牧羊人的故事之友谊的纽带_故事_趣味英语-查字典英语网

牧羊人的故事之友谊的纽带

　　One day there came to our hut Franks， men from a far country， whose dress was different to ours. They had tents and beds with them， carried by horses; and they were accompanied by more than twenty Turks， all armed with swords and muskets. These Franks were friends of the Pacha， and had letters from him， commanding an escort for them. They only came to see our mountain， to ascend Parnassus amid the snow and clouds， and to look at the strange black rocks which raised their steep sides near our hut. They could not find room in the hut， nor endure the smoke that rolled along the ceiling till it found its way out at the low door; so they pitched their tents on a small space outside our dwelling. Roasted lambs and birds were brought forth， and strong， sweet wine， of which the Turks are forbidden to partake.

　　When they departed， I accompanied them for some distance， carrying my little sister Anastasia， wrapped in a goat-skin， on my back. One of the Frankish gentlemen made me stand in front of a rock， and drew us both as we stood there， so that we looked like one creature. I did not think of it then， but Anastasia and I were really one. She was always sitting on my lap， or riding in the goat-skin on my back; and in my dreams she always appeared to me.

　　Two nights after this， other men， armed with knives and muskets， came into our tent. They were Albanians， brave men， my mother told me. They only stayed a short time. My sister Anastasia sat on the knee of one of them; and when they were gone， she had not three， but two silver coins in her hair—one had disappeared. They wrapped tobacco in strips of paper， and smoked it; and I remember they were uncertain as to the road they ought to take. But they were obliged to go at last， and my father went with them. Soon after， we heard the sound of firing. The noise continued， and presently soldiers rushed into our hut， and took my mother and myself and Anastasia prisoners. They declared that we had entertained robbers， and that my father had acted as their guide， and therefore we must now go with them. The corpses of the robbers， and my father's corpse， were brought into the hut. I saw my poor dead father， and cried till I fell asleep. When I awoke， I found myself in a prison; but the room was not worse than our own in the hut. They gave me onions and musty wine from a tarred cask; but we were not accustomed to much better fare at home. How long we were kept in prison， I do not know; but many days and nights passed by. We were set free about Easter-time. I carried Anastasia on my back， and we walked very slowly; for my mother was very weak， and it is a long way to the sea， to the Gulf of Lepanto.