THE VINTAGE _A Romance of the Greek War of Independence. By_ E. F. BENSON _Author of "Limitations" "Dodo" "The Judgment Books" etc._ WITH ILLUSTRATIONS "And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine-press" HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON 1898 [Illustration: "'COME AND SIT DOWN'"] THIS ROMANCE DEALING WITH THE REGENERATION OF HER PEOPLE IS DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO HER MAJESTY OLGA QUEEN OF THE HELLENES CONTENTS PART I THE VINEYARD I. The House on the Road To Nauplia II. The Coming of Nicholas Vidalis III. The Story of a Brigand IV. The Midnight Ordeal V. Mitsos Picks Cherries for Maria VI. The Song from the Darkness VII. The Port Dues of Corinth VIII. The Mending of the Monastery Roof IX. The Singer from the Darkness PART II THE EVE OF THE GATHERING I. Mitsos Meets His Cousins II. Mitsos and Yanni find a Horse III. Mitsos Has the Hysterics IV. Yanni Pays a Visit to the Turk V. The Vision at Bassae VI. Three Little Men Fall Off their Horses VII. Mitsos Disarranges a House-roof VIII. The Message of Fire PART III THE TREADING OF THE GRAPES I. Te Deum Laudamus II. Two Silver Candlesticks III. The Adventure of the Fire-ship IV. The Training of the Troops V. The Hornets' Nest at Valtetzi VI. The Entry of Germanos VII. The Rule of the Senate VIII. The Song from Tripoli IX. Private Nicholas Vidalis X. The Fall of Tripoli XI. Father and Daughter XII. The Search for Suleima XIII. Nicholas Goes Home XIV. The House on the Road to Nauplia ILLUSTRATIONS "'COME AND SIT DOWN'" "'I AM FATHER ANDRÉA,' HE SHOUTED" "HALF CARELESSLY SHE THREW INTO THE BOAT THE ROSES SHE HAD PICKED" "SHE KISSED HIM LIGHTLY ON THE FOREHEAD" "MITSOS SURVEYED HIM WITH EASY INDIFFERENCE" "YANNI WAS STRUGGLING IN THE GRASP OF TWO MEN, THE GREEK AND THE TURK" "KATSI AND A FINE SELECTION OF COUSINS ACCOMPANIED THE TWO" "AFTER SUPPER MITSOS EXPOUNDED" "IN THE CENTRE OF THE GREAT CHAMBER STOOD ONE WHOM IT DAZZLED HIS EYES TO LOOK UPON" "'AH, BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN'" "MITSOS TORE UP GREAT HANDFULS OF UNDERGROWTH AND THREW THEM ON" "MIXED WITH THE NOISE OF THE SINGING, ROSE ONE GREAT SOB OF A THANKFUL PEOPLE BORN AGAIN" "BOTH THE BOYS, SEIZING THEIR OARS, ROWED FOR LIFE" "CASTING HIMSELF DOWN THERE, IN AN AGONY BITTER SWEET, HE PRAYED" "MITSOS, FLYING AT HIM LIKE A WILD-CAT" "BORNE IN A CHAIR ON THE SHOULDERS OF FOUR MONKS" "HE HAD CLAMBERED UP AND DROPPED DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE" "UNBUCKLING HIS SWORD, HE LAID IT ON THE TABLE" "YANNI WAS BY HIM WITH A BRILLIANT SMILE ON HIS FACE" "'WOULD YOU SLAY ME, FATHER?' SHE CRIED AGAIN" "BY AN EFFORT HE RAISED HIMSELF ON HIS ELBOW" "'SULEIMA!' CRIED MITSOS" THE VINTAGE Part I THE VINEYARD CHAPTER I THE HOUSE OF THE ROAD TO NAUPLIA