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70 CONSTANTINOPLE AND ITS ENVIRONS;
Nichin or " sultan's seat," and here he ensconced himself, and heard and saw whatever
was going on below. As the curtain was usually drawn, it was not known to a certainty
when he was there or not, but he was dreaded like the tyrant of Syracuse, as always
listening, and sometimes detected by the angry gleam of an eye glancing through the
lattice, and denouncing vengeance on some obnoxious member of the council. It is for
this reason called " the dangerous window," and looked up to with awe and terror from
below. Many anecdotes are told of this Sha Nichin. Achmet I. who is said to be its
inventor, constantly watched the proceedings of the Divan from hence, when it was supposed he was buried in sensual indulgences in the remote recesses of the seraglio. One
day, when a court of justice was held, a soldier presented an arzuhal to the grand
vizir, and, supposing it was treated with neglect, and himself with injustice, he drew
his yatagan, and suddenly plunged it into his body. The chaoushs and others cast
themselves upon the assassin, and were about to cut him to pieces, when the curtain of
the Sha Nichin was drawn aside, and the voice of the Sultan was heard like thunder
issuing from it. He commanded them to desist, and, stepping down, he himself examined
the man's case, with the bleeding body of the grand vizir on the Divan beside him.
He thought he had reason to suppose the sentence was unjust, and the delinquent had
provocation ; so he dismissed the soldier as an injured man, and caused the body of the
grand vizir to be cast into the sea as an unjust judge.
Another use of the Divan is, that it is the place where the troops, particularly the
janissaries, received their pay. On these occasions men bring in small leathern bags of
piasters, which they pile on the floor, till they form heaps three or four feet high, and
ten or twelve long. When these are all laid, and the whole amount of pay ready, the
grand vizir sends a sealed paper to the Sultan, notifying that large sums of money
are lying before him on the ground, and humbly entreating to know what it is his pleasure
to do with it. The chaoush returns after some delay, with an iron-shod pole, which he
strikes loudly on the pavement, to announce his approach with the answer to the
important question, and presents a huge packet to the vizir, which he receives with
profound reverence, first pressing it to his forehead and then to his lips. Having read
the communication, he announces aloud, that it is the Sultan's pleasure that all the heaps
of coin shall be distributed among the soldiers, detachments of whom are in attendance
for the purpose. The bags are then brought out, and laid on the flags in front of the
Divan. And now succeeds a scene of puerile enjoyment, which none but a Turk could
relish. Certain dishes filled with smoking pilaff of soft rice, are laid at different distances, beside the heaps of coin; and at a signal given, the soldiers start, some to seize
one, and some the other, and some both. There are then seen grave old men with long
grizzled beards, all smeared with greasy rice, struggling with boys, and rolling over each
other on the ground. This folly is highly relished by the sages on the Divan within, who
look on with delight till all the bags of money and plates of rice have disappeared.
The last ceremony of the Divan is the reception of ministers of foreign powers, who
come here to be duly made fit for presentation to the Sultan. On the day appointed
they and their suits assemble at an early hour in the morning, and all the process |
