The Greek Manuscripts in the Old Seraglio at Constantinople

fro among them. Some of the soldiers fired at the windows of the House of Deputies, more, I think, to attract attention than to harm anyone, just as they fired into the air. However, their aim was not always the best, and some bullets whistled so close that we thought it prudent to retreat across the water to our hotel. It must be made clear, however, that the mutineers' attitude toward foreigners was what a local paper called "d'une correctitude parfaite" original: "d'une correctitude parfaite" (French for "perfectly correct" or "impeccably behaved"); they smiled at us, just as they did at the Times correspondent, the American Ambassador, and the first dragoman of the Italian Embassy, who were all on the scene at different moments.

Returning in the afternoon, the situation had become more critical. Romolo Spathari, a brilliant young Greek officer, had been sent with 300 men against 20,000 and had met his death like a hero. As I reached the middle of the square, Nazim Pasha, the Minister of Justice, was killed on the steps of the House of Deputies for refusing to give up his revolver, and Riza Pasha, the Minister of Marine, who was with him, was wounded at the same time.

The actual murder was less unpleasant than one might expect. The two ministers were driving away from the House of Deputies when their carriage was stopped by the mutineers, and they were forced to return. On the steps they were pushed around, and Nazim was foolish enough to draw his pistol and cover some of those pushing him. Then it was over in a minute: one man fired his rifle into him at close range, two more shots (I think) followed, and the work was finished with bayonets to make certain. Yet there seemed little brutality about it, and the body, when I went to look, was not mangled or disfigured.

I also heard that Yahya Sadik Pasha and Mehmet Arslan Bey, the deputy for Latakia, had both been killed in mistake for Hussain Djahid Bey, the hated editor of the Tanin, the organ of the Committee of Union and Progress. That, at least, was the account given; but if the theory of inspiration from the highest quarters has any grounds, it must