cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第79章

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CHAPTER　XV。

LIFE　AT　THE　MONASTERY　OF　TROODITISSA。

The　life　at　our　quiet　camp　at　Trooditissa　was　a　complete　calm：　there
could　not　be　a　more　secluded　spot；　as　no　human　habitation　was　near；
except　the　invisible　village　of　Phyni　two　miles　deep　beneath；　at　the
mountain's　base。　The　good　old　monk　Neophitos　knitted；　and　taught　his
boys　always　in　the　same　daily　spot：　the　swallows　built　their　nests　under
the　eaves　of　the　monastery　roof　and　beneath　the　arch　which　covered　in
the　spring；　and　sat　in　domestic　flocks　upon　the　over…hanging　boughs
within　a　few　feet　of　our　breakfast…table；　when　their　young　could　fly。
Nightingales　sang　before　sunset；　and　birds　of　many　varieties　occupied
the　great　walnut…tree　above　our　camp；　and　made　the　early　morning
cheerful　with　a　chorus　of　different　songs。　There　was　no　change　from　day
to　day；　except　in　the　progress　of　the　gardens；　the　plums　grew　large：　the
mulberries　ripened　in　the　last　week　of　July；　and　the　shepherd's　pretty
children　and　the　monastery　boys　were　covered　with　red　stains；　as　though
from　a　battlefield；　as　they　descended　from　the　attractive　boughs。　It　was
a　very　peaceful　existence；　and　I　shall　often　look　back　with　pleasure　to
our　hermitage　by　the　walls　of　the　old　monastery；　which　afforded　a　moral
haven　from　all　the　storms　and　troubles　that　embitter　life。　On　Sundays　we
sent　a　messenger　for　the　post　to　the　military　camp　at　Troodos；　about
five　and　a　half　miles　distant；　and　the　arrival　of　letters　and　newspapers
restored　us　for　a　couple　of　days　to　the　outer　world：　after　which　we
relapsed　once　more　into　the　local　quiescent　state　of　complete　rest。　It
must　not　be　supposed　that　we　were　idle；　there　were　always　occupations
which　by　degrees　I　hope　improved　the　place；　and　to　a　certain　degree　the
people。　Occasionally　I　asked　the　old　monks　to　sit　and　smoke　their
cigarettes　in　our　〃rachkooba；〃　when　they　sipped　their　hot　coffee；　and
explained　difficult　theological　questions　to　my　intense　edification；　of
course　I　always　listened；　but　never　argued。　My　particular　friend　old
Neophitos　treated　me　to　long　stories　which　he　imagined　must　be　new　and
interesting；　especially　the　history　of　Joseph　and　his　brethren；　which　he
several　times　recounted　from　beginning　to　end　with　tears　of　sympathy　in
his　eyes　at　Joseph's　love　for　the　youngest　brother　Benjamin。　The　Garden
of　Eden；　the　Deluge；　including　the　account　of　Noah's　Ark；　and　several
equally　modern　and　entertaining　stories；　I　always　listened　to　with
commendable　attention。　Yet　even　in　this　solitude；　where　the　chapel…bell
on　Saturday　night；　and　at　daybreak　upon　Sunday　mornings；　was　in　harmony
with　the　external　peaceful　surroundings；　and　it　appeared　as　though
discord　could　never　enter　the　walls　of　Trooditissa；　the　old　monks　had
their　cares　and　difficulties。

The　principal　cause　of　trouble　was　〃servants！〃　I　was　quite　surprised；　as
I　thought　we　were　nearer　heaven　in　this　spot　than　in　any　earthly
locality　I　had　ever　visited；　but　even　here　the　question　of　〃servants〃
was　an　irritation　to　the　nerves　of　the　patient　monks。　My　own　servants
were　excellent；　and　never　quarrelled　or　complained；　they　appeared　to
have　been　mesmerised　by　the　placid　character　of　their　position；　and　to
have　become　angelic；　especially　in　not　fatiguing　themselves　through
over…exertion。　With　the　monks　the　case　was　different。　In　this　quiet
retreat；　where　man　reigned　alone；　as　Adam　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　where
the　cares　and　anxieties　of　married　life　were　unknown　within　the　sacred
walls　of　celibacy；　a　single　representative　of　the　other　sex　existed　in
the　ubiquitous　shape　of　a　〃maid　of　all　work；〃　and　as　Eve　caused　the
first　trouble　in　the　world；　so　the　monastery　〃maid〃　disturbed　the
otherwise　peaceful　existence　of　Neophitos。

This　maid's　name　was　〃Christina；〃　and　she　received　the　munificent　sum　of
one　hundred　piastres　per　annum　as　wages；　which　in　English　money　would　be
fifteen　shillings　and　sixpence　every　year。　The　world　is　full　of
ingratitude；　and　strange　to　say；　Christina　was　dissatisfied；　which
naturally　wounded　the　feelings　of　the　good　monks；　as　in　addition　to　this
large　sum　of　money　she　received　her　food　and　clothes；　the　latter
consisting　of　full　trousers；　and　a　confusion　of　light　material；　which；
having　no　shape　whatever；　I　could　not　describe。　Christina；　though　young；
was　not　pretty；　and　she　was　always　either　crying　or　scolding；　which
would　of　course　spoil　any　beauty；　while　at　the　same　time　she　was　either
washing　all　the　clothes　belonging　to　the　whole　establishment　of　monks　（a
very　disagreeable　business）；　or　hanging　them　out　to　dry　near　the　spring；
or　she　was　sweeping　the　monastery；　or　arranging　the　very　dirty　rooms　of
the　establishment；　or　baking　all　the　bread　that　was　required；　or　cooking
the　dinner；　or　repairing　all　the　old　clothes　which　the　monks　wore　when
they　were　only　fit　for　a　paper…mill。　As　there　was　no　special
accommodation　in　the　shape　of　a　laundry；　Christina　had　to　collect
sticks；　and　make　a　huge　fire　beneath　a　copper　cauldron　in　the　open　air；
into　which　she　plunged　all　the　different　vestments　of　the　monks　and
priests；　and　stewed　them　before　washing。　This　was　a　Cyprian　〃maid　of　all
work；〃　whose　gross　ingratitude　troubled　the　minds　of　her　〃pastors　and
masters；〃　and　one　day　a　peculiar　mental　disturbance　pervaded　the　whole
priestly　establishment　and　caused　a　monasterial　commotion；　as；　after　a
violent　fit　of　temper　attended　by　crying；　Christina　had　declared
solemnly　that　she　〃would　stand　it　no　longer；〃　and　〃she　wished　TO　BETTER
HERSELF！〃

Whenever　there　was　a　difficulty　the　monks　came　to　me；　why；　I　cannot
imagine。　If　the　shepherd's　goats　invaded　their　gardens　and　destroyed　the
onions　and　the　beet…root　crops；　they　applied　to　me。　Of　course　I　advised
them　to　〃fence　their　gardens；〃　and　they　went　away　satisfied；　but　did　not
carry　out　the　suggestion　so　in　due　time　their　crops　were　devoured。　They
now　told　me　that　THEY　ALWAYS　HAD　DIFFICULTY　WITH　WOMEN！　This　new　theory
startled　me　almost　as　much　as　the　novelty　of　the　old　monks'　stories。
They　explained　that　YOUNG　WOMEN　WOULDN'T　WORK；　AND　OLD　WOMEN　COULDN'T
WORK。　It　had　not　occurred　to　them　that　a　middle…aged　woman　might　have
combined　all　that　they　desired。　Knowing　their　strict　moral　principles；　I
had　suggested　an　〃old　woman〃　as　the　successor　of　Christina；　as　I
explained　to　them　that；　to　be　in　harmony　with　the　establishment；　a　woman
of　a　〃certain　age〃　as　general　servant　would　not　detract　from　the
religious　character　of　the　place。　However　I　might　argue；　the　old　monk
hesitated；　but　while　the　monk　wavered；　Christina's　〃monkey　was　up；〃　and；
taking　her　child　in　her　arms；　she　started　off　without　giving　a　〃month's
notice；〃　and　fairly　left　the　monastery；　with　monks；　priests；　deacons；
servants　and　the　dogs　all　aghast　and　barking。　There　was　nobody　to　wash
the　linen；　to　bake　the　bread；　to　sweep　the　rooms；　to　cook　the　dinner；　to
mend　the　clothes！　Christina　was　gone；　and　the　gentle　sex　was　no　longer
represented　in　the　monastery　of　Trooditissa。

I　was　sorry　for　Christina；　but　I　was　glad　the　child　was　gone；　although　I
pitied　the　poor　abandoned　and　neglected　little　creature　with　all　my
heart。　As　a　rule；　〃maids　of　all　work〃　should　not　be　mothers；　but　if　they
are；　they　should　endeavour　to　care　for　the　unfortunate　child。　This
wretched　little　thing　was　about　two　years　olda　girl；　its　eyes　were
nearly　closed　with　inflammation　caused　by　dirt　and　neglect；　it　was
naked；　with　the　exception　of　a　filthy　rag　that　hung　in　tatters　scarcely
below　its　hips；　and　as　its　ill…tempered　and　over…worked　mother
alternately　raved；　or　cried；　the　child；　which　even　at　this　age　depended
mainly　upon　her　nursing　for　its　food；　joined　in　a　perpetual　yell；　which
at　length　terminated　in　a　faint　and　wearied　moan；　until　it　laid　itself
down　upon　the　bare；　hard　stones；　and　fell　asleep。　It　was　a　sad　picture
of　neglect　and　misery；　the　shepherd's　pretty　children　shunned　it；　and　in
its　abandoned　solitude　the　little　creature　had　to　amuse　itself。　The　face
looked　like　that　of　an　old　careworn　person　who　had　lost　all　pleasure　in
the　world；　and　the　child　wandered　about　alone　and　uncared　for；　its　only
plaything　was　my　good…tempered　dog　Wise；　who　allowed　himself　to　be
pulled　about　and　teased　in　the　most　patient