Η Άννα Μαλτέζη

[Theseus]

This translation book I am using is becoming very irritating. Many stories are unfinished, like jokes without a punchline.
Anna has a terrible secret and one day, despite the fact that she had gone into exile into a παλιογειτονιά from her own home village and from all those she knew and loved, a doctor with some other people has tracked her down. She recognised him eventually, since he told her that he was one of the team that had discharged her from hospital. She is now very afraid that her secret is out. She wouldn't have worried even if these visitors had accused her of various crimes, even murder. But the story says she could have gone to her relatives on a farm near Thessaloniki, which was bathed in the sun every day and had wonderful sea views. Nowhere in this extract are we told what her dreadful secret is.
Is this a well-known story? Has any colleague heard of it? What was her terrible secret? Thanks. :angry:

 

[Palavra]

What is this book you found this in? I’ve never heard of it. If the story is from some decades ago, though, I would bet the secret is an illegitimate child.

 

[drsiebenmal]

Or maybe she had poisoned someone who was treating her or a loved one badly.

 

[Theseus]

Thank you both for your speculative answers. The book I am trying to translate excerpts from is the book I have mentioned is by Dr Kypros Tofallis, entitled Modern Greek Translation and was published in 1997 with a fully revised edition in 2003. It is poorly edited with no headings to help the would-be student and the vocabulary is often less than helpful or downright wrong. There are no notes to help. Lexilogia is my source of notes and vocab. Some punctuation too has been omitted.
Here are some lines from the passage. Remember that she had done everything to escape detection of her secret. When the doctor had arrived with others she thought she had seen his face somewhere. The doctor says to her (the Greek describes her as η ξένη)
"Σ’ είχα δει στο Νοσοκομείο [the writer's capital], τότε που κάναμε το γενικό έλεγχο για τους αρρώστους που μπορούσαν ακίνδυνα να πάνε στο σπίτια τους.
Τρόμαξε η Άννα. Ήταν ακριβώς κείνο που φοβόταν..."

The passage goes on to say she wouldn’t have bothered if they said they were accusing her of theft, deception, even murder. Αυτό όμως, αυτό ήθελε να ξεχαστεί. This is why she had taken all these steps to avoid anyone finding about το τρομερό μυστικό της.
Following Pal Αύρα's suggestion, I wonder whether an abortion or its after effects, may be the answer. :mellow:

 

[drsiebenmal]

There is one more possibility, an even worse one for earlier times. That she had been found ill with Hansen's disease (leprosy). This was a big problem before WW II and people who were sick were hiding so as not to be sent to colonies "of the living dead" like the dreaded Spinalonga.

 

[Theseus]

The plot thickens! Thanks for the information about Spinalonga. I hadn't realised that Hansen’s disease was rife is Greece before WWII. How did lepers on Spinalonga-Kalydon get food and help? Who buried them? Did Orthodox priests risk their lives to help and give them spiritual support and the liturgy, like the RC Fr Damien of Molokai?

 

[Earion]

Why don’t you ask Mr. Toffalis?

THE GREEK INSTITUTE
34, BUSH HILL ROAD, LONDON N21 2DS
Telephone and Fax: 020 8360 7968
E-Mail: info@greekinstitute.co.uk / www.greekinstitute.co.uk
Director: Dr Kypros Tofallis, BA, MA, PhD, DipEd, FIL

 

[Theseus]

What an inspired & obvious (now!) suggestion! Thanks, Earion. The email has already been sent.

 

[drsiebenmal]

The plot thickens! Thanks for the information about Spinalonga. I hadn't realised that Hansen’s disease was rife is Greece before WWII. How did lepers on Spinalonga-Kalydon get food and help? Who buried them? Did Orthodox priests risk their lives to help and give them spiritual support and the liturgy, like the RC Fr Damien of Molokai?

If I remember well, there was a graveyard on the island and there were Hansenic priests, also. You could find some interest in the novel The Island, Theseus. Or even try to watch some episodes from the serialized drama Το νησί, the last big Greek TV hit before the crisis, here.

 

[SBE]

There's no information on where the excerpt is from? Strange.
Anyway, since you said the doctor was looking for her, I am inclined to believe that it is some illness, probably contagious, as the Dr said.

 

[Theseus]

I have sent a letter to Dr Tofallis but no answer as yet. I wait in hope. Leprosy is indeed an inspired guess. At least this thread has produced creative answers. I hope the reply isn't an anticlimax.