Chapter 12

           Theabsenceoftheusuallyunfailingsun-windmadethenextSaturdayoppressivelyhot.Thecicadashadbegun.Theyracketedinaraggedchorus,neverquitefindingacommonbeat,raspingone’snerves,butfinallysofamiliarthatwhenonedaytheystoppedinarareshowerofrain,thesilencewaslikeanexplosion.Theycompletelychangedthecharacterofthepineforest.Nowitwasliveandmultitudinous,anaudible,invisiblehiveofenergy,withallitspuresolitudegone,forbesidesthetzitzikiatheairthrobbed,whined,hummedwithcarmine-wingedgrasshoppers,locusts,hugehornets,bees,midges,botsandtenthousandotheranonymousinsects.Insomeplacestherewerenaggingcloudsofblackflies,sothatIclimbedthroughthetreeslikeanewOrestes,cursingandslapping.Icametotheridgeagain.Theseawasapearlyturquoise,thefarmountainsash-blueinthewindlessheat.IcouldseetheshimmeringgreencrownofpinetreesaroundBourani.ItwasaboutnoonwhenIcamethroughthetreesoutontotheshingleofthebeachwiththechapel.Itwasdeserted.Isearchedamongtherocks,buttherewasnothing,andIdidn’tfeelwatched.Ihadaswim,thenlunch,blackbreadandochraandfriedsquid.Alongwaysouthaplumpcaiquethuddedpasttowingalineofsixlittlelamp-boats,likeamallardwithducklings.Itsbowwavemadeathindarkmiragingrippleonthecreamybluesurfaceofthesea,andthatwasallthatremainedofcivilizationwhentheboatshaddisappearedbehindthewesternheadland.

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