folk, as glad as
they had been sorrowful, were following Perseus to the palace of the
king. Perseus walked through the empty court, and stood at the door of
the hall, where the servants came to him, both men and women, and with
tears of joy the women bore Andromeda to the chamber of her mother,
Queen Cassiopeia.

[Illustration: THE RESCUE OF ANDROMEDA.]

Who can tell how happy were the king and queen, and how gladly they
welcomed Perseus! They made a feast for him, and they sent oxen and
sheep to all the people, and wine, that all might rejoice and make
merry. Andromeda, too, came, pale but smiling, into the hall, and sat
down beside her mother's high seat, listening while Perseus told the
whole story of his adventures. Now Perseus could scarcely keep his eyes
from Andromeda's face while he spoke, and she stole glances at him. When
their eyes met, the colour came into her face again, which glowed like
ivory that a Carian woman has lightly tinged with rose colour, making an
ornament for some rich king. Perseus remembered the message of Hermes,
which Aegle had given him, that if he flew to the east and south he would
find his happiness. He knew that he had found it, if this maiden would
be his wife, and he ended his tale by repeating the message of Hermes.

'The gods speak only truth,' he said, 'and to have made you all happy is
the greatest happiness to Perseus of Argos.' Yet he hoped in his heart
to see a yet happier day, when the rites of marriage should be done
between Andromeda and him, and the young men and maidens should sing the
wedding song before their door.

Andromeda was of one mind with him, and, as Perseus must needs go home,
her parents believed that she could not live without him who had saved
her from such a cruel death. So with heavy hearts they made the marriage
feast, and with many tears Andromeda and her father and mother said
farewell. Perseus and his bride sailed down the great river Aegyptus in
the king's own boat; and at every town they were received with feasts,
and songs, and dances. They saw all the wonderful things of Egypt,
palaces and pyramids and temples and tombs of kings, and at last they
found a ship of the Cretans in the mouth of the Nile. This they hired,
for they carried with them great riches, gold, and myrrh, and ivory,
gifts of the princes of Egypt.

IV

HOW PERSEUS AVENGED DANAE

With a steady south wind behind them they sailed to Seriphos, and
landed, and brought