Thenheremembered。SurelyhehadsleptwiththeGoldenHelen，whowashisbride，andsurelyhehaddreamedanevildream，adreamofasnakethatworethefaceofPharaoh’sQueen。Yea，therelaytheGoldenHelen，wonatlast——theGoldenHelennowmadeawifetohim。Nowhemockedhisownfears，andnowhebenttowakeherwithakiss。Faintlythenew-bornlightcreptandgatheredonherface；ah！howbeautifulshewasinsleep。Nay，whatwasthis？Whosefacewasthisbeneathhisown？NotsohadHelenlookedintheshrineofhertemple，whenhetoretheweb。NotsohadHelenseemedyonderinthepillaredhallwhenshestoodinthemoonlitspace——notsohadsheseemedwhenheswarethegreatoathtoloveher，andheralone。Whosebeautywasitthenthatnowhesaw？BytheImmortalGods，itwasthebeautyofMeriamun；itwasthegloryofthePharaoh’sQueen！
Hestareduponherlovelysleepingface，whileterrorshookhissoul。
Howcouldthisbe？Whatthenhadhedone？
Thenlightbrokeuponhim。Helookedaroundthechamber——thereonthewallswerethegravenimagesoftheGodsofKhem，thereabovethebedthenamesofMeneptahandMeriamunwerewrittensidebysideinthesacredsignsofKhem。NotwiththeGoldenHelenhadheslept，butwiththewifeofPharaoh！Toherhehadsworntheoath，andshehadworntheHelen’sshape——andnowthespellwasbroken。
Hestoodamazed，andashestood，againthegreatbowthrilled，warninghimofDeathtocome。Thenhisstrengthcamebacktohim，andheseizedhisarmourandgirtitabouthimpiecebypiecetillheliftedthegoldenhelm。Itslippedfromhishand；withacrashitfelluponthemarblefloor。Withacrashitfell，andshewhosleptinthebedawokewithacry，andsprangfromthebed，herdarkhairstreamingdown，hernight-gearheldtoherbythegoldensnakewithgemmyeyesthatshemusteverwear。Buthecaughthisswordinhishand，andthrewdowntheivorysheath。