第2部分(第5/7 頁)

who　preached　at　the　Bayazid　Mosque　and

claimed　to　be　descended　from　Our　Glorious　Prophet　Muhammad；　had　made　a

name　for　himself　during　this　period　of　immorality；　inflation；　crime　and　theft。

This hoja； who was from the small town of Erzurum； attributed the

catastrophes that had befallen Istanbul in the last ten years—including the

Bah？ekap？ and Kazanj？lar district fires； the plagues that claimed tens of

thousands； the endless wars with the Persians at a cost of countless lives； as

well as the loss of small Ottoman fortresses in the West to Christians in

revolt—to our having strayed from the path of the Prophet； to disregard for

10

the　strictures　of　the　Glorious　Koran；　to　the　tolerance　toward　Christians；　to　the

open　sale　of　wine　and　to　the　playing　of　musical　instruments　in　dervish　houses。

The pickle seller who passionately informed me about the cleric from

Erzurum said that the counterfeit coins—the new ducats； the fake florins

stamped with lions and the Ottoman coins with their ever…decreasing silver

content—that flooded the markets and bazaars； just like the Circassians；

Abkhazians； Mingarians； Bosnians； Georgians and Armenians who filled the

streets；　were　dragging　us　toward　an　absolute　degradation　from　which　it　would

be　difficult　to　escape。　I　was　told　that　scoundrels　and　rebels　were　gathering　in

coffeehouses and proselytizing until dawn； that destitute men of dubious

character； opium…addicted madmen and followers of the outlawed Kalenderi

dervish sect； claiming to be on Allah’s path； wou