the Osmanlis that brought about the downfall of the Greek Emperor? In this case also I believe that the Protestants will choose the Sultan rather than submit to the Emperor’s will and the teaching of the Pope.”
He sank into profound thought, and waved us away. Father Julianus walked through the camp with me and back to the city, so unsteadily that I had to hold his arm. He had not understood a word of what was said, but declared thickly that Grand Vizier Ibrahim was a most remarkable statesman, since not the Emperor himself had better wine in his cellar than he.
Next morning the Grand Vizier sent me a princely kaftan of honor and a horse whose saddle and bridle were adorned with silver and turquoises. My salary was raised to two hundred aspers a day, so that I was now a man of some consequence and could look the future boldly in the face. I was of course compelled to feed and clothe Father Julianus and give him great quantities of wine. I presented him with the dress of a learned
Andy obtained leave from the Grand Vizier to set off to Tran- silvania to inspect his property, but was expressly forbidden to remain in King Zapolya’s service. He was to return to Istanbul at latest in the following spring, and leave a trustworthy tenant in charge. This arrangement had no charms for Andy, who had hoped to live henceforth a life of lordly idleness on his own estates. It was now necessary for him to procure suitable gifts for the Grand Vizier, Master Gritti, and his new lord, King Zapolya. But since the mementos we had gathered outside Vienna had all been lost in a bog together with the Grand Vizier’s baggage, poor Andy had not an asper more than I.
We turned in our need to Sinan the Builder, but he had already spent what the Sultan had given him on quantities of books and manuscripts. At last to his great shame Andy was forced to beg his wife for the Grand Vizier’s ring, to pawn it. But Mistress Eva for all her youth was a woman of sense. She asked in surprise, “Why don’t you go to a Jew? It was my father’s custom. The Jew can claim repayment from your steward and you’ll be spared these unbecoming worries.”
Andy approved of this advice and we went at once to a Jew who had been recommended by one of the Defterdar’s clerks. He received us in a murky cellar dwelling, bewailing the evil times that prevented all profitable business. Andy realized that he could not demand too much from this man who was evidently burdened by many cares. He had thought of asking for a hundred ducats as journey money, but now his heart failed him.
“Allah preserve me from adding to your trials,” he said. “Perhaps we could manage with ten-”
Before he could pronounce the word “ducats,” the Jew cried aloud to Abraham and explained volubly that for so large a sum he must have better security than a promise and a note of hand, and although I had always had my doubts of Mistress Eva’s estates I began to suspect the Defterdar’s clerk of talking nonsense about this man’s great fortune, since he made such a song about ten ducats. I said to Andy, “Come away! I can lend you that much if need be. I only hope you can pay me when sheep-shearing time comes round.”
