CHAPTER XXII.
BEFORE THE PARTHENON.
"There it is, boys--there it is!" exclaimed Professor Zenas Gunn, in avoice that actually choked with deep emotion. "Behold 'the casket of therarest architectural jewels of the world--the temple-crowned Acropolis'!"
"She seems to be a right big old rock," observed Brad Buckhart; "or isshe just a hill?"
"Both a rock and a hill, Brad," laughed Dick Merriwell. "It is mainly anatural mass of rock, but in places it has been built up by substantialmasonry."
"Correct, Richard," nodded the professor, approvingly. "It is plain youhave posted up on the Acropolis and that you remember something of whatyou read. I regret that, in spite of my advice, Bradley seems muchdisinclined to post himself in advance concerning the historical spotswe choose to visit."
"What's the use?" said the Texan. "I know you'll tell us all about them,professor, and I'll remember it a heap better by hearing you tell it,than by reading it in a dry, old book. You have such a fascinating wayof telling things, you know, that any one who hears you can't helpremembering every word you speak."
"Hum! ha!" coughed Zenas, much flattered. "I presume that is true. Ithink it quite probable you are correct. Under the circumstances,Bradley, you are excusable."
The two boys and the professor had arrived at the port of Athens nearsundown the previous day. The sail through Grecian waters on a finesteamer was one long to be remembered. Repeatedly the professor remindedthem that they were traversing the scenes of famous maritime adventuresand struggles of ancient history, and that every shore they beheld hadbeen made famous by poets, philosophers and wise men of the days whenGreece was the pride, the glory, and the envy of the world.
Night had fallen before the trio reached the capital, which is locatedsix miles from the port. Therefore, being tired and somewhat spiritless,they suppressed their desire to look around and waited for the followingday.
And now, beneath the bright morning sunshine, they viewed the Acropolis,which, on account of its history, the professor declared was the mostwonderful sight in all the world.
On three sides this great mass of rock and masonry, which looms abovethe modern city at its base, is practically perpendicular. On its summitstand the white columns and pillars of its ruined temples, which twothousand years ago were perfect in their grandeur and which are concededto have been specimens of architectual beauty never equaled in moderntimes.
"Think," said the professor; "think of Greece in the glorious days whenyonder rock was crowned with beautiful temples! We'll mount to itscrest, boys, and soon our feet may touch the very stones once pressed bythe feet of Demosthenes. We will stand beside pillars whose shadows mayhave fallen on Pericles and Phidias. Is it not enough to stir a heart ofstone! Let us hasten."
The old pedagogue was actually trembling with eagerness and excitement.
"All right, professor," said Dick. "Lead on and we'll follow."
"Yes," said Brad, "hike as fast as you choose, and we'll keep up withyou."
To their surprise they found the city very modern in appearance, andthis surprise was increased on beholding a train of street cars drawn byan ordinary steam engine. Still the people were interesting in theirnative garments, and the language was what they had expected to hear.
At last they approached the Acropolis. As they drew near they beheldaround its base a mass of ruins of the most picturesque character.
"Whatever sort of buildings were those, professor?" inquired the Texan.
"They were theatres," answered the old man. "The theatre of Bacchus, ofOdeon, and others stood at the base of the great rock. You behold theruins of those theatres. Somewhere in this vicinity is the dungeon ofSocrates, in which he drank the hemlock. We'll find it ere we leaveAthens."
They were compelled to make inquiry of a peasant before they found theonly path by which the great rock could be ascended. The professor foundit necessary to rest several times before the summit was reached, butstill his enthusiasm buoyed him up in a wonderful manner.
As they reached the plateau the professor turned to look back on thecity spread below them.
"Yes," he said, nodding and speaking as if addressing himself, "I hadalmost forgotten. Why, it was only a little more than half a century agothat Athens was demolished by the Turks. Hardly a house in the place wasleft in condition for human beings to inhabit it. That is why we seethis modern city here."
Although they did not betray it as much as did the professor, both ladswere profoundly moved by their situation.
For a few moments Dick seemed to feel himself transported back toFardale, and he saw himself in his little room poring over Homer'selectrifying verse or deep buried in Xenophon's incomparable prose. Heknew that from this hour, as he stood by the pillared gateway of theAcropolis, he would understand the old Greek poets and philosophersbetter and appreciate them more.
"Come, boys," said Professor Gunn, in a hushed tone, "we'll pass throughthis ruined gateway, which was called the Propylaea, and which cost twoand a half million dollars. Think of that! Think of it, and then beholdthese ruins. Touch them reverently with your hands. You are treading onsacred ground."
When they had passed beyond the ruined gateway all halted in wonderment,for before them spread the entire plateau and they saw it was literallybestrewn with fallen columns and shattered statues. And directly beforethem, at the highest point of the plateau, rose the ruins of a snowywhite temple, the Parthenon.
The spectacle was one to render them silent and speechless. They stoodquite still and gazed in awe at the ruins.
At last Zenas spoke. He had his hat in his hand, and he mopped hisforehead with a handkerchief, although the day was cool.
"Words fail me, boys," he said. "I wonder if you understand what it isto behold this spectacle. Look on this scene of desolation wrought bythe hand of ruthless man. It is quite enough to make the gods weep!"
"However was she ruined, professor?" inquired Brad.
"It occurred something like two hundred years ago. At that time theParthenon stood almost unchanged in its matchless magnificence. TheTurks used it as a powder magazine. The city was besieged by an army ofVenetians. They bombarded the town. One of their shells exploded in thepowder magazine. Behold the result!"
"Say, that was a whole lot bad!" exclaimed the Texan. "It sure was ashame!"
"Let's get nearer," urged Dick.
They threaded their way amid the ruined columns and statues, drawingnearer to the ruins of the Parthenon. The professor told them how theParthenon had been despoiled of its treasures.
At that moment they seemed to be quite alone on the plateau of theAcropolis, but suddenly, from amid the pillars of the temple, dashed aGrecian girl, who did not seem to be more than sixteen years of age. Shesaw them and uttered a cry.
A moment later two men appeared in close pursuit of her. Both wereGreeks. One was a man of forty-five or a little more, while the othercould not have been much past twenty-one. They shouted for the girl tostop.
She ran toward the boys and the old professor, and the cry that camefrom her lips was one of terror and appeal. Her pursuers were close onher heels.
"By the great horn spoon!" shouted Buckhart, "here is where we mingle ina red-hot old scrimmage, pard! There will be something doing on the topof the Acrop in a moment!"
"Boys, boys, boys!" exclaimed the professor, in great agitation andalarm. "Do be careful! Those men look dangerous!"
"Would you have us see a woman in distress without showing our manhood?"demanded Dick, as he also prepared for an encounter. "We'll protect her,Brad."
"Now you're shouting!" cried the Texan. "We'll certain check thecareless behavior of those gents some."
"Englishmen--good Englishmen!" cried the girl; "save me!"
She was panting and wild-eyed as she reached them. She seized Dick's armwith her shaking hands. In truth she was very pretty, with clear-cutGrecian features and eyes as blue as the skies of Athens.
"We're not Englishmen," said Dick, "but
you can count on us just thesame."
"You bet you can, just as long as the American eagle flaps its wings tothe tune of Yankee Doodle," asserted Brad.
Dick placed her behind them saying:
"Look out for her, professor, while we discuss the matter with theseboisterous gentlemen."
"Boys, boys, boys!" again fluttered the old man. "Do be careful! Do bediscreet! You'll get us all into no end of trouble."
By this time the two men had reached the spot, and the elder at oncedemanded in Greek the possession of the maiden.
"Although we've scanned that language under compulsion," said Dick, "weare not prepared to talk it. If you will use plain United States, we maybe able to chat with you."
With an assumption of politeness, the man immediately begged theirpardon in fairly good English, saying he had not thought in hisexcitement to address them in other than his own language.
"The girl," he said; "I take her."
"Wait a bit," remonstrated Merriwell, declining to move. "As you cantalk a modern language, we'll discuss this matter. The girl seemsfrightened. What is all the trouble about?"
The elder man drew himself up haughtily, while the younger glowered onthe boys.
"It is no bus'ness to you," was the answer.
"Then I opine we'll have to make it our business," muttered Buckhart.
"But she is frightened, and she seeks our protection," said Dick. "It isthe habit of all decent Americans to protect women in distress."
"Let him not touch me!" entreated the girl, speaking again with thatindescribably bewitching accent which Dick had noted in her first appealto them.
"She mere child," said the man haughtily. "I am her uncle, and I takeher."
"Oh, you're her uncle?"
"I am."
"Well, tell us why she fled from you and seemed so excited andfrightened."
"No bus'ness to you," again asserted the man.
"He want make me do something I hate!" exclaimed the girl. "He make memarree Maro."
"Oh, ho! And who is Maro?"
The girl pointed at the younger man.
"And you do not wish to marry Maro?" questioned Dick.
"Oh, no, no, no!"
"Don't blame you," put in Brad. "If Maro wears that thundercloud on hismug all the time, he'd frighten a Hottentot, much more a civilized girl.Go change your face, Maro."
The young man did not seem to understand this fully, but he darted adeadly look at Brad, then urged his companion to make a move at once.
"Look out, boys--look out!" panted Professor Gunn. "He says you are merechildren and easily crushed. He wants to attack you at once."
"Whoop!" cried Brad, squaring away. "Let him wade right in! Let themboth break loose and come at us! They'll find the children ready forbusiness, you bet your boots!"
"Steady, Brad," cautioned Dick. "We'll fight if we have to."
"And I sure reckon we'll have to, pard."
"It looks that way, but let's not rush matters. Keep a cool head."
Dick feared the men were armed, which would give them an additionaladvantage. Under ordinary circumstances it would not seem a difficultthing for them to obtain the mastery over the two boys, but those boys,in spite of their years, were remarkable athletes and clever fighters,and they believed they could hold the Greeks good play unless deadlyweapons were produced. Neither lad counted on assistance from ProfessorGunn.
The elder man grew impatient and again demanded possession of the girl,asserting that the boys would be punished for interfering, as he was theone who had sole authority over her.
"Where is her father?" asked Dick. "Is he dead?"
"Not dead," explained the girl quickly. "In India. He leaf me withTyrus."
"So the old boy's name is Tyrus?" muttered Brad.
"Tyrus Helorus," said the man haughtily. "If wise, you not int'fere inGreece with one who have name Helorus."
"The Helorus you say!" grinned Brad.
"That what I say!"
"Thanks! You're so kind! I reckon we'd better introduce ourselves.Gents, this here is Dick Merriwell, a fighter from his toes to his scalplock. He lives on scrimmages. To him a good fight is the breath of life.If he goes a whole day without a fight he loses flesh and becomes awhole lot downcast. I've seen him whip seven men in concussion. He looksyoung, but he's fought enough to be older than these ruins. I'll wagerthe contents of my warbags that the professor and I can sit down andlook on comfortable while he wallops the both of you in one round."
"That will about do," muttered Dick.
"Wait," urged Brad. "Don't cut me out of presenting myself. I, gents, amBradley Buckhart, from the Rio Pecos country, Texas, U. S. I've beenbrought up where they have man for breakfast every morning. It gets tobe a regular morning treat for us in Texas. I am some off my feed justat present, not having had any man this morning. You've happened alongjust in time to relieve my famished condition. So sail in, both of you,and we'll proceed to chaw you up. You hear me sweetly carol!"
The Greeks looked at him in bewilderment, and well they might. It islikely that they took this talk for a bluff; but, if so, they were soonto learn that Brad Buckhart was one of those rare bluffers whoinvariably "made good."
A silent chap with fighting blood in his veins is generally regarded asformidable and dangerous when aroused, but once in a while it happensthat a talkative chap is just as dangerous.
Those who saw and heard Brad for the first time were almost certain tofancy he would show the white feather at the last moment. Those who hadseen him often and knew him well never doubted that he wouldunflinchingly enter a den of roaring lions if he felt it his duty to doso.
The natural chivalry of Buckhart's nature had been stirred by theappearance of the girl and by her appeal for protection, and thereforehe was ready to lay down his life in defense of her right there on theplateau of the Acropolis.
It was but natural that Professor Gunn should be much alarmed over thesituation, for he felt that, to a large extent, the safety of the boyswas in his hands and he was responsible for them.
Therefore the old man now proposed that they should all go to amagistrate or some official who had proper authority and that the caseshould be submitted to him.
To his astonishment this seemed to infuriate both the Greeks. Theycursed him and the boys for interfering and sneered at the proposal ofsubmitting the matter to any official. One more demand they made forpossession of the girl, and it was plain they meant to take her by forceif refused.
They were promptly refused by both boys, who placed themselves shoulderto shoulder in front of the shrinking maiden.
With a snarl of rage, the younger Greek drew a knife.
"Oh, heavens!" moaned Professor Gunn. "There will be bloodshed!"
Then, to his greater horror, he saw Dick and Brad attack the men,declining to wait to be attacked themselves.