ew near the doors.

"Stay yon witch," cried the Queen to those who guarded them, and in
wonder they poised their spears to bar the way to Helen. But she only
lifted her veil and looked upon them. Then their arms fell from their
hands and they stood amazed at the sight of beauty.

"Open, I beseech you," said the Helen gently, and straightway they
opened the doors and she passed through, followed by those who guarded
them, by the Queen, and by Rei. But one man there was who did not see
her beauty, and he strove in vain to hold back the doors and to clasp
Helen as she passed.

Now she drew near to the gates--

"Shoot the witch!" cried Meriamun the Queen; "if she pass the gates, by
my royal word I swear that ye shall die every man of you. Shoot her with
arrows."

Then three men drew their bows mightily. The string of the bow of one
burst, and the bow was shattered, and the arrow of the second slipped as
he drew it, and passing downwards pierced his foot; and the shaft of the
third swerved ere it struck the breast of Helen, and sunk into the heart
of that soldier who was next to the Queen, so that he fell down dead.
It was the same man who had striven to hold to the doors and clasp the
Helen.

Then Helen turned and spoke:

"Bid not thy guard to shoot again, Meriamun, lest the arrow find _thy_
heart, for, know this, no man may harm me;" and once more she lifted her
veil, and speaking to those at the gates said: "Open, I beseech you, and
let the Hathor pass."

Now their weapons fell from their hands, and they looked upon her
beauty, and they too made haste to open the gates. The great gates
clanged upon their sockets and rolled back. She passed through them, and
all who were there followed after her. But when they looked, lo! she had
mingled with the people who went to and fro and was gone.

Then Meriamun grew white with rage because Helen whom she hated had
escaped her, and turning to those men who had opened the doors and those
who had given passage of the gates, who yet stood looking on each other
with dazed eyes, she doomed them to die.

But Rei, kneeling before her, prayed for their lives:

"Ill will come of it, O Queen!" he said, "as ill came to yonder Sidonian
and to the soldier at thy feet, for none may work evil on this Goddess,
or those who befriended the Goddess. Slay them not, O Queen, lest ill
tidings follow on the deed!"

Then the Queen turned on him madly:

"Hearken thou, Rei!" she said; "speak