by Mika Waltari
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 th
ousand, 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.”
Andy said, “No, no. But I have little head for figures, so you must round off the sum to nine thousand three hundred ducats, and I will gladly acknowledge the receipt of ten thousand ducats for a year’s lease of my sheep.”
With a sigh the Jew took sixteen aspers from the table and replaced them with two worn gold ducats which I perceived at once to be underweight. The coins on the table were all newly-minted and whole, however, and so I willingly forgave him this slight deception.
Andy asked me to read the contract aloud to him, and we found it to be fully in accordance with what had been agreed, and though nothing was mentioned as to the care of the livestock, the Jew pointed out that it would be to his own interest to take good care of the farms, for he hoped that next year the contract might be renewed on slightly better terms for another five or ten years. Our eyes were by this time fully open to the excellent stroke of business Andy had unwittingly done in dragging that poor little wench from the gutters of Vienna and making her his wife.
But our dealings with the Jew were not yet over, for though I guessed that King Zapolya and Master Gritti would prefer ready money, the Grand Vizier at least must be offered something more personal, and for this no one could have given us better advice than the sagacious Jew. Such things as precious stones, ornaments, saddles, and damascened gold harnesses the Grand Vizier already had in abundance, so something entirely special must be found. At last Andy bought from the Jew a most marvelous clock of Niirnberg make, which struck both hours and quarters. It showed also the day, the month, and the year, and would thus be of great advantage to an absent-minded person, though unfortunately it was based on the Christian measurement of time. However, we guessed that because of his wars and other dealings with European countries the Grand Vizier might be glad to keep count of the Christian reckoning.
This clock was so complicated and so ingeniously built that I could not understand how a human brain could have devised it. The case was of beautiful workmanship, and the Jew contrived to set it going long enough for us to see how at each hour a little secret door flew open and a smith, followed by a priest and a knight in full armor, stepped forth to strike the hour on a little silver bell, and then disappeared through another door on the opposite side of the clock.
Its only fault was that it did not go, and the watchmaker to whom it had been sent for repair had been sold into slavery by the Turks. Nevertheless the Jew hoped he might yet be found, and we could then give him to the Grand Vizier with the clock, to regulate it and keep it going. Because the mechanism was for the present out of order the Jew sold us this treasure for only twelve hundred ducats, which Andy gladly paid, and we then took a cordial leave of this wealthy man.
When after a great deal of difficulty we were able to trace the clock- maker, Andy paid no less than sixty ducats for him, without bargaining, though there was little left of him but skin and beard. In his free-handedness he even gave the old fellow new clothes, and after a bellyful of food the man wept copious tears, tried to kiss Andy’s hands, and blessed him as his benefactor. He at once set to work on the clock, declaring that he knew its caprices, and even without the necessary instruments and parts was able to make it work well enough to convince the Grand Vizier of its surpassing excellence. He swore by the saints that once in Istanbul he would make this timepiece the marvel of the Seraglio and would devote the rest of his life to tending it. Thus it was that the clock secured him a carefree existence as the Grand Vizier’s slave.
We now ordered four strong slaves to carry it carefully to Ibrahim’s tent, where the clockmaker set it going; the Grand Vizier marveled greatly at it and thanked Andy for the princely gift. I fancy Andy rose notably in the Grand Vizier’s esteem, for as a further mark of favor Ibrahim sent him and his wife two magnificently caparisoned saddle horses and provided an escort of a hundred spahis to attend them to their estate.
Andy, having now done everything possible to secure his position, made ready to leave for the Transilvanian border. When I saw that in his black ingratitude he was forgetting me, his unmerited successes smarted within me and I said, “The frog puffed himself up until he burst. The money is yours; you can throw it down the jakes if you wish. But your coldness to me is very wounding, and I think you owe a morsel of consideration to one who is all but your own brother, and whom alone you have to thank for your prosperity.”
My words and my unfeigned tears brought Andy to a better frame of mind, and as icy winds chased the snow clouds over the towers of Buda, we seemed transported to our own land. We wept on one another’s breast; we swore that nothing in the world should sever our friendship and that we should be godfathers to one another’s children. When at last we parted Andy pressed upon me a thousand ducats, saying that even this sum was but slight acknowledgment of my long and faithful friendship.
We had by now reached the end of October. The Sultan ordered the camp to be struck and the janissaries with many forebodings began the long march home. Before we left Buda, the Grand Vizier summoned me and Father Julianus once more to a nocturnal discussion and said, “It may be that you’re right, Michael el-Hakim, and are more familiar with German religious questions than I am. King Zapolya’s secret representative at the court of Margrave Philip reports that the heretic prophets have met in Marburg, the capital of Hesse, but that after a couple of days’ debate they separated in open hostility without having reached a single agreement. It seems that Luther and Zwingli did nothing but accuse one another of error and arrogance. I therefore agree to your plan, Michael el-Hakim, and will send you to the German states to sow even more bitter dissension among the Protestants and so draw them nearer Islam.”
I was aghast at his words, and made haste to reply, “You have quite mistaken my meaning, noble Grand Vizier, for I’m no orator. No, no, it is Father Julianus who should be sent to Germany, for he is an experienced preacher who can smell out heresy afar off. He will choose the right man in every town for the work; he will sow the seeds of Islam in people’s minds so that in their enthusiasm for the new ideas they will forget all that Christendom holds in common and rally round separate articles of faith. One will preach the one God, another the sinfulness of idolatry, a third predestination, and a fourth polygamy as justified by Scripture. I believe that Father Julianus knows his Bible so well that within a few days he could find texts to support all these arguments.”
Father Julianus stared at me as if the ground had opened at his feet and the devil in all his hideousness had appeared.
“Get thee behind me, Satan!” he cried. “Would you make a heretic of me? Never will I consent to it; I will choose rather the glorious death of the martyrs.”
“But can you not see, Father Julianus,” I said, “that in sowing dissension among the heretics you do Holy Church the greatest possible service? I am persuaded that the Grand Vizier will furnish you with money enough to keep you well provided with wine and beer in the German lands-well enough even to invite others to share it with you. Should you be suspected of disseminating false doctrines, you have only to deny all you’ve said and blame your imperfect knowledge of the language for any errors there may have been. But if all goes well-you should need no more than a couple of years to complete the tas
k-and if you send me details of all those, young or old, learned or simple, poor or rich who are in any way inclined to embrace and proclaim the new teaching, I am sure the Grand Vizier will so reward you as to enable you to spend the remainder of your days in peace and comfort before a never failing wine jar.”
Conflicting thoughts were mirrored on Father Julianus’s puffy face, and I could read there lingering fears for his immortal soul. Persuasively I went on, “Who knows but that the Grand Vizier might approach the Curia through a Venetian banking house, and buy you a bishopric in some retired corner of France or Italy? There you might enjoy a well-earned rest without molestation by inquisitive people.”
A warm gleam came into Father Julianus’s eye; he gazed dreamily into the distance, and at length exclaimed with a sob, “How devoutly I would serve in that exalted office, wretch and sinner that I am! Truly, Michael, from now on I will reform and do all I can to be worthy of the blessed task entrusted to me.”
Falling on his knees he kissed the Grand Vizier’s hand and watered it with his tears. I feared that Ibrahim would recoil from the expense of my plan, and I said quickly in Turkish, “Take no thought of the outlay, noble Grand Vizier, for Father Julianus will hardly get out of Germany alive to claim his bishopric. These new prophets are at least as fanatical in the defense of the purity of their faith as the Holy Office. Yet if by any miracle he should survive, it would be no bad
thing for you if a Christian bishop were to owe his position to Islam.”
Ibrahim nodded and said, “As you will, Michael el-Hakim. I trust you, and leave you a free hand with the details. If it fails, tsaushes will bring you the black kaftan and the silken noose, and will stay to see that you do not misinterpret the significance of the gift.”