IN PAWN TO A THRONE BY DEMETRA VAKA AND KENNETH BROWN AUTHORS OF 4 THE FIRST SECRETARY AND THE DUKE S PRICE NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMPANY LONDON JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD MCMXIX COPYRIGHT, 1919 BY THE BXTTTERICK PUBLISHING COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1919 BY JOHN L NE COMPANY V ftY LI X TO M W O O M A ft ft UI-A THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ELEUTHERIOS VENIZELOS AND TO THAT GROUP OF MEN WHO, WITH HIM, RAISED THE STANDARD OF REVOLT TO SAVE THE HONOUR OF THEIR COUNTRY IN PAWN TO A THRONE In PcFppn to a Throne CHAPTER I cannon boomed over ...
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IN PAWN TO A THRONE BY DEMETRA VAKA AND KENNETH BROWN AUTHORS OF 4 THE FIRST SECRETARY AND THE DUKE S PRICE NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMPANY LONDON JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD MCMXIX COPYRIGHT, 1919 BY THE BXTTTERICK PUBLISHING COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1919 BY JOHN L NE COMPANY V ftY LI X TO M W O O M A ft ft UI-A THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ELEUTHERIOS VENIZELOS AND TO THAT GROUP OF MEN WHO, WITH HIM, RAISED THE STANDARD OF REVOLT TO SAVE THE HONOUR OF THEIR COUNTRY IN PAWN TO A THRONE In PcFppn to a Throne CHAPTER I cannon boomed over the city of I Stamboul, thunderously announcing the JL setting of the sun. It was an old Turkish custom, this salutation of the departing star of day, and it gave the signal to most officials to gather up their papers preparatory to deserting their four walls and emerging into the big spaces outside. All Constantinople, shortly after the firing of the cannon from Top Hane, empties into the streets, either to sit in little cafes by the shore, take their coffee and drink their narghiles, or to row on the waters of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, or the Sea of Marmora during the twilight hours of enchantment. An old gentleman reclining in his big armchair gave a sigh of satisfaction at the sound of the can non. Yet he was no Turkish official he owed no allegiance to the Sultan indeed he owed alle-9 io IN PAWN TO A THRONE giance to no monarch, to no ruler, to no man. Neither did he gather up any papers, nor prepare to leave his four walls for if he owed allegiance to no man born of woman, neither was he a free man. He was chained to the spacious, luxurious room as a slave is chained to his prison. With a dignity which was full of pathos, labori ously and with the help oftwo crutches, he lifted himself from his armchair. A large, lean dog, that had been lying stretched out at full length, shook himself with as little noise as possible, and with the same grave dignity as his old master, rose also. His rising was timed so that he stood on his legs at the very second the old gentleman was on his and the two with hesitating, calculating footsteps slowly crossed the immense room to one of the windows commanding an extensive view over the Sea of Marmora. A pine park stretched beyond the large garden below the window, and on the extreme left rose a high hill, over which floated a huge Turkish flag. The dog placed his paws on the wmdow-sJHj, laid his nose between them, and looked out on the same scene as his master beside him. The mans emaci ated hand caressed the dogs head, It is still there, flying defiance to the heaven IN PAWN TO A THRONE n afiove and to the earth beneath and subject to it is the monastery of St. George with its Christian cross Ah my friend, Axios, the miracle has not yet come to pass, and it looks as if you and I shall be buried as your ancestors and mine have been buried before that red rag of a flag will be torn from its staff. It is red, Axios, my friend red with the colour and the smell of blood for it was through shedding our blood that the Turks got our lands. It is the only way they know to conquer by the sword. It is a pity that a crescent should have been placed in the middle of the red background. It ought to have been a sword, Axios then the flag would have been right. Axios, his head cocked on one side, was half lis tening to the beloved voice yet half his attention must have been given to something else, for pres ently hebarked a happy, excited bark, and looked up at the man beside him. You heard her Your ears are still young enough to hear her step so far away The dogs body wriggled with pleasure and his bark became a joyous yelp as out of the pine forest emerged a child, tall, slender and erect, accom panied by a French governess. The child must have heard the yelp for she looked up at the win 12 IN PAWN TO A THRONE dow, took hold of her skirts and made a low cour tesy before continuing on her way The last of the Byzas the old man murmured...
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