G. K. Chesterton The Flying Inn internet üzerinden ibook

THE great sea-dragon of the changing colours that wriggles round the world like achameleon, was pale green as it washed on Pebblewick, but strong blue where it broke onthe Ionian Isles. One of the innumerable islets, hardly more than a flat white rock in theazure expanse, was celebrated as the Isle of Olives; not because it was rich in suchvegetation, but because, by some freak of soil or climate, two or three little olives grewthere to an unparalleled height. Even in the full heat of the South it is very unusual for anolive tree to grow any taller than a small pear tree; but the three olives that stood up assignals on this sterile place might well be mistaken, except for the shape, for moderatesized pines or larches of the north. It was also connected with some ancient Greek legendabout Pallas the patroness of the olive; for all that sea was alive with the first fairyland ofHellas; and from the platform of marble under the olive trees could be seen the grey outlineof Ithaca.On the island and under the trees was a table set in the open air and covered with papersand inkstands. At the table were sitting four men, two in uniform and two in plain blackclothes. Aides-de-camps, equerries and such persons stood in a group in the background;and behind them a string of two or three silent battle-ships lay along the sea. For peace wasbeing given to Europe.There had just come to an end the long agony of one of the many unsuccessful efforts tobreak the strength of Turkey and save the small Christian tribes. There had been manyother such meetings in the later phases of the matter as, one after another, the smallernations gave up the struggle, or the greater nations came in to coerce them. But theinterested parties had now dwindled to these four. For the Powers of Europe being entirelyagreed on the necessity for peace on a Turkish basis, were content to leave the lastnegotiations to England and Germany, who could be trusted to enforce it; there was arepresentative of the Sultan, of course; and there was a representative of the only enemy ofthe Sultan who had not hitherto come to terms.