cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第63部分

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Virgin　within　the　church；　at　the　same　time　offering　a　certain　sum　for
the　benefit　of　the　establishment。　The　friction　of　constant　and
oft…repeated　kissing　at　length　began　to　tell　upon　the　sacred　effigy；　and
it　became　almost　worn　out；　it　was　therefore　determined　that　a　beautiful
silver…gilt　Virgin　and　Child　should　be　supplied　by　a　first…rate　artist
which　should　cover　the　original　relic　within。　This　was　remarkably　well
executed　by　Cornaro；　and　a　small　aperture　like　a　keyhole　of　a　door　has
been　left；　which　is　covered　by　a　slide；　this　is　moved　upon　one　side　when
required；　and　enables　the　pilgrim　to　kiss　through　the　hole　a　piece　of
rather　brown…looking　wood；　which　is　the　present　exhausted　surface　of　the
effigy。

Although　decayed　by　time　and　use；　the　miraculous　property　remains
unchanged。　This　was　exhibited　a　few　years　ago　in　a　remarkable　manner；
where　a　childless　lady　had　become　old　in　barren　expectation；　but　a　visit
to　Trooditissa　produced　the　desired　result；　and　conferred　much　happiness
upon　the　once　despairing　wife；　who　now　became　a　mother。　In　addition　to　a
monetary　offering；　this　lady　had　presented　the　Virgin　with　a　handsome
belt　with　massive　silver…gilt　buckles；　which　she　had　worn　during
pregnancy。　This　offering　is　now　suspended　around　the　present　effigy；　and
for　a　small　consideration　any　lady　applicant　is　allowed　to　fasten　it
round　her　waist。　The　effect　is　infallible；　and　quite　equals　that　of　the
rock　and　silver　Virgin。　This　remarkable　inductive　power　may　perhaps　be
some　day　explained　by　philosophers；　but　it　is　now　exceedingly　dangerous；
and　unfortunate　results　have　occurred；　when　in　a　sudden　impulse　of
devotion　young　maidens　have　kissed　the　rock　entrance　to　the　cave；　or
imprudently　pressed　their　lips　upon　the　sacred　effigy。

During　my　sojourn　at　Trooditissa　no　arrivals　of　despairing　wives
occurred；　but　in　the　exhausted　conditions　of　the　finance　throughout　the
island；　it　would　have　been　the　height　of　folly　to　have　desired　an
increase　of　family；　and　thereby　multiply　expenses；　possibly　the
uncertainty　respecting　the　permanence　of　the　English　occupation　may
deter　the　ladies；　who　may　postpone　their　pilgrimage　to　the　monastery
until　their　offspring　should　be　born　with　the　rights　of　British
subjects。

I　have　described　the　origin　of　the　ecclesiastical　retreat　at　Trooditissa
as　nearly　as　possible　according　to　the　viva…voce　history　related　by　the
monks。　It　is　impossible　to　gauge　the　opinions　of　the　world；　as
individuals　differ　as　much　in　nervous　structure　and　in　theological
creeds　as　they　do　in　personal　appearance；　some　may　accept　the　monks'
belief　implicitly；　while　others　may　suggest　that　the　original　occupant
of　the　cave　was　some　unknown　hermit　secluded　from　the　world；　whose
solitary　lamp　burning　before　the　Virgin　had　attracted　the　attention　of
the　shepherds　from　the　mountain　opposite。　The　old　man　may　have　fallen
down　a　precipice　and　died；　leaving　his　lamp　still　alight；　but　it　would
be　unfair　to　interfere　with　the　original　legend；　which　must　remain　with
the　usual　clouds　and　uncertainties　that　obscure　the　tales　of　centuries。

About　250　feet　above　the　monastery　the　ridge　of　a　spur　afforded　a　level
space　beneath　some　tall　pines　which　threw　a　welcome　shade；　and　would
have　been　a　convenient　camping…ground。　This　spot　was　occupied　by　the
roughest　of　log…huts；　which　had　been　erected　by　a　shepherd　as　his　summer
residence　when　the　goats　should　be　driven　from　the　low　ground　to　the
mountain　pasture。　This　man　was　originally　a　Turk；　and　formed　one　of　a
peculiar　sect　known　in　Cyprus　as　Linobambaki　（linen　and　cotton）。　These
people　are　said　to　be　converts　to　Christianity；　but　in　reality　they　have
never　been　troubled　with　any　religious　scruples；　and　accordingly　never
accommodate　their　principles　to　the　society　of　their　neighbourhood。　In　a
Turkish　village　the　Linobambaki　would　call　himself　by　a　Turkish　name；　as
Mahomet；　or　Hassan；　&c。；　while　in　a　Christian　community　he　would　pass　as
Michael　or　Georgy；　or　by　other　Greek　appellations。　The　name　〃linen　and
cotton〃　applied　to　them　is　expressive　of　their　lukewarmness　and
time…serving；　their　religious　professions　fluctuating　according　to　the
dictates　not　of　conscience；　but　personal　interest。　It　is　supposed　that
about　1500　of　these　people　exist　in　various　parts　of　Cyprus；　they　are
baptised　in　the　Greek　Church；　and　can　thus　escape　conscription　for
military　service　according　to　Turkish　law。　The　goatherd　upon　our
mountain　had　been　a　Turkish　servant　（shepherd）　in　a　Greek　family；　and
had　succeeded　in　gaining　the　heart　of　his　master's　daughter；　whom　he　was
permitted　to　marry　after　many　difficulties。　This　woman　must　have　been
very　beautiful　when　young；　as；　in　spite　of　hard　work　and　exposure；　she
was　handsome　at　forty；　with　a　pair　of　eyes　that　in　youth　might　have　been
more　attractive　than　the　mysterious　light　in　the　hermit's　cave。　It　is
one　of　the　blessings　of　fine　eyes　that　they　are　almost　certain　to
descend　to　the　children。　Property　may　vanish；　litigation　may　destroy　the
substance　of　an　inheritance；　but　the　eyes；　large；　soft；　and　gentle；
which　can　occasionally　startle　you　by　their　power　and　subdue　you　by　a
tear；　are　the　children's　entail　that　nothing　can　disestablish。　Even　when
time　has　trampled　upon　complexion；　the　eyes　of　beauty　last　till　death。

The　children　of　this　Linobambaki　and　his　handsome　wife　were　seventwo
boys　of　about　nineteen　and　seventeen；　and　five　girls　from　fourteen　to
one　and　a　halfall　of　whom　had　the　eyes　of　the　mother　developed　most
favourably。　I　cannot　well　describe　every　individual　of　a　family：　there
were　the　two　handsome　shepherd　youths　who　would　have　made　level　ground
of　mountain　steeps；　through　their　power　and　activity。

　　　　〃Right　up　Ben　Lomond　could　he　press；
　　　　　And　not　a　sob　his　toil　confess。〃

These　young　fellows　matched　the　goats　in　clambering　up　the　rocks　and
following　their　wayward　flocks　throughout　the　summits　of　the　Troodos
range；　and　their　sisters　the　little　shepherdesses　were　in　their　way
equally　surprising；　in　hunting　runaway　goats　from　the　deepest　chasm　to
the　sharpest　mountain…peak。

I　hardly　know　who　was　our　greatest　favourite。　There　was　〃Katterina〃
（about　fourteen）　too　old　to　make　a　pet　of；　but　a　gentle…charactered
girl；　always　willing　to　please　and　never　out　of　temper；　and　even　in　the
big；　hateful；　beauty…destroying；　high　hob…nailed　boots　she　could　run　up
the　mountain　soil　and　clamber　like　a　monkey。　Then　came；　I　believe；　our
best　favourite；　the　bright；　large…eyed；　sparkling　child　〃Vathoo；〃　who
was　the　real　beauty　of　the　family；　about　ten　years　old；　she　was　full　of
life　and　vigour；　a　perfect　goat　upon　the　mountains；　with　a　most　lovely
face　that　would　have　charmed　Murillo　as　a　subject；　with　an　extreme
perfection　of　features；　a　bronzed　complexion；　but　hardly　the　soft
expression　required　for　a　sacred　picture；　in　fact　Vathoo　was　a　perfect
little　gipsy　beauty；　with　perhaps　more　devil　than　angel　in　her　impulsive
character。

Then　came　the　real　gentle　little　face　with　gazelle…like　eyes；　〃Baraksu；〃
about　eight　years　old：　followed　by　a　minimum　shepherdess；　〃Athena；〃　of
nearly　five　years　old；　who　climbed　the　rocks；　shouted；　and　threw　stones
at　her　refractory　flock；　as　though　an　experienced　goatherd　of　forty。　The
youngest　was　just　able　to　stand；　with　a　pair　of　the　biggest　black　eyes；
and　a　natural　instinct　for　gorging　itself　with　unripe　fruits　and　hard
nuts；　which；　added　to　its　maternal　sustenance　that　it　was　still
enjoying；　proved　the　mill…like　character　of　its　infantine　digestion。　For
two　months　we　thought　this　young　Hercules　was　a　promising　boy；　until　by
an　accident　we　discovered　it　was　a　〃young　lady〃　Linobambaki！　When　we
arrived　at　Trooditissa　these　children　were　in　rags　and　filth；　but　under
the　tutelage　of　my　wife　they　quickly　changed；　and　the　never…failing
fountain；　assisted　by　a　cake　of　soap　supplied　occasionally；　effected　a
marked　improvement　in　all　complexions。

They　were　remarkably　well…mannered　after　the　first　natural　shyness　had
worn　away；　and　formed　a　contrast　to　children　of　a　low　class　in　England
in　never　misbehaving　when　intimate。　All　these　little　creatures　were
employed　in　cleaning　and　improving　the　place；　even　the　minute　Athena
might　be　seen　carrying　a　great　stone　upon　her　small　shoulder；　adding　her
mite　to　the　work；　and　rubbing　the　galled　spot　as　she　threw　down　her
load。　The　bright　threepenny　pieces　were　in　great　favour；　and　the
children　invariably　hastened　to　their　mother　with　their　earnings　at　the
close　of　the　afternoon。　When　the　camp　and　monastery　surroundings　were　in
perfect　order　there　was　no　longer　any　remunerative　employment　for　the
family；　except　the　uncertain　and　occasional　work　of　collecting　wild
flowers　for　the　tent　and　table。　The　myrtles　bloomed　in　early　July；　and
in　the　deep　ravine　by　the　waterfall　the　oleanders　were　then　still　in
blossom。　Several　plants　which　were　strange　to　me　were　added　to　the
collection；　the　days　were　generally　passed　by　the　children　in　minding
the　numerous　goats　until　the　evening；　when　each　child　brought　some
simple　offering　of　flowers。　We　bought　sheep　from　the　low　country　at
about　six　or　seven　shillings　each；　and　Vathoo　was　the　special
shepherdess　of　our　small　flock；　for　which　she　was　responsible；　they