The King Of The Mountains Part 9

"And why do you search for plants? To sell them?"

"Nonsense! I am not a merchant, I am a savant."

He held out his hand to me and said with visible joy: "I am charmed.

Science is a beautiful thing. Our ancestors were wise men. Our grandchildren will be, perhaps. As for us, time is lacking. Savants are much esteemed in your country?"

"Greatly."

"One gives them rank?"

"Sometimes."

"One pays them well?"

"Enough!"

"One attaches a little ribbon to their coat?"

"Occasionally!"

"Is it true that cities dispute as to which they belong?"

"It is true in Germany!"

"And one looks upon their death as a public calamity?"

"a.s.suredly!"

"What you tell me gives me great pleasure. Then you have no complaints to make of your fellow-citizens?"

"Very much to the contrary. It is through their liberality that I was enabled to come to Greece."

"You travel at their expense?"

"Yes."

"You are well-educated?"

"I am a doctor."

"It is the highest grade in science?"

"No."

"And how many doctors are there in the city in which you live?"

"I do not know exactly, but not as many doctors in Hamburg, as generals in Athens."

"Oh! oh! I would not deprive your country of a man so rare. You shall return to Hamburg, Monsieur, doctor; what would they say down below if they knew that you were a prisoner up here in the mountains?"

"They would say that it was a misfortune."

"Good! Rather than lose such a man as you, the city of Hamburg would sacrifice fifteen thousand francs. Take back your box, haste away, search, gather plants, and follow your studies. Why not put that silver watch back in your pocket? It is yours, and I respect savants too much to rob them. But your country is rich enough to pay for her glory. Happy young man! You recognize, to-day, how much the t.i.tle of doctor adds to your personal value. I would not have demanded a centime of ransom, if you had been as ignorant as I am."

The King listened neither to my objections, nor to Mrs. Simons'

expostulations. He closed the interview, and pointed out to us the dining hall. Mrs. Simons descended to the place, all the while protesting that although she would eat her breakfast, yet she would never pay the bill. Mary-Ann seemed more depressed; but such is the mobility of youth, that she cried out with joy when she saw the place where our meal was spread. It was a little corner of green, sheltered by gray rocks. Beautiful gra.s.s formed the carpet; some clumps of privet and laurels served as hangings and hid the rocky walls. A beautiful blue arch was above our heads; birds flew back and forth in the azure vault.

In a corner of our dining-hall, a limpid stream, clear as crystal, silently swept along in its course, spreading over its banks, and falling in a silvery sheet down the side of the mountain. From this side, the view illimitably extended to the sides of the Pentelicus, the great white pile which overhangs Athens; across the sad-colored olive groves; the dusty plain; the gray sides of Hymettus, rounded like an old man's spine; and that beautiful Saronic Gulf, so blue that one might say that a strip had fallen from the sky. a.s.suredly, Mrs. Simons had not a mind turned to admiration, and yet, she confessed that the price for such a beautiful sight would be very high in London or Paris.

The table was laid with heroic simplicity. Brown bread, baked in a field oven, smoked upon the sod and gave out a most appetizing odor. The clotted milk quivered in a huge wooden bowl. The large olives and green piments, were laid on roughly cut pieces of wood. A s.h.a.ggy goat-skin bottle spread out its large sides next to a red copper cup, roughly chiseled. An ewe's-milk cheese reposed upon the cloth which had pressed it, and which still bore its imprint. Five or six appetizing lettuces promised us a delicious salad, but there were no condiments with which to dress them. The King had placed his traveling plate at our disposal, consisting of spoons cut out with a knife, and we had, as a surfeit of luxury, our five fingers, for forks. They had not been tolerant enough to serve us with meat, but the yellow tobacco of Almyros promised me an admirable digester.

One of the King's officers served us. It was the hideous Corfuan, the man of the gold ring, who knew English. He cut the bread with his poniard and distributed it freely, praying us not to lack for anything.

Mrs. Simons, without losing one stroke of her teeth, said to him in a haughty tone: "Monsieur, does your master seriously believe that we shall pay a ransom of a hundred thousand francs?"

"He is sure of it!"

"It is because he does not know the English nation."

"He knows it well, Madame, and I also. At Corfu, I have a.s.sociated with many distinguished Englishmen! judges!"

"I wish you joy of it! but tell this Stavros to arm himself with patience, because he will wait a long time for the hundred thousand francs, which he has promised himself."

"He told me to tell you that he would wait for them until the 15th of May, at noon, precisely."

"And if we have not paid it the 15th of May, at noon?"

"He will regret that he will be obliged to cut off your head, as well as Mademoiselle's."

Mary-Ann dropped the bread which she was carrying to her mouth. "Give me a little wine," she said. The bandit handed to her a cup full; but scarcely had it touched her lips, before she cried out with fear. The poor child imagined that the wine was poisoned. I rea.s.sured her by emptying the cup at one draught. "Fear nothing," I said to her; "it is the resin."

"What resin?"

"Wine would not keep in these goat-skins if a certain amount of resin was not added, to prevent it from spoiling. The mixture is not very agreeable, but you may drink it without fear."

Despite my example, Mary-Ann and her mother made the bandit bring water.

The man ran to the brook and was back in an instant. "You understand, Mesdames," he smilingly said, "that the King would not be foolish enough to poison such valuable people as you are." He added, turning to me: "You, M. le docteur, I have orders to tell you that you have thirty days to pursue your studies and pay the sum. I will furnish you all with writing materials."

"Thanks," Mrs. Simons said. "We will think of it in eight days, if we are not delivered before."

"And by whom, Madame?"

"By England."

"Is it far?"

"Or by the police."

"For your sake, I hope you may have that luck. In the meantime, I will do anything in my power for you."

"I wish first for a bed-chamber."