“Yes，Queen，/all/areleft——all——all——savemyselfalone。TheydrifttoandfrointheSeaofWeeds——theyliebytensofthousandsonitsbanks；thegullsteartheireyes，thelionofthedesertrendstheirflesh；theylieunburied，theirbreathsighsintheseagales，theirbloodsinksintothesaltsands，andOsirisnumberstheminthehostsofhell。Hearken！IcameuponthetribesoftheApurabythebanksoftheSeaofWeeds。Icameateve，butImightnotfalluponthembecauseofaveilofdarknessthatspreadbetweenmyarmiesandthehostsoftheApura。Allnightlongthroughtheveilofdarkness，andthroughtheshriekingofagreatgale，Iheardasoundasofthepassingofamightypeople——theclangouroftheirarms，thevoicesofcaptains，thestampofbeasts，andthegrindingofwheels。Themorningcame，andlo！beforemethewatersoftheseawerebuiltupasawallontherighthandandtheleft，andbetweenthewallsofwaterwasdryland，andtheApurapassedbetweenthewalls。ThenIcriedtomycaptainstoariseandfollowswiftly，andtheydidmybidding。Butthechariotwheelsdrewheavilyinthesand，sothatbeforeallmyhosthadenteredbetweenthewaters，theApurahadpassedthesea。Thenofasudden，aslastofallIpasseddownintothepathoftheoceanbed，thegreatwindceased，andasitceased，lo！thewallsofwaterthatwereoneithersideoftheseapathfelltogetherwithnoiselikethenoiseofthunder。Iturnedmychariotwheels，andfledback，butmysoldiers，mychariots，andmyhorseswereswallowed；oncemoretheywereseenagainonthecrestoftheblackwaveslikeagleamoflightuponacloud，onceagreatcryarosetotheheaven；thenallwasdoneandallwasstill，andofmyhostsIalonewasleftaliveofmen。“
SoPharaohspoke，andagreatgroanrosefromthosewhohearkened。
OnlyMeriamunspoke:
“SoshallthingsgowithuswhilethatFalseHathordwellsinKhem。“
Nowasshespokethus，againtherecameasoundofknockingatthegatesandacryof“Open——amessenger！amessenger！“
“Open！“saidMeriamun，“thoughhistidingsbeill，scarcecantheymatchthesethathavebeentold。“
Thegateswereopened，andonecamethroughthem。Hiseyesstaredwideinfear，sodrywashisthroatwithhasteandwiththesand，thathestoodspeechlessbeforethemall。
“Givehimwine，“criedMeriamun，andwinewasbrought。Thenhedrank，andhefelluponhiskneesbeforetheQueen，forheknewnotPharaoh。
“Thytidings！“shecried。“Beswiftwiththytidings。“
“LettheQueenpardonme，“hesaid。“Lethernotbewrath。Thesearemytidings。AmightyhostmarchestowardsthecityofOn，ahostgatheredfromalllandsofthepeoplesoftheNorth，fromthelandsoftheTulisha，oftheShakalishu，oftheLiku，andoftheShairdana。
Theymarchswiftlyandraven，theylaythecountrywaste，naughtisleftbehindthemsavethesmokeofburningtowns，theflightofvultures，andthecorpsesofmen。“
“Hastdone？“saidMeriamun。
“Nay，OQueen！AgreatfleetsailswiththemuptheeasternmouthofSihor，andinitaretwelvethousandchosenwarriorsoftheAquaiusha，thesonsofthosemenwhosackedTroytown。“
Andnowagreatgroanwentuptoheavenfromthelipsofthosewhohearkened。OnlyMeriamunspokethus:
“AndyettheApuraaregone，forwhosesake，yesay，cametheplagues。
Theyarefled，butthecurseremains，andsoshallthingseverbewithuswhileyonFalseHathordwellsinKhem。“
Itwasnightfall，andPharaohsatatmeatandMeriamunsatbyhim。TheheartofPharaohwasveryheavy。HethoughtofthatgreatarmywhichnowwashedtoandfroonthewatersoftheSeaofWeeds，ofwhosenumberhealonehadlivedtotellthetale。HethoughtalsoofthehostoftheApura，whomadeamockofhiminthedesert。Butmostofallhebroodedonthetidingsthatthemessengerhadbrought，tidingsofthemarchofthebarbariansandofthefleetoftheAquaiushathatsailedontheeasternstreamofSihor。Allthatdayhehadsatinhiscouncilchamber，andsentforthmessengerseastandnorthandsouth，biddingthemgatherthemercenariesfromeverytownandineverycity，mentomakewaragainstthefoe，forhere，inhiswhite-walledcityofTanis，therewereleftbutfivethousandsoldiers。Andnow，weariedwithtoilandwar，hesatatmeat，andashesatbethoughthimofthemanwhomhehadlefttoguardtheQueen。
“Where，then，isthatgreatWanderer，hewhoworethegoldenharness？“
heaskedpresently。
“Ihaveataletotelltheeoftheman，“Meriamunansweredslowly，“atalewhichIhavenottoldbecauseofalltheeviltidingsthatbeataboutourearslikesandinadesertwind。“
“Tellon，“saidPharaoh。
Thenshebenttowardshim，whisperinginhisear。
Asshewhispered，thefaceofPharaohgrewblackasthenight，andereallthetalewasdonehesprangtohisfeet。
“ByAmenandbyPtah！“hecried，“hereatleastwehaveafoewhomwemayconquer。ThouandI，Meriamun，mysisterandmyqueen，aresetasfareachfromeachastheskyissetfromthetempletop，andlittleofloveistherebetweenus。YetIwillwipeawaythisblotuponthyhonour，whichalsoisablotuponmyown。SleeplessshallthisWandererlieto-night，andsorryshallhegoto-morrow，butto-morrownightheshallsleepindeed。“
Thereuponheclappedhishands，summoningtheguard，andbadethempasstothedungeonwheretheWandererlay，andleadhimthencetotheplaceofpunishment。Hebadethemalsocallthetormentorstomakereadytheinstrumentsoftheircraft，andawaithimintheplaceofpunishment。
Thenhesatforawhile，drinkingsullenly，tillonecametotellhimthatallwasprepared。ThenPharaohrose。
“Comestthouwithme？“heasked。
“Nay，“saidMeriamun，“Iwouldnotlookuponthemanagain；andthisI
chargethee。Gonotdowntohimthisnight。Lethimbefounduponthebedoftorment，andletthetormentorsgivehimfoodandwine，forsoheshalldiemorehardly。Thenletthemlightthefiresathisheadandathisfeetandleavehimtillthedawnaloneintheplaceoftorment。Soheshalldieahundreddeathsereeverhisdeathbegins。“
“Asthouwilt，“answeredPharaoh。“Meteoutthineownpunishment。
To-morrowwhenIhavesleptIwilllookuponhistorment。“Andhespoketohisservantsasshedesired。
TheWandererlayonthebedoftormentintheplaceoftorment。Theyhadtakenthegagfromhismouth，andgivenhimfoodandwineasPharaohcommanded。Heateanddrankandhisstrengthcamebacktohim。
Thentheymadefasthisfetters，litthebraziersathisheadandfoot，andlefthimwithmockingwords。
Helayuponthebedofstoneandgroanedinthebitternessofhisheart。Herethenwastheendofhiswanderings，andthiswasthebreastoftheGoldenHeleninwhosearmsAphroditehadswornthatheshouldlie。Oh，thathewerefreeagainandstoodfacetofacewithhisfoes，hisharnessonhisback！Nay，itmightnotbe，nomortalstrengthcouldburstthesefetters，noteventhestrengthofOdysseus，Laertes’son。WherenowwerethoseGodswhomhehadserved？ShouldheneveragainheartheclarioncryofPallas？WhythenhadheturnedhimfromPallasandworshippedattheshrineofthefalseIdalianQueen？
Thusitwasthatshekeptheroaths；thussherepaidhervotary。
Sohethoughtinthebitternessofhisheartashelaywithclosedeyesuponthebedoftormentwhencetherewasnoescape，andgroaned:
“Would，Aphrodite，thatIhadneverservedthee，evenforonelittlehour，thenhadmylotgoneotherwise。“
Nowheopenedhiseyes，andlo！agreatgloryrolledabouttheplaceoftorment，andashewonderedattheglory，avoicespokefromitsmidst——thevoiceoftheIdalianAphrodite:
“Blamemenot，Odysseus，“saidtheheavenlyvoice；“blamemenotbecausethouartcometothispass。Thyself，sonofLaertes，arttoblame。WhatdidItellthee？WasitnotthatthoushouldstknowtheGoldenHelenbytheRedStaronherbreast，thejewelwhencefallthereddropsfast，andbytheStaralone？Anddidshenottellthee，also，thatthoushouldstknowherbytheStar？YetwhenonecametotheewearingnoStarbutgirdledwithaSnake，mywordswereallforgotten，thydesiresledtheewhitherthouwouldstnotgo。ThouwastblindedbydesireandcouldstnotdiscerntheFalsefromtheTrue。
Beautyhasmanyshapes，nowitisthatofHelen，nowthatofMeriamun，eachseesitashedesiresit。ButtheStarisyettheStar，andtheSnakeisyettheSnake，andhewho，bewilderedofhislusts，swearsbytheSnakewhenheshouldhaveswornbytheStar，shallhavetheSnakeforguerdon。“
Sheceased，andtheWandererspoke，groaningbitterly:
“Ihavesinned，OQueen！“hesaid。“Istherethennoforgivenessformysin？“
“Yea，thereisforgiveness，Odysseus，butfirstthereispunishment。
Thisisthyfate。Nevernow，inthisspaceoflife，shaltthoubethelordoftheGoldenHelen。ForthouhastswornbytheSnake，andhisthouart，normayestthoureachtheStar。Yetitstillshineson。
Throughthemistsofdeathitshallshineforthee，andwhenthouwakestagain，behold，thineeyesshallseeitfitfully。
“Andnow，thisforthycomfort。Herethoushaltnotdie，norbytorment，forthydeathshallcometotheefromthewaterasthedeadseerforetold，buterethoudiest，oncemorethoushaltlookupontheGoldenHelen，andhearherwordsofloveandknowherkiss，thoughthinesheshallnotbe。AndlearnthatagreathostmarchesuponthelandofKhem，andwithitsailsafleetofthineownpeople，theAch？ans。Godownandmeetthemandtakewhatcomes，wheretheswordsshinethatsmoteTroy。Andthisfateislaiduponthee，thatthoushaltdobattleagainstthyownpeople，evenagainstthesonsofthembywhosesidethoudidstfightbeneaththewallsofIlios，andinthatbattlethoushaltfindthydeath，andinthydeath，thouWanderer，thoushaltfindthatwhichallmenseek，thebreastoftheimmortalHelen。Forthoughhereonearthsheseemstoliveeternally，itisbuttheshadowofherbeautythatmensee——eachashedesiresit。InthehallsofDeathshedwells，andinthegardenofQueenPersephone，andtheresheshallbewon，fortherenomoreisbeautyguardedofThosethatstandbetweenmenandjoy，andtherenomoreshalltheSnakeseemastheStar，andSinhavepowertoseverthosethatareone。Nowmakethyheartstrong，Odysseus，andsodoasthywisdomtellsthee。
Farewell！“
ThustheGoddessspokefromthecloudofglory，andlo！shewasgone。
ButtheheartoftheWandererwasfilledwithjoybecauseheknewthattheHelenwasnotlosttohimforever，andhenomorefearedthedeathofshame。
