“Nay，“shewenton，lettingtheknifefall；“afteranotherfashionshaltthoudie——moreslowly，Rei，yes，moreslowly。Thouknowestthetormentofthepalm-tree？Bythatthoushaltdie！“Shepaused，andstoodabovehimwithquiveringlimbs，andbreastthatheaved，andeyesthatflashedlikestars。
“Stay！stay！“hecried。“ItisnotIwhohaveslainthisWanderer，ifheindeedisdead，buthisownfolly。ForheisgoneuptolookupontheStrangeHathor，andthosewholookupontheHathordobattlewiththeUnseenSwords，andthosewhodobattlewiththeUnseenSwordsmustlieinthebathsofbronzeandseektheUnderWorld。“
ThefaceofMeriamungrewwhiteatthisword，asthealabasterofthewalls，andshecriedaloudwithagreatcry。Thenshesankuponthecouch，pressingherhandtoherbrowandmoaning:
“HowmayIsavehim？HowmayIsavehimfromthataccursedwitch？
Alas！Itistoolate——butatleastIwillknowhisend，ay，andhearofthebeautyofherwhoslayshim。Rei，“shewhispered，notinthespeechofKhem，butinthedeadtongueofadeadpeople，“benotwrathwithme。Oh，havepityonmyweakness。ThouknowestofthePutting-
forthoftheSpirit——isitnotso？“
“Iaminstructed，“heanswered，inthesamespeech；“’twasIwhotaughttheethisart，I，andthatAncientEvilwhichisthine。“
“True——itwasthou，Rei。Thouhasteverlovedme，sothouswearest，andmanyadeedofdreadhavewedaredtogether。LendmethySpirit，Rei，thatImaysenditforthtotheTempleoftheFalseHathor，andlearnwhatpassesinthetemple，andofthedeathofhim——whomImustlove。“
“Anilldeed，Meriamun，andafearful，“heanswered，“forthereshallmySpiritmeetthemwhowatchthegates，andwhoknowswhatmaychancewhenthebodilessonethatyethathearthlylifemeetsthebodilessoneswholivenomoreonearth？“
“Yetwiltthoudareit，Rei，forloveofme，asbeinginstructedthoualonecanstdo，“shepleaded。
“NeverhaveIrefusedtheeaught，Meriamun，norwillIsaytheenay。
ThisonlyIaskofthee——thatifmySpiritcomesbacknomore，thouwiltburymeinthattombwhichIhavemadereadybyThebes，andifitmaybe，bythystrengthofmagicwringmefromthepowerofthestrangeWardens。Iamprepared——thouknowestthespell——sayit。“
Hesankbackinthecarvencouch，andlookedupwards。ThenMeriamundrewneartohim，gazedintohiseyesandwhisperedinhisearinthatdeadtonguesheknew。AndasshewhisperedthefaceofReigrewlikethefaceofonedead。Shedrewbackandspokealoud:
“Artthouloosed，SpiritofRei？“
ThenthelipsofReiansweredher，saying:“Iamloosed，Meriamun。
WhithershallIgo？“
“TothecourtoftheTempleofHathor，thatisbeforetheshrine。“
“Itisdone，Meriamun。“
“Whatseestthou？“
“Iseeamancladingoldenarmour。Hestandswithbucklerraisedbeforethedoorwayoftheshrine，andbeforehimaretheghostsofheroesdead，thoughhemaynotseethemwiththeeyesoftheflesh。
Fromwithintheshrinetherecomesasoundofsinging，andhelistenstothesinging。“
“Whatdoeshehear？“
ThentheloosedSpiritofReithePriesttoldMeriamuntheQueenallthewordsofthesongthatHelensang。AndwhensheheardandknewthatitwasArgiveHelenwhosatinthehallsofHathor，theheartoftheQueengrewfaintwithinher，andherkneestrembled。Yetmoredidshetremblewhenshelearnedthosewordsthatranglikethewordssheherselfhadheardinhervisionlongago——tellingofblissthathadbeen，ofthehateoftheGods，andoftheunendingQuest。
Nowthesongended，andtheWandererwentupagainsttheghosts，andtheSpiritofRei，speakingwiththelipsofRei，toldallthatbefell，whileMeriamunhearkenedwithopenears——ay，andcriedaloudwithjoywhentheWandererforcedhispaththroughtheinvisibleswords。
ThenoncemorethesweetvoicerangandtheloosedSpiritofReitoldthewordsshesang，andtoMeriamuntheyseemedfateful。ThenhetoldherallthetalkthatpassedbetweentheWandererandtheghosts。
NowtheghostsbeinggoneshebadetheSpiritofReifollowtheWandererupthesanctuary，andfromtheloosedSpiritsheheardhowherenttheweb，andofallthewordsofHelenandofthecraftofhimwhofeignedtobeParis。ThenthewebwastornandtheeyesoftheSpiritofReilookedonthebeautyofherwhowasbehindit。
“TellmeofthefaceoftheFalseHathor？“saidtheQueen。
AndtheSpiritofReianswered:“HerfaceisthatbeautywhichgatheredlikeamaskuponthefaceofdeadHataska，anduponthefaceoftheBai，andthefaceoftheKa，whenthouspakestwiththespiritofherthouhadstslain。“
NowMeriamungroanedaloud，forsheknewthatdoomwasonher。Lastofall，sheheardthetellingofthelovesofOdysseusandofHelen，herundyingfoe，oftheirkiss，oftheirbetrothal，andofthatmarriagewhichshouldbeonthemorrownight。MeriamuntheQueensaidneveraword，butwhenallwasdoneandtheWandererhadlefttheshrineagain，shewhisperedintheearofReithePriest，anddrewbackhisSpirittohimsothatheawokeasamanawakesfromsleep。
HeawokeandsawtheQueensittingoveragainsthimwithafacewhiteasthefaceofthedead，andaboutherdeepeyeswerelinesofblack。
“Hastthouheard，Meriamun？“heasked。
“Ihaveheard，“sheanswered。
“Whatdreadfulthinghastthouheard？“heaskedagain，forheknewnaughtofthatwhichhisSpirithadseen。
“Ihaveheardthingsthatmaynotbetold，“shesaid，“butthisIwilltellthee。Heofwhomwespokehathpassedtheghosts，hehathmetwiththeFalseHathor——thataccursedwoman——andhereturnshereallunharmed。Nowgo，Rei！“
Reideparted，wonderingandheavyatheart，andMeriamuntheQueenpassedintoherbed-chamber，andthereshebadetheeunuchssuffernonetoenter，madefastthedoors，andthrewherselfdownuponthebed，hidingherfaceinitswovencushions。Thusshelayformanyhoursasonedead——tillthedarknessoftheeveninggatheredinthechamber。Butthoughshemovednot，yetinherheartthereburnedafire，nowwhitewithheatasthebreathofherpassionfannedit，andnowwaningblackanddullasthetearsfellfromhereyes。Fornowsheknewall——thatthelongforeboding，sometimesdreaded，sometimesdesired，andagain，likeadream，halfforgotten，wasindeedbeingfulfilled。Sheknewofthedevouringlovethatmusteatherlifeaway，knewthateveninthegravesheshouldfindnorest。Andherfoewasnolongerafacebeheldinavision，butalivingwoman，thefairestandmostfavoured，HelenofTroy，ArgiveHelen，theFalseHathor，thetorchthatfiredgreatcities，thecentreofalldesire，whoselifewasthedailydoomofmen。
Meriamunwasbeautiful，butherbeautypaledbeforethefaceofHelen，asafireisslainbythesun。Magicshehadalso，morethananywhowereontheearth；butwhatwouldherspellsavailagainstthemagicofthosechangingeyes？AnditwasHelenwhomtheWanderercametoseek，for/her/hehadtravelledthewidelandsandsailedtheseas。
Butwhenhetoldherofonewhomhedesired，onewhomhesought，shehaddeemedthatsheherselfwasthatone，ay，andhadtoldhimall。
Atthatthoughtshelaughedout，inthemadnessofherangerandhershame。AndhehadsmiledandspokenofPharaohherlord——andthewhilehespokehehadthoughtnotonherbutoftheGoldenHelen。Nowthisatleastsheswore，thatifhemightnotbehers，nevershouldhebeHelen’s。Shewouldseehimdeaderethathour，ay，andherself，andifitmightbe，Helenwouldsheseedeadalso。
Towhatcounselshouldsheturn？Onthemorrownightthesetwomeet；
onthemorrownighttheywouldflytogether。ThenonthemorrowmusttheWandererbeslain。Howshouldhebeslainandleavenotaleofmurder？Bypoisonhemightdie，andKurritheSidonianshouldbechargedtogivethecup。AndthenshewouldslayKurri，sayingthathehadpoisonedtheWandererbecauseofhishateandthelossofhisgoodsandfreedom；andyethowcouldsheslayherlove？Ifoncesheslewhimthenshe，too，mustdieandseekherjoyinthekingdomthatOsirisrules，andthereshemightfindlittlegladness。
What，then，shouldshedo？Noanswercameintoherheart。Therewasonethatmustanswerinhersoul。
Nowsherosefromthebedandstoodforawhilestaringintothedark。
Thenshegropedherwaytoaplacewheretherewasacarvenchestofolive-woodandivory，anddrawingakeyfromhergirdlesheopenedthechest。Withinwerejewels，mirrors，andunguentsinjarsofalabaster——ay，andpoisonsofdeadlybane；butshetouchednoneofthese。
Thrustingherhanddeepintothechest，shedrewforthacasketofdarkmetalthatthepeopledeemedunholy，acasketmadeof“Typhon’sBone，“forsotheycallgreyiron。Shepressedasecretspring。Itopened，andfeelingwithinshefoundasmallercasket。Liftingittoherlipsshewhisperedoveritwordsofnolivingspeech，andintheheavyandscenteddarkalowflameflickeredandtrembledonherlips，asshemurmuredinthetongueofadeadpeople。Thenslowlythelidopenedofitself，likealivingmouththatopens，andasitopened，agleamoflightstoleupfromtheboxintotheduskofthechamber。
NowMeriamunlooked，andshudderedasshelooked。Yetsheputherhandintothebox，andmuttering“Comeforth——comeforth，thouAncientEvil，“drewsomewhattoherandhelditoutfromheronthepalmofherhand。Behold，itglowedintheduskofthechamberasaliveemberglowsamongtheashesofthehearth。Reditglowedandgreen，andwhite，andlividblue，anditsshape，asitlayuponherhand，wastheshapeofacoilingsnake，cut，asitwere，inopalandinemerald。
Forawhileshegazeduponit，shuddering，asoneindoubt。
“MindedIamtolettheesleep，thouHorror，“shemurmured。“TwicehaveIlookedonthee，andIwouldlooknomore。Nay，Iwilldareit，thougiftoftheoldwisdom，thoufrozenfire，thousleepingSin，thoulivingDeathoftheancientcity，forthoualonehastwisdom。“
