Αλέξανδρος Παπαδιαμάντης

Ο ΧΑΡΑΜΑΔΟΣ*

Τί Χριστούγεννα ἔμελλον νὰ κάμουν, τὸ ἔτος ἐκεῖνο, εἰς τὸ παλαιὸν βραχοκτισμένον θαλασσοδαρμένον Κάστρον, κατέναντι τοῦ ἀγρίως μαινομένου πελάγους, εἰς τὰ κράτη τοῦ Βορρᾶ; Δυστυχισμένη χρονιὰ ἐκείνη. Δύο χιλιάδες γίδια καὶ πρόβατα εἶχαν ψοφήσει ἀπὸ τὰ ὀλίγα κοπάδια τῆς μικρᾶς νήσου, μέσα εἰς τὰ χειμάδια τῶν ποιμένων καὶ βοσκῶν, ἀπὸ τὸ τρομερὸν ψῦχος, ἀπὸ τὰ χιόνια τὰ πρώιμα, ὁποὺ ἐσκέπασαν τοὺς λόγγους καὶ τὰ βουνά, ἕως τοὺς βουβῶνας τὸ ὕψος. Τρόφιμα ἄλλα δὲν ὑπῆρχον, εἰμὴ ἐλαῖαι καὶ παστὰ ὀψάρια. Τ᾽ ἀμπέλια δὲν εἶχον καρποφορήσει· ἄγνωστος πρωτοφανὴς νόσος εἶχε βλάψει τὰ σταφύλια.
Τὰς τελευταίας σταγόνας τοῦ οἴνου τῆς χρονιᾶς, ὀλίγον λάκυρον νεροπλυμένον τὸ ὁποῖον εἶχον κάμει τὸ ἔτος ἐκεῖνο, τὰς εἶχον πίει πρὸ δύο ἢ τριῶν ἡμερῶν, ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πὶτς καὶ ὁ ἀχώριστος φίλος του, ὁ Ἀντώνης τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας, εἰς τὸ καπηλεῖον τοῦ Γιαννιοῦ τῆς Στέργαινας· καὶ τώρα, ὁποὺ ἐξημέρωναν Χριστούγεννα, μὲ τὸν οὐρανίσκον στεγνόν, ἔμειναν ἀγρυπνοῦντες εἰς τὸ μικρὸν καπηλεῖον, τὸ σύνθετον καὶ ἀπὸ καφενέν, τὸ ὁποῖον ἔμεινεν ἀνοικτὸν ἐξαιρετικῶς τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην, μέχρι τῆς ὥρας καθ᾽ ἣν ἔμελλε νὰ σημάνῃ ὁ Ὄρθρος καὶ ἡ Λειτουργία τῶν Χριστουγέννων.
Ποῦ ἡ ἐποχὴ ἐκείνη, καθ᾽ ἣν παντοῖοι κορσάροι, Τοῦρκοι, Ἀφρικανοί, Γενοβέζοι, περιεκάθιζον τὸ μικρὸν παραθαλάσσιον φρούριον ― καὶ ὅμως οἱ τότε ἄνθρωποι ἦσαν εὐτυχεῖς, χωρὶς νὰ τὸ ἠξεύρουν! Ἡ σιδηρόπορτα πάντοτε κλειστή, ἡ κινητὴ γέφυρα ἀνεβασμένη· εἶχον ἀφθόνους τροφάς, κ᾽ ἔπινον νερὸν ἀπὸ μίαν στέρναν· κ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἐφείδοντο τοῦ νεροῦ, ὅταν ἐπρόκειτο νὰ κτισθῇ τοῖχος αὐλῆς ἢ μικρὰ καλύβη, κατεσκεύαζον τὴν λάσπην μὲ κρασί ―καθὼς διηγοῦντο οἱ γεροντότεροι― καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ εἶχον ἐξ ἀκοῆς ― καὶ ὅλοι ἔλεγαν ὅτι τὸ πιστεύουν. Ποῦ ἡ ἀφθονία ἐκείνη εἰς ὅλα τὰ πράγματα; Εὐλογημένος καιρός!
Σήμερον, ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πίτς, καὶ ὁ φίλος του, ὁ Ἀντώνης τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας, ᾐσθάνοντο ξηρὸν τὸν φάρυγγα, ἐνῷ ἐξημέρωνε τέτοια μεγάλη καὶ φαιδρὰ ἑορτή, χρονιάρα μέρα! Ἀφοῦ ἔπαυσαν τὰ φαναράκια νὰ περιφέρωνται, καὶ τὰ παιδία ποὺ ἔψαλλον τὸ «Χριστούγεννα-Πρωτούγεννα» ἐπῆγαν νὰ κοιμηθοῦν, κ᾽ ἐσβήσθησαν ὅλα τὰ φῶτα, καὶ ὁ βορρᾶς ἐμαίνετο καὶ ἀντήχει ὁ πλαταγισμὸς τῶν κυμάτων κάτωθεν τοῦ βράχου, ἔμεινε τὸ καπηλεῖον μὲ τὰς δύο πενιχρὰς καπνώδεις λυχνίας του, μὲ τὴν θύραν βλέπουσαν πρὸς τὸ πέλαγος, εἰς τὸ ὕψος ὅπου ἵστατο τὸ παμμέγιστον «Κανόνι τῆς Ἀναγκιᾶς», κατὰ τὸ βόρειον ἄκρον τοῦ Κάστρου.
Δύο ἢ τρεῖς ἄλλοι θαμῶνες ἔκλινον τὴν κεφαλὴν εἰς τὰ τραπέζια κ᾽ ἐνύσταζον, ὁ κάπηλος, ὄρθιος παρὰ τὸ κυλικεῖον, ἀφῆκε μέγαν ρογχασμόν. Ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πὶτς κι ὁ Ἀντώνης τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας ἐξῆλθον ν᾽ ἀγναντέψουν τὸ μαῦρον πέλαγος, ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀναγκιᾶς τὸ Κανόνι. Τούτους ἠκολούθησε μετ᾽ ὀλίγον διὰ νὰ ξενυστάξῃ κι ὁ ἴδιος ὁ καφετζής.
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Ἀνάμεσα εἰς τὰ χορεύοντα κύματα, εἰς τὸ ἔρεβος τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ τὸ χάος, ὁ Νικολὸς κι ὁ φίλος του εἶδαν ἔξαφνα ἓν φῶς μικρὸν ὡς λαμπυρίς, νὰ σείεται, ν᾽ ἀφανίζεται, καὶ πάλιν ν᾽ ἀνακύπτῃ. Κάποιον πλοῖον ἀγωνιοῦσε κ᾽ ἐπαράδερνεν ἐκεῖ, εἰς τὸ μαῦρον πέλαγος.
― Νά ἕνα καΐκι, εἶπεν ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πίτς.
― Καράβι μεγάλο εἶναι, εἶπεν ὁ υἱὸς τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας.
― Μεγάλο, μικρό… ἡ φουρτούνα τὸ σπρώχνει κατὰ δῶ.
― Ξυλάρμενο*; εἶπεν ὁ ἄλλος.
― Ποιὸς μπορεῖ νὰ διακρίνῃ;
Παρῆλθον ὀλίγα λεπτὰ τῆς ὥρας. Τὸ πλοῖον εἶχε πλησιάσει. Ἐφαίνετο νὰ ἔχῃ κατεβασμένα τὰ πανιά. Ἠκούσθη κρότος ἁλύσεως.
― Νά, ἄραξε, εἶπεν ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πίτς. Θέ μου, καὶ νὰ ἦτον φορτωμένο κρασιά;… ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ στέλνει.
― Νὰ ἔχῃ καὶ τίποτα ξηροτύρια στ᾽ ἀμπάρι του! παρετήρησεν ὁ Ἀντώνης τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας.
― Νὰ ἔφερνε καὶ κάμποσα κεφάλια γιδοπρόβατα γιὰ σφάξιμο! προσέθεσεν ὁ Γιαννιὸς τῆς Στέργαινας.
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Πρὸ ἔτους καὶ πλέον, ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς ὁ Καλούμπας, μὲ τὴν ὡραίαν μεγάλην σκούναν του, εἶχεν ἀποπλεύσει ἀπὸ τὴν Σαλονίκην, διὰ νὰ ἐκφορτώσῃ ἓν ὑπόλοιπον τοῦ ἐκ λιθοκόλλας καὶ οἰκοδομικοῦ ὑλικοῦ φορτίου του εἰς ἕνα δυτικὸν αἰγιαλὸν τοῦ λαιμοῦ τῆς Κασσάνδρας, ἐντὸς τοῦ Θερμαϊκοῦ κόλπου. Εἶχε λάβει ἐπὶ τοῦ πλοίου του ἕνα ἢ δύο Ἑβραίους βοηθοὺς διὰ τὴν ἐκφόρτωσιν, ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἐπιχείρησις ἐγένετο ἀπὸ μέρους τῆς ἰσραηλιτικῆς κοινότητος τῆς Σαλονίκης.
Ὁ Ἑβραῖος φορτωτὴς καὶ ὁ ὑπάλληλός του, δὲν ἤλπιζον νὰ φθάσωσι τόσον γρήγορα εἰς τὸ τέρμα τοῦ πλοῦ. Ἦτο Σάββατον, ἔφθασαν πρὸ μεσημβρίας, καὶ ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς ἐπέμενε ν᾽ ἀρχίσῃ ἀμέσως ἡ ἐκφόρτωσις.
Ἦτο περὶ τὰ μέσα τοῦ φθινοπώρου, οἱ καιροὶ ἦσαν θυμωμένοι, καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν νύκτα σφοδρότατοι ἀπόγειοι ἄνεμοι ἔπνεον.
Τὸ μέρος ἦτο ἀλίμενον. Ἦτο κίνδυνος, ἂν ἔμενον τὴν νύκτα, ὁ ἄνεμος καὶ τὰ κύματα νὰ ξεσύρουν τὴν ἄγκυραν, νὰ ξουριάσουν* τὸ πλοῖον, καὶ τότε… καλὸ ξεπλάτισμα! ὅπως λέγουν οἱ ναυτικοί.
Ὁ Ἑβραῖος ἠρνήθη νὰ δώσῃ χεῖρα εἰς τὴν ἐκφόρτωσιν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Σαββάτου. Δὲν ἤξευρεν, ὁ Τσιφούτης, ὅτι «ἔξεστιν ἐν Σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιεῖν», καὶ δὲν ἤξευρεν ὅτι «Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου καὶ τοῦ Σαββάτου». Ἤξευρε μόνον νὰ σώζεται, μὲ τὸν κόπον τῶν Ἑλλήνων ναυτικῶν, πλέων ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Σαββάτου.
Πῶς δὲν τοὺς διέτασσε (τοῦ ἔλεγεν ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς) νὰ ἀράξουν καταμεσῆς στὸ πέλαγος, εἰς βάθος διακοσίων ὀργυιῶν, διὰ νὰ μὴ ἀρμενίζουν τὸ Σάββατον; Ἄλλως καὶ διὰ νὰ ἀράξουν μόνον ἐχρειάζετο κόπος, ἐργασία. Ἀλλ᾽ ἦτο, ὡς φαίνεται, γνήσιος ἀπόγονος ἐκείνων, οἵτινες τὸ πάλαι διύλιζον τὸν κώνωπα καὶ κατέπινον τὴν κάμηλον.
Ὁ πλοίαρχος ἐθύμωσεν, ἠγανάκτησε, καὶ δυστυχῶς, ὡς ἐλέχθη, ἴσως παρεξετράπη κατὰ τοῦ Ἑβραίου. Τὸν ὑπάλληλόν του τὸν ὑπεχρέωσε διὰ τῆς βίας νὰ ἐργασθῇ, ἐξεφόρτωσεν ὅπως ἠδυνήθη καὶ ἀπέπλευσε.
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Τὴν ἄλλην χρονιάν, μεσοῦντος τοῦ Δεκεμβρίου, ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς, προερχόμενος ἀπὸ τὰ Μπογάζια, καὶ τὸ Δεδεαγάτς, φέρων καί τινα ἐξαίρετα κασκαβάλια* τῆς Αἴνου, ἐπλησίασεν εἰς τὴν Λῆμνον, ἐφόρτωσεν ὡραῖα κοκκινωπὰ κρασιά, κ᾽ ἔπλευσεν εἰς Θεσσαλονίκην.
Ἡ Ἑβραϊκὴ Κοινότης ἠρνήθη νὰ δεχθῇ καὶ νὰ ἐκφορτώσῃ τὰ πράγματα, τὰ ὁποῖα ἦσαν προωρισμένα εἰς παραλαβὴν αὐτῆς. Ἀπηγόρευσεν εἰς ὅλους τοὺς ἐργάτας της, ἐκφορτωτάς, ἀχθοφόρους, ἁμαξαγωγούς, Ἑβραίους ἢ ὄχι, νὰ συντελέσωσιν εἰς τὴν ἐκφόρτωσιν.
Ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς δὲν ἤξευρε τίποτε, δι᾽ ὅ,τι εἶχε συμβῆ ἀπὸ πέρυσιν ἕως ἐφέτος. Ἐν τῷ μεταξύ, ἡ Κοινότης τὸν εἶχε κάμει χαραμάδον, ἤτοι ἀποσυνάγωγον, μεταξὺ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐμποροπλοιάρχων.
Ὁ καπετὰν Ἡρακλῆς δὲν ἠθέλησεν οὔτε νὰ ἐνεργήσῃ τι, οὔτε εἰς τὸ Προξενεῖον νὰ προσφύγῃ. Ἐπειδὴ ἤρχοντο Χριστούγεννα δὲν ἐμελέτα μὲν νὰ πλεύσῃ εἰς τὴν γενέθλιον νῆσόν του, διὰ νὰ ἑορτάσῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνδομύχως ηὔχετο νὰ ἔστελλεν ὁ Θεὸς ἕνα καλὸν βορρᾶν διὰ νὰ πωλήσῃ τὰ κρασιὰ ὁπουδήποτε (τὰ ὁποῖα ἤξευρεν ὅτι ἐκόστιζαν πάμφθηνα εἰς τὸν ἔμπορόν του) καὶ ἔπειτα μίαν καλὴν νοτιὰν διὰ νὰ ποδίσῃ* καὶ μεταβῇ εἰς τὴν πατρίδα του. Δὲν ἤξευρεν, ἐπειδὴ πρὸ πολλοῦ δὲν εἶχε λάβει γράμματα ἐκεῖθεν, ὅτι ἀκριβῶς διὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτὸ τοῦ τερπνοῦ ἐμπορεύματός του, ὑπῆρχε μεγάλη δίψα εἰς ὅλους τοὺς οὐρανίσκους καὶ τοὺς φάρυγγας τῶν νυκτερινῶν θαμώνων τοῦ καπηλείου, ἐπάνω εἰς τὸ Κανόνι τῆς Ἀναγκιᾶς… ἐκεῖ ἦτο ἡ πατρίς του.
Ἀπέπλευσεν ἀπὸ τὴν Σαλονίκην, καὶ ἔλεγε μέσα του: «Νὰ μὴν πιάσῃ ἡ κατάρα τῶν Τσιφούτηδων! Νὰ μὴν τοὺς περάσῃ!» Διασκέδασον τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Ἀχιτόφελ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου!
Ἀνοικτὰ ἀπὸ τὴν Κασσάνδραν εὗρε δύο μεγάλα πλοῖα, βαρυφορτωμένα ἀπὸ ἀρνία πρώιμα κ᾽ ἐρίφια. Ἠγόρασεν ἐξ αὐτῶν εἴκοσι κεφάλια.
Ὅπως εὐχήθη, οὕτω σχεδὸν ἔγινε. Τὴν πρώτην νύκτα ἔστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐλαφρὸν βορρᾶν. Τὴν δευτέραν ἑσπέραν ἔπνευσε σφοδρὸς νότος.
Ἐπόδισε τὴν νύκτα καὶ κατέπλευσεν εἰς τὸ παλαιὸν βραχοκτισμένον καὶ θαλασσοδαρμένον Κάστρον.
Ἅμα ἐξημέρωσε, καὶ ἔπαυσεν ὁ ἄνεμος, ἐξεφόρτωσε τὰ εἴκοσι κεφάλια ἀρνία κ᾽ ἐρίφια, τὰ ἐξαίρετα τυριὰ τῆς Αἴνου, κ᾽ ἐπώλησε πρὸς εἴκοσι λεπτὰ τὴν ὀκὰν τὸ κοκκινωπὸν ἀφρῶδες ποτόν.
Κ᾽ ἔτσι ἔκαμαν καλὰ Χριστούγεννα, καὶ ὁ πλοίαρχος εἰς τὴν ἑστίαν του, κι ὁ Νικολὸς τὸ Πίτς, κι ὁ Ἀντώνης τῆς Γαλοντζίτσας, κι ὁ Γιαννιὸς τῆς Στέργαινας, καὶ ὅλοι οἱ κάτοικοι τοῦ βορεινοῦ θαλασσοδαρμένου χωρίου.
(1904)
*χαραμάδος < εβραϊκή, חרם (herem)
Αποσυνάγωγος, απόκληρος

Η ΑΠΟΔΟΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΔΙΗΓΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΣΤΑ ΑΓΓΛΙΚΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ  ΒΑΣΙΛΗ Κ. ΜΗΛΙΤΣΗ

   THE OUTCAST (חרם – HEREM*)

By Alexandros Papadiamantis

Rendered by Vassilis C. Militsis

What sort of Christmas were the denizens looking forward to in the old, rocky, sea-swept Castle village, built against the wild and raging sea in the realms of the northerly wind? That year was a dismal one. Two thousand goats and sheep of the scant flocks on the small island died in their corrals by the unusually bitter cold and the premature snowfalls that had covered forests and mountains as deep as a man’s hips. There was a dearth of food save for some provisions of olives and salted fish. The vineyards had not yielded fruit the summer before as an unprecedented disease had infected the vines.


The last drops of that year’s vintage, double-pressed and mixed with water, were consumed a couple of days ago by Nicolo, the Pitch, and his close buddy, Antonio, Galontzitsa’s son, in Yannio, Stergaina’s son’s, taproom; and now on Christmas Eve, their palates dry, they were keeping vigil in the small coffee house-cum-wine shop joint, which stayed open especially at that night until the wee hours when the church bells sounded the matins and the Christmas mass.





Those were the days when a medley of Turkish, Africans and Genovese pirates besieged the small sea fortress – and yet the people then were happy without even knowing it! The iron gate was always shut and the drawbridge up; however, the castle dwellers had enough provisions to go by and drew sufficient potable water from a cistern; but since they consumed the water rather sparingly, they made mortar by mixing earth and wine when they wanted to build a stone wall or a cabin – according to old timer’s tales handed down by their forefathers, too; – it is so believed by all. Those were the days of plenty, blessed times!


Today Nicolo, the Pitsch, and his chum, Antonio, Galontzitsa’s son, had nothing to cool their burning gullets while a great and festive day was breaking! After the lanterns were put out and the kids that caroled God rest you, merry gentlemen went home to sleep; after all lights went out and the northerly wind was raging and the breakers were roaring upon the foot of the cliff, the taproom, lit by two pitiful, smoky lamps, was still open with its view of the sea and standing at the height where also stood the enormous Cannon of Ananghia at the northernmost end of the Castle.



A couple of other sleepy patrons were nodding at the tables while the proprietor, erect by the bar, let out a loud snore. Nicolo and Antonio walked out of the shop to gaze at the dark sea from the Cannon, shortly followed by the publican himself, who wanted to get rid of his drowsiness.

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In the midst of the dancing sea billows, in the deep darkness of the night, Nicolo and his friend suddenly discerned a light like a firefly that bobbed, flashed and disappeared successively. A vessel might have been tossing about in agony in the black sea.

“There’s a sloop,” said Nicolo, the Pitch.

“Nah, that must be a big boat,” replied Galontzitsa’s son.

“Whether big or small… the storm is sending her to the shore,” ruled his companion.

“Is she adrift?” asked his friend.
“Who can say?” replied the other.

After a few minutes the vessel had approached. She seemed to have reefed her sails. They heard the clunk of the chain.

“There, she’s dropped anchor,” said Nicolo, the Pitch. “My God, and if she’s loaded with casks of wine? She’s a godsend gift.”
“I wish she’d also have some bales of dry cheese in her hold!” remarked Antonio, Galontzitsa’s son.

“If only she’d bring some sheep and goats to be slaughtered!” added Yannio, Stergaina’s son.
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A year before, Captain Hercules Kouloumbas, had sailed from Saloniki in his large, fair schooner in order to unload part of marble dust and building material at a spot on a west shore of the Cassandra fork on the side of the Thermaikos Gulf. He had hired a couple of Jews on his vessel as helping hands for the unloading of the cargo as the business was being transacted by the Thessaloniki Jewish Community.



The Jewish hired hand and his help had never hoped to arrive so soon at the end of their journey. It was Saturday when they arrived and Captain Hercules insisted on the immediate unloading.


It was in the middle of autumn, there was a bad turn of the weather and during the approaching night very violent winds were likely to blow.

The spot was unprotected. If they should stay the night, the wind and the rough seas could drag the anchor and sweep the ship away like a nutshell, in which case the crew would break its back toiling to set her in her course.
The Jew refused to lend a helping hand at the unloading as it was Sabbath. The shylock had no idea that it is worth doing good even on the Sabbath, nor did he know that Lord of the Sabbath is the Son of Man. (Luke 6:5) All he knew was to sail at the expense of the Greek sailors on the day of Sabbath.
How come – Captain Hercules was telling him – didn’t he order them to drop anchor in the midst of the open sea, over a depth of two hundred fathoms, so that they might not sail on the Sabbath? Besides, to do so it took some labor. But he seemed to be a genuine descendant of those who of old used to strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24)

The skipper became furious and, being in high dudgeon, he was perhaps too hard on the Jew. Consequently, he got him to work by force and unloading the cargo as best as he could they sailed off.
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The following year in the middle of December, Captain Hercules sailing through the Dardanelles to Alexandroupolis with a cargo of prime, seasoned cheeses of Ainos, he doched in Lemnos where he loaded casks of select red wine and then sailed to Thessaloniki.


Upon arriving at the city, the Jewish Community refused to receive the commodities consigned to it. In addition, the community had forbidden all its workers, lumpers, porters, carters – whether Jewish or not – to contribute to the unloading.

Captain Hercules had no inkling whatsoever of what had transpired from the previous year until then. Meanwhile, the community had made the captain herem, i.e. an outcast among the Greek shipmasters.

Captain Hercules was averse to doing something about it; neither did he wish to appeal to the Consulate. In anticipation of Christmas, he did not consider sailing to his native island, on the one hand, on the other, however, he prayed to God for a fair northerly wind so that he could sail off and sell the wines anywhere (he knew that they cost very cheap to his trader) and then for a southerly one so that he could bear off and set course for his island. He had not received any letters from there, so he had no idea that this kind of delectable merchandise raised a great thirst in the palates and gullets of the nocturnal barflies of the taproom upon the Cannon of Ananghia, where his native village was.



On sailing off from Saloniki he prayed in his heart: “May the miserly scoundrels’ curse not touch me! May they not have their way! Oh Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness! (II Samuel, Chapter 13:31)
Off the Cassandra shore he hailed two big ships with a heavy cargo of young sheep and goats, of which he bought a score.


His prayers were favorably received. On the first night God sent a fair northerly wind, and the following evening a strong wind started blowing.

He bore off at night and berthed at the old rocky sea tossed Castle.


When the day broke and the wind let up, he unloaded the score of sheep and goats as well as the prime Ainos cheeses, and sold the sparkling red wine at twenty cents an oka.2

Thus that Christmas was merry to the captain at his home, Nicolo, the Pitch, Antonio, Galontzitsa’s son, and Yannio, Stergaina’s son, as well as to all the inhabitants of the northern sea beaten village.

(1904)

*1 Herem, one expelled from the synagogue, an outcast.
**2   Οka (weight) = around 3 pounds

Alexandros Papadiamantis - Wikipedia