NowHelenlookeduponhimwonderinglyandspoke:
“Didstthounotbutnownamemeimmortal，Rei？HowthencanIbeindanger，whoamimmortal，andnottobeharmedofmen？Deathhathnopartinme。Speaknottomeofdangers，who，alas！canneverdietilleverythingisdone；buttellmeofthatfaithlessWanderer，whomI
mustlovewithallthewomanhoodthatshutsmyspiritin，andallmyspiritthatisclothedinwomanhood。For，Rei，theGods，withholdingDeath，haveinwrathcursedmewithlovetotormentmydeathlessness。
Oh，whenIsawhimstandingwherenowthoustandest，mysoulknewitsotherpart，andIlearnedthatthecurseIgivetoothershadfallenonmyselfandhim。“
“YetwasthisWanderernotaltogetherfaithlesstothee，Lady，“saidRei。“Listen，andIwilltelltheeall。“
“Speakon，“shesaid。“Oh，speak，andspeakswiftly。“
ThenReitoldHelenallthattalewhichtheWandererhadchargedhimtodeliverinherear，andkeepnowordback。HetoldherhowMeriamunhadbeguiledEperitusinhershape；howhehadfalleninthesnareandswornbytheSnake，hewhoshouldhaveswornbytheStar。HetoldherhowtheWandererhadlearnedthetruth，andlearningit，hadcursedthewitchwhowrongedhim；howhehadbeenovercomebytheguardsandbornetothebedoftorment；howhehadbeenfreedbythecraftofMeriamun；andhowhehadgoneforthtoleadthehostofKhem。Allthishetoldherswiftly，hidingnaught，whileshelistenedwitheagerears。
“Truly，“shesaid，whenallwastold，“trulythouartahappymessenger。NowIforgivehimall。YethasheswornbytheSnakewhoshouldhaveswornbytheStar，andbecauseofhisfaultneverinthisspaceoflifeshallHelencallhimLord。Yetwillwefollowhim，Rei。
Hark！whatisthat？Againitcomes，thatlongshrillcryasofghostsbrokeloosefromHades。“
“ItistheQueen，“quothRei；“theQueenwhowithallwomenofTaniscomeshithertoburntheeinthyShrine。ShehathslainPharaoh，andnowshewouldslaytheealso，andsowintheWanderertoherarms。
Fly，Lady！Fly！“
“Nay，Iflynot，“saidHelen。“Lethercome。Butdothou，Rei，passthroughtheTemplegatesandminglewiththecrowd。Therethoushaltawaitmycoming，andwhenIcome，drawnear，fearingnothing；andtogetherwewillpassdownthepathoftheWandererinsuchfashionasIshallshowthee。Go！goswiftly，andbidthosewhoministertomepassoutwiththee。“
ThenReiturnedandfled。WithoutthedoorsoftheShrinemanypriestsweregathered。
“Fly！thewomenofTanisareuponyou！“hecried。“Ichargeyetofly！“
“Thisoldcroneismad，“quothone。“WewatchtheHathor，and，comeallthewomenoftheworld，weflynot。“
“Yearemadindeed，“saidRei，andspedon。
Hepassedthegates，thegatesclashedbehindhim。Hewontheouterspace，andhidingintheshadowsoftheTemplewalls，lookedforth。
Thenightwasdark，butfromeverysideathousandlightspoureddowntowardstheShrine。OntheycamelikelanternsonthewatersofSihoratthenightofthefeastoflanterns。Nowhecouldseetheirhost。ItwasthehostofthewomenofTanis，andeverywomanborealightedtorch。Theycamebytens，byhundreds，andbythousands，andbeforethemwasMeriamun，seatedinagoldenchariot，andwiththemwereasses，oxen，andcamels，ladenwithbitumen，wood，andreeds。Nowtheygainedthegates，andnowtheycrashedtheminwithbatteringtreesofpalm。Thegatesfell，thewomenpouredthroughthem。AttheirheadwentMeriamuntheQueen。Biddingcertainofthemstaybyherchariotshepassedthrough，andstandingattheinnergatescalledaloudtotheprieststothrowthemwide。
“WhoartthouwhodarestcomeupwithfireagainsttheholyTempleoftheHathor？“askedtheguardianofthegates。
“IamMeriamun，theQueenofKhem，“sheanswered，“comewiththewomenofTanistoslaytheWitchthouguardest。Throwthegateswide，ordiewiththeWitch。“
“IfindeedthouarttheQueen，“answeredthepriest，“heretheresitsagreaterQueenthanthou。Goback！Goback，Meriamun，whoartnotafraidtoofferviolencetotheimmortalGods。Goback！lestthecursesmitethee。“
“Drawon！drawon！yewomen，“criedMeriamun；“drawon，smitedownthegates，andtearthesewickedoneslimbfromlimb。“
Thenthewomenscreamedaloudandbatteredonthegateswithtrees，sothattheyfell。Theyfellandthewomenrushedinmadly。TheyseizedthepriestsofHathorandtorethemlimbfromlimbasdogstearawolf。NowtheShrinestoodbeforethem。
“Touchnotthedoors，“criedMeriamun。“BringfireandburntheShrinewithherwhodwellstherein。Touchnotthedoors，looknotintheWitch’sface，butburnherwheresheiswithfire。“
Thenthewomenbroughtthereedsandthewood，andpiledthemaroundtheShrinetotwicetheheightofaman。Theybroughtladdersalso，andpiledthefuelupontheroofoftheShrinetillallwascovered。
Andtheypouredpitchoverthefuel，andthenatthewordofMeriamuntheycasttorchesonthepitchanddrewbackscreaming。Foramomentthetorchessmouldered，thensuddenlyoneverysidegreattonguesofflameleaptuptoheaven。NowtheShrinewaswrappedinfire，andyettheycastfuelonittillnonemightdrawnearbecauseoftheheat。
Nowitburnedasafurnaceburns，andnowthefirereachedthefuelontheroof。Itcaught，andtheShrinewasbutasheetofragingflamethatlitthewhite-walledcity，andthebroadfaceofthewaters，asthesunlightsthelands。ThealabasterwallsoftheShrineturnedwhiteryetwithheat:theycrackedandsplittillthefabrictotteredtoitsfall。
“NowthereissurelyanendoftheWitch，“criedMeriamun，andthewomenscreamedananswertoher。
Butevenastheyscreamedagreattongueofflameshotoutthroughthemoltendoors，tenfathomslengthandmore，itshotlikeaspearoffire。Fullinitspathstoodagroupoftheburners。Itstruckthem，itlickedthemup，andlo！theyfellinblackenedheapsupontheground。
Reilookeddownthepathoftheflame。There，inthedoorwaywhenceithadissued，stoodtheGoldenHathor，wrappedroundwithfire，andthemoltenmetalofthedoorscreptaboutherfeet。Thereshestoodintheheartofthefire，buttherewasnostainoffireonher，noronherwhiterobes，noronherstreaminghair；andeventhroughtheglowofthefurnacehesawthelightoftheRedStaratherbreast。Theflamelickedherformandface，itwrappeditselfaroundher，andcurledthroughthemassesofherhair。Butstillshestoodunharmed，whiletheburnersshrankbackamazed，allsaveMeriamuntheQueen。Andasshestoodshesangwildandsweet，andthesoundofhersingingcamethroughtheroaroftheflamesandreachedtheearsofthewomen，who，forgettingtheirrage，clungtooneanotherinfear。Thusshesang——ofthatBeautywhichmenseekinallwomen，andneverfind，andoftheeternalwarforhersakebetweenthewomenandthemen，whichisthegreatwaroftheworld。Andthushersongended:
“WillyebringflametoburnmyShrineWhoammyselfaflame，BringdeathtotamethischarmofmineThatdeathcannevertame？
WillyebringfiretoharmmyheadWhoammyselfafire，BringvengeanceforyourLoversdeadUpontheWorld’sDesire？
Nay，womenwhiletheearthendures，Yourlovesarenotyourown。
Theyloveyounot，theselovesofyours，/Helen/theylovealone！
Myfacetheyseekineveryface，Mineeyesinyourstheysee，Theydobutkneeltoyouaspace，Andriseandfollow/me！/“
Then，stillsinging，shesteppedforwardfromtheShrine，andasshewentthewallsfellin，andtheroofcrasheddownupontheruinandtheflamesshotupintotheverysky。Helenheededitnot。Shelookednotback，butouttothegatesbeyond。Sheglancednotatthefierceblackenedfacesofthewomen，noronthefaceofMeriamun，whostoodbeforeher，butslowlypassedtowardsthegates。Nordidshegoalone，forwithhercameacanopyoffire，hedgingherroundwithflamethatburnedfromnothing。Thewomensawthewonderandfelldownintheirfear，coveringtheireyes。Meriamunalonefellnot，butshetoomustcoverhereyesbecauseofthegloryofHelenandthefiercenessoftheflamethatwrappedherround。
NowHelenceasedsinging，butmovedslowlythroughthecourtstillshecametotheoutergates。HerebythegateswasthechariotofMeriamun。ThenHelencalledaloud，andtheQueen，whofollowed，heardherwords:
“Rei，“shecried，“drawnighandhavenofear。DrawnighthatImaypasswiththeedownthatpaththeWanderertreads。Drawnigh，andletusswiftlyhence，forthehero’slastbattleisathand，andIwouldgreethimerehedie。“
Reiheardheranddrewneartrembling，tearingfromhimthewoman’sweedshewore，andshowingthepriest’sgarbbeneath。Andashecamethefirethatwrappedhergloryroundlefther，andpassedupwardlikeacloakofflame。Shestretchedoutherhandtohim，saying:
“Leadmetoyonderchariot，Rei，andletushence。“
Thenheledhertothechariot，whilethosewhostoodbyfledinfear。
Shemountedthechariot，andhesethimselfbesideher。Thenhegraspedthereinsandcalledtothehorses，andtheyboundedforwardandwerelostinthenight。
ButMeriamuncriedinherwrath:
“TheWitchisgone，gonewithmyownservantwhomshehathledastray。
Bringchariots，andlethorsemencomewiththechariots，forwhereshepassesthereIwillfollow，ay，totheendoftheworldandthecoastofDeath。“
