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
It was still an hour before the sunset when they cast anchor in the
harbor of Hydra, for the wind had got up and promised a stormy night.
The clan welcomed the Capsina's new importation with fervor when they
heard who it was; and certain of the primates wondered whether she
would demand another seat in the assembly. But in truth the Capsina had
other things to think of; for the Hydriot fleet was not going to cruise
again till the spring, while she was going to make all speed to be off,
with Kanaris on the _Sophia_, and she and Mitsos on the _Revenge_, for
so had the new ship been named. And in these things there was much food
for many thoughts.
CHAPTER V
The _Revenge_ and the _Sophia_ were ready for sea by early in February.
Even the clan, who were accustomed to the habitual fever of the
Capsina's energy, found themselves wondering whether she was a woman
or a whirlwind. No job was too big for her, no detail too small, and
she would be superintending the storage of the powder in the _Sophia_
one moment, and the next would be half-way across to the anchorage
of the _Revenge_, to see whether they had planed away the edge of
her cabin door, which would not shut properly, and had sent from the
wicker-makers the cages for the fowls. There seemed, indeed, to be only
one person on the island, for the population were just tools in the
hands of the Capsina--machines for lifting weights or stowing shot. She
reduced her foreman to a mere wreck, for the unfortunate man had to
stay up three consecutive nights doing the Capsina's business, and was
roundly abused when she found him asleep after dinner the fourth day.
Kanaris fared little better, and Mitsos alone seemed capable of dealing
with the girl. She would find him sitting at a café after dinner
smoking a pipe and playing draughts; and when she asked him whether he
had done this or seen to that, he would say:
"I have worked ten hours to-day, Capsina, and I have not smoked ten
minutes."
"Smoke, smoke!" cried the Capsina; "smoking and drinking is all that
men are fit for!"
And Mitsos, with a face conspicuously grave, raised his voice and
called for a pipe and a glass of wine for the Capsina, and an awed
silence fell for the moment on those round, for this seemed little
short of blasphemy; but the Capsina only glanced at Mitsos's demure
face, burst out laughing herself, and was off again.
Kanaris and Mitsos lodged in her house, but until the last evening,
when all was ready, and there was positively nothing left for her to
do, she was never there except occasionally for supper and for sleep.
Even on the last evening of all, as soon as supper was over, she
started up.
"We are ready," she said; "why not sail to-night? What is the use of
wasting time here?"
Mitsos, who had not finished, slowly laid down the mouthful he was
raising to his lips.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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