Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

frequently threw the bow of the boat under

water.

Mary was exceedingly frightened; but the boatmen appeared to be more so; and on approaching the shore, instead of landing them calmly and safely on a plain smooth beach, which seemed to invite the boat to its security, they ran it in amongst some low rocks, against several of which it was dashed with great violence, and began to fill with water; but they luckily reached the shore without being swamped, of which Charles entertained some apprehensions.

Once on land, the strangers met with every kindness from the inhabitants of a village in the neighbourhood, who, though they could not comprehend a word of their language, seemed at no difficulty to understand their wishes for shelter and refreshment; their quick, intelligent, dark eyes seeming at once to read the thoughts of their foreign guests, and to express their own comprehension.

F 3

Several of

them

them seeing the boat at sea, had come down to the shore; and no sooner were Charles and Mary landed, than they hastened to conduct them to the village, making them understand by signs their wish to be of service. But before they had proceeded far, they were met by a young Greek, who could boast a little mongrel Italian, which he did not fail to exercise upon the strangers, taking the charge of guiding them himself, with no little pride expressed in his countenance at his own ciceroniship.

Soon after they had gained a shelter the storm ceased, and lady Mary was again all anxiety to return to her aunt, whose fears for their safety she naturally supposed would be excited to a great degree. But going back immediately they soon found to be quite impossible, on account of the state of the boat, which had received considerable damage amongst the rocks.

Nothing therefore could be done, but to wait patiently for an hour or two, while

some

some repairs were carried on, which were actually necessary; nor did Charles feel at all certain, that when these were accomplished, the vesssel would be trustworthy.

In the mean while the clouds passed away, and left the sky blue as before, the sun shone forth as bright as ever, and Nature, as if she had been frightened into tears, smiled through the drops that the storm had left, and rejoiced in its departure. The gay Greeks too soon began to celebrate the return of sunshine, and commenced dancing under the shadow of some tall trees, while an old man played to them on a simple kind of guitar; and the picturesque spectators, waiting for their turn to join the dance, fell into groups far beyond the imagination of painter or statuary.

Immediately that the dancers paused, one of the others came forward, and to a wild, plaintive air, which ran much into the minor, began singing, while the old

[blocks in formation]

man every now and then struck a few chords of his instrument in harmony with his voice; and at every pause, all the rest, standing round, took up the first words of his song, as a kind of chorus; and while Charles and Mary listened, their friend with his Italian stood by them, and with much fluency translated the song that his countryman was singing.

SONG.

"Daylight sets in glowing skies,
Brilliant as in days of old,
Warm as then our mornings rise,
"Tis our hearts alone are cold.

"What though bonds we cannot break,
Round our hands are wound with pain,

Joy shall still our bosoms wake,

And love shall warm our hearts again.
Daylight sets, &c.

"Ida's mount, and Tempe's vale,

Still are fair, though Troy 's unknown;

The battle's memory shall fail,

While peaceful joys shall flourish on.

Daylight sets, &c.

"Why

Why then sigh at freedom's shrine,

'Tis but fancy that repines; Gay as ever blooms the vine, Bright as ever beauty shines.

Daylight sets, &c.

"But the grape, no more our own,
Flows to swell a tyrant's bowl;

Beauty's loveliest grace is gone,
When slavery has quelled her soul.
Daylight sets, &c.

"Shall ancient deeds forgotten be?
Sons of gods and godlike men,

Claim the birthright of the free;
Wake! and rend the tyrant's chain!
Daylight sets, &c "

The young Greek took occasion, from his countryman's song, to harangue Charles a long time upon the subject of liberty and freedom, and the spirit of the heroes, which he represented as still reigning in his native village, unbroke by the burden of Turkish despotism.

Whether the news of this independent feeling had reached the pacha or not, is scarcely

F 5

« AnteriorContinuar »