[Illustration: HELEN AND EUTYCHES]

 THE RUINOUS FACE

 BY MAURICE HEWLETT

 ILLUSTRATED

 HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

 NEW YORK AND LONDON MCMIX

 Copyright, 1909, by HARPER & BROTHERS. 

 _All rights reserved. _

 Published October, 1909. 

 "Hence there is in Rhodes a sanctuary of Helen of the Tree. "

 --_Pausanias_, iii. , 19, 9. 

ILLUSTRATIONS

HELEN AND EUTYCHES _Frontispiece_

THE ABDUCTION OF HELEN _Facing p. 8_From the painting by Rudolph von Deutsch. 

HELEN OF TROY " _20_From the painting by Sir Frederick Leighton. 

PARIS AND HELEN " _30_From the painting by Jacques Louis David in the Louvre. 

THE RUINOUS FACE

When the siege of Troy had been ten years doing, and most of thechieftains were dead, both of those afield and those who held the walls;and some had departed in their ships, and all who remained wereleaden-hearted; there was one who felt the rage of war insatiate in hisbowels: Menelaus, yellow-haired King of the Argives. He, indeed, restednot day or night, but knew the fever fretting at his members, and theburning in his heart. And when he scanned the windy plain about thecity, and the desolation of it; and when he saw the huts of the Achæans, and the furrows where the chariots ploughed along the lines, and thecharred places of camp-fires, smoke-blackened trees, and puddled watersof Scamander, and corn-lands and pastures which for ten years had knownneither plough nor deep-breathed cattle, nor querulous sheep; even thenin the heart of Menelaus was no pity for Dardan nor Greek, but only forhimself and what he had lost--white-bosomed Helen, darling of Gods andmen, and golden treasure of the house. 

 * * * * *

The vision of her glowing face and veiled eyes came to him in thenight-season to make him mad, and in dreams he saw her, as once and manytimes he had seen her, lie supine. There as she lay in his dream, allwhite and gold, thinner than the mist-wreath upon a mountain, he wouldcry aloud for his loss, and throw his arms out over the empty bed, andfeel his eye-sockets smart for lack of tears; for tears came not tohim, but his fever made his skin quite dry, and so were his eyes dry. Therefore, when the chiefs of the Achæans in Council, seeing how theirstrength was wearing down like a snowbank under the sun, lookedreproachfully upon him, and thought of Hector slain, and of deadAchilles who slew him, of Priam, and of Diomede, and of tall Patroclus, he, Menelaus, took no heed at all, but sat in his place, and said, "There is no mercy for robbers of the house. Starve whom we cannot putto the sword. Lay closer leaguer. So shall I win my wife again and havehonor among the Kings, my fellows. " So he spake, for it was so hethought day and night; and Agamemnon, King of Men, bore with him, andcarried the voices of all the Achæans. For since the death of Achillesthere was no man stout enough to gainsay him, or deny him anything. 

In those days there was little war, since every man outside the wallswas sick of strife, and consumed with longing for his home, and wife andchildren there. And one told another, "My son will be a grown man in hisfirst beard, " and one, "My daughter will be a wife. " As for the men ofTroy, it was well for them that their foes were spent; for Hector wasdead, and Agenor, and Troilus; and King Priam, the old, was fallen intodotage, which deprived him of counsel. He loved Alexandros only, whommen called Paris. On which account Æneas, the wise prince, stood apart, and kept himself within the walls of his house. There remained only thatbeauteous Paris, the ravisher. Him Helen held fast enchained by herwhite arms and slow, sweet smile, and by the shafts of light from herkind eyes. All the compliance of a fair woman made for love lay in her;she could refuse nothing that was asked of her by him who had her. Andshe was gentle and very modest, and never dejected or low of heart; butwhen comfort was asked of her she gave it, and when solace, solace; andwhen he cried, "Oh for a deep draught of thee!" she gave him his desire. In these days he seldom left his hall, where she sat at the loom withher maids, or had them comb and braid her long hair. But of other women, wives and widows of heroes, Andromache mourned Hector dead and outraged, and Cassandra the wrath to come. Through the halls of the King's housecame little sound but of women weeping loss; therefore, if love madeHelen laugh sometimes, she laughed low and softly, lest some othershould be offended. The streets were all silent, and the dogs ate oneanother. In the temples of the Gods they neglected the sacrifice, andwhat little might be offered was eaten by clouds of birds. Anniversaries and feasts were like common days. If the Gods wereoffended with Troy, there was no help for it. Men must live first, before they can serve God. 

 * * * * *

Now the tenth year was come to the Spring, when young men and virginsworship Artemis the Bright; and abroad on the plains the crocus wasaflower, and the anemone; and the blades of the iris were like swordsstuck hilt downward in the earth. A green veil spread lightly over theland, and men might see a tree scorched black upon one side and buddedwith gold upon the other. Melted snow brimmed Simois and Scamander;cranes and storks built their nests, and one stood sentinel while hismate sat close, watchful in the reeds. On the mild, westerly airs cametenderness to bedew the hearts of men war-weary. They stepped carefullylest they should crush young flowers, thinking in their minds, "God'spity must restrain me. If so fair a thing can thrive in place so foul, who am I to mar it?" But upon Menelaus, the King, the season worked likea ferment, so that he could never stay long in one place. All night longhe turned and stretched himself out; but in the gray of the morning hewould rise, and walk abroad by himself over the silent land, and aboutthe sleeping walls of the city. So found he balm for his ache, and so hedid every day. 

 * * * * *

The house of Paris stood by the wall, and the garden upon the roof ofthe women's side was there upon it, and stretched far along the rampartsof Troy. King Menelaus knew it very well, for he had often seen Helenthere with her maids when, with a veil to cover her face up to the eyes, she had stood there to watch the fighting, or the games about the pyreof some chieftain dead, or the manège of the ships lying off Tenedos. Indeed, when he had been there in his chariot, urging an attack upon thegate, he had seen Paris come out of the house to Helen where she stoodin the garden; and he saw that deceiver take the lovely woman in hisarm, and with his hand withdraw the veil from her mouth that he mightlook at it. The maids were all about her, and below raged a battle amongmen; but he cared nothing for these. No, but he lifted up her face bythe chin, and stooped his head, and kissed her twice; and would havekissed her a third time, but that by chance he saw King Menelaus belowhim, who stood up in his chariot and watched. Then he turned lightly andleft her, and went in, and so presently she too, with her veil in herhand, not yet over her mouth, looked down from the wall and saw theKing, her husband. Long and deeply looked she; and he looked up ather; and so they stood, gazing each at the other. Then came women fromthe house and veiled her mouth, and took her away. Other times, too, hehad seen her there, but she not him; and now, at this turn of the year, the memory of her came bright and hard before him; and he walked underthe wall of the house in the gray of the morning. And as he walked therefiercely on a day, behold she stood above him on the wall, veiled, andin a brown robe, looking down at him. And they looked at each other fora space of time. And nobody was by. 

[Illustration: THE ABDUCTION OF HELENFROM THE PAINTING BY RUDOLPH VON DEUTSCH]

Shaking, he said, "O Ruinous Face, art thou so early from the wickedbed?"

She said low, "Yea, my lord, I am so early. "

"These ten long years, " he said then, "I have walked here at this hour, but never yet saw I thee. "

She answered, "But I have seen my lord, for at this hour my lordAlexandros is accustomed to sleep and I to wake. And so I take the air, and am by myself. "

"O God!" he said, "would that I could come at thee, lady. " She repliedhim nothing. So, after a little while of looking, he spoke to her again, saying, "Is this true which thou makest me to think, that thou walkesthere in order that thou mayst be by thyself? Is it true, O thouGod-begotten?"

She said, smiling a little, "Is it so wonderful a thing that I shoulddesire to be alone?"

"By my fathers, " he said, "I think it wonderful. And more wonderful isit to me that it should be allowed thee. " And then he looked earnestlyat her, and asked her this: "Dost thou, therefore, desire that I shouldleave thee?"

"Nay, " said she slowly, "I said not so. "

"Ask me to stay, and I stay, " he said. But she made no answer to that;but looked down to the earth at her feet. "Behold, " said the Kingpresently, "ten years and more since I have known my wife. Now if I wereto cast my spear at thee and rive open thy golden side, what wonder wereit? Answer me that. "

She looked long at him, that he saw the deep gray of her eyes. And heheard the low voice answer him, "I know that my lord would never do it. "And he knew it better than she, and the reason as well as she. 

 * * * * *

A little while more they talked together, alone in the sunless light;and she was in a gentle mood, as indeed she always was, and calmed thefret in him, so that he could keep still and take long breaths, and lookat her without burning in his heart. She asked him of their child, andwhen he told her it was well, stood thoughtful and silent. "Here, " saidshe, presently, "I have no child, " and it seemed to him that shesighed. 

"O Lady, " he said, "dost thou regret nothing of all these ten longyears?"

Her answer was to look long at him without speech. And then again sheveiled her eyes with her eyelids and hung her head. He dared saynothing. 

Paris came out of the house, fresh from the bath, rosy and beautiful, and whistled a low clear note, like the call of a bird at evening. Thenhe called upon Helen. 

"Where is my love? Where is the Desire of the World?"

She looked up quickly at King Menelaus, and smiled half, and moved herhand; and she went to Paris. Then the King groaned, and rent himself. But he would not stay, nor look up, lest he should see what he dared notsee. 

 * * * * *

Next day, very early, and every day after, those two, long-severed, kepta tryst: so in time she came to be there first, and a strife grewbetween them which should watch for the other. And after a little shewould sit upon the wall and speak happily to him without disguise. Sohappiness came to him, too, and he ceased to reproach her. For shereasoned very gently with him of her own case, urging him not to beangry with her. Defending herself, she said, "Thou shouldst not reproachme, husband, nor wouldst thou in thy heart if thou knewst what is inmine, or what my portion has been since with fair words inmany-mansioned Sparta he did beguile me. With words smoother than honey, and sweeter than the comb of it he did beguile me, and with false wordsmade me believe that I was forsaken and betrayed; and urged me to takeship with him in search of thee. Nor ever once did he reveal himselfuntil we touched Cranæ in the ship. Then he showed me all his power, anddeclared his purpose with me. And I could do nothing against him; andso he brought me to Troy and kept me there. All these years he hasloved, and still loves me in his fashion: and art thou angry with me, mylord, that I do not for ever reproach him, or spend myself in tears, andfast, and go like one distraught, holding myself aloof from all hishouse? Nay, but of what avail would that be, or what reward to many thattreat me well here in Troy? For King Priam, the old king, is good to me, and the Queen also; and my lord Hector was above all men good to me, anddefended me always against scorn and evil report. True it is that I havebeen the reproach of men, both Trojans and Achæans; and all the woes ofthe years have been laid to me who am most guiltless of offence. For allmy sin has been that I have been gentle with those who hold me here; andhave not denied them that which cannot be denied, but have given what Imust with fair-seeming. "

 * * * * *

And another time she said, "What mercy have men for a woman whom theydesire and cannot have? And what face have women for her who is moresought than them? And what of such a woman, O lord Menelaus, what of herin her misery? Is it true, thinkest thou, because she is good to lookupon and is desired by men, that she should have no desires of her own?And must she have pleasure only in that which men seek of her, and nonein her house and child overseas? Is my face then, and are these mybreasts all that I have? And is my mind nothing at all, nor the kindnessin my heart, nor the joy I have in the busy world? My face has been ruinunto many, and many have sought my breasts; but to me it has been miseryand shame, and my milk a bitter gall. "

Thus spake Helen of the fair girdle; and he saw her eyes filled withtears, and pure sorrow upon her face; and he held up his arms to her, crying, "O my dear one, wilt thou not come back to me?" She could notspeak for crying; but nodded her head often between her covering hands. 

Then he, seeing how her thoughts lay, gently toward home, and desiringto please her now more than anything in the world, spake of the child, swearing by the Gods of Lacedæmon that she was not forgotten. "Nay, " hesaid, "but still she talks of her mother, and every day would know ofher return. And those about her in our house, faithful ones, say, 'TheKing thy father has gone to bring our lady back; and all will be happyagain. ' And so, " said he, "it shall be, beloved, if thou wilt but come. "Then Helen lifted up her face from her covering hands, and showed himher eyes. And he said, "O Wonder of the World, shall I come for thee?"

And her words were sped down the wall, soft as dropping rose-leaves:"Come soon. " And King Menelaus returned to his quarters, glorying in hisstrength. 

 * * * * *

This day he took counsel with King Agamemnon his brother, and withOdysseus, wisest of the Achæans, and told them all. And while theypondered what the news might mean he declared his purpose, which was tohave Helen again by all means, and to enter Troy disguised by night, andin the morning to drop with her in his arms over the wall, from thegarden of Paris' house. But Odysseus dissuaded him, and so did the Kinghis brother; for they knew very well that Troy must be sacked, and theAchæans satisfied with plunder, and death, and women. For after tenyears of strife men raven for such things, and will not give over untilthey have them. Also it was written in the heart of Hera that the wallsof Troy must be cast down, and the pride thereof made a byword. So itwas that the counsel of King Menelaus was overpassed, and that ofOdysseus prevailed. And with him lay the word that he should make hisplan, and tell it over to Menelaus, that he might tell it again to Helenwhen he saw her on the wall. 

 * * * * *

At this time a great heart was in Helen, and strong purpose. And it wasso that while Paris marvelled to see her beauty wax ever the clearer, and while he loved her more than ever he had, and found her compliancethe sweeter, he guessed nothing of what spirit it was that possessedher, nor of what she did when she was by herself. Nor could he guess, since she refused him never what he asked of her, how she weighed himlightly beside Menelaus her husband; nor, while she let herself beloved, what soft desires were astir in her heart to be cherished as awife, sharer of a man's hearth, partaker of his counsels, comforter inhis troubles, and mother of his sons. But it came to pass that the onlyjoy of her life was in the seeing King Menelaus in the morning, and inthe reading in his gaze the assurance of that peace which she longedfor. And, again, her pride lay in fitting herself for it when it shouldcome. Now, therefore, she forsook the religion of Aphrodite, to whom allher duty had been before, and in a grove of olive-trees in the garden ofthe house had built an altar to Artemis Aristoboulé. There offered sheincense daily, and paid tribute of wheaten cakes kneaded with honey, andlittle figures of bears such as virgins offer to the Pure in Heart inAthens. And she would have whipped herself as they do in Sparta had shenot feared discovery by him who still had her. So every day afterspeech with Menelaus the King about companionship and the sanctities ofthe wedded hearth, she prayed to the Goddess, saying, "O Chaste andFair, by that pure face of thine and by thy untouched zone; by thy proudeyes and curving lip, and thy bow and scornful bitter arrows, aid thoume unhappy. Lo, now, Maid and Huntress, I make a vow. I will lay up inthy temple a fair wreath of box-leaves made of beaten gold on that daywhen my lord brings me home to my hearth and child, to be his friend andfaithful companion, sharer of his joys and sorrows, and when he loves myproved and constant mind better than the bounty of my body. Hear me andfail me not, Lady of Grace. " So prayed Helen, and then went back to thehouse, and suffered her lot, and cherished in her heart her high hope. 

 * * * * *

When all was in order in the plans of the Achæans, King Menelaus toldeverything to Helen his wife; and how Odysseus was to come disguisedinto the city and seek speech with her. To the which she listened, marking every word; and bowed her head in sign of agreement; and at theend was silent, looking down at her lap and deeply blushing. And at lastshe lifted her eyes and showed them to the King, her husband, who markedthem and her burning color, and knew that she had given him her heartagain. So he returned that day to his quarters, glorifying and praisingGod. Immediately he went over to the tents of Odysseus, and sought outthe prince, and said, "Go in, thou, this night, and the gray-eyedGoddess, the Maiden, befriend thee! This I know, Helen my wife shall bemine again before the moon have waned. "

[Illustration: HELEN OF TROYFROM THE PAINTING BY SIR FREDERICK LEIGHTON]

Odysseus nodded his head. "Enough said, Son of Atreus, " said he. "I goin this night. "

Now, in these days of weariness of strife, when the leaguer was notstrict, the gates of Troy were often opened, now this one, now that, tolet in fugitives from the hill-country. Odysseus, therefore, disguisedhimself as one of these, in sheepskin coat and swathes of rushes roundhis legs; and he stood with wounded feet, leaning upon a holly staff, asone of a throng. White dust was upon his beard, and sweat had made seamsin the dust of his face and neck. Then, when they asked him at the gate, "Whence and what art thou, friend?" he answered, "I am a shepherd of thehills, named Glykon, whose store of sheep the Achæans have reived, whosewife stolen away, whose little ones put to the sword and fire. Me onlyhave they left alive; and where should I come if not here?" So they lethim in, and he came and stood in the hall of Paris with many otherwretches. Then presently came Helen of the starry eyes and sweet paleface, she and her women to minister. And she knelt down with ewer andbasin and a napkin to wash the feet of the poor. To whom, as she kneltat the feet of Odysseus, and rinsed his wounds and wiped away the dryblood, spake that crafty one in her ear, saying: "There are other woundsthan mine for thy washing, lady, and deeper. For they are in the heartof King Menelaus, and in thy daughter's heart. "

She kept her face hidden from him, bending to his feet; but he saw thatshe trembled and moved her shoulders. So then he said again, "I knowthat thou art pitiful. I know that thou wilt wash his wounds. "

She answered him, whispering, "Yes; oh, yes. "

He said, "Let me have speech with thee, lady, when may be. "

And she, "It shall be when my lord sleepeth toward morning. Watch thoufor me here, before the sun rise. " And he was satisfied with what shesaid. 

 * * * * *

Now, it was toward morning; and Odysseus watched in the hall of Paris. Then came Helen in, and stepped lightly over the bodies of sleeping men, and touched him on the shoulder where he sat by the wall with his chinupon his knees. Over her head was the hood of a dark blue cloak; and thecloak fell to her feet. Her face was covered, not so but that he couldsee the good intention of her eyes. And he arose and stood beside her, and she beckoned him to follow after. Then she took him to the grove ofolive-trees in the garden, and burned incense upon the altar she had setup, and laid her hand upon the altar of Artemis the Bright. "So do thatquick Avenger to me, " she said, "as she did to Amphion's wife, whenasher nostrils were filled with the wind of her rage, if I play false tothee, Odysseus. " And Odysseus praised her. Then stooping, with herfinger she traced the lines of Troy in the sand, and all the gates ofit; and told over the number of the guard at each; and revealed thehouses of the chiefs, where they stood, and the watches set. 

Odysseus marked all in his heart. But he asked, "And which is the goldenhouse of King Priam?"

She said, "Nay, but that I will not tell thee. For he has been alwayskind to me from the very first; and even when Hector, his beloved, wasslain, he had no ill words for me, though all Troy hissed me in theshrines of the Gods, and women spat upon the doors of Paris' house asthey passed by. Him, an old man, thou shalt spare for my sake who amabout to betray him. "

Odysseus said, "Be it so. One marvel I have, lady, and it is this: Ifnow, in these last days, thou wilt help thy people, why didst thou notbefore?"

She was silent for a while. Then she said, "I knew not then what now Iknow, that my lord, the King, loves me. "

Odysseus marvelled. "Why, " said he, "when all the hosts of the Achæanswere gathered at his need, and out of all the nations of Hellas arosethe cry of women bereaved and children fatherless, so that he might havethee again! And thou sayest, 'He loved thee not!'"

"Nay, " said she quickly, "not so. But I knew very well that he desiredme for his solace and delight, as other men have done and still do: butto be craved is one thing and to be loved is another thing. I am not allfair flesh, Odysseus: I am wife and mother and I would be companion andcomforter of a man. Now I know of a truth that my husband loveth medearly; and I sicken of Paris, who maketh me his delight. Hateful to meare the ways of men with women. Have I not cause enough to hate them, these long years a plaything for his arms, and a fruit to allay thedrouth of his eyes? Am I less a woman in that I am fair, or less womangrown because I can never be old? Now I loathe the sweet lore ofAphrodite, which she taught me too well; and all my hope is in thatBlessed One whom men call Of Good Counsel. For, behold, love is a cruelthing of unending strife and wasting thought; but the ways of Artemisare ways of peace and they shall be my ways. "

A little longer he reasoned with her, and appointed a day when the entryshould be made; but then afterward, when light filled the earth and thecoming of the sun was beaconed upon the tops of the mountains, she aroseand said:

"My husband awaits me. I must go to him;" and left Odysseus, and went tothe wall to talk with Menelaus below it. In her hand was a yellowcrocus, sacred to Artemis the Bright. And Helen put it to her lips, andtouched her eyes with it, and dropped it down the wall to Menelaus herhusband. 

Then the Greeks fashioned a great horse out of wood, and set the imagesof two young kings upon it, with spears of gold, and stars upon theirforeheads made of gold. And they caused it to be drawn to the Skæan Gatein the nighttime, and left it there for the Trojans to see. Dolon madeit; but Odysseus devised the images of the two kings. And his craft wasjustified of itself. For the Trojans hailed in the images thetwin-brothers of Helen, even Castor and Polydeuces, come to save thestate for their sister's sake; and opened wide their gates, and drew inthe horse, and set it upon the porch of the temple of Zeus the Thunder. There it stood for all to see. And King Priam was carried down in hislitter to behold it; and with him came Hecabe the Queen, and Paris, andÆneas, and Helen, with Cassandra the King's daughter. 

Then King Priam lifted up his hands and blessed the horse and the ridersthereof. And he said, "Hail to ye, great pair of brothers! Be favorableto us now, and speedy in your mercy. "

But Cassandra wailed and tore at the covering of her breast, and criedout, "Ah, and they shall be speedy! Here is a woe come upon us whichshall be mercy indeed to some of you. But for me there is no mercy. "

Now was Helen, with softly shining eyes, close to the horse; and shelaid her hand upon its belly and stroked it. And Cassandra saw her andreviled her, saying, "Thou shame to Ilium, and thou curse! The RuinousFace, the Ruinous Face! Cried I not so in the beginning when theypraised thy low voice and soft beguiling ways? But thou too, thou shaltrue this night!"

But Helen laughed softly to herself, and stroked the smooth belly of thehorse where her promise lay hidden. And they led Cassandra away, blindwith weeping. And Helen returned to Paris' house and sought outEutyches, a slave of the door, who loved her. Of him by gentle words andher slow sweet smile she besought arms: a sword, breastplate, shield andhelmet. And when he gave them her, unable to deny her anything, she hidthem under the hangings of the bed. 

 * * * * *

That night Paris came to her where she lay bathed and anointed, andsought her in love; and she denied him nothing. Him thought such joy hadnever been his since first he held her in his arms in Cranæ. Deeply andlong he loved; and in the middle of the night a great horn blew afaroff, and there came the sound of men in the streets, running. That wasthe horn which they kept in the temple of Showery Zeus, to summon allTroy when needs were. Paris, at the sound thereof, lifted up his headfrom Helen's fair breast, listening. And again the great horn blew along blast, and he said, "O bride, I must leave thee. Behold, they callfrom the temple of the God. " But she took his face in her two hands andturned it about to look at her; and he saw love in her eyes and the dewof it upon her mouth, and kissed her, and stayed. So by and by the hornblew a third time, and there arose a great shout; and he started awayfrom her, and stepped down from the bed, and stood beside it, unresolved. Then Helen put her arms about his body and urged herselftoward him till her face touched his flank. And she clung to him, andlooked up at him, and he stayed. 

[Illustration: PARIS AND HELENFROM THE PAINTING BY JACQUES LOUIS DAVID IN THE LOUVRE]

Now did rumor break out all at once, about the house and in the cityafar off. Men cried, "The fire, the fire!" and "Save yourselves!" and"Oh, the Achæans!" and Paris tore himself away, and made haste to armhimself by the light of the fire in the city, which made the room asbright as day. And he put on all his harness, and took his sword andbuckler, and ran out of the chamber and down the stairs, crying, "Armye, arm ye, and follow me!" Then Helen arose and swiftly withdrew thearms from below the bed, and called Eutyches to her from the gallery, and made him fasten the breastplate about her, and gird the thongs ofthe shield to her white arm, and fix the helmet of bronze upon her head. So he did, and trembled as he touched her; for he loved her out ofmeasure and without hope. Then said she to Eutyches, "Arm thyself andfollow me. " And together, armed, they went down the stair. 

There was a great press of men fighting about the doors of Paris' house, and loud rumor. But beyond in the city the Achæans in a multitudecarried fire and sword from house to house. And there was the noise ofwomen crying mercy, and calling their children's names. And the flamesleaped roaring to Heaven; and the Gods turned away their faces; and Troywas down. 

 * * * * *

Now Paris, fighting, came backwards into the hall where Helen was; andMenelaus came fiercely after him, and in the doorway drove a spear athim that went through the leather of his shield, through all the foldsof it and ran deep into the flesh of his throat where it fastens to theshoulder. Then Paris groaned and bent his knees, and fell, calling Helenby her name. Then came she in her bright harness, with a burning face, and stood over the body of Paris, and held out her arms to the King, saying, "Husband, lord, behold, here am I, by your side!" Eutyches cameafter her, armed also. 

Then Menelaus, with the bloody spear in his hand newly plucked from theneck of Paris, gazed at his wife, not knowing her. So presently he said, weak-voiced, "What is this, O loveliest in the world?" But he knewEutyches again, who had been with him and her in Sparta, and said tohim, "Disarm her, but with care, lest the bronze bruise her fair flesh. "So Eutyches, trembling, disarmed her, that she stood a lovely womanbefore the King. And Menelaus, with a shout, took her in his arms andcried out above the fire and dust and shrieking in the street, "Come, come, my treasure and desire! Love me now or I die!"

But she clung to him, imploring. "Not here, " she said, "not here, Menelaus. Take me hence; let me fare by thy side this night. "

But he pressed her the closer, saying, "Come, thou must love me now, "and lifted her in his arms and ran up the stair and through the galleryof the house to the great chamber where of late she had lain. And hecalled her women to disrobe her; and Helen fell to crying bitterly, andsaid, "Oh, I am a slave, I am a slave: I am bought and sold and handedabout. " And she could not be comforted or stayed from weeping. Butnothing recked King Menelaus for that. 

 * * * * *

When the walls of wide-wayed Troy were cast down, and of the towers andhouses of the chiefs nothing stood but staring walls and rafters charredby fire; and when the temples of the Dardan Gods had been sacked, andscorn done to the body of Priam the Old; and Cassandra in the tent ofKing Agamemnon shuddered and rocked herself about; and when dogs hadeaten the fair body of Paris, then the Achæans turned their eyes withlonging to their homesteads. So there was a great ship-building andlaunching of keels; and at last King Menelaus embarked for peopledLacedæmon, and took his lovely wife with him in the ship, and stayed hiscourse at Rhodes for certain days, resting there with Helen. There heset a close guard about her all day; and as Paris had loved her, soloved he. But she was wretched, and spent her days in weeping; and grewpale and thin, and was for ever scheming shifts how she might bedelivered from such a life as she led. Ever by the door of the chamberstood Eutyches, and watched her closely, marking her distress. And sheknew that he knew it; for what woman does not know the secret mind of aman with regard to her?

 * * * * *

So, on a day, sat Helen by the window with her needlework in her lap, and looked out over the sea. Eutyches came into the room where she was, silently, through the hangings of the door, and kneeling to her, kissedher knee. She turned to him her sad face, saying, "What wouldst thou ofme, Eutyches?"

"Lady, " he said, "thy pardon first of all. "

She smiled upon him. "Thou hast it, " she said; "what then?"

He said to her, "Lady, I have served thee these many years, and no manknows thy mind better than I do, who know it only from thy face. For Ihave been but a house-dog in thy sight. But I have never read itwrongly; and now I know that thou art unhappy.... "

"Yes, " she said, "it is true. I am very unhappy, and with reason. "

Eutyches drew from his bosom a sharp sword and laid it upon her knee. "Take this sovereign remedy from thy servant, " he said. "No ills canwithstand it, so sharp it is. " And he left her with the bare sword uponher knees. She hid it in the coverings of the bed. 

Now, when King Menelaus had feasted in the hall, he came immediatelyafter into the Queen's chamber. And he said to her, "Hail, loveliest ofwomen born!" and again, "Hail, thou Rose of the World!"

She answered him nothing, but went to her women and suffered herself tobe made ready. Then came the King in to her and began to woo her; butshe, looking strangely upon him by the light of the torch in the wall, sat up and held him off with her hand. "Touch me not, Menelaus, " shesaid, "touch me no more until I know whether thou art true or false. "

He was astonished at her, saying, "What is this, dear love? Dost thoucall me false who for ten bitter years have striven to have thee again;and have forsworn all other women for thy sake?"

But her eyes were hard upon him, glittering. "Ay, " she said, "and I do. For to thee, through those bitter years, I was faithful in heart, andutterly; and that which thou lovest is the bounty of my body, the whichif I should mar it, thou wouldst spurn me as horrible. And now I willprove thee and my words together. " So, while he gazed at her in wonder, she drew out the sword. "With this sword, " she said, "I will do one oftwo things. Choose thou. "

The King said, hollow-voiced, "What wilt thou do?"

She said, "With the sword I will lay open this poisonous face of mine;"and she touched her right cheek; "or with it I will cut off this mywicked breast;" and she put her hand upon her left breast, and saidagain, "Choose thou. "

But Menelaus with a loud cry threw himself upon her, and took each ofher wrists in a hand, and held her down on the bed. The sword droppedout and fell to the floor; but he let it lie. Now his love waxed thegreater for the danger she had been in. And in the morning, when as shelay as one dead, he picked up the sword and brake it, and threw it outof the window. Also before he left her he gave straight order that sheshould be watched throughout the day. But he gave the order to Eutyches, believing him to be faithful for his former and latter service. 

 * * * * *

By and by came Eutyches and spoke again with her, saying, "Lady, I fearme thou didst not use my remedy aright. "

She heard him in a stare, and answered in a dry voice, "I fear so too. "

Then said Eutyches, "There is but one way to use it. So shalt thou befree from pain and sorrow of heart. " She would not look at him, but heknew that she understood his thought. "If thou wilt swear to me byArtemis the Bright, " he said, "that thou wilt never use it againstthyself, I will put another remedy on thy knees, lady. "

She swore it; and he fetched her a sword, and put it on her knees. Thatnight, in the dark, she slew her husband Menelaus, as he lay asleep byher side; and she knew that he was dead because, after groaning once, heneither moved nor stirred, and because his foot which was upon her anklewas heavy as lead. 

Then came Eutyches in with a torch, and asked her if all was well. Shetold him what she had done; and Eutyches came close with the torch andsaw that the King was dead. Then he said, "Before dawn we must depart, thou and I. "

She said, "Where can I go? What will become of me?"

He gazed upon her, saying, "I will love thee for ever, as I have thesetwelve years and more. "

She said to him, "I will go now if thou wilt help me, Eutyches. "

He said, "I will help thee when I can. "

Then Helen looked at him, and saw his eyes, and was horribly afraid. Shesaid, "I know not whether I can trust thee;" but he answered her:

"Have I not proved that to thee? Did I not give thee the sword withwhich to free thyself?"

"Yea, " she said, "but have I freed myself indeed?"

He stretched out his arms to her, saying, "Free? Yes, thou art free, most glorious one. And now I too am free to love thee. "

But she used craft in her fear, saying, "I am soiled with wicked blood. Stay thou here, Eutyches, and I will purify myself, and be as thouwouldst have me. "

And he let her go with a kiss, saying, "Be quick. Have I not waitedtwelve years?"

Then Helen arose and went out of the chamber, and out of the house intothe garden. And she stood before the altar of Artemis Eileithyia, andprayed before it, saying, "O Holy One, I give thee thanks indeed thatnow I know the way of peace. " And then she went farther into the groveof ilex-trees where the altar and the image stood, and took off hergirdle and bound it straightly round her neck. And she clomb the tree, and tied the end of the girdle about the branch thereof; and afterwardcast herself down, and hung there quite still. And the cord which sheused was of silk, and had girt her raiment about her, below her fairbreasts. 

THE END