Section 1 Summary

Pascali's Island is written as a letter to the Excellency of Constantinople in 1908 by Basil Pascali, a paid informant on a small Greek island. Pascali has reported to the Ministry on the activities of those on the island for nearly twenty years, but as of late, has begun to believe his neighbors suspect his activities. When Pascali meets self-proclaimed archeologist Anthony Bowles, an Englishman new to the area, and as Bowles begins to win over the heart of Pascali's unrequited love interest, Lydia Neuman, Pascali finds himself tracking Bowles' movements in an effort to discover his true intentions. It is only when Pascali discovers Bowles' true nature as a liar who deceives many for monetary gain that he begins to contemplate betraying Bowles. After his discovery of Bowles' plan to remove a priceless artifact from the property of Pasha, the local governor, Pascali...