Dying is Easier than Loving by Ahmet Altan

Author:Ahmet Altan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Europa Editions
Published: 2022-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

20

Rasim Bey hadn’t even begun his breakfast when he was informed that Abdülhamid “requested his presence,” he hurriedly finished his tea and went at once to the large hall overlooking the Bosphorus.

Abdülhamid was pacing in the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, his head bent and his chin touching his chest, he was murmuring something to himself. When he saw Rasim Bey he asked almost angrily,

“What’s going on, Rasim Bey?”

Rasim Bey looked at the Bosphorus flowing outside the window, launches were approaching the ships, bringing soldiers to the shore, then returning to pick up more soldiers, the sea was full of launches, the large European warships were sending each other flag signals.

“They’re landing troops, sir.”

“Who’s landing troops?”

“The Europeans.”

In an admonishing tone, as if Rasim Bey was responsible for this, he asked,

“They’re landing foreign troops in my capital?”

Then, feeling that he had to amend what he’d said, he repeated the same question in a different way.

“Are they landing foreign troops in the Ottoman capital?”

Abdülhamid, who was generally very careful about what he said, he was particularly careful not to say anything that might give the impression he was thinking about returning to power or that he was still angry at those who had overthrown him, had not been able to control his anger.

“Was it for this that they overthrew me? What does it mean for foreign troops to land in the Ottoman capital, this is the Caliph’s city, foreign soldiers shouldn’t even step foot here . . . I wonder what my brother has to say about this.”

“They can’t land troops without the permission of his highness the sultan and the government, I’m sure that you can appreciate this as well, sir . . .”

“For what purpose are they landing troops?”

“To protect the embassies . . .”

“Who are they going to protect them from?”

“The Bulgarians, presumably, they fear a Bulgarian occupation.”

“I heard that we stopped the Bulgarians at Çatalca.”

Rasim Bey couldn’t quite figure out where Abdülhamid got his news, there were still sounds of cannon fire coming from Çatalca, even though it had lessened, but the former sultan had even learned that the Bulgarians had been stopped . . .

“They say we stopped them, sir, but the foreigners still wanted to take precautions.”

“Good God,” said Abdülhamid, “Good God . . . What a bitter day for a caliph, they’re landing troops in the capital. And on the eve of the blessed Feast of the Sacrifice. I suppose they’re going to sacrifice the Ottoman Empire. What kind of holiday is this going to be? How could they allow this, I can’t comprehend it, they should have stood against this to the end, no foreign troops have set foot in this city since the time of Mehmet the Conqueror . . . The army is fighting at Çatalca, but foreign troops are landing in Tophane . . . Oh, Rasim Bey, what is this government doing, Kamil Pasha is an experienced man, how could he agree to this, I don’t understand, a state can’t allow something like this.

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