ThisthenwasthemiserableendofKurritheSidonian，slainbythesightoftheBeauty。
“Thouseest，Lady，“saidHelen，turningfromthedeadSidonian，“nomanmayharmme。“
ForamomenttheQueenstoodastonished，whileReithePriestmutteredprayerstotheprotectingGods。Thenshecried:
“Begone，thoulivingcurse，begone！Whereforeartthoucomeheretoworkmorewoeinthishouseofwoeanddeath？“
“Fearnot，“answeredtheHelen，“presentlyIwillbegoneandtroubletheenomore。ThouaskestwhyIamcomehither。Icametoseehimwhowasmylove，andwhombutlastnightIshouldhavewed，butwhomtheGodshavebroughttoshameunspeakable，OdysseusofIthaca，Odysseus，Laertes’son。ForthiscauseIcame，andIhavestayedtolookuponthefaceofherwhosebeautyhadpowertodrivethethoughtofmefromtheheartofOdysseus，andbringhim，whoofallmenwasthegreatestheroandtheforemostleftalive，todoadastarddeedandmakehismightynameabywordandascorn。Knowestthou，Meriamun，thatIfindthematterstrange，sinceifallelsebefalse，yetisthistrue，thatamongwomenthefairestarethemoststrong。Thouartfairindeed，Meriamun，butjudgeifthouartmorefairthanArgiveHelen，“andshedrewtheveilfromherfacesothatthesplendourofherbeautyshoneoutupontheQueen’sdarkloveliness。Thusforawhiletheystoodeachfacingeach，andtoReiitseemedasthoughthespiritsofDeathandLifelookedoneonanother，asthoughthedarknessandthedaylightstoodinwoman’sshapebeforehim。
“Thouartfairindeed，“saidtheQueen，“butinthis，witch，hasthybeautyfailedtoholdhimwhomthouwouldstwedfromthemostshamelesssin。Littlemethinkscanthatmanhavelovedtheewhocreptuponmelikeathieftosnatchmyhonourfromme。“
ThenHelenbethoughtherofwhatReihadsaid，thatMeriamunlovedtheWanderer，andshespokeagain:
“Nowitcomesintomyheart，Egyptian，thattrueandfalsearemixedinthistaleofthine。HarditistobelievethatOdysseusofIthacacouldworksuchacowarddeedasthis，or，unbidden，seektoclasptheetohisheart。Moreover，Ireadinthineeyesthatthouthyselfdostlovethemanwhomthounamestdastard。Nay，holdthypeace，looknotsowildlyonmewhomthoucanstnotharm，buthearken。WhetherthytalebetrueorfalseIknownot，whousenomagicandlearnthosethingsonlythattheGodsrevealtome。Butthisattheleastistrue，thatOdysseus，whomIshouldhavewed，haslookedontheewitheyesoflove，eveninthathourwhenIwaitedtobemadehiswife。Thereforethelovethatbuttwodaysagonebloomedinmyheart，diesandwithers；orifitdoesnot，atleastIcastitfrommeandtreaditsflowersbeneathmyfeet。ForthisdoomtheGodshavelaiduponme，whoamofallwomenthemosthapless，tolivebelovedbutlovelessthroughmanyyears，andatthelasttoloveandbebetrayed。AndnowIgohencebacktomytempleshrine；butfearnot，Meriamun，notforlongshallItroubletheeorKhem，andmenshalldienomorebecauseofmybeauty，forIshallpresentlypasshencewhithertheGodsappoint；andthisIsaytothee——dealgentlywiththatmanwhohasbetrayedmyfaith，forwhateverhedidwasdonefortheloveofthee。ItisnomeanthingtohavewontheheartofOdysseusofIthacaoutofthehandofArgiveHelen。Faretheewell，Meriamun，whowouldsthaveslainme。
MaytheGodsgranttheebetterdaysandmoreofjoythanisgiventoHelen，whowouldlookuponthyfacenomore。“
Thusshespake，andlettingherveilfallturnedtogo。ForawhiletheQueenstoodshamedtosilencebythesegentlewords，thatfelllikedewuponthefiresofherhate。ButereHelenhadpassedthelengthofaspearherfuryburnedupagain。What，shouldsheletthisstrangewomango——thiswomanwhoaloneofallthatbreathedwasmorebeautifulthanshe，bytheaidofwhosestolenbeautyshealonehadwonherlove，andforwhosesakeshehadenduredsuchbitterwordsofscorn？
Nay，whileHelenyetlivedshecouldfindnotjoynorsleep。ButwereHelendead，thenperchanceallmightyetbewell，andtheWandereryetbehers，forwhenthebestisgonementurnthemtothebetter。
“Closethegatesandbarthem，“shecriedtothemen，whonowstreamedbackintothehall；andtheyrantodoherbidding，sothatbeforeHelenreachedthePalacedoors，theyhadbeenshutandthegatesofbronzebeyondhadclashedliketheshieldsofmen。
NowHelendrewnearthedoors。
“Stayyonwitch，“criedtheQueentothosewhoguardedthem，andinwondertheypoisedtheirspearstobarthewaytoHelen。Butsheonlyliftedherveilandlookeduponthem。Thentheirarmsfellfromtheirhandsandtheystoodamazedatthesightofbeauty。
“Open，Ibeseechyou，“saidtheHelengently，andstraightwaytheyopenedthedoorsandshepassedthrough，followedbythosewhoguardedthem，bytheQueen，andbyRei。Butonemantherewaswhodidnotseeherbeauty，andhestroveinvaintoholdbackthedoorsandtoclaspHelenasshepassed。
Nowshedrewneartothegates——
“Shootthewitch！“criedMeriamuntheQueen；“ifshepassthegates，bymyroyalwordIswearthatyeshalldieeverymanofyou。Shootherwitharrows。“
Thenthreemendrewtheirbowsmightily。Thestringofthebowofoneburst，andthebowwasshattered，andthearrowofthesecondslippedashedrewit，andpassingdownwardspiercedhisfoot；andtheshaftofthethirdswervedereitstruckthebreastofHelen，andsunkintotheheartofthatsoldierwhowasnexttotheQueen，sothathefelldowndead。ItwasthesamemanwhohadstriventoholdtothedoorsandclasptheHelen。
ThenHelenturnedandspoke:
“Bidnotthyguardtoshootagain，Meriamun，lestthearrowfind/thy/
heart，for，knowthis，nomanmayharmme；“andoncemoresheliftedherveil，andspeakingtothoseatthegatessaid:“Open，Ibeseechyou，andlettheHathorpass。“
Nowtheirweaponsfellfromtheirhands，andtheylookeduponherbeauty，andtheytoomadehastetoopenthegates。Thegreatgatesclangedupontheirsocketsandrolledback。Shepassedthroughthem，andallwhoweretherefollowedafterher。Butwhentheylooked，lo！
shehadmingledwiththepeoplewhowenttoandfroandwasgone。
ThenMeriamungrewwhitewithragebecauseHelenwhomshehatedhadescapedher，andturningtothosemenwhohadopenedthedoorsandthosewhohadgivenpassageofthegates，whoyetstoodlookingoneachotherwithdazedeyes，shedoomedthemtodie。
ButRei，kneelingbeforeher，prayedfortheirlives:
“Illwillcomeofit，OQueen！“hesaid，“asillcametoyonderSidonianandtothesoldieratthyfeet，fornonemayworkevilonthisGoddess，orthosewhobefriendedtheGoddess。Slaythemnot，O
Queen，lestilltidingsfollowonthedeed！“
ThentheQueenturnedonhimmadly:
“Hearkenthou，Rei！“shesaid；“speakthusagain，andthoughIhavelovedtheeandthouhastbeenthechiefoftheservantsofPharaoh，thisIswear，thatthoushaltdiethefirst。Alreadythecountislongbetweentheeandme，foritwasthouwhodidstbringyonaccursedwitchtomyPalace。Nowthouhastheard，andofthisbesure，asI
havespokensoIwilldo。Gettheegone——gettheefrommysight，I
say，lestIslaytheenow。Itakebackthyhonours，Istriptheeofthyoffices，Igatherthywealthintomytreasury。Goforthabeggar，andletmeseethyfacenomore！“
ThenReiheldhispeaceandfled，foritwerebettertostandbeforealionessrobbedofherwhelpsthanbeforeMeriamuninherrage。Thereonthegateswereshutagain，andthecaptainofthegateswasdraggedbeforetheplacewheretheQueenstood，andaskingnomercyandtakinglittleheed，forstillhissoulwasfilledwiththebeautyofHelenasacupwithwine，hesuffereddeath，forhisheadwasstraightwaysmittenfromhim。
Rei，watchingfromafar，groanedaloud，thenturnedandleftthePalace，buttheQueencalledtothesoldierstoslayon。EvenasshecalledtherecameacryofwoewithoutthePalacegates。Menlookedeachoneach。Againthecryroseandavoicewithoutcalled，“Pharaohiscomeagain！Pharaohiscomeagain！“andthereroseasoundofknockingatthegates。
NowforthatwhileMeriamunthoughtnomoreofslayingthemen，butbadethemopenthegates。Theyopened，andamanenteredcladinraimentstainedwithtravel。Hiseyeswerewild，hishairwasdishevelled，andscarcecouldhisfacebeknownforthefaceofPharaohMeneptah，itwassomarredwithgriefandfear。
PharaohlookedontheQueen——helookeduponthedeadwholayatherfeet，thenlaughedaloud:
“What！“hecried，“moredead！IstherethennoendtoDeathandthenumberofhisslain？Nay，herehedothworkbutfeebly。Perchancehisarmgrowsweary。Come，whereare/thy/dead，Queen？Bringforththydead！“
“Whathathchanced，Meneptah，thatthouspeakestthusmadly？“askedtheQueen。“ShewhomtheynametheHathorhathpassedhere，andthese，andanotherwholiesyonder，dobutmarkherpath。Speak！“
“Ay，Iwillspeak，Queen。Ihaveamerrytaletotell。ThousayestthattheHathorhathpassedhereandthesemarkherfootsteps。Well，I
cancapthystory。HewhomtheApuranameJahvehhathpassedyonderbytheSeaofWeeds，andthereliemany，lietomarkHisfootsteps。“
“Thyhost！Whereisthyhost？“criedtheQueen。“Attheleastsomeareleft。“
