The Capsina: An Historical NovelBenson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
History
The Capsina: An Historical Novel
Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829 -- Fiction
"I don't know. They are always well done. The Capsina is excepted; she
can do everything."
Suleima could not keep the corners of her mouth from breaking down, and
next moment she burst out laughing.
"It was she did who it," she said; "I swear to you it was she."
Mitsos had half slipped off the shirt, but on it went again in a
twinkling.
"It is not badly mended," said Suleima, still laughing, "but I could
do it better. Take another one, Mitsos. I will mend this again. Ah, it
is less good than I thought. See how big and bad are those stitches.
Oh, it is shocking! Off with it! I will not have for a husband one they
would think was a beggar."
Mitsos looked at her darkly and sideways.
"This, no doubt, is the best way to mend a shirt, though I know nought
of shirt-mending," he said. "Do not be too proud to take example,
Suleima. See how fine and big are the stitches. Why, she would mend ten
shirts while you mended one."
"Even so," said Suleima; "indeed, if she mended a dozen while I did
one, it would not surprise me, or more than that even. And see how
convenient on a hot day like this; the wind will blow coolly on your
arm through the stitches."
Mitsos broke out laughing.
"She shall see me in it," he cried. "And, oh little wife, I am pleased
to be home again. Dust and hot wind were the drink in the Larissa, so
see that there is wine to fill even me. Oh, I love wine!" he cried.
"Ah, it is for the wine alone you would be home again," said Suleima,
with the light of love returned in her eyes.
Mitsos bent down from his great height, and put his face to hers.
"Yes, for the wine alone," he said, softly, "the wine of many things.
And are you not wine to my soul, my own dear one?"
Soon after they had dinner, and, dinner finished, Mitsos set off into
Nauplia. The _Revenge_ was fretting at her anchor in the land-breeze
as a horse, eager to be off, plays with its bridle, but close under
the fort where Hastings and Hane had fired the incombustible balls he
saw the Capsina's boat, a light caique, in which she sailed on her
hurricane errands when in port, which would go like a fish if there
was wind, and could be pulled by one man. Even Mitsos, used as he was
to over-canvassed boats, used to feel certain qualms when the little
cockleshell, with its tower of sail, was scudding through a broken sea.
But the Capsina, knowing this, used to watch his face for any sign of
apprehension, till he, seeing her, would exclaim:
"It is as a bird with wings and no body, and that is not the safer sort
of bird; and oh, Capsina, drowning is a cold manner of death. Oh yes,
hoist more sail, by all means, and I shall pray the while."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account