ButtheGodsthemselveswerejealous，forourblisswasovergreat，Andtheybroughtonusdivision，andthehorroroftheirHate，AndtheysettheSnakebetweenus，andthetwiningcoilsofFate。
Andtheysaid，“Goforthandseekeachother’sface，andonlyfindShadowsofthatfaceyelongfor，dreamsofdaysleftfarbehind，Lovetheshadowsandbelovedwithlovesthatwaverasthewind。“
Oncemorethesweetsingingdiedaway，butastheWanderergraspedhisswordandfixedthebroadshielduponhisarmherememberedthedreamofMeriamuntheQueen，whichhadbeentoldhimbyReithePriest。Forinthatdreamtwainwhohadsinnedweremadethree，andthroughmanydeathsandlivesmustseekeachother’sface。Andnowitseemedthattheburdenofthesongwastheburdenofthedream。
Thenhethoughtnomoreondreams，orsongs，oromens，butonlyonthedeadlyfoethatstoodbeforehimwrappedindarkness，andonHelen，inwhosearmsheyetshouldlie，forsotheGoddesshadsworntohiminsea-girtIthaca。Hespokenoword，henamednoGod，butsprangforwardasalionspringsfromhisbedofreeds；and，lo！hisbucklerclashedagainstshieldsthatbarredtheway，andinvisiblearmsseizedhimtohurlhimback。ButnoweaklingwastheWanderer，thustobepushedasidebymagic，butthestoutestmanleftaliveinthewholeworldnowthatAias，Telamon’sson，wasdead。Thepriestswonderedastheysawhowhegavebackneverastep，forallthemightoftheWardensoftheGate，butliftedhisshortswordandheweddownsoterriblythatfireleaptfromtheairwheretheshortswordfell，thegoodshortswordofEuryalusthePh？acian。Thencametheclashingoftheswords，andfromallthegoldenarmourthatoncethegod-likePariswore，ay，frombuckler，helm，andgreaves，andbreastplatethesparksstreamedupastheystreamfromtheanvilofthesmithwhenhesmitesgreatblowsonswordsmadewhitewithfire。
Swiftashailfelltheblowsoftheunseenbladesuponthegoldenarmour，buthewhoworeittooknoharm，norwasitsomuchasmarkedwiththedintoftheswords。SowhilethepriestswonderedatthismiracletheviewlessWardensoftheGatesmoteattheWanderer，andtheWanderersmoteatthemagain。Thenofasuddenheknewthis，thattheywhobarredthepathweregone，fornomoreblowsfell，andhisswordonlycuttheair。
Thenherushedonandpassedbehindtheveilandstoodwithintheshrine。
Butasthecurtainsswungbehindhimthesingingroseagainupontheair，andhemightnotmove，butstoodfixedwithhiseyesgazingwhere，farup，aloomwassetwithintheshrine。Forthesoundofthesingingcamefrombehindthegreatwebgleamingintheloom，thesoundofthesongofHelenassheheardtheswordsclashandtheringingoftheharnessofthosewhosekneeswereloosenedindeath。Itwasthusshesang:
Clamourofirononiron，andshriekingofsteeluponsteel，Harkhowtheyechoagain！
Lifewiththedeadisatwar，andthemortalsareshakenandreel，Thelivingareslainbytheslain！
Clamourofirononiron；likemusicthatchimeswithasong，Sowithmylifedothitchime，AndmyfootstepsmustfallinthedanceofErinnys，arevelofwrong，TillthedayofthepassingofTime！
Ghostsofthedeadthathavelovedme，yourlovehavebeenvanquishedofdeath，Butunvanquishedofdeathisyourhate；
Say，istherenonethatmaywoomeandwinmeofallthatdrawbreath，NotonebutisenviedofFate？
Nowthesongdied，andtheWandererlookedup，andbeforehimstoodthreeshadowsofmightymencladinarmour。Hegazeduponthem，andheknewtheblazonspaintedontheirshields；heknewthemforheroeslongdead——Pirithous，Theseus，andAias。
Theylookeduponhim，andthencriedwithonevoice:
“Hailtothee，OdysseusofIthaca，sonofLaertes！“
“Hailtothee，“criedtheWanderer，“Theseus，？geus’son！OncebeforedidstthougodownintotheHouseofHades，andalivethoucamestforthagain。HastthoucrossedyetagainthestreamofOcean，anddostthouliveinthesunlight？ForofoldIsoughttheeandfoundtheenotintheHouseofHades？“
ThesemblanceofTheseusanswered:“IntheHouseofHadesIabidethisday，andinthefieldsofasphodel。Butthatthouseestisashadow，sentforthbyQueenPersephone，tobetheguardofthebeautyofHelen。“
“Hailtothee，Pirithous，Ixion’sson，“criedtheWandereragain。
“HastthouyetwonthedreadPersephonetobethylove？AndwhydothHadesgivehisrivalholidaytowanderinthesunlight，forofoldI
soughtthee，andfoundtheenotintheHouseofHades。“
ThenthesemblanceofPirithousanswered:
“IntheHouseofHadesIdwellthisday，andthatthouseestisbutashadowwhichgoeswiththeshadowoftheheroTheseus。ForwhereheisamI，andwherehegoesIgo，andourveryshadowsarenotsundered；
butweguardthebeautyofHelen。“
“Hailtothee，Aias，Telamon’sson，“criedtheWanderer。“Hastthounotforgottenthywrathagainstme，forthesakeofthoseaccursedarmsthatIwonfromthee，thearmsofAchilles，sonofPeleus？ForofoldintheHouseofHadesIspoketothee，butthouwouldstnotansweroneword，soheavywasthineanger。“
ThenthesemblanceofAiasmadeanswer:“Withironuponiron，andthestrokeofbronzeonbronze，wouldIanswerthee，ifIwereyetalivingmanandlookeduponthesunlight。ButIsmitewithashadowyspearandslaynonebutmenforedoomed，andIamtheshadeofAiaswhodwellsinHades。YettheQueenPersephonesentmeforthtobetheguardofthebeautyofHelen。“
ThentheWandererspake。
“Tellme，yeshadowsofthesonsofheroes，isthewayclosed，anddotheGodsforbidit，ormayIthatamyetalivingmanpassforwardandgazeonthatyeguard，onthebeautyofHelen？“
Theneachofthethreenoddedwithhishead，andsmoteonceuponhisshield，saying:
“Passby，butlooknotbackuponus，tillthouhastseenthydesire。“
ThentheWandererwentby，intotheinnermostchamberofthealabastershrine。
Nowwhentheshadowshadspokenthus，theygrewdimandvanished，andtheWanderer，astheyhadcommanded，drewslowlyuponthealabastershrine，tillatlengthhestoodonthehithersideofthewebupontheloom。Itwasagreatweb，wideandhigh，andhidalltheinnermostrecessesoftheshrine。Herehewaited，notknowinghowheshouldbreakinupontheHathor。
Ashestoodwonderingthushisbucklerslippedfromhisloosenedhandandclasheduponthemarblefloor，andasitclashedthevoiceoftheHathortookupthebrokensong；andthusshesangevermoresweetly:——
Ghostsofthedeadthathavelovedme，yourlovehasbeenvanquishedbyDeath，ButunvanquishedbyDeathisyourHate；
Say，istherenonethatmaywoomeandwinmeofallthatdrawbreath，NotonebutisenviedofFate？
Nonethatmaypassyouunwounded，unscathedofinvisiblespears——
BythesplendourofZeusthereisone，Andhecomes，andmyspiritistouchedasDemeteristouchedbythetearsOftheSpringandthekissofthesun。
Forhecomes，andmyheartthatwaschillasalakeintheseasonofsnow，Ismolten，andglowsaswithfire。
AndtheLovethatIknewnotisbornandhelaughsinmyheart，andIknowThenameandtheflameofDesire。
AsaflameIamkindled，aflamethatisblownbyawindfromtheNorth，Byawindthatisdeadlywithcold，Andthehopethatawokeinmefaints，fortheLovethatisbornshallgoforthTomyLove，andshalldieasofold！
Nowthesongsobbeditselfaway，buttheheartoftheWandererechoedtoitssweetnessasalyremoansandthrillswhenthehandofthestrikerisliftedfromthestrings。
Forawhilehestoodthus，hiddenbythewebupontheloom，whilehislimbsshookliketheleavesofthetallpoplar，andhisfaceturnedwhiteasturnthepoplarleaves。Thendesireovercamehim，andalonginghecouldnotmaster，tolookuponthefaceofherwhosang，andheseizedthewebupontheloom，andrentitwithagreatrendingnoise，sothatitfelldownoneithersideofhim，andthegoldcoilsrippledathisfeet。
Thetornwebfell——thelastveiloftheStrangeHathor。Itfell，andallitsunravelledthreadsofglitteringgoldandscarletrippledandcoiledabouttheWanderer’sfeet，andaboutthepillarsoftheloom。
Thewebwastorn，theveilwasrent，thelabourwaslost，thepicturedstoryoflovesandwarswasallundone。
Butthere，whiteinthesilveryduskofthealabastershrine，therewasthevisibleHelen，thebrideandthedaughterofMystery，theWorld’sDesire！
Thereshonethatfabledlovelinessofwhichnostorywastoostrange，ofwhichallmiraclesseemedtrue。There，herhandsfoldedonherlap，herheadbowed——theresatshewhosevoicewastheechoofallsweetvoices，shewhoseshapewasthemirrorofallfairforms，shewhosechangefulbeauty，sotheysaid，wasthechildofthechangefulmoon。
Helensatinachairofivory，gleamingeventhroughthesunshineofheroutspreadhair。Shewasclothedinsoftfoldsofwhite；onherbreastgleamedtheStarstone，theredstoneofthesea-deepsthatmeltsinthesunshine，butthatmeltednotonthebreastofHelen。
Momentbymomentthereddropsfromtherubyheartofthestarfellonhersnowyraiment，fellandvanished，——fellandvanished，——andleftnostain。
TheWandererlookedonherface，butthebeautyandtheterrorofit，assheraisedit，weremorethanhecouldbear，andhestoodlikethosewhosawtheterrorandthebeautyofthatfacewhichchangesmentostone。
ForthelovelyeyesofHelenstaredwide，herlips，yetquiveringwiththelastnotesofsong，werewideopeninfear。Sheseemedlikeonewhowalksalone，andsuddenly，inthenoondaylight，meetsthehateddead；encounteringtheghostofanenemycomebacktoearthwiththeinstantsummonsofdoom。
