an　acquaintance　of　his　took　him　by　the

arm　and　said；　“Nusret　Hoja’s　men　will　surely　raid　this　place。”

18

Raising　an　eyebrow；　he　signaled　the　man　quiet。　Their　fear　infected　me。　No

one　trusted　anyone；　everyone　expected　to　be　done　in　at　any　moment　by　the

man　next　to　him。

It had bee even colder； and snow had accumulated on street corners

and　at　the　bases　of　walls。　In　the　blindness　of　night；　I　could　find　my　way　along

the　narrow　streets　only　by　groping　with　my　hands。　At　times；　the　dim　light　of

an　oil　lamp　still　burning　somewhere　inside　a　wooden　house　filtered　out　from

behind blackened windows and drawn shutters； reflecting on the snow； but

mostly；　I　could　see　nothing；　and　found　my　way　by　listening　for　the　sounds　of

watchmen　banging　their　sticks　on　stones；　for　the　howling　of　mad　dogs；　or　the

sounds　ing　from　houses。　At　times　the　narrow　and　dreadful　streets　of　the

city　seemed　to　be　lit　up　by　a　wondrous　light　ing　from　the　snow　itself；　and

in the darkness； amid the ruins and trees； I thought I spotted one of those

ghosts　that　have　made　Istanbul　such　an　ominous　place　for　thousands　of　years。

From within houses； now and again； I heard the noises of miserable people

having　coughing　fits　or　snorting　or　wailing　as　they　cried　out　in　their　dreams；

or I heard the shouts of husbands and wives as they tried t