“ Whatever I had,” she gasped,“ I think this just cured it.”
As they ate, three musicians began to play Bozoukia music. It was lively and gay and infectious and, as the group watched, customers began to get to their feet and move out onto the dance floor to dance to the music. What amazed Catherine was that the dancers were all male, and they were magnificent. She was enjoying herself tremendously.
They did not leave the café until after three A. M. The Count drove them back to their new apartment.“ Have you done any sightseeing yet?” he asked Catherine.
“ Not really,” she confessed.“ I’ m waiting for Larry to get some time off.”
The Count turned to Larry.“ Perhaps I could show Catherine some of the sights until you are able to join us.”
“ That would be great,” Larry said.“ If you’ re sure it wouldn’ t be too much trouble.”
“ It would be my pleasure,” the Count replied. He turned to Catherine.“ Would you mind having me as your guide?”
She looked at him and thought of Dimitropolous, the little real-estate man who spoke fluent gibberish.
“ I’ d love it,” she replied sincerely.
The next few weeks were fascinating. Catherine would spend mornings fixing up the apartment, and in the afternoon, if Larry was away, the Count would pick her up and take her sightseeing.
They drove out to Olympia.“ This is the site of the first Olympic Games,” the Count told her.“ They were held here every year for a thousand years in spite of wars, plagues and famines.”
Catherine stood looking in awe at the ruins of the great arena, thinking of the grandeur of the contests that had been held there through the centuries, the triumphs, the defeats.
“ Talk about the playing fields of Eton,” Catherine said.“ This is where the spirit of sportsmanship really started, isn’ t it?”
The Count laughed.“ I’ m afraid not,” he said.“ The truth is a little embarrassing.” Catherine looked up, interested.“ Why?”“ The first chariot race ever held here was fixed.”“ Fixed?”
“ I’ m afraid so,” Count Pappas confessed.“ You see, there was a rich prince named Pelops who was feuding with a rival. They decided to hold a chariot race here to see who was the better man. The night before the race Pelops tampered with the wheel of his rival’ s chariot. When the race began, the whole countryside was here to cheer on their favorite. At the first turn the wheel of the rival’ s chariot flew off, and his chariot overturned.