“Ay，Rei。IsworeanoaththatIwouldguardtheQueenwelltillPharaohcameagain。“
“Artthoumindedtokeepthatoath，Eperitus？“askedRei，lookingonhimstrangely。“ArtthoumindedtoguardthefairfameofPharaoh’sQueen，thatismorepreciousthanherlife？Methinksthoudostunderstandmymeaning，Eperitus？“
“PerchanceIunderstand，“answeredtheWanderer。“Know，Rei，thatIamsominded。“
ThenReispakeagain，darkly。“MethinkssomesicknesshathsmittenMeriamuntheQueen，andshecravestheeforherphysician。NowthingscomeaboutastheywereforeshownintheportentofthatvisionwhereofIspoketothee。Butifthoudostbreakthyoathtohimwhosesaltthoueatest，then，Eperitus，Godorman，thouartadastard。“
“HaveInotsaidthatIhavenomindsotobreakmineoath？“heanswered，thensankhisheaduponhisbreastandcommunedwithhiscraftyheartwhileReiwatchedhim。Presentlyhelifteduphisheadandspoke:
“Rei，“hesaid，“Iammindedtotelltheeastrangestoryandatrue，forthisIsee，thatourwillrunsoneway，andthoucansthelpme，and，inhelpingme，thyselfandPharaohtowhomIsworeanoath，andherwhosehonourthouholdestdear。ButthisIwarnthee，Rei，thatifthoudostbetrayme，notthineage，notthyoffice，northefriendshipthouhastshownme，shallsavethee。“
“Speakon，Odysseus，Laertes’son，OdysseusofIthaca，“saidRei；“maymylifebeforfeitifIbetraythycounsel，ifitharmnotthoseI
serve。“
NowtheWandererstartedtohisfeet，crying:
“Howknowestthouthatname？“
“Iknowit，“saidRei，“andItelltheethatIknowit，thoumostcraftyofmen，toshowthis，thatwithmethyguilewillnotavailthee。“ForhewouldnottellhimthathehaditfromthelipsoftheQueen。
“Thouhastheardanamethathadbeeninthemouthsofmany，“saidtheWanderer；“perchanceitismine，perchanceitisthenameofanother。
Itmattersnot。Nowknowthis:IfearthisQueenofthine。HitherI
cametoseekawoman，buttheQueenIcamenottoseek。YetIhavenotcomeinvain，foryonder，Rei，yonder，intheTempleoftheHathor，I
foundheronwhosequestIcame，andwhoawaitedmetherewellguardedtillIshouldcometotakeher。OnthemorrownightIgoforthtothetemple，andthere，bythegatesofthetemple，Ishallfindherwhomallmendesire，butwholovesmealoneamongmen，forsoithasbeenfatedoftheGods。ThenceIbringherhitherthatherewemaybewed。
Nowthisismymind:ifthouwiltaidmewithashipandmen，thatatthefirstlightofdawnweshouldfleethislandofthine，andthatthoushouldestkeepmygoingsecretforawhiletillIhavegainedthesea。TrueitisthatIsworetoguardtheQueentillPharaohcomeagain；butasthouknowest，thingsaresothatIcanbestguardherbymyflight，andifPharaohthinksillofme——soitmustbe。MoreoverI
asktheetomeetmebythepylonoftheTempleofHathorto-morrowatonehourbeforemidnight。TherewillwetalkwithherwhoiscalledtheHathor，andprepareourflight，andthencethoushaltgotothatshipwhichthouhastmadeready。“
NowReithoughtforawhileandanswered:
“SomewhatIfeartolookuponthisGoddess，yetIwilldareit。Tellme，then，howshallIknowheratthetemple’sgate？“
“Thoushaltknowher，Rei，bytheredstarwhichburnsuponherbreast。Butfearnot，forIwillbethere。Say，wiltthoumaketheshipready？“
“Theshipshallbeready，Eperitus，andthoughIlovetheewell，Isaythis，thatIwoulditrodethewaveswhichrollaroundtheshoresofKhemandthouwertwithit，andwiththeeshewhoiscalledtheHathor，thatGoddesswhomthoudesirest。“
X
THEOATHOFTHEWANDERER
ThatnighttheWanderersawnotMeriamun，butonthemorrowshesentamessengertohim，biddinghimtoherfeastthatnight。Hehadlittlehearttogo，butaQueen’scourtesyisacommand，andhewentatsundown。Reialsowenttothefeast，andashewent，meetingtheWandererintheante-chamber，hewhisperedtohimthatallthingsweremadeready，thatagoodshipwaitedhimintheharbour，theveryshipthathehadcapturedfromtheSidonians，andthathe，Rei，wouldbewithhimbythepylongateofthetempleonehourbeforemidnight。
Presently，ashewhispered，thedoorswereflungwideandMeriamuntheQueenpassedin，followedbyeunuchsandwaiting-women。Shewasroyallyarrayed，herfacewaspaleandcold，buthergreateyesglowedinit。LowtheWandererbowedbeforeher。Shebentherheadinanswer，thengavehimherhand，andheledhertothefeast。Theysattheresidebyside，buttheQueenspokelittle，andthatlittleofPharaohandthehostoftheApura，fromwhomnotidingscame。
Whenatlengththefeastwasdone，MeriamunbadetheWanderertoherprivatechamber，andthitherhewentforawhile，thoughsorelyagainsthiswill。ButReicamenotinwiththem，andthushewasleftalonewiththeQueen，forshedismissedthewaitingladies。
Whentheyhadgonetherewassilenceforaspace，butevertheWandererfelttheeyesofMeriamunwatchinghimasthoughtheywouldreadhisheart。
“Iamweary，“shesaid，atlength。“Tellmeofthewanderings，OdysseusofIthaca——nay，tellmeofthesiegeofIliosandofthesinfulHelen，whobroughtallthesewoesabout。Ay，andtellmehowthoudidstcreepfromtheleaguersoftheAch？ans，and，wrappedinabeggar’sweeds，seekspeechofthisevilHelen，nowjustlyslainoftheangryGods。“
“Justlyslainissheindeed，“answeredthecraftyWanderer。“Anillthingisit，truly，thatthelivesofsomanyheroesshouldbelostbecauseofthebeautyofafaithlesswoman。IhaditinmyownhearttoslayherwhenIspokewithherinTroytown，buttheGodsheldmyhand。“
“Wasitso，indeed？“saidtheQueen，smilingdarkly。“Doubtlessifsheyetlived，andthousawesther，thouwouldstslayher。Isitnotso，Odysseus？“
“Shelivesnomore，OQueen！“heanswered。
“Nay，shelivesnomore，Odysseus。Nowtellme；yesterdaythouwentestuptotheTempleoftheHathor；tellmewhatthoudidstseeinthetemple。“
“Isawafairwoman，or，perchance，animmortalGoddess，standuponthepylonbrow，andasshestoodandsangthosewholookedwerebereftofreason。Andthereaftersometriedtopasstheghostswhoguardedthewoman，andwereslainofinvisibleswords。Itwasastrangesighttosee。“
“Astrangesight，surely。Butthoudidstnotlosethycraft，Odysseus，nortrytobreakthroughtheghosts？“
“Nay，Meriamun。InmyyouthIlookeduponthebeautyofArgiveHelen，whowasfairerthanshewhostooduponthepylontower。NonewhohavelookedupontheHelenwouldseektowintheHathor。“
“But，perchance，thosewhohavelookedupontheHathormayseektowintheHelen，“sheansweredslowly，andheknewnotwhattosay，forhefeltthepowerofhermagiconhim。
Soforawhiletheyspoke，andMeriamun，knowingall，wonderedmuchattheguileoftheWanderer，butsheshowednowonderinherface。Atlengthheroseand，bowingbeforeher，saidthathemustvisittheguardthatwatchedthePalacegates。Shelookeduponhimstrangelyandbadehimgo。Thenhewent，andrightgladhewasthustobefreeofher。
Butwhenthecurtainshadswungbehindhim，MeriamuntheQueensprangtoherfeet，andadreadfullightofdaringburnedinhereyes。Sheclappedherhands，andbadethosewhocametoherseektheirrest，asshewouldalso，forshewaswearyandneedednonetowaituponher。Sothewomenwent，leavingheralone，andshepassedintohersleepingchamber。
“Nowmustthebridedeckherselfforthebridal，“shesaid，andstraightway，pausingnot，drewforththeAncientEvilfromitshiding-
placeandwarmeditonherbreast，breathingthebreathoflifeintoitsnostrils。Now，asbefore，itgrewandwounditselfabouther，andwhisperedinherear，biddingherclotheherselfinbridalwhiteandclasptheEvilaroundher；thenthinkuponthebeautyshehadseengatheronthefaceofdeadHataskaintheTempleofOsiris，andonthefaceoftheBai，andthefaceoftheKa。Shediditscommand，fearingnothing，forherheartwasalightwithlove，andtornwithjealoushate，andlittledidshereckofthesorrowswhichhersinshouldbringforth。Soshebathedherselfinperfumes，shookouthershininghair，andcladherselfinwhiteattire。Thenshelookeduponherbeautyinthemirrorofsilver，andcriedinthebitternessofherhearttotheEvilthatlaybesideherlikeasnakeasleep。
“Ah，amInotfairenowtowinhimwhomIlove？Say，thouEvil，mustI
indeedstealthebeautyofanothertowinhimwhomIlove？“
“Thismustthoudo，“saidtheEvil，“orlosehiminHelen’sarms。Forthoughthouartfair，yetissheBeauty’sself，andhergentlenessheloves，andnotthypride。Choose，chooseswiftlyforpresentlytheWanderergoesforthtowintheGoldenHelen。“
Thenshedoubtednomore，butliftingtheshiningEvil，heldittoher。Withadreadfullaughittwineditselfabouther，andlo！itshranktotheshapeofagirdling，double-headedsnakeofgold，witheyesofrubyflame。AndasitshrankMeriamuntheQueenthoughtonthebeautyshehadseenuponthefaceofthedeadHataska，onthefaceoftheBai，andthefaceoftheKa，andallthewhileshewatchedherbeautyinthemirror。Andasshewatched，behold，herfacegrewasthefaceofdeath，ashenandhollow，thenslowlyburnedintolifeagain——
butallherlovelinesswaschanged。Changedwereherdarklockstolocksofgold，changedwereherdeepeyestoeyesofblue，changedwasthegloryofherpridetothesweetnessoftheHelen’ssmile。Fairestamongwomenhadbeenherform，nowitwasfaireryet，andnow——nowshewasBeauty’sself，andliketoswoonatthedreamofherownloveliness。