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。
TheWandererandPharaoh’sQueenstoodfacetofaceinthetwilightofthechamber。Theystoodinsilence，whilebitterangerandburningshamepouredintohisheartandshonefromhiseyes。ButthefaceofMeriamunwascoldasthedead，andonitwasasmilesuchasthecarvensphinxeswear。Onlyherbreastheavedtumultuouslyasthoughintriumph，andherlimbsquiveredlikeashakenreed。Atlengthshespoke。
“Whylookestthousostrangelyonme，myLordandLove；andwhyhastthougirdedthyharnessonthyback？ScarcelydothgloriousRacreepfromthebreastofNout，andwouldestthouleavethybridalbed，Odysseus？“
Stillhespokenoword，butlookedonherwithburningeyes。Thenshestretchedoutherarmsandcametowardshimlover-like。Andnowhefoundhistongueagain。
“Gettheefromme！“hesaid，inavoicelowandterribletohear；“gettheefromme。Darenottotouchme，thou，whoartaharlotandawitch，lestIforgetmymanhoodandstriketheedeadbeforeme。“
“Thatthoucanstnotdo，Odysseus，“sheansweredsoft，“forwhateverelseIbeIamthywife，andthouartboundtomeforever。Whatwastheoathwhichthoudidstswearnotfiveshorthoursago？“
“Isworeanoathindeed，butnottothee，Meriamun。IsworeanoathtoArgiveHelen，whomIlove，andIwaketofindtheesleepingatmyside，theewhomIhate。“
“Nay，“shesaid，“tomethoudidstsweartheoath，Odysseus，forthou，ofmenthemostguileful，hastatlengthbeenover-masteredinguile。
Tome，’WomanorImmortal，’thoudidstswear’fornowandforever，forhereandhereafter，/inwhatevershapethougoestontheearth，bywhatevernamethouartknownamongmen/。’Oh，benotwroth，mylord，buthearken。Whatmatterstheshapeinwhichthouseestme？AttheleastamInotfair？Andwhatisbeautybutacasketthathidesthegemwithin？’Tismylovewhichthouhastwon，mylovethatisimmortal，andnotthefleshthatperishes。ForIhavelovedthee，ay，andthouhastlovedmefromofoldandinotherlivesthanthis，andI
telltheethatweshallloveagainandyetagainwhenthouartnomoreOdysseusofIthaca，andwhenIamnomoreMeriamun，aQueenofKhem，butwhilewewalkinotherformsupontheworldandarenamedbyothernames。Iamthydoom，thouWanderer，andwhereverthoudostwanderthroughthefieldsofLifeandDeathIshallbeatthyside。ForIamSheofwhomthouart，andthouartHeofwhomIam，andthoughtheGodshaveseveredus，yetmustwefloattogetherdowntheriverofourlivestillwefindthatseaofwhichtheSpiritknows。Thereforeputmenotfromtheeandraisenotmywrathagainstthee，forifIusedmymagictobringtheetomyarms，yettheyarethyhome。“Andoncemoreshecametowardshim。
NowtheWandererdrewanarrowfromhisquiver，andsetthenotchagainsthisbreastandthekeenbarbtowardsthebreastofMeriamun。
“Drawon，“hesaid。“ThuswillItaketheetomyarmsagain。Hearken，Meriamunthewitch——Meriamuntheharlot:Pharaoh’swifeandQueenofKhem。TotheeIsworeanoathindeed，andperchancebecauseIsufferedthyguiletoovercomemywisdom，becauseIsworeuponThatwhichcirclestheeabout，andnotbytheRedStarwhichgleamsupontheHelen’sbreast，itmaybethatIshallloseherwhomIlove。SoindeedtheQueenofHeaventoldme，yonderinsea-girtIthaca，thoughtomysorrowIforgotherwords。ButifIloseherorifIwin，knowthis，thatIloveherandheronly，andIhatetheelikethegatesofhell。
Forthouhasttrickedmewiththymagic，thouhaststolentheshapeofBeauty’sselfanddaredtowearit，thouhastdrawnadreadfuloathfromme，andIhavetakentheetowife。Andmore，thouarttheQueenofKhem，thouartPharaoh’swife，whomIsworetoguard；butthouhastbroughtthelastshameuponme，fornowIamamandishonoured，andI
havesinnedagainstthehospitablehearth，andtheGodofguestsandhosts。AndthereforeIwilldothis。IwillcalltogethertheguardofwhichIamchief，andtellthemallthyshame，ay，andallmysorrow。
Iwillshoutitinthestreets，Iwillpublishitfromthetempletops，andwhenPharaohcomesagainIwillcallitintohisear，tillheandallwholiveinKhemknowtheeforwhatthouart，andseetheeinthynakedshame。“
Shehearkened，andherfacegrewterribletosee。Amomentshestoodasthoughinthought，onehandpressedtoherbrowandoneuponherbreast。Thenshespoke。
“Isthatthylastword，Wanderer？“
“Itismylastword，Queen，“heanswered，andturnedtogo。
Thenwiththehandthatrestedonherbreastsherenthernightrobesandtoreherperfumedhair。Pasthimsherushedtowardsthedoor，andassheransentscreamonscreamechoingupthepaintedwalls。
Thecurtainsshook，thedoorswereburstasunder，andthroughthempouredguards，eunuchs，andwaiting-women。
“Help，“shecried，pointingtotheWanderer。“Help，help！oh，saveminehonourfromthisevilman，thisforeignthiefwhomPharaohsettoguardme，andwhoguardsmethus。Thiscowardwhodarestocreepuponme——theQueenofKhem——evenasIsleptinPharaoh’sbed！“andshecastherselfuponthefloorandthrewherhairabouther，andlaytheregroaningandweepingasthoughinthelastagonyofshame。
Nowwhentheguardssawhowthethingwas，agreatcryofrageandshamewentupfromthem，andtheyrushedupontheWandererlikewolvesuponastagatbay。Butheleaptbackwardstothesideofthebed，andevenasheleapthesetthearrowinhishanduponthestringofthegreatblackbow。Thenhedrewittohisear。Thebow-stringsang，thearrowrushedforth，andhewhostoodbeforeitgothisdeath。Againthebow-stringsang，againthearrowrushed，andlo！anothermanwassped。Athirdtimehedrewthebowandthesoulofathirdwentdownthewaysofhell。Nowtheyrolledbackfromhimasthewatersrollfromarock，fornonedaresfacetheshaftsofdeath。Theyshotathimwithspearsandarrowsfrombehindtheshelterofthepillars，butnoneofthesemightharmhim，forsomefellfromhismailandsomehecaughtuponhisbuckler。
NowamongthosewhohadrunthitheratthesoundofthecriesofMeriamunwasthatsameKurri，themiserablecaptainoftheSidonians，whoselifetheWandererhadspared，andwhomhehadgiventotheQueentobeherjeweller。AndwhenKurrisawtheWanderer’splight，hethoughtinhisgreedyheartofthosetreasuresthathehadlost，andofhowhewhohadbeenacaptainandarichmerchantofSidonwasnownothingbutaslave。
ThenagreatdesirecameuponhimtoworktheWandererill，ifsohemight。Nowallroundtheedgeofthechamberwereshadows，forthelightwasyetfaint，andKurricreptintotheshadows，carryingalongspearinhishand，andthatspearwashaftedintothebronzepointwhichhadstoodintheWanderer’shelm。LittledidtheWandererglancehisway，forhewatchedthelancesandarrowsthatflewtowardshimfromtheportal，sotheendofitwasthattheSidonianpassedroundthechamberunseenandclimbedintothegoldenbedofPharaohonthefurthersideofthebed。NowtheWandererstoodwithhisbacktothebedandaspear’slengthfromit，andinthesilkenhangingswerefixedspearsandarrows。Kurri’sfirstthoughtwastostabhimintheback，butthishedidnot；first，becausehefearedlestheshouldfailtopiercethegoldenharnessandtheWanderershouldturnandslayhim；andagainbecausehehopedthattheWandererwouldbeputtodeathbytorment，andhewasfaintohaveahandinit，forafterthefashionoftheSidonianshewasskilledinthetormentingofmen。
ThereforehewaitedtillpresentlytheWandererletfallhisbuckleranddrewthebow。ButerethearrowreachedhisearKurrihadstretchedouthisspearfrombetweenthehangingsandtouchedthestringwiththekeenbronze，sothatitburstasunderandthegreyshaftfelluponthemarblefloor。Then，astheWanderercastdownthebowandturnedwithacrytospringonhimwhohadcutthecord，forhiseyehadcaughtthesheenoftheoutstretchedspear，Kurriliftedthecoveringofthepurplewebwhichlayuponthebedanddeftlycastitoverthehero’sheadsothathewasinmeshed。Thereonthesoldiersandtheeunuchstookheart，seeingwhathadbeendone，andereevertheWanderercouldclearhimselffromthecoveringanddrawhissword，theyrusheduponhim。Cumberedashewas，theymightnoteasilyovercomehim，butintheendtheyborehimdownandheldhimfast，sothathecouldnotstirsomuchasafinger。ThenonecriedaloudtoMeriamun:
“TheLionistrapped，OQueen！Say，shallweslayhim？“
ButMeriamun，whohadwatchedthefraythroughcoverofherhands，shudderedandmadeanswer:
“Nay，butlockhistonguewithagag，striphisarmourfromhim，andbindhimwithfettersofbronze，andmakehimfasttothedungeonwallswithgreatchainsofbronze。ThereshallhebidetillPharaohcomeagain；foragainstPharaoh’shonourhehathsinnedandshamefullybrokenthatoathhesworetohim，andthereforeshallPharaohmakehimdieinsuchfashionasseemsgoodtohim。“
