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313 CHAPTEK XV LAST DAYS OF EMPIEE : SULTAN AGAIN HESITATES J MES- SAGE INVITING sueeendee; TUEKISH council called; DECIDES AGAINST EAISING SIEGE ; PEOCLAMATION GEANTING THEEE DAYS' PLUNDEE ; SULTAN'S FINAL PEEPAEATIONS J HIS ADDEESS TO THE PASHAS AND LAST OEDEES TO GENEEALS. PEEPAEATIONS IN CITY: EELIGIOUS PEOCESSIONS : CONSTANTINE'S ADDEESS TO LEADEES AND TO VENETIANS AND GENOESE; LAST CHEISTIAN SEEVICE IN ST. SOPHIA: DEFENDEES TAKE UP THE IE FINAL STATIONS AT WALLS, AND CLOSE GATES BEHIND THEM : EMPEEOE'S LAST INSPECTION OF HIS FOECES. By May 25 it was well understood both by besiegers and Last days, besieged that the crisis of the struggle had come and that a general attack by land and sea and by all the forces which the sultan possessed was at hand and would result in a con- test which would probably decide the fate of the city. Mahomet was able to choose his own time and make characteristic preparations. The differences in the final preparations of besiegers and besieged arose from two causes : first, from the disparity in numbers between the huge host of the besiegers and the small army defending the city ; second, from the fact that the Turkish army con- sisted exclusively of men, while the population of the city was largely composed of women and children, of priests, monks, and nuns. On one side was a large host without non-combatants ; on the other a small but valiant army worn out by wearisome work, unrelieved, and encumbered with a great number of useless non-combatants. While the