The Vintage

by Edward Frederic Benson

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

Copyright, 1898, by Harper & Brothers.

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All rights reserved.

THIS ROMANCE

DEALING WITH THE REGENERATION OF HER PEOPLE

IS DEDICATED BY PERMISSION

TO

HER MAJESTY

OLGA

QUEEN OF THE HELLENES

CONTENTS

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PART I

THE VINEYARD

CHAPTER		PAGE
I.	The House on the Road to Nauplia	3
II.	The Coming of Nicholas Vidalis	15
III.	The Story of a Brigand	32
IV.	The Midnight Ordeal	40
V.	Mistos Picks Cherries for Maria	57
VI.	The Song from the Darkness	76
VII.	The Port Dues of Corinth	88
VIII.	The Mending of the Monastery Roof	104
IX.	The Singer from the Darkness	118

PART II

THE EVE OF THE GATHERING

I.	Mitsos Meets His Cousins	143
II.	Mitsos and Yanni Find a Horse	157
III.	Mitsos Has the Hysterics	175
IV.	Yanni Pays a Visit to the Turk	184
V.	The Vision at Bassae	212
VI.	Three Little Men Fall Off their Horses	222
VII.	Mitsos Disarranges a House-roof	236
VIII.	The Message oF Fire	253

PART III

THE TREADING OF THE GRAPES

I.	Te Deum Laudamus	271
II.	Two Silver Candlesticks	289
III.	The Adventure of the Fire-ship	301
IV.	The Training of the Troops	317
V.	The Hornets' Nest at Valtetzi	333
VI.	The Entry of Germanos	351
VII.	The Rule of the Senate	373
VIII.	The Song from Tripoli	383
IX.	Private Nicholas Vidalis	403
X.	The Fall of Tripoli	418
XI.	Father and Daughter	434
XII.	The Search for Suleima	447
XIII.	Nicholas Goes Home	459
XIV.	The House on the Road to Nauplia	471

ILLUSTRATIONS

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"'COME AND SIT DOWN'"	Frontispiece
"'I AM FATHER ANDRÉA,' HE SHOUTED"	Facing p.	62
"HALF CARELESSLY SHE THREW INTO THE BOAT THE ROSES SHE HAD PICKED"	{{{1}}}„	84
"SHE KISSED HIM LIGHTLY ON THE FOREHEAD"	{{{1}}}„	128
"MITSOS SURVEYED HIM WITH EASY INDIFFERENCE"	{{{1}}}„	148
"YANNI WAS STRUGGLING IN THE GRASP OF TWO MEN, THE GREEK AND THE TURK"	{{{1}}}„	170
"KATSI AND A FINE SELECTION OF COUSINS ACCOMPANIED THE TWO"	{{{1}}}„	180
"AFTER SUPPER MITSOS EXPOUNDED"	{{{1}}}„	202
"IN THE CENTRE OF THE GREAT CHAMBER STOOD ONE WHOM IT DAZZLED HIS EYES TO LOOK UPON"	{{{1}}}„	218
"'AH, BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN!'"	{{{1}}}„	246
"MITSOS TORE UP GREAT HANDFULS OF UNDERGROWTH AND THREW THEM ON"	{{{1}}}„	266
"MIXED WITH THE NOISE OF THE SINGING, ROSE ONE GREAT SOB OF A THANKFUL PEOPLE BORN AGAIN"	{{{1}}}„	286
"BOTH THE BOYS, SEIZING THEIR OARS, ROWED FOR LIFE"	{{{1}}}„	312
"CASTING HIMSELF DOWN THERE, IN AN AGONY BITTER SWEET, HE PRAYED"	{{{1}}}„	328
"MITSOS, FLYING AT HIM LIKE A WILD-CAT"	{{{1}}}„	346
"BORNE IN A CHAIR ON THE SHOULDERS OF FOUR MONKS"	{{{1}}}„	356
"HE HAD CLAMBERED UP AND DROPPED DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE"	{{{1}}}„	388
"UNBUCKLING HIS SWORD, HE LAID IT ON THE TABLE"	{{{1}}}„	410
"YANNI WAS BY HIM WITH A BRILLIANT SMILE ON HIS FACE"	{{{1}}}„	420
"'WOULD YOU SLAY ME, FATHER?' SHE CRIED AGAIN"	{{{1}}}„	442
"BY AN EFFORT HE RAISED HIMSELF ON HIS ELBOW"	{{{1}}}„	462
"'SULEIMA!' CRIED MITSOS"	{{{1}}}„	472