The King of the Mountains

rawn a little nearer together than was usual, and the wrinkles on his

e are

r Ca

ny comp

ne

ho

not

ai

oward the King. Hadgi-Stavros cried o

king out his watch. The men were silent. Four shots followed, a minute apart. The last one was followed by a

o the storeroom, and serve me with win

hed the sentence. He calle

early; one sees curious things. Your thirst has awakened you! Wi

n bottles were brought from some secret hi

They are Per

lly armed, marched in double file to the King's Cabinet. I recognized M. Pericles, because I had admired him on the promenade at Athens. He was a young officer of thirty-five, dark, a coxcomb, admire

King replied, caressing his chee

And

eest. And

he Bishop, h

l cure him. The Prefec

his kind regards;

t is

the 15th. It is decided;

all the time? And w

general fall

thou lette

ini's was not ready. She

e: ... Thy heal

her! Who is this Frank

no consequence. Thou

francs to Argos. They will pass by t

. Will a large b

r is guarded by

d or

Men who are

d. In my absence thou w

s. Thy English prisoners have written to their Ambas

ho furnished t

ce, that I write my report. I

rite it ou

godfather, I mu

N

sh to be d

What an insatiable! It is only

hen the world shall learn that thy band is dispersed, confidence will be restor

e Bourse will send up stocks,

air! At least, let m

harm no one. On my

on our return that

t leave them here;

r boy gets only 78 francs a month, and his parents are not very well satisfied. If he remains in the army he will not become a sub-lieutenant under five or si

ttle Spiro! Does

ssa

de him in the enterprise; he might be a stockholder. Thou wilt

me more than my Captain's pay. Ah

Captain Pericles, a charming young man who knows many languages, and who will replace me during my absence. My dear Pericles, I present to thee Monsieur, who is a doctor and is valued at fifteen thousand fr

ried the King's orders through the camp. Every one was soon ready to depart, owing to the morning's activity. The young adjutant, Spiro, and the nine men chosen from among the gendarmes exchanged their uniforms for the picturesque dress of the bandits. This was a veritable lightning-change; the Minister of War, if he had been there, would have almost been unable to have told how it was done. The newly-made brigands seemed to feel n

flour, the cheese packed in a crevice, and the trunk of a tree in which was kept the coffee. He instructed him in every precaution which was to be take

he Sciromian Rocks. They made a long detour, by a path which was easy, to the bottom of the ravine which was below our camping place. The bandits sang at the top of their voic

yeux noirs descen

sil d

tle Athenian lads sing nothing

was the formidable appearance and numbers of this morning expedition. She counted sixty men following Hadgi-Stavros. "Sixty," she thought; "there only remains twenty, then, to guard us?" The idea of escape, which she had scorned the night before, now presented itself to her with some favor. In the midst of these reflections she sa

mother's call and came

hat did I say? all! Even a larger number has gone

oated triumphantly at the summit of the pine tree. Hadgi-Stavros' place was occupied by M. Pericles. Mrs. S

said to him, "the

lied in English

put them t

that but for us they

n! The battle must

ithout tears. I had

e are

ured

return t

t pleas

let us depa

le, for t

uld we d

querors; we will gua

ive thy hand

English gi

ng German of the middle class, a savant who gathers herbs and who wished to save us by the most preposterous me

, Ma

ts are the vilest of men. They be

sked the

h, which I took the

And they kept all tha

ed francs, a silver traveling

are still in y

tain

from you your rings

ieur le C

od enough to gi

you

lver traveling case, two watches an

ieur, you would take from us the a

with dignity: "Madam

y is to d

rticles for necessary conviction

then be

e have t

ing, and that you have sufficient testimony to hang him. First

ame, that the forms o

icles which you demand there

Madame, to confide

no watch I s

ys give me pleasure t

t it was disagreeable to her to b

e beautiful enough not to need jewels. You can do be

or necessaire is an indispensable article. What one call

despoiled two so distinguished persons. Alas! Mademoiselle, we military men, we are the slaves of orders, instruments of the law, men of duty. Deign to a

politely plunder her, I became enraged, and I marched up to him to tell him what I thought of him. He must have read in my eyes the exordium of my di

een u

the King's cabinet. There, he seated himself bef

you underst

my knowled

ow Gree

Mons

to hide; he is King, he is responsible to no one but himself. As for me, what the devil! put yourself in my place. My position is delicate, and I have many affair

fact that I will keep

ld not talk. If, on the contrary, you should return to Athens, I counsel you, as a friend, to keep silent about what you have seen. Imitate the discretion of the late Madame la Duchesse de Plaisance, who was taken captive by Bibichi and w

men

not I who would avenge myself. All the men in my company adore their Captain. They are even more warmly interested in my in

, if you have so

the right side, in case it came to an internecine struggle. The misfortune is that the diplomats would interfere, and the presence of a stranger would, without doubt, injure my cause. If any misfortune happens to me through you, do y

nsieur; I will

keep the

e. You have advised me of the danger of being indiscreet. I

y. But the most pleasing thing of the whole will be, that no one will believe you. The public will place no confidence in seeming lies. Try to persuade the cockneys of Paris, of London, of Berlin, that you have seen a Captain of the standing army, embraced by a chief of banditti. A company of choice troops acting as guards to Hadgi-Stavros' prisoners, in order to give him the opportunity of capturing the army coffers! The highest State functionaries founding a stock company for the purpose of plundering travelers! As well tell them that the mice of Attica have formed an alliance with the cats, and that our sheep take t

an indiscretion before my departure,

prove to the prisoners that the brigands surprised us. While my godfather is absent, I will protect you against yourself by keeping you away from these ladies. I will borrow your tent. You ought to see, Monsieur, that I have a more delicate skin than this worthy Hadgi-Stavros, and that I ought not to expose my complexion to the changes of temperature! What would be said, on the 15th, at the Court Ball if I presented myself brown

nd humming a tune, descended Mrs. Simons'

sed my eyes; the measured step of the sentinels wearied my brain. At least, I thought if these four soldiers would but speak to me! I spoke to them in Greek; it was a seductive agent which had never failed me with sentinels. It was clear loss of time. The walls had, possibly, ears, but the use of the voice was denied them; no one spoke under arms; I attempted bribery. I drew from my pocket the money which Hadgi-Stavros had returned and which the Captain had forgotten to take from me. I distributed it to the four cardinal points of my lodge. The somber and frowning walls changed to a smiling front, and my prison was illumined as with a ray of sunlight. But five minutes later the Brigadier relieved the guards; it was just two hours that I had been a prisoner! The day seemed long! the night, eternal! The Captain had already taken possession of my tent and my bed, and the rock which served me for a resting place was not as soft as feather. A fine penetrating rain cr

day and following night. It was only a trick of M. Pericles. In order the better to deceive Mrs. Simons and to persuade

p, at dawn, on Monday morning, they believed that a fight was going on with a tr

r fire upon Hadgi-Stavros' sharp-shooters. The old Palikar, despairing of killing one by one, a hundred and twenty men who would not give an inch, attacked them with bare blades. His men assured us that he had performed marvels, and the blood with which he was covered testified to it. But the bayonet had had the last word; in other words, had won the day. The troops had killed forty brigands, of which one was a

urmurs against the King's imprudence, who had exposed the lives of his men fo

me. "Dear prisoner," he said, "you see a badly treated King. Those dogs of soldiers would not give up the treasure. It was their money; my trip to the Scironian Rocks brought me nothing, and I have lost forty men, without counting some

nce Saturday. That can still be put into my history. It can be said that, at more than sixty years of age, I fought with bare sabre in the midst of bayonets; that I killed three or four soldiers wit

erchief. I know of nothing which will so thoroughly awaken a man as a glass of cold water or bad news. When M. Pericles learned that the little Spiro and two other

you made them prisoners? The question will be asked why I said nothing about it. I have waited for thy coming to make my final report. I wrote last evening that I had thee almost surrounded on Parnassus, and that all our men w

ncil?" aske

the Cour

cer!

self. I would confess everything to the Minister of War. These English! That was enough! But to lend my soldiers to

uring this monologue? It was the son of m

dson: "Thou seemest much troubled! Remain with us. I assure thee a minimum of ten t

none from the Captain. The soldiers said nothing; they looked at their old comrades; they eyed Sophocles' wound; they thought of the de

he replied with vi

d for everywhere; fine marriages are often proposed to me. Moreover, the trouble is not so great as we believe it. Who knows whether the three unfortunates will be recognized? Will news of the event arrive before we do? I will go at on

sign to hi

m he dominated by a head, and said to me: "Monsieur, behold a Greek of to-day!

of Jericho! Two minutes afterward I was before Mary-Ann's tent. Mother and

! are we

me, we are

he Captain gave us wo

ou find th

little too much the slave of di

, liar and thief; those are his true

what have the sol

dame? Deign to come with me on

g the last good-bye kiss. The surprise was a little too much. I had not been sufficiently considerate of the good woman, and I was punished for it, because she fainted dead away and nearly

wretch!"

is it not true? Stole y

and I do not clasp hands with every one!" This regret of Mrs. Simons drew from me a heavy sigh. She let fall upon me all the weight of her ang

you that you must put no

d here to give the bandits time to get back? That he frightened us with imaginary dangers? That he claimed to have been besieged in order to have us

told all I knew;

lishman would have sacrificed his life for us,

by her words. Because, in a word, why should a person as harsh as she had shown herself to be, use such language before her daughter and before me? By what door had this idea of marriage entered her mi

ess Ypsoff and Lieutenant Reynauld. I even went so far as to see the pretty English girl seated at my right on the back seat of a post-chaise, with her beautiful arm around my long neck. All these flattering suppositions, which should have agitated deeply a soul less philosophical than mine, did not disturb my serenity. I did not experience the alternatives of fear and hope which are the symptoms of love. Never, no, never, have I felt those great convulsions of the heart which are recorded in romances. Then I did not love Ma

escue you from here, I swear to you that it w

nd you agreeable, truly! Is she not pretty enough, or of a good enough family? Have I brought her up improperly? Is

r presence did not make me timid, I would tell you what passionate admiration she inspired in me the first day. It

ch this dreadful mother. But her a

e you not worthy of my da

ave neither fortu

ey of you? Have we not enough for ourselves, for you, and for many others? Moreover, the man who would rescue us from here, would he not receive a present of a hundred thousan

e, I a

you are not? You

y no m

ery well that it is not permitted to all the world to be English! The entire earth cannot be English-at least,

to son. As for intelligence, I have just enough to be a doctor. But, unf

, you are not ugly. You have an intelligent face

s she answered her mother saw it better than I,

as ugly as my late husband. And, more than that, I beg you to believe that I was

me, and that it will not be my fault if yo

time try to find a means less ri

ou if you will liste

Mons

interru

upt you. Have I ev

es

N

es

he

has all his funds invested in

our

t Wednesday he dictated, in our prese

ever told

er give me the

! We could have been at liberty six days ago! I will

m; make him give you a receipt, and in fifteen days send to him a statement, with the following note: 'Item, 100,000 francs paid, personal

ry-Ann's face as she saw through the plot. Mrs. Simons angril

c escape when we had such simple means at our command! And you have known it sinc

ed you to write to Monsieur, your brother, to s

ndred and

say a hundr

Are you sure that this Stavros will not k

ir word. Do you not understand that if it happened once that they kept pri

queer German you are, no

ays cut

o have spoke

Mada

me to this dete

s. Vasile, who was from Javina, offered to find thirty men in Epinus, where the watchfulness of the Turkish authorities had put more than a thousand bandits in retreat. A Laconian wished that they might get for ready money the little band belonging to Spartiate Pavlos, who had improved the province of M

I took upon myself the part of speaker, and, in the Corfuan's absence, the King was forced to accept my services as intermediary. I said to him that after the disaster of the evening before he would be glad to learn Mrs. Simons' decis

necessary for writing will be furnished them; but that they must not abuse my confidence! That they must not draw the soldiers here! At the sight of the very

these ladies and myself. Where d

e. It is the only one which ha

fe man to carr

him. What time is it? Nine o'clock in the morning. The re

er has turned over the sum and taken your

en any. When you are at liberty you will readi

transact business according to Europea

y own way, and I am too o

Simons. She is guardian of her minor daughter,

er is it a great misfortune? I have never regretted what I have disbursed for Photini. Here is the paper,

dden inspiration made me suddenly retrace my steps. I said to the King: "Decidedly, you were right

do you

not experience a second defeat more terrible than the first. You are not as

I

hundred and fifteen thousand francs would be overwhelming proof. Give no weapons of justice to be turned against you. Perh

rger force gave them the advantage! I fall, living, into their hands, I, whose arm is proof against fatigue, and whose head is proof against bullets! I seat myself on a bench, before a judge, like a peasant who has stolen cabbages! Young man, y

t necessa

e that you will not forget it. I wish

d and fifteen thousand francs. I hurried with a light heart and much pleased with myself to Mrs. Simons' tent. I told her that her money had had a narrow escape, and sh

ng from the local authorities. All the natives are leagued against us, and the day after our departure the Greeks will gather in some corner of the kingdom to divide what they have taken from us. Fortunately, they will have little. I have learned from a young German, whom I took at first for a spy, and who is a very honest man, that this Stavros, called Hadgi-Stavros, has funds placed with our firm. I beg you to verify the fact, and if it is true, let nothing prevent you

g for our return to our accustomed habits,

cca S

d him capable of performing miracles. He seemed satisfied only when he reached the figures 4600 livres sterling. He saw, at once, that he was not to be troubled with the gendarmes. The letter was placed, with other papers, in a tin cylinder. They brought forward the good old

t; he distributed double rations of wine to his men; he went himself to look after the wounded, and with his own hands

I gulped down the white wine of Aegina, as formerly the wine of Santorin. I drank to Mary-Ann's health, to her mother's, to my good parents' and to that of Princess Ypsoff. Mrs. Simons wished to hear the history of that noble stranger, and by my faith, I did not keep it secret. Good examples are never too well known. Mary-Ann gave charming attention to my recital. She thoug

nsieur, for the first time in my life! The frame set off the picture so well. A strange thought seized me. I felt that I had surprised, in this incid

have never felt; but it was a firm friendship, and which would suffice, I thought, for a man about to enter the wedded st

de of the chimney; our modest, and often hard life: the future of each of my brothers; Henri ought to succeed papa; Frederic was learning the tailor's trade; Frantz and Jean-Nicholas had had positions since they were eighteen; the one as corporal, the other, as quarter-master sergeant. I told them of studies, m

little. The day passed for me, like an hour; I mean as an hour of pleasure. The next day seemed long to Mrs. Simons; as for me, I would have liked to stop the sun in its cour

e free, Madame, and you may take Mademoiselle, your daughter, away. I hope that you will not take away from our rocks too unpleasant memories. We have offered you all that we have; if the bed and the table have not been worthy of you, it is the fault of circumstances. I had this morning an angry fit, which I pray you to forget; one must pard

e speech, and I slipped the King's

vros, "shall I carry away not

you remain! Your r

mons, who held out to m

r Si

e not advanced the other 600, because the receipt was not in your name, and

ys y

rd Sh

tavros; to be quite business-like, he bel

for a whipped cur. The best part is done, since we are saved, my daughter and I, without its costing us anything. As for you, I am not uneasy about you; you know h

nt on me! I will leave here a man of spirit, and much better if I run a little danger. I am glad that my ransom has not been paid, and I thank Monsieur, your bro

not fail to present

Mad

s to give us an escort o

d's na

us from th