THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

368 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
side of the door through which the President would
have to pass. Capodistrias had been warned from
several quarters that his life was in danger, but he had
refused to take '
any precautions. Providence, 7
he
said, ' watches over the President of Greece. They
'
will reverence my white hairs! When, however, he
saw the two Mavromichales, he hesitated for an instant,
for he knew the customs of the Maina. The
hesitation was but momentary, and the next minute he
had passed up the steps of the church. The Mavromichales
waited till he had passed them; then Constantine
fired a pistol, loaded with a double charge, at his
head; and, as he staggered and fell, George plunged
a dagger into his heart. The two murderers then
turned and fled. Capodistrias fell without a cry and
without a groan; his servant, Kokonis, caught him with
the stump of his arm, and laid him gently on the
ground ; then, leaving the body of his master, rushed
after the assassins. A shot which he fired at Constantine
took effect;
but, after a stumble, he managed to
continue his flight, though with difficulty. Meanwhile
the sound of the scuffle and the pistol shots had
disturbed the worshippers in the church, who now
poured out, and, with an excited crowd that had collected,
joined in the pursuit. Constantine, who had
been wounded in the leg, was speedily overtaken,