The Dark Labyrinth

The Labyrinth

The visit to Athens, so proudly announced on the agenda of the company, was a hollow boast. There really was not time to include Greece proper in the tour; and yet the advertising department thought that the existence of the name, both on the charts and in the text, was a well-justified inclusion. Thus it was that the Europa sailed round the Peloponnesus to the Piraeus, arriving there at dusk, and setting sail once more in the small hours for Crete. By straining both logic and every nerve the passengers might visit the Acropolis, but few bothered.

The halt at Piraeus, however, served one useful purpose. It enabled one of the Jannadis brothers to board the Europa with a notice for the green baize board in the dining saloon.

“The Labyrinth of Crete,” read Graecen with curiosity that night as he came down to dinner. “Famous from ancient times, the discoveries of a famous archaeologist have once more been made available to the general public, thanks to the enterprise of Jannadis Brothers of Athens. From the quay passengers will please to proceed in cars arranged by Jannadis Cretan office to the labyrinth in charge of a qualified guide. Whole journey costing 780 drachmas. Please place your name underneath if you wish.”

The Jannadis Brothers had received a large part of their business education in America. Farther down in a heavy display type were the words “TERRIFIC. LEGENDARY. HEART-THROBBING. ASTOUNDING. WHOOPEEE”.

“That rather sums it up,” said Baird, who was looking over his shoulder. “Shall we go?”

Graecen thought for a moment. It would certainly carry them as far as Cefalû, their destination. It would also give him a chance to see the city of the rock before he called on its discoverer. The idea was perhaps a good one. “Perhaps”, said Baird,“Axelos would like to show us his discovery himself. It might be a gaffe to see it without him.”

Graecen pursed his lips and shook his head. He did not think so at all. Taking out his fountain-pen he wrote his name neatly at the head of the list. “Shall I put yours?” he asked. Baird thanked him. “And mine, please,” said Campion, who was craning over Baird’s shoulder. “Golly,” he added, catching sight of the display type.

Few of the other passengers showed much interest, except the Trumans, who spent an earnest five minutes calculating the cost at the rate of exchange and wondering whether the expenditure would be justified. Finally, they added their names to the list. Fearmax pondered the question gravely over dinner, and only added his name after the purser had made a short announcement to the effect that he would like the list closed by ten o’clock that night as the Captain would have to send a signal on to Crete stating the number of prospective excursionists and asking that cars be engaged.

Miss Dale and Miss Dombey brought up the rear; the one because she had a vague feeling that the visit might help her with her examination, the latter because she was an inveterate sightseer, and because humanitarian motives demanded that Spot, her dog, should have a run on dry land after so many days at sea. Several other names were also added to the list, but were afterwards erased as further inquiry showed that the trip was to take nearly the whole day. The name of Colonel Sinclair was actually on the list, but its owner was too prostrated by sea-sickness to avail himself of the opportunity offered by the Jannadis Brothers. He lay in his bunk groaning for Cheltenham. Later, of course, he claimed that a premonition had prevented him from going rather than sea-sickness. Indeed, his local paper on his return published this myth under the heading of Colonel’s Premonition.

It had blown up rough again in the Cretan channel and several people, including Miss Dombey, suffered from seasickness — not because the Europa rolled. Rather it was because the ship moved so steadily, without a tremor, through a raging sea, with whitecaps piled up round her like the froth on a café viennois. By dawn, however, the squall had blown itself out and the great ship nosed cautiously into the magnificent bay of Suda (Canea harbour was too small) and anchored opposite the twisted wreck of the old warship York, which lay, a rusting relic of the Cretan campaign, belly-down in the shallows.

Baird had been up at dawn to watch the sunrise breaking over the familiar Grecian landscape. He was troubled by an obscure excitement whose source he was not able to trace. The sun rose slowly from among the snow-capped peaks of the White Mountains. It was bitterly cold, and he had found himself a vantage point on the boat-deck which kept off the light but piercing wind. From here, looking down into the harbour, he could see the great ship’s reflection rustling under her, motionless save for the thick black plume of smoke from the white stacks. He stared out eagerly across the island, taking in every detail, surprised to find how intimately he remembered it all.

A foreground of olive trees and turned red earth: a few box-like houses: an oil refinery: a dusty road winding into the middle distance — in his imagination peopled by dusty columns of New Zealanders and British, plodding away towards Sphakia. He could have walked inland with his eyes shut.

As he was standing thus a car came over the brow of the hill and took the curling road, fringed with pines, which led to the jetty. It stopped at the water’s edge and a man got out. Was it perhaps Axelos who had come to meet Graecen? He saw almost immediately that it was someone much smaller than Axelos. A fisherman in a blue jersey, standing at his oars, conveyed the newcomer slowly across the intervening distance, until his boat rested in the shadow of the Europa. The man seemed to be English, from the cut of his clothes. It was probably the Consul, though why he should come aboard at this hour was more than Baird could fathom. “Prosechete, kirie,” he heard the boatman say. It was the first Greek he had heard spoken for some time; it filled him with a kind of nostalgic pain. He scanned the face of the boatman eagerly to see if it was anyone he knew. (One always does this in Greece.) Octopus, pinnae and red mullet lay in a basket at the bottom of the boat. He had obviously been out all night fishing.

The British Consul (for it was he) came aboard in his time. He was tired and peevish, and walked like a person of some consequence to the bridge, where he asked smartly for the officer of the watch. “I understand that you have passengers wishing to visit the labyrinth. I have come to inform you that the trip is simply not safe.”

He was conducted below to see the Captain, to whom he explained his business more clearly, slightly mollified by the excellent coffee and biscuit of the ship.

“There’s a travel agency run by two young Greeks,” he said. “They advertise tours of the labyrinth. Now, my advice is to dissuade passengers from running the risk. The labyrinth simply isn’t safe. I don’t want to have British subjects lost in the island, it upsets the Embassy; I’ve no doubt your company would also not like to risk the lives of its passengers.”

The Captain listened to him carefully and decided that his manner was too peremptory for a mere vice-Consul. The company, he pointed out, was exempt from any responsibility in the matter. The Jannadis Agency had merely canvassed visitors to the labyrinth. It was not up to him to stop people enjoying themselves. At any rate, he would post a notice on the board, explaining that the place was considered dangerous by the Consul, and advising passengers not to risk it. “Let me see,” he said, “I think we’ve only a few this time.”

Over breakfast the six of them read the Captain’s notice with interest not unmixed with excitement. They felt rather bold to be visiting a place considered unsafe by the Consul. Even Miss Dombey, who was not feeling very well, felt that it was up to her to show that she was no coward. “You’re intrepid, that’s what you are,” said Campion to her in his stage-cockney accent, buttering himself a side of toast. “What happens if the Second Coming comes while you’re inside? You might miss the whole thing.” Latterly, Miss Dombey had found that the best way of dealing with Campion was to ignore him. She had not spoken a word to him since the day he had said: “Miss Dombey, if Spot uses my easel for a lamppost once more I’ll cut his legs off and throw him in the sea.” It had been simply outrageous; even Graecen was shocked by his rudeness. Now she simply ignored him. It did not seem to bother Campion, however, who always had something either offensive or comical to say to her when they met.

Truman met Graecen dragging his grip along to the staircase, and gave him a hand. “Thanks,” panted Graecen. He was very puffed and sat down upon it to exchange a cigarette. “Coming to the labyrinth?” he said. Truman nodded. “I see you are leaving us for good,” he said, with genuine regret. The voyage had been a pleasant one so far. “Not all of us,” said Graecen. “Baird and Campion and I, are going to stay with a friend of mine. But we’re coming up to see the labyrinth with you first.”

The Truman couple slipped ashore rather earlier than the others. They had observed Miss Dombey taking the dog ashore in the pinnace — and had decided to have a look round on their own. They went for a walk in the meadow hand in hand, exchanging private jokes and banter. “My,” she said, “it is a lovely place. You’d never think it was an island, would you?” Truman swung himself into an olive tree by his wrists, and hung for a second before dropping back to earth. “I feel fine,” he said. “And you look fine.”

She wore a bright dappled frock of some light summer material, a wide-brimmed straw hat, and shoes with heavy rope soles such as one buys in Spain—espadrilles. She had brought a rucksack and an overcoat, in case the journey proved cold. “I feel fine,” she said, smiling her friendly, innocent smile.

They could hear the shrill barking of Miss Dombey and her dog over the next hillock. Avoiding her they walked along the flat shore by the jetty. The keen air, the blue sky, the meadows sloping away to the foothills splashed with fruit trees — it was overpowering. “Why don’t we just pick a place like this? Stay here for ever and ever?” She was thinking of Campion sitting under an olive tree, drinking a glass of wine and painting with his small hands. Her husband sniffed. “Don’t mind if I do,” he said. “If you learn the language and do the housekeeping.” They passed several low cottages, whence elderly, wrinkled faces peered out at them. Voices greeted them politely, for Greece is the country where the stranger is honoured like a god, and where hospitality is a domestic art. “I wish I knew how to say good day,” she said as they passed. Farther on they came upon rows of coloured fishing-boats drawn up upon a brown seaweed-covered beach. Tattered fishermen sat cross-legged in a wilderness of nets, darning and sifting them. A small boy offered flowers with the compliments of his uncle. Truman took them in his clumsy British way, blushing as he did so; he felt effeminate in his stupid northern way to be holding a bunch of tinted anemones. “Come on,” he said gruffly, handing them to his wife. “What price Whitby?” said his wife irrelevantly, wondering whether they could go for a row in a boat. They gave the urchin a packet of sweets from the ship’s canteen.

Under an olive tree she put down the rucksack to search for a handkerchief. Not finding one she blew her nose in a letter, catching her husband’s disapproving eye as she did so. “I knew it,” he said. “No hanky.” It was one of her most irritating traits. Later, of course, she would demand the nice clean one that protruded from the breast pocket of his smart summer suit. Women were like that.

They sat under an olive tree together arm in arm, and lapsed into silence. Bees hummed. In the middle distance a caravan of hill-ponies moved across towards the wood bearing sacks of charcoal on their backs, driven by men in blue trousers, jackboots and tasselled caps. Behind them the mountains glowed grey below the snowline, and deep green where the rich foothills sent their orchards straggling up them.

Elsie Truman suddenly felt full of the silence. It had been running noiselessly in her mind like an open tap, and now there came an overflowing, a pause. She sighed, and looked at her face in the pocket mirror she had brought. “Look over there,” said Truman, lazily chewing a grass stalk, and trying to remember the name of a single ancient Greek god or goddess. “It’s old Baird.”

Baird sat under a tree upon a cane chair, deep in conversation with one of the chauffeurs. Over the brow of the hill there appeared a dilapidated taxi with a functionary of some kind seated behind the wheel. Baird at last had seen someone who recognized him. He was asking news of his guerilla comrades; it was all at once as if time had been telescoped all together, as if he had only been away a few moments. He felt close to Böcklin, closer than he had ever felt before; and close to the obscure dream that had troubled him for so long. He put his questions eagerly, asking where this one lived now, and whether that one’s wound had healed. There were few of the original band left on the island. The Abbot John, however, was thought to be still up at the monastery. Baird could hardly wait for the party to arrive, so close did he seem to the heart of the mystery. It was as if some deeply-troubling enigma were going to be elucidated.

From the sides of the Europa a white dot broke away and fussed towards the shore. It was the pinnace bearing Fearmax, Campion, Miss Dale and Graecen — the last having said good-bye to everyone including the Captain with an elaborate over-politeness. As he turned back to his companion, Baird’s eye caught sight of the Truman couple, sitting under a tree. He waved to them, and they got to their feet. Miss Dombey was advancing across the middle landscape with strident barks of encouragement to Spot. The dog was a lymphatic animal, neither grateful for a chance to decorate genuine trees instead of stanchions, nor particularly enthusiastic about Crete. It cantered tepidly along by the side of its mistress, who, between barks, exclaimed breathlessly, “Have a good run. There’s a good Spot. Chase him, boy. Chase him. Woof, woof, woof, woof.” She came up considerably puffed and accepted Baird’s chair with faint thanks. “How the English love their four-footed pets,” said Campion admiringly, as the rest of the party gathered round.

On the knoll, under the olive tree from which hung the inn-sign reading “Kapheneion”, the taxis were drawn up. For some reason there were six of them, and on Graecen’s recommendation they decided that three would be ample, both for the luggage and for the eight of them. This having been determined upon after considerable debate with the drivers, the guide emerged from the depths of the wineshop cellar, wiping a pair of long mournful moustaches on the backs of both hands. “Please to attend to me one minute,” he said hoarsely. He wore a battered German field-marshal’s hat upon his head, around which the Jannadis Brothers had placed a band upon which the company’s name was inscribed. The hinder end of a British battledress was surmounted by a blue woollen pullover, on the front of which was written “Beach Guard”, and on the back “Property of UNRRA Canteen. Not to be taken away.” He had evidently something impressive to say, but his English was halt, deaf and blind. He was grateful, therefore, when Baird came to his rescue and offered to translate. He caught both his hands in his and began a long conversation, which sounded to the rest — as all Greek conversations do — like a violent quarrel. Baird was interested.

The rest of the party stood in a semicircle watching. Finally Baird turned to them with twinkling eyes and an incredulous smile on his face. “Something new to me,” he said, obviously doubtful whether an explanation of his conversation with the guide would justify translation. “He says that there is an animal of some kind in the labyrinth. No one has ever seen it. But they hear it roar — we shall probably hear it too.”

“A minotaur,” said Graecen excitedly.

“Extraordinary,” said Fearmax, drawing closer to catch what Baird had to say. “What do they call it?”

“The man calls it ” said Baird. “It means ‘monster’ or ‘beast’. It’s probably a bear.”

He did not add to the translation. The guide had told him that once a shepherd, badly mauled, had been found at the mouth of the labyrinth. He had entered the main cave in pursuit of a sheep, and had encountered some animal in the darkness. He had not been able to give any clear account of it.

They had all managed to bring torches with them, however, so he felt that the party was sufficiently well-equipped to start moving. “A minotaur,” said Graecen, sniffing the cold air from the mountains. “If we could take it back to the British Museum how pleased they would be.”

“Well, after all these warnings we may expect either to be eaten alive or buried by a fall of rock. Does anyone feel his courage fail? If so, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.” Campion climbed into the nearest taxi as he spoke, with all his possessions. The rest of them followed.