"I assure you," replied Ferdinand, who had listened to him very attentively, that he might perfectly understand him, "I honour you for your integrity; name your conditions, therefore, without reserve; they must be hard ones indeed, if we hesitate a moment to fulfil them."
"This then is my plan," returned Heli. "I now acknowledge to you, that within this last moon, peace has been concluded upon between our great Sultan and your Emperor. All officers remaining in Turkey are declared free, and may return to their homes. Nevertheless, many of them, secured as you have been, will find great difficulties. It must be in every governor's power to retard their freedom, without he is interested to liberate them. You understand me.—And in the next place, the natural aversion the Turks have to you Christians, might subject them to many insults, without they have a proper guard.
"Now, if you will swear to take me with you, and to protect me, and one person more,
