Greek Fire Read Online Free

carried like a monogram his familiar air of strain.
    â€œSo. We cannot keep you away, Gene. Have you no home?”
    He smiled. “No home. Are you, well?”
    â€œWhen one is as old as I am one is modestly grateful for being alive at all. Let me see, have you ever met M. Vyro?”
    Gene turned to the short elderly man with the grey imperial who had been standing by the window.
    â€œ M. Vyro is the proprietor of Aegis , one of our oldest morning papers——”
    â€œAnd one of the most distinguished,” said Gene.
    M. Vyro bowed. “That is too kind. You are English, sir, or American?”
    â€œAmerican.”
    â€œAm I up to date with your occupation, Gene?” Mme Lindos asked. “ The last time you wrote you were——”
    â€œYes, still in publishing.”
    â€œâ€”M. Vanbrugh is European representative of Muirhead and Lewis, the New York publishers.”
    â€œThen we should have much in common,” said M. Vyro. “You are here on business?”
    â€œPartly, yes. We have two Greek authors on our list, Michaelis and Paleocastra——”
    â€œAh, Michaelis, the poet. Yes, yes. His is the true voice of Greece——”
    â€œAnd partly I come to see old friends—among them Mme Lindos, who always knows so much about all the things I want to know.”
    â€œIf that was ever true, Gene, it is far less true now. Fewer people come to see me.”
    â€œExcept the most important ones,” said Gene.
    â€œAh, only my oldest friends. I have known M. Vyro for nearly fifty years. What brings you at this particular time, Gene?”
    â€œYour elections interest me. I wanted to ask you who is going to win this one?”
    â€œThere is an astrologer round the corner. My maid will give you an introduction to him.”
    Gene’s face changed when he smiled—the narrowness, thinness, tightness eased and broke up. Lines crinkled across it in a peculiar and original way. “ Maybe M. Vyro will hazard a guess. I imagined Aegis will support the Government?”
    â€œYes—but tending to move right of the Government. It is not a tendency I approve, but two years ago I handed over direction of the paper to my eldest son. He must go his own way.”
    â€œWhat of this grouping of all the opposition parties against Karamanlis?” Gene said. “And this new party of the centre, EMO, led by George Lascou?”
    â€œI see you are up to date in some things,” Mme Lindos said dryly.
    â€œWhat sort of a man is Lascou?”
    The question was addressed generally, but for a minute neither answered. The question appeared to have been dropped into an empty room. Then Vyro said:
    â€œIntelligent, cultured. His money makes him influential. But I doubt personally if he’s dynamic enough for a popular leader. There’s something of the dilettante about him.”
    â€œYou’ll stay to tea, Angelos?” Mme Lindos said.
    â€œNo, thank you, I must go. You will be here some time, M. Vanbrugh?”
    â€œA week or so. I haven’t decided.”
    â€œNext week—a week today—is the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of my paper. I am proud to have begun it in a back street of the town when I was twenty-three. Next week we are celebrating the anniversary by setting in motion two new printing presses. I came to see Mme Lindos today about the reception which she is holding here first. It would be very fitting—and a pleasure to us—if you could come, having regard to your profession.”
    â€œI shall be glad to. Thank you.”
    â€œMy very oldest surviving friend,” said Mme Lindos when Vyro had left. “ My husband’s friend too. A man of such integrity. His sons are poor copies.”
    â€œTalk Greek to me, will you, Sophia?” Gene said. “One gets out of practice.”
    â€œAre you likely to need practice?”
    â€œSometimes it’s