The story revolves around a young French engineer who travels to Greece to supervise the construction of a railway line. He becomes fascinated with the local customs and traditions, particularly those of the klephts, a group of brigands who resist Ottoman rule. The engineer befriends one of their leaders, known as the King of the Mountains, and learns about his struggles against the Turkish authorities. As he delves deeper into the world of the klephts, the engineer finds himself torn between his duty to complete the railway project and his growing sympathy for the rebels' cause.
By Edmond About · First published 1864 · Genre: Adventure, Science Fiction, Romance · 9 chapters