, and said, "Mark ye who doubted, how
that all things are even as I said. And now, herald, go tell thy lord
that I wait to receive him with all honour; wherefore let him come with
what speed he may; so shall he find a faithful guardian in his house who
hath kept true watch and ward over all that he left behind, for this is
the boast I make, both true and well beseeming a noble dame."

Then said the chief of the elders, "Listen to her, herald, for her words
are fair. But tell me now, hath Menelaues had safe return?"

"Would," said he, "I had some better thing to tell! But what profiteth
it to deceive? Truly, the man, together with his ship, is vanished out
of our sight."

"Sailed he then before you?" said the elder, "or was he parted from you
in a storm?"

"Twas even so," answered the herald.

"And did men judge of him as living or dead?"

"That, indeed, no man knoweth, but only the sun who seeth all things.
But hearken, I will declare the whole matter. There went out wrath from
heaven against us. For after we had set sail, the waves rose high in the
night, and the fierce winds from the north dashed our ships one against
another, so that when the morning came, lo! the sea was covered with
bodies of men and wrecks. But the ship of the King suffered not, for the
hand of a god, I trow, and not of a man, held the helm. But be of good
cheer. For doubtless they too think of us as of those that have
perished, even as we of them. And as for Menelaues, be assured that he
will yet return, for the will of Zeus is not that this house should
perish."

Then said one of the old men, "Rightly they named her Helen, for like
_hell_ hath she devoured men and ships, aye, and this great city of
Troy. I have heard tell how a man reared a lion's cub in his house. Very
pleasant was he at the first, for the children played with him, and he
made sport for the old; but when he grew he showed the temper of his
race, and filled the house with blood. Even so came Helen, smiling and
fair, to Troy, and now behold the end! But here cometh King Agamemnon.
Let us greet him in fitting fashion."

And as he spake the King came near to the doors of the palace, sitting
in a chariot drawn by mules; and by him sat Cassandra, who was daughter
to King Priam, having been given to him by the princes when they divided
the spoil of Troy. And when the King had saluted the Gods, giving them
thanks that they had helped him to take vengeance on the men of Troy,