Theofilos, the Painter Page #4

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I'll be leaving tomorrow.

Will go to my mother

Those other painters

in Volos,

they got a brigand

to hunt me down...

He broke into the house

where slept,

he jumped down on the from the

roof and tried to kill me.

But lay awake that night

and heard him...

The room is dimly lit

by a small oil-lamb.

Suddenly a harsh frigid laugh

is heard in the silence,

a diabolical laugh, enough

to freeze the blood...

of the bravest man.

And lo! Before him stood the

brigand chief, Kakarapis,

with flashing eyes, arms

crossed against his chest,

a truly fearful figure

a fiendish spectre.

Though a man of dauntless

courage, he took fright...

before the blood-courdling

apparition,

the mysterious, almost

supernatural apparition...

of the brigand chief.

Yet his terror was

mingled with awe,

for the brigand had come

down through the roof...

and reached his bedside

without the slightest sound.

But in a few moments

his fear disappeared,

and he regained his

customary composure

He raised his sabre and

pointed it at the brigand..

Then there was

that other time,

when they sent some

children after me,

young ones,

but older ones too

They broke into the house

and stole my paintings,

my drawings, forty bars of

scented soap, cloves, cinnamon

my brand-new fustanella.

I fought with then

hand to hand...

and finally managed

to get away.

We're nearly there

Shall lift you so

that you can see?

Are they expecting you?

I've been away

a long time, Sister

You look like Louis

the Marathon runner?

mi

Keep the hammer slanted

hold it firmly... "

Didnt they call

Father Pumpkin-head too?

We were all called

that in our family.

Keep it slanted firmly

Theophilos.

Mother has kept some of

grandfather's paintings...

He left them

half finished.

Why don't you finish them?

Then we might sell them.

Grandfather used to sell

them a sovereign a piece.

Can't Stave

my hand balks.

Paint differently

you see.

After left home, Mother,

went to Smyrna.

I got a job as a porter

at the Greek Consulate.

On feast-days always

wore my uniform...

and people used to say

There goes Theophilos

I found myself at the

battle of Velestino,

and then at the

battle of Domokos

with some other

sharpshooters.

Then went to our

cousins in Pelion,

and there began

to paint.

One day went

back to Smyrna

I painted pictures

of our Greek heroes.

The Turks happened

to see my paintings.

They saw my signature.

They proclaimed was wanted

for helping the insurrection...

I always carried weapons

with me... ammunition...

and painted

Now I've come

back home.

Ready?

Are there any more paintings

in the area?

Yes, there are

He wanders all over

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