Love in the Days of Rebellion by Ahmet Altan

Author:Ahmet Altan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Europa Editions
Published: 2020-10-25T16:00:00+00:00

12

Ragıp Bey realized that the city would surrender to the mutineers three or four hours before Hikmet Bey and Reşit Pasha heard the gunfire.

He sat next to Rıfkı Bey all day, waiting for the order to attack, when he got bored, he toured the units that were posted in various parts of the garden, which was as large as a neighborhood, and watched the mutineers pressing against the garden fence.

Twice the mutineering soldiers attacked and tried to seize the ministry, the first time they were repelled with pressurized water and the second time Mahmut Muhtar Pasha came out and commanded the units to fire into the air, but Ragıp Bey could see how unwilling the units in the ministry garden were.

In the evening, as darkness was falling, officers from the ministry’s band and civil servants wandered in groups through the garden trying to convince the soldiers to join the mutiny. Ragıp Bey heard with his own ears that soldiers were grumbling that they wanted to leave the ministry garden and join the mutineers; just as he’d surmised, with every passing moment the morale of the loyal units was weakening and the mutineers were gaining confidence.

When it grew dark he went back into the ministry building, where all the lights had been lit, and went to see Rıfkı Bey; the commotion of that morning had subsided and everyone looked glum.

He asked Rıfkı Bey if there was any hope.

Rıfkı Bey shook his head.

“I heard that Muhtar Pasha begged the prime minister, the Grand Vizier, and the minister of war to give the order to attack, but they all insisted that he was not to attack under any circumstances.”

“Rıfkı, the ministry is under siege, the soldiers have mutinied, why is your pasha still waiting for orders?”

“Ragıp, you have no idea about these things, they’re hazardous, tomorrow he could be court-martialed for disobeying an order. He could even be handed over to the mutineers as a traitor. It’s not clear who’s doing what and which side anyone is on, what can Muhtar Pasha do.”

Meanwhile they’d learned that the Sultan, who’d met with a delegation from parliament, had issued an imperial decree forgiving the mutineers. Toward seven o’clock, a lieutenant rushed in to speak to Rıfkı Bey.

“Our soldiers are trying to move closer to the gate, they’re getting ready to join the mutineers, commander.”

Rıfkı Bey made a face and said he would inform the commander, if this news had arrived that morning everyone would have sprung into action and started planning how to prevent this, but now everyone was losing hope.

When Rıfkı Bey returned a little later his face was ashen.

“Muhtar Pasha has decided that the First Army is no longer viable from a military point of view, he has tendered his resignation and will be leaving the ministry soon.”

Ragıp Bey jumped to his feet.

“Is that Pasha mad, he’s destroying his entire career in a single day, is this any time to be such a coward?”

Even though Rıfkı Bey disapproved of Muhtar Pasha’s action, he’d served under him for many years and was reluctant to accuse him of cowardice.

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