the Labyrinth answered
back, and the sound was carried upward to the sky and outward to the
rocks and cliffs of the mountains. The Minotaur heard him, and his
bellowings grew louder and fiercer every moment.

"He is coming!" cried Theseus, and he ran forward to meet the beast. The
seven maidens shrieked, but tried to stand up bravely and face their
fate; and the six young men stood together with firm-set teeth and
clinched fists, ready to fight to the last.

Soon the Minotaur came into view, rushing down the passage towards
Theseus, and roaring most terribly. He was twice as tall as a man, and
his head was like that of a bull with huge sharp horns and fiery eyes
and a mouth as large as a lion's; but the young men could not see the
lower part of his body for the cloud of dust which he raised in running.
When he saw Theseus with the sword in his hand coming to meet him, he
paused, for no one had ever faced him in that way before. Then he put
his head down, and rushed forward, bellowing. But Theseus leaped quickly
aside, and made a sharp thrust with his sword as he passed, and hewed
off one of the monster's legs above the knee.

The Minotaur fell upon the ground, roaring and groaning and beating
wildly about with his horned head and his hoof-like fists; but Theseus
nimbly ran up to him and thrust the sword into his heart, and was away
again before the beast could harm him. A great stream of blood gushed
from the wound, and soon the Minotaur turned his face towards the sky
and was dead.

Then the youths and maidens ran to Theseus and kissed his hands and
feet, and thanked him for his great deed; and, as it was already growing
dark, Theseus bade them follow him while he wound up the silken thread
which was to lead them out of the Labyrinth. Through a thousand rooms
and courts and winding ways they went, and at midnight they came to the
outer door and saw the city lying in the moonlight before them; and,
only a little way off, was the seashore where the black ship was moored
which had brought them to Crete. The door was wide open, and beside it
stood Ariadne waiting for them.

"The wind is fair, the sea is smooth, and the sailors are ready," she
whispered; and she took the arm of Theseus, and all went together
through the silent streets to the ship.

When the morning dawned they were far out to sea, and, looking back from
the deck of the little vessel, only the white tops of the Cretan
mountains were in sight.

Mino