she
said, "touch me no more until I know whether thou art true or false."

He was astonished at her, saying, "What is this, dear love? Dost thou
call me false who for ten bitter years have striven to have thee again;
and have forsworn all other women for thy sake?"

But her eyes were hard upon him, glittering. "Ay," she said, "and I do.
For to thee, through those bitter years, I was faithful in heart, and
utterly; and that which thou lovest is the bounty of my body, the which
if I should mar it, thou wouldst spurn me as horrible. And now I will
prove thee and my words together." So, while he gazed at her in wonder,
she drew out the sword. "With this sword," she said, "I will do one of
two things. Choose thou."

The King said, hollow-voiced, "What wilt thou do?"

She said, "With the sword I will lay open this poisonous face of mine;"
and she touched her right cheek; "or with it I will cut off this my
wicked breast;" and she put her hand upon her left breast, and said
again, "Choose thou."

But Menelaus with a loud cry threw himself upon her, and took each of
her wrists in a hand, and held her down on the bed. The sword dropped
out and fell to the floor; but he let it lie. Now his love waxed the
greater for the danger she had been in. And in the morning, when as she
lay as one dead, he picked up the sword and brake it, and threw it out
of the window. Also before he left her he gave straight order that she
should be watched throughout the day. But he gave the order to Eutyches,
believing him to be faithful for his former and latter service.

* * * * *

By and by came Eutyches and spoke again with her, saying, "Lady, I fear
me thou didst not use my remedy aright."

She heard him in a stare, and answered in a dry voice, "I fear so too."

Then said Eutyches, "There is but one way to use it. So shalt thou be
free from pain and sorrow of heart." She would not look at him, but he
knew that she understood his thought. "If thou wilt swear to me by
Artemis the Bright," he said, "that thou wilt never use it against
thyself, I will put another remedy on thy knees, lady."

She swore it; and he fetched her a sword, and put it on her knees. That
night, in the dark, she slew her husband Menelaus, as he lay asleep by
her side; and she knew that he was dead because, after groaning once, he
neither moved nor stirred, and because his foot which was upon her ankle
was heavy as lead.

Then came Euty