The Vintage: A Romance of the Greek War of IndependenceBenson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
History
The Vintage: A Romance of the Greek War of Independence
Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829 -- Fiction
"Why, surely," he said; "when this business is put through there is
still but little more to do, but until it is all done Yanni is clapped
in his kennel. The moment it is over he is out."
Mitsos sat still a moment longer.
"I will start to-day," he said. "It is only a short day's journey to
Nemea. Write your letter, please, Uncle Nicholas, and then I will go."
"I don't know whether it really matters if you go to-day or
to-morrow," said Nicholas, seeing that the boy for some reason wished
to stop.
"No, no," broke out Mitsos. "You think it is better for me to go
to-day. The sooner the business is over the sooner Yanni comes out. You
said so."
Nicholas raised his eyebrows at this outburst. He did not understand it
in the least.
"I will write, then, at once," he said. "It is true that the sooner
Yanni comes out the better."
Mitsos stood with his back to him, looking out of the window, and two
great tears rose in his eyes. He was giving up more than any one knew.
Nicholas saw that something was wrong, but as Mitsos did not care
to enlighten him, it was none of his business. But he had a great
affection for the lad, and as he passed he laid his hand on his
shoulder.
"You are a good little Mitsos," he said. "The letters will be ready
in an hour. You will have dinner here, will you not, and set out
afterwards? You cannot go farther than Nemea to-night."
So after dinner Mitsos set out again, and it seemed to him as he went
that the heart within him was being torn up as the weeds in a vineyard
are rooted for the burning. And on this journey there was no thought
that he would soon come back. He was to return, Nicholas told him,
not to Nauplia, but to Panitza, where there would be work for him
to do until the time came for him to get Yanni out of Tripoli. By
then everything would be ready, the beacons would flare across the
Peloponnesus, and simultaneously in the north and at Kalamata the
outbreak would begin. The reason for this was twofold. The Greek forces
were not yet sufficiently organized to conduct the siege of Tripoli,
which was strongly fortified, well watered, and heavily garrisoned.
Kalamata, however, was a more pregnable place, the water supply was
bad inside the citadel, and the garrison not numerous. Again, it was a
port, and by getting possession of the harbor, which was not defended,
and separate from the citadel, they would drive those who escaped
inland to Tripoli. The movements in the north, too, would have the same
effect. Tripoli was the strongest fortress in the Peloponnesus, and by
the autumn, when, as Nicholas hoped, the Greeks would be sufficiently
organized to undertake the siege, it would be the only refuge left for
the Turks who were still in the country. Then it would be that the
great blow would be struck which would free the whole Peloponnesus. In
the interval the plan was as far as possible to cut the country off
from the rest of the world by a fleet which was being organized in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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