The Whispers of Nemesis (36 page)

‘Myles Antonakos, born in Kerkyra,' he said. ‘His name is there, now, as it should be. His resting place is marked.'

‘You never solved our mystery, then, did you?' asked the sexton, speaking with his pipe still in his mouth. ‘You never tracked down our poet. Where the devil he got to, we shall never know, shall we?'

‘You may never know, no,' said the fat man. A lemon-winged butterfly fluttered around the posy in his hands: roses and gerberas, bound with a ribbon. ‘Incidentally, I saw as I passed through the village that you have swans again, at the spring.'

‘Only one,' said the sexton. ‘A cob, without a mate, only recently arrived. He's lonely by himself, no doubt. He ought to find himself a female.'

‘Maybe he will, in time,' said the fat man. ‘Did you know that swans are supposed to carry the souls of great poets, when they die?'

‘I didn't know that, no,' said the sexton. ‘Are you done here? Aren't you leaving your flowers?'

‘My flowers are not for him,' said the fat man, ‘they're for Roula, if you'll show me where she lies.'

‘Old Roula,' said the sexton, with some surprise. ‘You knew her, did you? They say she was a great beauty, in her prime. Time's a cruel master, wouldn't you say? Come on, and I'll show you to her grave.'

Glossary

 

 

Kali mera (sas)
:
Good morning, good day (
sas
– polite/plural form)

Kali spera (sas)
:
Good evening

Yassou (Yassas)
:
Hello or Goodbye (lit: ‘Your health')

Chairo poli
:
Formal greeting

Kalos tou
:
Informal greeting

Kalo risiko
:
Congratulations offered on a new purchase or acquisition

Panayia mou
:
By the Virgin

Kamari mou
:
My son (lit: my pride)

Agori mou
:
My boy

Pedi mou
:
My child

Kori mou
:
My daughter

Agapi mou
:
My love

Glika mou
:
My sweet

Mori, kalé
:
Familiar terms of address

Oriste?
:
May I help you?

Embros?
:
Polite greeting when answering a telephone

Amessos
:
Right away, immediately

Kyrie
:
Sir, Mr

Kyria
:
Madam, Mrs

Despina
:
Miss

Pappou
:
Grandpa

Thea
:
Aunt

Poustis
:
Homosexual (slang)

Malaka
:
Term of abuse

Kafebriko
:
Small, long-handled pot for brewing coffee

Stifado
:
Meat stewed with onions

Mezedes
:
Appetisers, a variety of small dishes

Dramatis Personae

 

 

Hermes Diaktoros: an investigator

Santos Volakis: a poet

Leda: the poet's daughter

Frona Kalaki: the poet's sister

Maria: the poet's housekeeper

Roula: Maria's mother

Attis Danas: the poet's literary agent

Yorgas Sarris: a publisher, owner of Bellerophon Editions

Papa Tomas: a priest

Katerina: a widow

Myles Antonakos: an alcoholic

Eustis: a café proprietor

Hassan: a taxi driver

Nufris: a crewman on the ferry
Poseidon

A Note on the Author

ANNE ZOUROUDI
was born in England and lived for some years in the Greek islands. Her attachment to Greece remains strong, and the country is the inspiration for much of her writing. She now lives in the Derbyshire Peak District with her son.

By the Same Author

First published in Great Britain 2011

Copyright © Anne Zouroudi 2011

Map © John Gilkes 2011

 

This electronic edition published 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

 

The right of Anne Zouroudi to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted

by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

 

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise

make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means

(including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,

printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable

to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

 

Bloomsbury Publishing     London     New York     Berlin     Sydney

 

50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

 

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

 

ISBN 978 1 4088 1818 3

 

www.bloomsbury.com/annezouroudi

 

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