The Wanderer (42 page)

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
tseleb,
to shield him from the hostility of the janissaries who bore intense hatred to Christian priests.
 

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.”

I was wearing the kaftan that the Grand Vizier had given me, and the Jew no doubt mistook my rank and position, for he now bowed to me very eagerly and said in an altered tone, “You shall not leave me empty handed, most worthy gentlemen, for it would bring me bad luck. Let us talk the matter over. I know of the favor shown you by King Zapolya, but allow me to tell you that sheep shearing in Hungary is not the profitable business you seem to think. How can we tell who will shear them next spring? The Tartars, Moldavians, and Poles are even now taking advantage of the general confusion to steal sheep and other livestock, and no doubt this is happening on your estates also, my dear sir. Indeed it was a desperate gamble on your part to take possession of these domains, and I fear that without responsible backing you will as time goes on merely increase your debt.”

He spoke so honestly and benevolently that Andy believed him and even I began to wonder whether he was justified in advancing ten gold ducats on Andy’s problematical flocks. Andy said, “If things in Buda are as bad as you’d have us believe I had better return papers and seals to Janushka and tell him to look for a bigger simpleton than I am to take over these estates.”

The Jew rubbed his hands together and bowed till his corkscrew curls swept the floor, and having begged to see King Zapolya’s deed of conveyance he said, “Noble Sir Andreas von Wolfenland, I understand that in the Sultan’s dominions you have been used to living in a style superior to that customary in our poor land. Should the lambing fail or war ravage your domains, a promissory note might cause you embarrassment. Furthermore, I shall incur expense if I have to collect my money from Istanbul. Yet risks must be taken if any profit is to be made. Let us talk no more of promises and notes of hand. I will advance the sum you ask in return for the shearing rights of your flocks for the next two years. I may suffer great loss by this, but all is in the hand of God.”

Andy glanced at me in doubt and I whispered quickly that he should close with this offer, since ten ducats in the hand were worth a hundred sheep in some godforsaken corner of the Hungarian steppes. But Andy weakened on seeing the Jew wipe tears from his eyes, and he said, “No, no. I’m an honest man and you have a wife and children to feed. I cannot agree to your risking your modest fortune for my sake. Let us make out a binding promissory note, and for your trouble and expenses I am ready to pay ten or even fifteen per cent.”

The Jew dried his tears and his face darkened as he said, “You’re greedier than noblemen in general are wont to be; you grudge me a fair profit. Nevertheless, to confirm the good understanding between us, you shall have the money in return for only one year’s shearing rights. In that case I shall expect the trade monopoly in all your villages, including the salt traffic. My agents shall inquire into the breed of sheep in the region and all other matters concerning the estate. You can rely on me for the best terms, for I’m an honest man and would be a father to you.”

Andy thanked him politely, and replied, “Why should I resist when you’re so bent on risking your money? All I ask is that you won’t reproach me if things go wrong. You must feed my flocks and keep my sheepdogs and horses in good condition, however, or I shall make no further bargains with you next time I visit my estate.”

The Jew’s face lit up as he answered eagerly, “From the first moment of our meeting I was charmed by your honest character, for you did not treat me with contempt as most Hungarian noblemen do. I respect you because you know how to hold your own; therefore I agree to your proposal on condition I may pay you the sum in silver and change it into gold for you myself. In this way I can profit by the exchange rate, that is to say six aspers per gold ducat, which will enable me to feed my wife and children, even should I lose by the deal.”

This seemed to me a very moderate request, though it was easy to reckon out that he would gain one ducat on the ten. He now begged us to excuse him while he worked out his gains according to the day’s rate of exchange, and to fetch out the money, which in wartime he had to keep hidden. We were taken to an adjoining room which to my amazement was richly furnished with costly rugs, gilt chairs, velvet curtains, and Venetian mirrors. A servant brought us a gigantic silver dish heaped with grapes, pears, and other good Hungarian fruits. After inquiring whether we were strict Mussulmans the Jew also ordered wine to be served. It was clear that he wished to keep on good terms with Andy, though his lavish hospitality seemed out of all proportion to our business.

We ate the fruit and drank the wine, and when the Jew returned nothing was left upon the dish but a few cores and the skeleton of the grape bunch. Yet he was not at all distressed at this, and smiled radiantly as he led us back to the mean counting house. And here we stared; for on the table a mass of gold coin lay neatly stacked beside a number of sealed leather bags. The Jew evidently misunderstood our astonishment, for rubbing his hands together in some embarrassment he said, “Ten was the sum mentioned, was it not? Ten thousand ducats in silver are equal by statute to six hundred thousand aspers. But at today’s exchange rate only five hundred and forty thousand when changing gold to silver, and five hundred and seventy thousand, silver to gold. I take as a rule one asper per ducat for costs and charges. So I give you five hundred and forty aspers in silver. By changing this to gold at the current rate you receive nine thousand, four hundred and seventy-three ducats, and thirty-nine aspers in silver. One asper per ducat for charges comes to one hundred and seventy-five ducats and twenty-three aspers. Your net total is therefore nine thousand, two hundred and ninety-eight ducats and sixteen aspers, and I have laid this sum on the table. Pray be so good as to count it yourselves, and note that each of the sealed bags contains five hundred ducats. As a matter of form, sir, I would ask you to sign this lease. I trust your word entirely, but I’m an old man and may die at any time, and your life too is one of hazard.”

Andy said sulkily, “You wouldn’t make a fool of me, good father?”

The Jew tore his beard and said in some heat, “Sir, such cheese paring is unworthy of you! I am entitled to reckon my charges at the rate of fifty-four aspers to the ducat, though you pay fifty-seven. The difference amounts to only five hundred and twenty-five aspers, and a distinguished gentleman like yourself should think shame to accuse me of dishonesty for such a trifle.”