The Angry Hills - Leon Uris [33]
Nothing as low as an Englishman, Mike agreed.
“I’m gettin’ to Athens, that’s wot, and find me a family to buy passage to North Africa.”
When Mike inquired as to how Bluey would get to Athens, Bluey didn’t quite know. Every train was loaded with inspectors. Travel passes were needed to budge an inch in the country and it was open season on escapees.
“Know somethin’, Jay? You talks like those Yanks I seen in the flicks.”
That, Mike explained, was because he worked for a shipping company in San Francisco for fourteen years. Nice place, America.
Ten days had gone by since Mike’s arrival in Paleachora. After his own survey of the situation, he knew he was trapped unless Christos would help him get to Athens. He waited patiently for word from Christos that he would be taking his boat out again but no mention of it came. On the eleventh night Mike decided to take the initiative.
After dinner, Christos shooed Melpo and Eleftheria from the room and the two settled back with several bottles of krasi and some foul-smelling tobacco.
“Christos, my dear friend, when do you plan to leave again with your boat?”
“As soon as I find the right cargo. Many things move well these days. I wait.”
“Christos. I’ll put it straight. I’ve got to get to Athens.”
“You do not like it here?”
“I like it here very much.”
“Then why you want to leave? You damned fool. You’ll get picked up for sure.”
“You know why, Christos. I endanger the whole village. They burned a village yesterday for harboring an escapee. Besides, as a soldier, it is my duty to escape.”
“The crop looks fine this year, Jay. I have a very profitable proposition being worked out. I will be able to get some property in Athens.”
Mike gritted his teeth. He drank a swig of krasi and puffed on his pipe. “Well, anyhow, now that I’m all well again you’d better send Eleftheria back to Dernica. I know your aged mother must need her.”
“My aged mother stays at the home of a brother. She is fine.”
“But, what I mean, Christos, I no longer have need for a nurse.”
Christos scratched his bald pate, poured more wine and stared at Mike as though he were a crazy man.
“You do not like the girl? She has done something wrong?”
“I like her very much.”
“Then why send her back to Dernica?”
“Well—the fact is, I like her—well, maybe too much. It is a rather delicate situation. Well, look at it this way. You’re a man. You know how things might happen. You see, I like you very much, Christos, and I wouldn’t want to bring anyone any unhappiness.”
“Jay, you talk like one damned fool.”
“Well, what I’m actually trying to say—it might lead to complications if she stays.”
“Complications! You say you like her?”
“Yes—but...”
“She wants to stay. You like her—settled, she stays!” Then, as an afterthought, Christos added, “Besides, my poor wife, Melpo, has been working too hard.” This was the first time he had so much as acknowledged Melpo existed.
The two men stared at each other for several moments like stubborn roosters. Mike was disturbed by Christos’ sly fox act.
“Why don’t you go out and watch the dancers, Jay? Eleftheria wants to teach you the syrtos so you can dance too.... You like to dance?”
Mike shoved the chair back and stomped from the room. Christos looked after him with a childlike smile.
In the middle of the night Mike awoke in a cold sweat, his heart racing. He flung off the covers and walked to the window. He calmed down after awhile as he shook off the nightmare. For many moments he stared down the street of the sleeping village. In the next room he could hear Christos and Melpo snoring in rhythm. From the window he could see the barn where Eleftheria slept. He visualized her there on a cot and his mind traced