For some minutes the chauffeur kept his eyes on the road ahead and both

hands on the steering-gear. Then one hand moved, the speed of the car

slackened suddenly, and the man turned and spoke over the back of his

seat.

'I hope you'll forgive me,' he said in English.

Margaret started and sat up straight, for the voice was Logotheti's.

The huge goggles, the protecting curtain over half the face, the

wide-visored cap and the turned-up coat collar, had disguised him

beyond all recognition. Even his usually smooth black moustache was

ruffled out of shape, and hid his characteristic mouth.

Margaret uttered an exclamation of surprise, not quite sure whether she

ought to smile or frown.

'I thought Mrs. Rushmore would not like it, if I came for you myself,'

he continued, looking at her through his goggles.

'I'm sure she wouldn't,' Margaret assented readily.

'In point of fact,' Logotheti continued, with a grin, 'she expressed

her opinion of me with extraordinary directness. Suspicious Greek!

Worse than a foreigner! As bad as a Turk! The unprincipled owner of a

harem! It's really true that eavesdroppers never hear any good of

themselves! I never tried it before, and it served me right.' 'You cannot say that I said anything against you,' laughed Margaret. 'I

took your defence.' 'Not with enthusiasm.' Logotheti joined in her laugh.

'You thought there might be just a little prejudice in her opinion and

you told her that Greeks don't have harems. Yes--yes--I suppose that

might be called defending an absent friend.' The car was moving very slowly now.

'If I had known it was you, I would have called you all sorts of

names,' Margaret answered. 'Should you mind taking that thing off your

face for a moment? I don t like talking to a mask, and you may be some

one else after all.' 'No,' said Logotheti, 'I'm not "some one else".' He emphasised the

words that had become familiar to them both. 'I wish I were! But if I

take off my glasses and cap, you will be frightened, for my hair is not

smooth and I'm sure I look like a Greek pirate!' 'I should like to see one, and I shall not be frightened.' He pulled off his cap and glasses, and faced her. She stared at him in

surprise, for she was not sure that she should have recognised him. His

thick black hair stuck up all over his head like a crest, his heavy

eyebrows were as bushy as an animal's fur and his rough and bristling

moustache lent his large mouth and massive jaws a look approaching to

ferocity. The whole effect was rather startling, and Margaret opened

her eyes wide in astonishment. Logotheti smiled.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024