ForamomentthesightofherterrormadeeventheWandererafraid。
Whatwasthehorrorshebeheldinthishauntedshrine，wherewasnonesavethemselvesalone？Whatwaswiththemintheshrine？
ThenhesawthathereyeswerefixedonhisgoldenarmourwhichParisoncehadworn，onthegoldenshieldwiththeblazonoftheWhiteBull，onthegoldenhelm，whosevisorwasdownsothatitquitehidhiseyesandhisface——andthenatlasthervoicebrokefromher:
“/Paris！Paris！Paris！/HasDeathlostholdofthee？Hastthoucometodragmebacktotheeandtoshame？Paris，deadParis！Whogavetheecouragetopasstheshadowsofmenwhomonearththouhadstnotdaredtofaceinwar？“
Thenshewrungherhands，andlaughedaloudwiththeemptylaughoffear。
AthoughtcameintothatcraftymindoftheWanderer’s，andheansweredher，notinhisownvoice，butinthesmooth，soft，mockingvoiceofthetraitor，Paris，whomhehadheardforswearhimselfintheoathbeforeIlios。
“So，lady，thouhastnotyetforgivenParis？Thouweavesttheancientweb，thousingesttheancientsongs——artthoustillunkindasofold？“
“Whyartthoucomebacktotauntme？“shesaid，andnowshespokeasifanoldfamiliarfearandhorrorwerelayingholdofherandmasteringheragain，afterlongfreedom。“Wasitnotenoughtobetraymeinthesemblanceofmyweddedlord？Whydostthoumock？“
“Inloveallartsarefair，“heansweredinthevoiceofParis。“Manyhavelovedthee，Lady，andtheyarealldeadforthysake，andnolovebutminehasbeenmorestrongthandeath。Thereisnonetoblameusnow，andnonetohinder。Troyisdown，theheroesarewhitedust；onlyLovelivesyet。Wiltthounotlearn，Lady，howashadowcanlove？“
Shehadlistenedwithherheadbowed，butnowsheleapedupwithblazingeyesandfaceoffire。
“Begone！“shesaid，“theheroesaredeadformysake，andtomyshame，buttheshameislivingyet。Begone！Neverinlifeordeathshallmylipstouchthefalselipsthatliedawaymyhonour，andthefalsefacethatworethefavourofmylord’s。“
Foritwasbyshape-shiftingandmagicart，aspoetstell，thatParisfirstbeguiledFairHelen。
ThentheWandererspokeagainwiththesweet，smoothvoiceofParis，sonofPriam。
“AsIpasseduptheshrinewherethyglorydwells，Helen，Iheardtheesing。Andthoudidstsingofthewakingofthyheart，ofthearisingofLovewithinthysoul，andofthecomingofoneforwhomthoudostwait，whomthoudidstlovelongsinceandshaltloveforevermore。
Andasthousangest，Icame，IParis，whowasthylove，andwhoamthylove，andwhoaloneofghostsandmenshallbethyloveagain。Wiltthoustillbidmego？“
“Isang，“sheanswered，“yes，astheGodsputitinmyheartsoIsang——forindeeditseemedtomethatonecamewhowasmyloveofold，andwhomaloneImustlove，aloneforever。Butthouwastnotinmyheart，thoufalseParis！Nay，Iwilltellthee，andwiththenamewillscaretheebacktoHell。HewasinmyheartwhomonceasamaidIsawdrivinginhischariotthroughthefordofEurotaswhileIborewaterfromthewell。HewasinmyheartwhomonceIsawinTroy，whenhecreptthithercladinbeggar’sguise。Ay，Paris，Iwillnamehimbyhisname，forthoughheislongdead，yethimalonemethinksIlovedfromtheveryfirst，andhimaloneIshalllovetillmydeathlessnessisdone——Odysseus，sonofLaertes，OdysseusofIthaca，hewasnamedamongmen，andOdysseuswasinmyheartasIsangandinmyheartheshalleverbe，thoughtheGodsintheirwrathhavegivenmetoothers，tomyshame，andagainstmywill。“
NowwhentheWandererheardherspeak，andheardhisownnameuponherlips，andknewthattheGoldenHelenlovedhimalone，itseemedtohimasthoughhisheartwouldbursthisharness。Nowordcouldhefindinhishearttospeak，butheraisedthevisorofhishelm。
Shelooked——shesawandknewhimforOdysseus——evenOdysseusofIthaca。Theninturnshehidhereyeswithherhands，andspeakingthroughthemsaid:
“Oh，Paris！everwastthoufalse，but，ghostorman，ofallthyshamesthisistheshamefullest。Thouhasttakenthelikenessofaherodead，andthouhastheardmespeaksuchwordsofhimasHelenneverspokebefore。Fieonthee，Paris！fieonthee！whowouldesttrickmeintoshameasoncebeforethoudidsttrickmeintheshapeofMenelaus，whowasmylord。NowIwillcallonZeustoblasttheewithhisbolts。
Nay，notonZeuswillIcall，butonOdysseus’self。/Odysseus！
Odysseus！/ComethoufromtheshadesandsmitethisParis，thistrickster，whoevenindeathfindswaystomockthee。“
Sheceased，andwitheyesupturnedandarmsoutstretchedmurmured，“Odysseus！Odysseus！Come。“
SlowlytheWandererdrewneartothegloryoftheGoldenHelen——
slowly，slowlyhecame，tillhisdarkeyeslookedintohereyesofblue。Thenatlasthefoundhisvoiceandspake。
“Helen！ArgiveHelen！“hesaid，“IamnoshadowcomeupfromHelltotormentthee，andofTrojanParisIknownothing。ForIamOdysseus，OdysseusofIthaca，alivingmanbeneaththesunlight。HitheramI
cometoseethee，hitherIamcometowintheetomyheart。ForyonderinIthacaAphroditevisitedmeinadream，andbademewanderoutupontheseastillatlengthIfoundthee，Helen，andsawtheRedStarblazeuponthybreast。AndIhavewandered，andIhavedared，andI
haveheardthysong，andrentthewebofFate，andIhaveseentheStar，andlo！atlast，atlast！Ifindthee。WellIsawthouknewestthearmsofParis，whowasthyhusband，andtotrytheeIspokewiththevoiceofParis，asofoldthoudidstfeignthevoicesofourwiveswhenwelayinthewoodenhorsewithinthewallsofTroy。ThusIdrewthesweetnessofthylovefromthysecretbreast，asthesundrawsoutthesweetnessoftheflowers。ButnowIdeclaremyselftobeOdysseus，cladinthemailofParis——Odysseuscomeonthislastjourneytobethyloveandlord。“Andheceased。
Shetrembledandlookedathimdoubtfully，butatlastshespoke:
“WelldoIremember，“shesaid，“thatwhenIwashedthelimbsofOdysseus，inthehallsofIlios，Imarkedagreatwhitescarbeneathhisknee。IfindeedthouartOdysseus，andnotaphantomfromtheGods，showmethatgreatscar。“
ThentheWanderersmiled，and，restinghisbuckleragainstthepillaroftheloom，drewoffhisgoldengreave，andtherewasthescarthattheboardealtwithhistuskontheParnassianhillwhenOdysseuswasaboy。
“Look，Lady，“hesaid；“isthisthescarthatoncethineeyeslookedoninthehallsofTroy？“
“Yea，“shesaid，“itistheveryscar，andnowIknowthatthouartnoghostandnolyingshape，butOdysseus’self，cometobemyloveandlord，“andshelookedmostsweetlyinhiseyes。
NowtheWandererwaverednomore，butputouthisarmstogatherhertohisheart。NowtheRedStarwashiddenonhisbreast，nowthereddropsdrippedfromtheStaruponhismail，andthefaceofherwhoistheWorld’sDesiregrewsoftintheshadowofhishelm，whilehereyesweremeltedtotearsbeneathhiskiss。TheGodssendallloverslikejoy！
Softlyshesighed，softlydrewbackfromhisarms，andherlipswereopenedtospeakwhenachangecameoverherface。Thekindeyeswerefulloffearagain，asshegazedwhere，throughthewindowoftheshrineofalabaster，thesunlightflickeredingolduponthechapelfloor。Whatwasthatwhichflickeredinthesunlight？orwasitonlythedanceofthemotesinthebeam？Therewasnoshadowcastinthesunshine；whydidshegazeasifshesawanotherwatchingthismeetingoftheirloves？Howeveritchanced，shemasteredherfear；therewasevenasmileonherlipsandmirthinhereyesassheturnedandspokeagain。
“Odysseus，thouartindeedthecunningestofmen。Thouhaststolenmysecretbythycraft；whosavetheewoulddreamofcraftinsuchanhour？ForwhenIthoughttheeParis，andthyfacewashiddenbythyhelm，IcalledonOdysseusinmyterror，asachildcriestoamother。
MethinksIhaveeverheldhimdear；alwaysIhavefoundhimreadyatneed，thoughtheGodshavewilledthattillthishourmylovemightnotbeknown，nay，nottomyownheart；soIcalledonOdysseus，andthosewordswerewrungfrommetoscarefalseParisbacktohisownplace。ButthewordsthatshouldhavedrivenParisdowntoHelldrewOdysseustomybreast。Andnowitisdone，andIwillnotgobackuponmywords，forwehavekissedourkissoftroth，beforetheimmortalGodshavewekissed，andthoseghostswhoguardthewaytoHelen，andwhomthoualonecouldstpass，asitwasfated，arewitnessestoouroath。Andnowtheghostsdepart，fornomoreneedtheyguardthebeautyofHelen。Itisgiventotheetohaveandkeep，andnowisHelenoncemoreaverywoman，foratthykissthecursewasbroken。
Ah，friend！sincemylorddiedinpleasantLaced？mon，whatthingshaveIseenandsufferedbytheGods’decree！ButtwothingsIwilltellthee，Odysseus，andthoushaltreadthemasthoumayest。Thoughneverbeforeinthylife-daysdidthylipstouchmine，yetIknowthatnotnowforthefirsttimewekiss。AndthisIknowalso，fortheGodshavesetitinmyheart，thatthoughourloveshallbeshort，andlittlejoyshallwehaveoneofanother，yetdeathshallnotendit。
For，Odysseus，IamadaughteroftheGods，andthoughIsleepandforgetthatwhichhasbeeninmysleep，andthoughmyshapechangeasbutnowitseemedtochangeintheeyesofthoseripetodie，yetI
dienot。Andforthee，thoughthouartmortal，deathshallbebutastheshortsummernightsthatmarkoffdayfromday。Forthoushaltliveagain，Odysseus，asthouhastlivedbefore，andlifebylifeweshallmeetandlovetilltheendiscome。“
AstheWandererlistenedhethoughtoncemoreofthatdreamofMeriamuntheQueen，whichthepriestReihadtoldhim。ButhesaidnothingofittoHelen；forabouttheQueenandherwordstohimitseemedwisestnottospeak。
