“So，ah，somusttheHathorseem，“shesaid，andlo！hervoicerangstrangelyinherears。Forthevoice，too，waschanged，itwasmoresoftthanthewhisperingofwind-stirredreeds；itwasmoresweetthanthemurmuringofbeesatnoon。
Nowshemustgoforth，andfearfulatherownlovelinessandheavywithhersin，yetgladwithastrangejoy，shepassesfromherchamberandglideslikeastarbeamthroughthestillhallsofherPalace。ThewhitelightofthemooncreepsintothemandfallsuponthefacesofthedreadfulGods，ontheawfulsmileofsphinxes，andthepicturesofherforefathers，kingsandqueenswholongweredead。Andasshegoessheseemstohearthemwhispereachtoeachofthedreadfulsinthatshehassinned，andofthesorrowthatshallbe。Butshedoesnotheed，andneverstaysherfoot。Forherheartisalightaswithaflame，andshewillwintheWanderertoherarms——theWanderersoughtthroughmanylives，foundaftermanydeaths。
NowtheWandererisinhischamber，waitingforthehourtosetforthtofindtheGoldenHelen。Hisheartisalight，andstrangedreamsofthepastgobeforehiseyes，andstrangevisionsoflonglovetobe。
Hisheartburnslikealampintheblackness，andbythatlightheseesallthedaysofhislifethathavebeen，andallthewarsthathehaswon，andalltheseasthathehassailed。Andnowheknowsthatthesethingsaredreamsindeed，illusionsofthesense，forthereisbutonethingtrueinthelifeofmen，andthatisLove；thereisbutonethingperfect，thebeautywhichisLove’srobe；thereisbutonethingwhichallmenseekandareborntofindatlast，theheartoftheGoldenHelen，theWorld’sDesire，thatispeaceandjoyandrest。
Hebindshisarmouronhim，forfoesmaylurkindarkness，andtakestheBowofEurytus，andthegreyboltsofdeath；forperchancethefightisnotyetdone，hemustcleavehiswaytojoy。Thenhecombshislocksandsetsthegoldenhelmuponthem，and，prayingtotheGodswhohearnot，hepassesfromhischamber。
Nowthechamberopenedintoagreathallofpillars。Aswashiscustomwhenhewentalonebynight，theWandererglancedwarilydowntheduskyhall，buthemightseelittlebecauseoftheshadows。
Nevertheless，themoonlightpouredintothecentreofthehallfromtheclerestoriesintheroof，andlaythereshiningwhiteaswaterbeneathblackbanksofreeds。AgaintheWandererglancedwithkeen，quickeyes，fortherewasasenseinhisheartthathewasnomorealoneinthehall，thoughwhetheritweremanorghost，or，perchance，oneoftheimmortalGodswholookedonhim，hemightnottell。Nowitseemedtohimthathesawashapeofwhitemovingfarawayintheshadow。Thenhegraspedtheblackbowandlaidhanduponhisquiversothattheshaftsrattled。
Nowitwouldseemthattheshapeintheshadowheardtherattlingoftheshafts，orperchancesawthemoonlightgleamupontheWanderer’sgoldenharness——attheleast，itdrewneartillitcametotheedgeofthepooloflight。Thereitpausedasabatherpausesereshestepsintothefountain。TheWandererpausedalso，wonderingwhattheshapemightbe。Halfwashemindedtotryitwithanarrowfromthebow，butheheldhishandandwatched。
Andashewatched，thewhiteshapeglidedintothespaceofmoonlight，andhesawthatitwastheformofawomandrapedinwhite，andthatabouthershoneagleaminggirdle，andinthegirdlegemswhichsparkledliketheeyesofasnake。TallwastheshapeandlovelyasastatueofAphrodite；butwhoorwhatitwashemightnottell，fortheheadwasbentandthefacehidden。
Awhiletheshapestoodthus，andasitstood，theWandererpassedtowardsit，marvellingmuch，tillhealsostoodinthepoolofmoonlightthatshimmeredonhisgoldenmail。Thensuddenlytheshapelifteditsfacesothatthelightfellfullonit，andstretchedoutitsarmstowardshim，andlo！thefacewasthefaceoftheArgiveHelen——ofherwhomhewentforthtoseek。Helookeduponitsbeauty，helookedupontheeyesofblue，uponthegoldenhair，upontheshiningarms；thenslowly，veryslowly，andinsilence——forhecouldfindnowords——theWandererdrewnear。
Shedidnotmovenorspeak。Sostillshestoodthatscarcesheseemedtobreathe。Onlytheshiningeyesofhersnake-girdleglitteredlikelivingthings。Againhestoppedfearfully，forheheldthatthiswassurelyamockingghostwhichstoodbeforehim，butstillsheneithermovednorspoke。
Thenatlengthhefoundhistongueandspoke:
“Lady，“hewhispered，“isitindeedthou，isitArgiveHelenwhomI
lookupon，orisit，perchance，aghostsentbyQueenPersephonefromtheHouseofHadestomakeamockofme？“
NowthevoiceofHelenansweredhiminsweettonesandlow:
“DidInottellthee，OdysseusofIthaca，didInottellthee，yesterdayinthehallsofHathor，afterthouhadstovercometheghosts，thatto-nightweshouldbewed？Wherefore，then，dostthoudeemmeofthenumberofthebodiless？“
TheWandererhearkened。ThevoicewasthevoiceofHelen，theeyesweretheeyesofHelen，andyethisheartfearedguile。
“SodidArgiveHelentellmeofatruth，Lady，butthisshesaid，thatIshouldfindherbythepylonofthetemple，andleadherthencetobemybride。ThitherIgobutnowtoseekher。ButifthouartHelen，howcomestthoutothesePalacehalls？Andwhere，Lady，isthatRedStarwhichshouldgleamuponthybreast，thatStarwhichweepsoutthebloodofmen？“
“NomoredoththereddewfallfromtheStarthatwassetuponmybreast，Odysseus，fornowthatthouhastwonmemendienomoreformybeauty’ssake。GoneistheStarofWar；andsee，Wisdomringsmeround，thesymboloftheDeathlessSnakethatsignifiesloveeternal。
ThoudostaskhowIcamehither，I，whoamimmortalandadaughteroftheGods？Seeknottoknow，Odysseus，forwhereFateputsitinmymindtobe，theredotheGodsbearme。Wouldstthou，then，thatI
leavethee，Odysseus？“
“LastofallthingsdoIdesirethis，“heanswered，fornowhiswisdomwenta-wandering；nowheforgotthewordsofAphrodite，warninghimthattheHelenmightbeknownbyonethingonly，theRedStaronherbreast，whencefallsthebloodofmen；andhenomoredoubtedbutthatshewastheGoldenHelen。
ThenshewhoworetheHelen’sshapestretchedoutherarmsandsmiledsosweetlythattheWandererknewnothinganymore，savethatshedrewhimtoher。
Slowlysheglidedbeforehim，eversmiling，andwhereshewenthefollowed，asmenfollowbeautyinadream。Sheledhimthroughhallsandcorridors，pastthesculpturedstatuesoftheGods，pastman-
headedsphinxes，andpicturesoflong-deadkings。
Andasshegoes，oncemoreitseemstoherthatshehearsthemwhispereachtoeachthehorrorofhersinandthesorrowthatshallbe。Butnaughtsheheedswhoeverleadshimon，andnaughthehearswhoeverfollowsafter，tillatlength，thoughheknowsitnot，theystandinthebed-chamberoftheQueen，andbyPharaoh’sgoldenbed。
Thenoncemoreshespeaks:
“OdysseusofIthaca，whomIhavelovedfromthebeginning，andwhomI
shalllovetillalldeathsaredone，beforetheestandsthatLovelinesswhichtheGodspredestinedtothyarms。NowtakethouthyBride；butfirstlaythyhanduponthisgoldenSnake，thatringsmeround，thenewbridalgiftoftheGods，andswearthymarriageoath，whichmaynotbebroken。Swearthus，Odysseus:’Ilovethee，WomanorImmortal，andtheealone，andbywhatevernamethouartcalled，andinwhatevershapethougoest，totheeIwillcleave，andtotheealone，tillthedayofthepassingofTime。Iwillforgivethysins，Iwillsoothethysorrows，Iwillsuffernonetocomebetwixttheeandme。
ThisIsweartothee，WomanorImmortal，whodoststandbeforeme。I
swearittothee，Woman，fornowandforever，forhereandhereafter，inwhatevershapethougoestontheearth，bywhatevernamethouartknownamongmen。’
“Swearthouthus，OdysseusofIthaca，Laertes’son，orleavemeandgothyways！“
“Greatistheoath，“quoththeWanderer；forthoughnowhefearednoguile，yethiscraftyheartlikeditill。
“Choose，andchooseswiftly，“sheanswered。“Sweartheoath，orleavemeandneverseememore！“
“LeavetheeIwillnot，andcannotifIwould，“hesaid。“Lady，I
swear！“AndhelaidhishandupontheSnakethatringedherround，andsworethedreadfuloath。Yea，heforgotthewordsoftheGoddess，andthewordsofHelen，andhesworebytheSnakewhoshouldhaveswornbytheStar。BytheimmortalGodshesworeit，bytheSymboloftheSnake，andbytheBeautyofhisBride。AndashesworetheeyesoftheSerpentsparkled，andtheeyesofherwhoworethebeautyofHelenshone，andfaintlytheblackbowofEurytusthrilled，forbodingDeathandWar。
ButlittletheWandererthoughtonguileorWarorDeath，forthekissofherwhomhedeemedtheGoldenHelenwasonhislips，andhewentupintothegoldenbedofMeriamun。
NowReithePriest，ashadbeenappointed，wenttothepylongateoftheTempleofHathor。AwhilehestoodlookingfortheWanderer，butthoughthehourhadcome，theWanderercamenot。ThenthePriestwenttothepylonandstoodintheshadowofthegate。Ashestoodthereawicketinthegateopened，andtherepassedoutaveiledfigureofawomanuponwhosebreastburnedaredjewelthatshoneinthenightlikeastar。Thewomanwaitedawhile，lookingdownthemoonlitroadbetweentheblackrowsofsphinxes，buttheroadlaywhiteandempty，andsheturnedandhidherselfintheshadowofthepylon，whereReicouldseenothingofherexcepttheredstarthatgleameduponherbreast。
Nowagreatfearcameupontheoldman，forheknewthathelookeduponthestrangeanddeadlyHathor。Perchancehetoowouldperishliketherestwhohadlookedonhertotheirruin。Hethoughtofflight，buthedidnotdaretofly。ThenhetoostareddowntheroadseekingfortheWanderer，butnoshadowcrossedthemoonlight。Thusthingswentforawhile，andstilltheHathorstoodsilentlyintheshadow，andstilltheblood-redstarshoneuponherbreast。AndsoitcametopassthattheWorld’sDesiremustwaitatthetrystlikesomeforsakenvillagemaid。
WhileReithePriestcrouchedthusagainstthepylonwall，prayingforthecomingofhimwhocamenot，suddenlyavoicespoketohimintonessweeterthanalute。
“Whoartthouthathidestintheshadow？“saidthevoice。
HeknewthatitwastheHathorwhospoke，andsoafraidwashethathecouldnotanswer。
Thenthevoicespokeagain: