'andthestaganswered,'theturkhascometoourcity;hehaswilddogsforthechase,agoodlypack.''iwilldrivethemawayacrosstheislands!'criedtheyoungroebuck;'iwilldrivethemawayacrosstheislandsintothedeepsea.'butbeforeeveningtheroebuckwasslain,andbeforenightthehuntedstagwasdead."

andwhenmymothersangthus,hereyeswouldbecomemoist;andonthelongeyelashesweretears,butsheconcealedthemandwatchedtheblackbreadbakingintheashes.theniwouldclenchmyfist,andcry,"wewillkilltheseturks!"butsherepeatedthewordsofthesong,"iwilldrivethemacrosstheislandstothedeepsea;butbeforeeveningcametheroebuckwasslain,andbeforethenightthehuntedstagwasdead."

wehadbeenlonelyinourhutforseveraldaysandnightswhenmyfathercamehome.iknewhewouldbringmesomeshellsfromthegulfoflepanto,orperhapsaknifewithashiningblade.thistimehebrought,underhissheep-skincloak,alittlechild,alittlehalf-nakedgirl.shewaswrappedinafur;butwhenthiswastakenoff,andshelayinmymother'slap,threesilvercoinswerefoundfastenedinherdarkhair;theywereallherpossessions.myfathertoldusthatthechild'sparentshadbeenkilledbytheturks,andhetalkedsomuchaboutthemthatidreamedofturksallnight.hehimselfhadbeenwounded,andmymotherbounduphisarm.itwasadeepwound,andthethicksheep-skincloakwasstiffwithcongealedblood.thelittlemaidenwastobemysister.howprettyandbrightshelooked:evenmymother'seyeswerenotmoregentlethanstasia,asshewascalled,wastobemysister,becauseherfatherhadbeenunitedtominebyanoldcustom,whichwestillfollow.theyhadswornbrotherhoodintheiryouth,andthemostbeautifulandvirtuousmaidenintheneighborhoodwaschosentoperformtheactofconsecrationuponthisbondoffriendship.sonowthislittlegirlwasmysister.shesatinmylap,andibroughtherflowers,andfeathersfromthebirdsofthemountain.wedranktogetherofthewatersofparnassus,anddweltformanyyearsbeneaththelaurelroofofthehut,while,winterafterwinter,mymothersanghersongofthestagwhoshedredtears.butasyetididnotunderstandthatthesorrowsofmyowncountrymenweremirroredinthosetears.

onedaytherecametoourhutfranks,menfromafarcountry,whosedresswasdifferenttoours.theyhadtentsandbedswiththem,carriedbyhorses;andtheywereaccompaniedbymorethantwentyturks,allarmedwithswordsandmuskets.thesefrankswerefriendsofthepacha,andhadlettersfromhim,commandinganescortforyonlycametoseeourmountain,toascendparnassusamidthesnowandclouds,andtolookatthestrangeblackrockswhichraisedtheirsteepsidesnearourhut.theycouldnotfindroominthehut,norendurethesmokethatrolledalongtheceilingtillitfounditswayoutatthelowdoor;sotheypitchedtheirtentsonasmallspaceoutsideourdwelling.roastedlambsandbirdswerebroughtforth,andstrong,sweetwine,ofwhichtheturksareforbiddentopartake.

whentheydeparted,iaccompaniedthemforsomedistance,carryingmylittlesisteranastasia,wrappedinagoat-skin,onmyback.oneofthefrankishgentlemenmademestandinfrontofarock,anddrewusbothaswestoodthere,sothatwelookedlikeonecreature.ididnotthinkofitthen,butanastasiaandiwerereallyone.shewasalwayssittingonmylap,orridinginthegoat-skinonmyback;andinmydreamsshealwaysappearedtome.

twonightsafterthis,othermen,armedwithknivesandmuskets,cameintoourtent.theywerealbanians,bravemen,mymothertoldyonlystayedashorttime.mysisteranastasiasatonthekneeofoneofthem;andwhentheyweregone,shehadnotthree,buttwosilvercoinsinherhair-onehaddisappeared.theywrappedtobaccoinstripsofpaper,andsmokedit;andiremembertheywereuncertainastotheroadtheyoughttotake.buttheywereobligedtogoatlast,andmyfatherwentwiththem.soonafter,weheardthesoundoffiring.thenoisecontinued,andpresentlysoldiersrushedintoourhut,andtookmymotherandmyselfandanastasiaprisoners.theydeclaredthatwehadentertainedrobbers,andthatmyfatherhadactedastheirguide,andthereforewemustnowgowiththem.thecorpsesoftherobbers,andmyfather'scorpse,werebroughtintothehut.isawmypoordeadfather,andcriedtillifellasleep.wheniawoke,ifoundmyselfinaprison;buttheroomwasnotworsethanourowninthehut.theygavemeonionsandmustywinefromatarredcask;butwewerenotaccustomedtomuchbetterfareathome.howlongwewerekeptinprison,idonotknow;butmanydaysandnightspassedby.weweresetfreeabouteaster-time.icarriedanastasiaonmyback,andwewalkedveryslowly;formymotherwasveryweak,anditisalongwaytothesea,tothegulfoflepanto.

onourarrival,weenteredachurch,inwhichtherewerebeautifulpicturesingoldenframes.theywerepicturesofangels,fairandbright;andyetourlittleanastasialookedequallybeautiful,asitseemedtome.inthecentreofthefloorstoodacoffinfilledwithroses.mymothertoldmeitwasthelordjesuschristwhowasrepresentedbytheseroses.thenthepriestannounced,"christisrisen,"andallthepeoplegreetedeachother.eachonecarriedaburningtaperinhishand,andonewasgiventome,aswellastolittleanastasia.themusicsounded,andthepeopleleftthechurchhand-in-hand,withjoyandgladness.outside,thewomenwereroastingthepaschallamb.wewereinvitedtopartake;andasisatbythefire,aboy,olderthanmyself,puthisarmsroundmyneck,andkissedme,andsaid,"christisrisen."andthusitwasthatforthefirsttimeimetaphtanides.

mymothercouldmakefishermen'snets,forwhichtherewasagreatdemandhereinthebay;andwelivedalongtimebythesideofthesea,thebeautifulsea,thathadatasteliketears,andinitscolorsremindedmeofthestagthatweptredtears;forsometimesitswaterswerered,andsometimesgreenorblue.aphtanidesknewhowtomanageourboat,andioftensatinit,withmylittleanastasia,whileitglidedonthroughthewater,swiftasabirdflyingthroughtheair.then,whenthesunset,howbeautifully,deeplyblue,wouldbethetintonthemountains,onerisingabovetheotherinthefardistance,andthesummitofmountparnassusrisingabovethemalllikeagloriouscrown.itstopglitteredintheeveningrayslikemoltengold,anditseemedasifthelightcamefromwithinit;forlongafterthesunhadsunkbeneaththehorizon,themountain-topwouldglowintheclear,bluesky.thewhiteaquaticbirdsskimmedthesurfaceofthewaterintheirflight,andallwascalmandstillasamidtheblackrocksatdelphi.ilayonmybackintheboat,anastasialeanedagainstme,whilethestarsaboveusglitteredmorebrightlythanthelampsinourchurch.theywerethesamestars,andinthesamepositionovermeaswheniusedtositinfrontofourhutatdelphi,andihadalmostbeguntofancyiwasstillthere,whensuddenlytherewasasplashinthewater-anastasiahadfallenin;butinamomentaphtanideshassprunginafterher,andwasnowholdingheruptome.wedriedherclothesaswellaswewereable,andremainedonthewatertilltheyweredry;forwedidnotwishittobeknownwhatafrightwehadhad,northedangerwhichourlittleadoptedsisterhadincurred,inwhoselifeaphtanideshadnowapart.

thesummercame,andtheburningheatofthesuntintedtheleavesofthetreeswithlinesofgold.ithoughtofourcoolmountain-home,andthefreshwaterthatflowednearit;mymother,too,longedforif,andoneeveningwewanderedtowardshome.howpeacefulandsilentitwasaswewalkedonthroughthethick,wildthyme,stillfragrant,thoughthesunhadscorchedtheleaves.notasingleherdsmandidwemeet,notasolitaryhutdidwepass;everythingappearedlonelyanddeserted-onlyashootingstarshowedthatintheheavenstherewasyetlife.iknownotwhethertheclear,blueatmospheregleamedwithitsownlight,oriftheradiancecamefromthestars;butwecoulddistinguishquiteplainlytheoutlineofthemountains.mymotherlightedafire,androastedsomerootsshehadbroughtwithher,andiandmylittlesistersleptamongthebushes,withoutfearoftheuglysmidraki,fromwhosethroatissuesfire,orofthewolfandthejackal;formymothersatbyus,andiconsideredherpresencesufficientprotection.

wereachedouroldhome;butthecottagewasinruins,andwehadtobuildanewone.withtheaidofsomeneighbors,chieflywomen,thewallswereinafewdayserected,andverysooncoveredwitharoofofolive-branches.mymotherobtainedalivingbymakingbottle-casesofbarkandskins,andikeptthesheepbelongingtothepriests,whoweresometimespeasants,whileihadformyplayfellowsanastasiaandtheturtles.

onceourbelovedaphtanidespaidusavisit.hesaidhehadbeenlongingtoseeussomuch;andheremainedwithustwowholehappydays.amonthafterwardshecameagaintowishusgood-bye,andbroughtwithhimalargefishformymother.hetoldushewasgoinginashiptocorfuandpatras,andcouldrelateagreatmanystories,notonlyaboutthefishermenwholivednearthegulfoflepanto,butalsoofkingsandheroeswhohadoncepossessedgreece,justastheturkspossessitnow.

ihaveseenabudonarose-bushgradually,inthecourseofafewweeks,unfolditsleavestillitbecamearoseinallitsbeauty;and,beforeiwasawareofit,ibehelditbloominginrosyloveliness.thesamethinghadhappenedtoanastasia.unnoticedbyme,shehadgraduallybecomeabeautifulmaiden,andiwasnowalsoastout,strongyouth.thewolf-skinsthatcoveredthebedinwhichmymotherandanastasiaslept,hadbeentakenfromwolveswhichihadmyselfshot.

yearshadgonebywhen,oneevening,aphtanidescamein.hehadgrowntallandslenderasareed,withstronglimbs,andadark,brownskin.hekissedusall,andhadsomuchtotellofwhathehadseenofthegreatocean,ofthefortificationsatmalta,andofthemarvelloussepulchresofegypt,thatilookeduptohimwithakindofveneration.hisstorieswereasstrangeasthelegendsofthepriestsofoldentimes.

"howmuchyouknow!"