hou knewst what is in
mine, or what my portion has been since with fair words in
many-mansioned Sparta he did beguile me. With words smoother than honey,
and sweeter than the comb of it he did beguile me, and with false words
made me believe that I was forsaken and betrayed; and urged me to take
ship with him in search of thee. Nor ever once did he reveal himself
until we touched Cranae in the ship. Then he showed me all his power, and
declared his purpose with me. And I could do nothing against him; and
so he brought me to Troy and kept me there. All these years he has
loved, and still loves me in his fashion: and art thou angry with me, my
lord, that I do not for ever reproach him, or spend myself in tears, and
fast, and go like one distraught, holding myself aloof from all his
house? Nay, but of what avail would that be, or what reward to many that
treat me well here in Troy? For King Priam, the old king, is good to me,
and the Queen also; and my lord Hector was above all men good to me, and
defended me always against scorn and evil report. True it is that I have
been the reproach of men, both Trojans and Achaeans; and all the woes of
the years have been laid to me who am most guiltless of offence. For all
my sin has been that I have been gentle with those who hold me here; and
have not denied them that which cannot be denied, but have given what I
must with fair-seeming."

* * * * *

And another time she said, "What mercy have men for a woman whom they
desire and cannot have? And what face have women for her who is more
sought than them? And what of such a woman, O lord Menelaus, what of her
in her misery? Is it true, thinkest thou, because she is good to look
upon and is desired by men, that she should have no desires of her own?
And must she have pleasure only in that which men seek of her, and none
in her house and child overseas? Is my face then, and are these my
breasts all that I have? And is my mind nothing at all, nor the kindness
in my heart, nor the joy I have in the busy world? My face has been ruin
unto many, and many have sought my breasts; but to me it has been misery
and shame, and my milk a bitter gall."

Thus spake Helen of the fair girdle; and he saw her eyes filled with
tears, and pure sorrow upon her face; and he held up his arms to her,
crying, "O my dear one, wilt thou not come back to me?" She could not
speak for crying; but nodded her head often between her co