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152 ROMAN DAYS.
for an enemy and almost as dangerous to have for a
friend. This was the monk Oikonomos, who had long
been favorite of the tyrant of the island Greeks, the dra-
goman prince Nikolaki Morusi, but had now fallen into
disgrace with the latter, because in spite of his economi-
cal name, he had pouched or squandered moneys collected
on the prince’s account. To mollify his master, he had
hit upon the idea of buying and presenting to him the
statue found by Jorgos. Jorgos and the municipal coun-
cil, he had frightened with threats that the Turkish gov-
ernment should demand the statue without remunera-
tion ; and thus he had contrived a bargain, by which
Jorgos for the sum of seven hundred and fifty piastres
gave up the statue to him. Prince Nikolaki, glad in the
expected gift, which he in his turn intended to present to
Kapudan Pacha, received the monk again into favor, and
sent a vessel and crew to Melos to bring the statue.
The Turkish vessel had already anchored off Adaman-
tos, below Castro ; Oikonomos and his men had already
laid hands on the work of art, to convey it on board ; the
authorities at Castro who had signed the agreement with
Mr. Brest, stood with folded arms and thought of the
higher powers that sometimes cross the decrees of muni-
cipal councils, and Mr. Brest himself stood upon the look-
out, on the mountain-top, and gazed mournfully out
over the sea. A ship with the rigging of a man-of-war,
emerged on the horizon. The wind blew towards the
island and bellied all her sails. She drew near with
beautiful speed. Mr. Brest sees that she bears the white
flag with the lilies, which then was that of France. He
draws a deep breath and asks himself : Is help coming?
is rescue coming ?
Oikonomos of the long beard, has discovered the
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