frightening. Catherine was amazed that he knew her name and who she was. He seemed to go out of his way to put her at ease. He asked Catherine how she liked Greece, whether her apartment was comfortable, and to let him know if he could do anything to help make her stay pleasant. He even knew— though God alone knew how!— that she collected miniature birds.“ I saw a lovely one,” he told her.“ I will send it to you.”
Larry appeared, and he and Catherine left.“ How did you like Demiris?” Larry asked.“ He’ s a charmer,” she said.“ No wonder you enjoy working for him.”
“ And I’ m going to keep working for him.” There was a grimness in his voice that Catherine did not understand.
The following day a beautiful porcelain bird was delivered to Catherine.
Catherine saw Constantin Demiris twice after that, once when she went to the races with Larry and once at a Christmas party Demiris gave at his villa. Each time he went out of his way to be charming to her. All in all, Catherine thought, Constantin Demiris was quite a remarkable person.
In August the Athens Festival began. For two months the city presented plays, ballets, operas, concerts— all given in the Herodes Atticus, the ancient open-air theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Catherine saw several of the plays with Larry, and when he was away she went with Count Pappas. It was fascinating to watch ancient plays staged in their original settings by the race that had created them.
One night after Catherine and Count Pappas had gone to see a production of Medea, they were talking about Larry.
“ He’ s an interesting man,” Count Pappas said.“ Polymechanos.”“ What does that mean?”
“ It is difficult to translate.” The Count thought for a moment.“ It means‘ fertile in devices.’”
“ You mean‘ resourceful’?”
“ Yes, but more than that. Someone who is always very ready with a new idea, a new plan.”
“ Polymechanos,” Catherine said.“ That’ s my boy.”
Above them there was a beautiful, waxing gibbous moon. The night was balmy and warm. They walked through the Plaka toward Omonia Square. As they started to cross the street, a car raced around the corner, headed straight toward them and the Count pulled Catherine to safety.
“ Idiot!” he yelled after the disappearing driver.“ Everyone here seems to drive like that,” Catherine said.