l. And more wonderful is
it to me that it should be allowed thee." And then he looked earnestly
at her, and asked her this: "Dost thou, therefore, desire that I should
leave thee?"

"Nay," said she slowly, "I said not so."

"Ask me to stay, and I stay," he said. But she made no answer to that;
but looked down to the earth at her feet. "Behold," said the King
presently, "ten years and more since I have known my wife. Now if I were
to cast my spear at thee and rive open thy golden side, what wonder were
it? Answer me that."

She looked long at him, that he saw the deep gray of her eyes. And he
heard the low voice answer him, "I know that my lord would never do it."
And he knew it better than she, and the reason as well as she.

* * * * *

A little while more they talked together, alone in the sunless light;
and she was in a gentle mood, as indeed she always was, and calmed the
fret in him, so that he could keep still and take long breaths, and look
at her without burning in his heart. She asked him of their child, and
when he told her it was well, stood thoughtful and silent. "Here," said
she, presently, "I have no child," and it seemed to him that she
sighed.

"O Lady," he said, "dost thou regret nothing of all these ten long
years?"

Her answer was to look long at him without speech. And then again she
veiled her eyes with her eyelids and hung her head. He dared say
nothing.

Paris came out of the house, fresh from the bath, rosy and beautiful,
and whistled a low clear note, like the call of a bird at evening. Then
he called upon Helen.

"Where is my love? Where is the Desire of the World?"

She looked up quickly at King Menelaus, and smiled half, and moved her
hand; and she went to Paris. Then the King groaned, and rent himself.
But he would not stay, nor look up, lest he should see what he dared not
see.

* * * * *

Next day, very early, and every day after, those two, long-severed, kept
a tryst: so in time she came to be there first, and a strife grew
between them which should watch for the other. And after a little she
would sit upon the wall and speak happily to him without disguise. So
happiness came to him, too, and he ceased to reproach her. For she
reasoned very gently with him of her own case, urging him not to be
angry with her. Defending herself, she said, "Thou shouldst not reproach
me, husband, nor wouldst thou in thy heart if t