CHAPTER X
THE FALL OF TRIPOLI
The order to break up camp was received with shouts of acclamation, andall day long on the 25th the processions of mules passed, like antson a home run, up and down the steep, narrow path from the plain. TheMainat corps were the first to move, and took up their place oppositethe southern wall, and worked there under the sun for a couple of hoursor more throwing up some sort of earth embankment; while in the spacebehind marked out for their lines went up the rows of their barracks,pole by pole, and gradually roofed in with osier and oleander boughs.On the walls of the town lounged Turkish men, and now and then a womanpassed, closely veiled, but casting curious glances at the advancingtroops not four hundred yards from the gate. The men worked like horsesto get their intrenchments and defences up, and by the time each corpshad done its work, the huts behind were finished; and, streaming withperspiration, the men were glad to throw themselves down in the shade.As there was no regular corps of sappers and engineers, each regimenthad to do its intrenching and defence work for itself, and they workedon late into the night before the transfer of the entire camp waseffected. Meantime Petrobey had ordered the posts on the hills to theeast to close in, and by noon on the 27th he saw his long-delayed dreamrealized, for on all sides of the town ran the Greek lines. Still,from inside the beleaguered place came no sign of resistance, attack,or capitulation; but towards sunset a white flag was hoisted on thetower above the south gate, and a few moments afterwards Mehemet Salik,attended by his staff, came out, and were met by Petrobey. Yanni, asaide-de-camp, was in attendance on his father, and he had the pleasureof meeting his old host again.
Mehemet followed Petrobey to his quarters, Yanni looking at him as acat in the act to spring looks at a bird. He was a short-legged, stoutman, appearing tall when he was sitting, but when he stood, heavyand badly proportioned. He had grown a little thinner, or so thoughtYanni, and the skin hung bagging below his eyes, though he was stillhardly more than thirty. He looked Yanni over from head to foot withoutspeaking, adjusted his green turban, and then, shrugging his shouldersslightly, took a seat and turned to Petrobey.
"I have been sent to ask the terms on which you will grant acapitulation," he said; "please consider and name them."
"I will do so," replied Petrobey, "and let you have them by midnight."
Mehemet glanced at his watch.
"Thank you; we shall expect them then."
He rose from his seat and again looked at Yanni, who was standing bythe door. The two presented a very striking contrast--the one pale,flabby, clay-colored, slow-moving; the other, though there were not tenyears between them, fresh, brown, and alert. Mehemet continued lookingat him for a moment below his drooping eyelids without speaking, andthen the corners of his sensual mouth straightened themselves into asmile. He held out his hand to the boy.
"So we meet again, my guest," he said; "your leave-taking was somewhatabrupt. Will you shake hands?"
Yanni bristled like a collie dog, and looked sideways at him withoutspeaking, but kept his hands stiff to his side.
"You vanished unexpectedly, just when I hoped to begin to know youbetter," continued Mehemet.
But Petrobey interfered sternly.
"You are not here, sir, to confer insults," he said.
Mehemet turned round slowly towards him with a face of sallow death.
"Surely my teeth are drawn, as far as the boy is concerned," he said;"but let me know one thing," he continued, "for I have a heavy wagerabout it. Did you bribe the porter, or did you get through the roof?"
"Through the roof," said Yanni, as stiff as a poker.
"I have lost. I said you bribed the porter. He shall come out of prisonto-night and have poultices, for he was much beaten. Good-evening,gentlemen."
Yanni turned to Petrobey with blazing eyes.
"Cannot I kick him now?" he whispered.
"How can I give you permission?" said Petrobey.
Yanni looked at him a moment and then his lips parted in a smile, andhe went out of the tent.
Mehemet was a few yards down the path, going towards the gate of thecamp where his staff was waiting, and in three strides Yanni caught upwith him.
"Oh, man!" he said, and no more; but next moment Yanni's foot was deepin the folds of his excellency's baggy trousers. His excellency waslifted slightly forward from behind, and picked himself up with a cryof lamentation, for the pain had been exquisite. Yanni was by him witha brilliant smile on his face.
"You insulted me under the flag of truce," he said, kindly, "andunder the flag of truce I have answered you. There is quits." And heturned and went back to his father.
"YANNI WAS BY HIM WITH A BRILLIANT SMILE ON HIS FACE"]
Petrobey appeared to be absorbed in writing, and he did not look up,but handed Yanni a paper.
"Go at once to the captains whose names I have written here, Yanni," hesaid, "and tell them to come immediately to consult about the terms ofcapitulation. I thought," he added, "that I heard a slight disturbanceoutside. Can you account for it?"
"It seemed to be the settlement of some private difference, sir," saidYanni. "It is all over."
"Is the difference settled?"
"There is a very sore man," said Yanni.
The conference among the captains lasted only a short time, and in acouple of hours the terms were despatched to Mehemet. The Turks wereto give up their arms and were to be allowed, or rather compelled,to leave the Morea. They were further to pay the indemnity of fortymillion piastres, that being approximately the cost of the war,including the provisions and pay of all the men, from the time of itsoutbreak. In less than an hour the answer came back. The demand waspreposterous, for it was impossible to collect the money, but in returnthey made a counter-proposition. They would give up the whole of theirproperty within the town, renounce all rights of land, retaining onlysufficient means to enable them to reach some port on the Asia Minorcoast, but demanding leave to retain their arms in order to securethemselves from massacre on the way to Nauplia. They also insisted onoccupying the pass over Mount Parthenius, between the Argive plain andTripoli, until the women and children had been embarked in safety.This precaution, they added, was due to themselves, for they had noguarantee that without their arms the Greeks would not violate theterms of the capitulation as they had violated them at Navarin.
The Greek chiefs refused to consider the proposal, for if the Turksdistrusted them, they at least had no reason to trust the Turks; andif the regiments in the town occupied Parthenius, what was to hinderthem from marching on to Nauplia and remaining there? Nauplia stillheld communication with the sea, and they had not spent six months inreducing Tripoli only at the end to let the besieged go out in peace toanother and better-equipped fortress.
Once more affairs were at a deadlock, and at this point Petrobey madean inexcusable mistake. He ought, without doubt, to have stormed theplace and have done with it; but when, in a moment of weakness, he putthe proposal to the captains, the majority of them were for waiting.The reason was unhappily but too plain. They knew that famine prevailedin the town, they knew, too, that its capitulation was inevitable,but they saw for themselves a rich harvest gained in a few days bysecretly supplying the besieged with provisions, and for the nextweek Germanos's bitter words were terribly true. This was no siege ofTripoli; it was the market of Tripoli.
On the 28th came another proposal from the town, this time not fromthe Turks, but from the Albanian mercenaries who had formed the attackon the post at Valtetzi in May. They were fifteen hundred strong, andgood soldiers, but as mercenaries they had no feelings of obligationor honor to their employers, and did not in the least desire a fierceengagement with the Greeks; and now that all idea of capitulation wasover, for neither side would accept the ultimatum of the other, it wasclearly to their advantage to get away, if they could, with their livesand their pay. The town would, without doubt, fall by storm, theiremployers would be massacred, and their best chance was to stand wellwith the besiegers. They, t
herefore, offered to go back to Albania,and never again to enlist in the Turkish service, provided they mightretire with their arms. The Greeks, on their side, had no quarrelwith them; many were related to them by ties of friendship and blood;they had no desire to gain a bloody and hard-won victory if there wasa chance of detaching the mainstay of their foes, and they agreed totheir terms.
The weather was hot and stifling beyond description, and the Mainatswho were on the south felt all day the reflected glare and heat fromthe walls as from a furnace. In that week of waiting Petrobey lostall the confidence of the clan, for they alone were blameless of thisoutrageous traffic, that had sprung up again, and they were waitingwhile Petrobey let it go on. He had asked the advice of men who werewithout principle or honor, who were filling their pockets at theexpense of the honor of others, and though he himself was withoutstain, yet his weakness at this point was criminal. It seemed that herefused to believe what the army knew, and persisted in judging thewhole by the behavior of the clan themselves. Nicholas appealed to himin vain, but Petrobey always asked whether he had himself seen evidenceof the scandal, and being in the Mainat corps, he had not. In vainNicholas pointed out that a week ago they knew that famine was preyingon the besieged, yet a week had gone and the famine seemed to have madeno impression. How was it possible that the town could hold out unlessit was being supplied? And how could a commander know what was goingon among the hordes of peasants who flocked to the camp? Now thatthe evil was so wide-spread and universal, a whole regiment perhapsprofited by the traffic; and where was the use of any man informing hiscaptain?--for the captains were the worst of all.
Meantime, inside, Suleima watched at her latticed window and lookedfor Mitsos. A week ago she had watched the men streaming down fromTrikorpha to the plain, and had hardly been able to conceal her joy,while round her the other women wailed and lamented, saying that theywould all fall into the hands of the barbarous folk. On the other side,away from the wall, the windows of the harem looked out onto a narrow,top-heavy street, the eaves of the houses nearly meeting across it,and on the top again was a large, flat roof, where they often went tosit in the evening and chatter across the street to the women on thehouse opposite. By day a ribbon of scorching sunlight moved slowlyfrom one side to the other, and often Suleima would sit at the windowwhich overhung the foot-path, watching and watching, but seeing,perhaps, hardly a couple of passengers in as many hours, for this wasonly a side street where few came. By leaning out she could just catcha glimpse of a main thoroughfare which led into the square, but onlyTurks passed up and down. The others looked at her with wonder andpity, thinking her hardly in her right mind to be smiling and happyat such a time, for close before her lay the trial and triumph of hersex, and the Greeks were at the door. The harem generally, and also thechief wife, whose slave she was, knew her condition, but from a feelingpartly of pity and affection--for she was a favorite with all--partlyfrom indifference, had not accused her to Abdul. Abdul himself, in theexcitement and preoccupation of the siege, had not been in the haremmore than twice in as many months, and thus her state had escapeddetection.
So she went about with her day-dream and snatches of song, painting inher mind a hundred pictures as to how Mitsos would come. Should shesee him stalking up the narrow street, then looking up and smiling ather, bringing the news that the town had capitulated and he had cometo claim her? There would be a step on the stair and he would come in,bending to get through the door; and then, oh, the blessedness of talkand tears that would be hers! Or would there come a shout and the soundof riot and confusion, and streaming up the street a fighting crowd?He would be there in the middle of it all, slashing and hewing his wayto her. He would look up--that he would always do--and see her at thewindow, and then get to work again, dealing death to all within reach.Perhaps he would be hurt, not much hurt, but enough to make her leanover him with anxious face and nimble, bandaging hands, and the joy ofministering to him leaping in her heart. It was towards this visionthat she most inclined, to Mitsos, fighting and splendid as fresh fromthe dust and the ecstasy of struggle, coming to her--the mistress andlady of his arm--lover to lover. Or would he come by night silentlybeneath the stars, as he had come before, or with a whispered songwhich her heart had taught her ears to know, and take her away whilethe house slept, out of this horrible town, and to some place like inspirit to the lonely sea-scented beach near Nauplia, into remotenessfrom all things else? In these half-formulated dreams there was neverany hitch or disturbance--doors yielded, men slept, or men fell, andthrough all like a ray of light came Mitsos, unhindered, irresistible.
But after three or four days her mood changed, and from her eyeslooked out the soul of some timid, frightened animal. Why did he notcome--by night or in peace or in the shout of war? What meant thissudden increase in their food, for now for more than a week they hadlived but on sparing rations? Yet the fresh meat and new bread revoltedher; she was hungry, yet she could not eat. The women were kind to her,and Zuleika used to make her soup and force her with firm kindness todrink it; they were always plaguing her, so she thought, not to prowlabout so much, to rest more and to eat more, and when she understoodwhy, she obeyed them. For a few nights before she had slept butlightly, and her sleep was peopled with vivid things--now she would bemoving in a crowd of flying fiery globes, she one of them; now the darkwas full of gray shapes that glided by her windily with a roar of theremote sea, but at the end they would disperse and leave her alone, andout of the darkness came Mitsos, and with that she would dream no more.But waking and the hours of the day changed place with the night, andit seemed that she moved in a nightmare until she slept again.
But when she understood the reason for which they pressed her to restand eat, she quickly regained the serenity of her health, and duringthe last two days of waiting, though her fears and anxieties crouchedin the shade ready to spring on her again, they lay still, and theclaws and teeth spared her.
But one morning--it was the 3d of October--there was suddenly a tumultin the streets, and cries that the Greeks had come in, and Suleimawent up to the house-top to see if she could find out where they wereentering, prepared to run out into the street to meet them, crying tothem as her deliverers, as Mitsos had told her. In the brightnessof that sudden hope that the end had come, she felt no longer wearyor ill, and she looked out over the town with expectant eyes. But bydegrees the tumult died down again, and, bitterly disappointed, shecrept back to the room of the harem where the women were sitting to askwhat this meant. None knew, but in a little time they heard a renewednoise from the street, and running to look out, they saw a small bodyof Turkish soldiers advancing, and in the middle a very stout ladyriding a horse. Behind her came two servants driving horses with bigpanniers slung on each side, and the stout lady talked in an animatedmanner to the soldiers, pointing now to one house and then to another.Then looking up at the window of Abdul Achmet's house, out of whichSuleima was leaning, she shouted some shrill question in Turkish,which Suleima did not catch, and the procession turned up into themain street, seeming to halt opposite the door leading into the frontcourt-yard.
In a little while Abdul Achmet, with a eunuch, came in, at whoseentrance Suleima drew back behind the other women and wrapped herbernouse round her. He wore a face of woe, and behind they could hearthe voice of the stout lady, who found the stairs a little trying. Sheentered the room with a shining, smiling face, and sat down puffing ona sofa.
"And when I've got my breath again," she said, volubly, as if still inthe middle of a sentence, "I'll tell you who I am, and what I am goingto do, and what you are going to do. A hot morning it is, and there'sno denying it, and though I've seen many pretty faces in my day, sir, Ican't remember that I ever set eyes on anything so nice as your littlelot. And what may your name be, my dear?" she said, turning to Suleima,who shrank from her without knowing why; "but whatever your name is,it was a fine day for your kind master when he first set eyes on you."
She looked at Suleima more closely, and waiting till Ach
met and theeunuch had left the room: "Poor lamb! and so young, too," she said,kindly enough; "and now I've got my breath a bit, I'll tell you mybusiness. I'm a Greek by birth, though you can hear I talk Turkish likethe Sultan himself, and as for my name, why, it's Penelope."
Suleima suddenly burst into a helpless fit of laughter at this funnyold woman, though she was not funny at all, she thought, but simplya fat, disgusting old hag. Penelope stopped short at this unseemlyinterruption, and for a moment seemed disposed to resent it; but somewomanly feeling came to her aid, and she pulled a great bottle of somestrong-smelling stuff out of her pocket and applied it to Suleima'snose as she sat rocking herself backward and forward with peals oflaughter.
"She'll faint if she laughs like that," she explained, "and this willpull her together a bit. Get some brandy, one of you, quickly. There,there, my dear," she went on to Suleima, "be quiet now, be quiet, it'sall right, and take a spoonful of this, it'll do you good."
Suleima gradually recovered herself through a spasm of coughing andchoking, and the brandy brought her round.
"I am sorry for laughing," she said, no longer shrinking from thewoman; and speaking low to her, in Greek, "but I am not very well. And,oh, tell me, you look kind; have you seen Mitsos? Where is he? Why doeshe not come?"
Penelope started in surprise.
"My poor little one," she answered, in Greek, "what does this mean? Butwait a minute."
Then, speaking in Turkish again:
"I thought I'd seen her before," she explained aloud, "and she saysshe comes from Spetzas, which is my home. And what I've come for isthis, and I'm here to help all you women. You will give up to me allyour money and jewels, my pretties, for the Greek commander, who is arelation of mine"--this was not the case--"wishes neither to hurt norharm you; but if you are found, any of you, with jewels or money aboutyou, why, it may be the siege of Navarin over again. So now I shallwait here, and each of you will fetch all you have; and to make thingssure and certain, I'll just search you as well. This girl," and shepointed to Suleima, "shall come to me first; so get you all gone, andI'll call you in one at a time."
They all dispersed to their rooms to get their trinkets and money,and in a few moments Suleima came back, and the other closed the doorquickly behind her.
"You are a Greek, child," she said. "Yes, put your bits of finery in mybasket; we have not much time."
She heard Suleima's story with many raisings of the hand andexclamations of wonder, and when she had finished she kissed her, likea true woman, with pity and affection.
"Poor child, poor child!" she soothed her, "I will do the best I can.God knows what will happen when the end comes, for the camp is like apack of wolves. This Mitsos of yours has some glimmerings of sense,but look at the risk you run if you do as he tells you. Fancy runningto meet a lot of wolves, you in your Turkish dress, crying you are awolf too. Ah, dear me, dear me, and the child and all! But this is myidea: separate yourself at all costs from the other women. If theystay in the house, run; if they run, stay here. Do not be seen withthem; unveil your face, as the Greek women do, and if possible avoid amob of Greeks. If you have to go into the street keep in a side street,where perhaps stragglers only will come. And the Lord be with you, poorchild!"
Suleima clung to this woman--usually coarse and greedy, but one whohad the springs of true womanliness in her--as to a rock of refuge,and without searching her, but kissing her again affectionately, shewaited till the girl's tears had subsided before opening the door andcalling in the next woman. In turn they all passed before her and gaveup their valuables. There was but little money, for the women spentit for the most part on finery, and poured into Penelope's basketturquoise collars, fine filagree work from the bazaars, bracelets setwith pearls or moonstones, and ear-rings of all sorts. The search washastily done, for she had many houses to visit, and with a curiousmixture of humanity and greed she wished to make as rich a harvest aspossible--since she received a share of what she got--and at the sametime do all she could for these poor caged women. And so for two days,as there were many houses to go to and much to be got, sometimes withdifficulty--for some of the women would have preferred to run the riskof having valuables concealed about them--she went on her rounds ofgreedy mercy, and it was not till the morning of the 5th of Octoberthat she went out again to the camp.
During those two days matters outside had gone from bad to worse.Anagnostes had been detected trafficking with the besieged, and whenNicholas laid the proof of his guilt before Petrobey, he buried hisface in his hands and said he could do nothing. That hour of weakness,when he had consulted men who he knew would only give him selfishand dishonorable counsel, had broken his authority like a reed.Anagnostes's corps shared his guilt, probably down to the youngest manin his service, and if he punished one he would have to punish hundreds.
"And, oh, Nicholas," said Petrobey, in piteous appeal, "if ever youhave loved me, or can still remember that we are of one blood, help menow, by what way you will. I was ever honorable, but I have been asweak as water; your strength and your honor are both unshaken."
This was on the morning of the 5th; and before Nicholas could reply, ashrill, rather breathless, voice bawled to Petrobey from outside, andPenelope demanded admittance. It was not her way to ask twice, and shefollowed her demand up by putting her red face through the tent-flap,and, entering herself, bade her servants, laden with jewels, also toenter.
Petrobey turned one last look at Nicholas.
"You will help me?" he said.
"I was always ready," said Nicholas, smiling, and he went lightly outof the tent.
Some fine wrangling was going on in the Mainats' quarters when heappeared, and two men appealed to him.
"Is it true that the woman has taken all the spoils to Petrobey'stent?" asked one.
Nicholas dived at the meaning of the question.
"His honor is untouched," he said; "they are there only for safekeeping; I swear it, and will go bail for my life on it."
Then to himself: "The time has come," he thought, "when even he is notspared."
"Look you, lads," he said, aloud, "to-day Tripoli falls. When ithas come to this, that you can suspect him, it is time. We make theattempt--we Mainats, who were ever the first at great deeds. Come,summon the men. Yes, I have the authority--more than that, I havepromised to help, and there is only one way."
In five minutes the word had gone about, and the corps, some fivehundred strong, flocked eagerly to hear Nicholas. He went with thecaptains into the officers' tent, and, forgetful of his rank among menwho had always treated him as the king of men, bade them sit down.
"In ten minutes," he said, "the corps must stand under arms, and amoment's delay after that may spoil everything. I lead the way, and wego at a double's double straight to the Argos tower. At that corner aman can climb the wall, for there are rough, projecting stones. How doI know that? Because I climbed it last night when I was on sentry duty.So much for the vigilance of those moles and bats who are stationedthere. With me I shall have a rope, which I shall fasten to thebattlements, and then, in God's name, follow like the bridegroom to thebride-chamber. The man behind me carries the Greek flag, which he handsme as soon as I am up. Ah, my friends, grant me that one sweet moment.Yet--no, we will vote for the man who shall do that."
A deep murmur--"You, you, Nicholas, Nicholas"--ran round, and soanother moment of happiness, so great that it was content, was givenhim.
"And now up with you," said Nicholas. "Ah, let us shake hands first. Omerciful God, but Thou art very good to me!"
The attempt was so daring, so utterly unexpected, that the Arcadiancorps stationed opposite the Argos tower merely stood in amazement,as with a clatter and a rush the Mainats streamed by them and up thewall in front. Agile as a cat, for all his sixty years, Nicholas laidhand and foot on the rough masonry, and the next moment he had dasheddown the single sentry on the tower, who was smoking and talking to awoman on the wall. Then fastening the rope to one of the battlements heturned again to per
form the crowning act of his adventurous life, and,before two men had swarmed up, the Greek flag waved from the tower.