ad fallen out of his hands. In an instant he was in a part of the
labyrinth that he had not been in before.

He walked a long way, and then he came on his own footmarks as they
crossed themselves in the dust. He pushed open a door and came into the
air. He was now by the outside wall of the palace, and he saw birds
flying by him. He leant against the wall of the palace, thinking that
he would strive no more to find his way through the labyrinth.

V

That day the youths and maidens of Athens were brought through the
labyrinth and to the hall where the Minotaur was. They went through the
passages weeping and lamenting. Some cried out for Theseus, and some
said that Theseus had deserted them. The heavy door was opened. Then
those who were with the youths and maidens saw the Minotaur lying stark
and stiff with Theseus's sword through its neck. They shouted and blew
trumpets and the noise of their trumpets filled the labyrinth. Then
they turned back, bringing the youths and maidens with them, and a
whisper went through the whole palace that the Minotaur had been slain.
The youths and maidens were lodged in the chamber where Minos gave his
judgments.

VI

Theseus, wearied and overcome, fell into a deep sleep by the wall of
the palace. He awakened with a feeling that the claw of the Minotaur
was upon him. There were stars in the sky above the high palace wall,
and he saw a dark-robed and ancient man standing beside him. Theseus
knew that this was Daedalus, the builder of the palace and the
labyrinth. Daedalus called and a slim youth came Icarus, the son of
Daedalus. Minos had set father and son apart from the rest of the
palace, and Theseus had come near the place where they were confined.
Icarus came and brought him to a winding stairway and showed him a way
to go.

A dark-faced servant met and looked him full in the face. Then, as if
he knew that Theseus was the one whom he had been searching for, he led
him into a little chamber where there were three maidens. One started
up and came to him quickly, and Theseus again saw Ariadne.

She hid him in the chamber of the palace where her singing birds were,
and she would come and sit beside him, asking about his own country and
telling him that she would go with him there. "I showed you how you
might come to the Minotaur," she said, "and you went there and you slew
the monster, and now I may not stay in my father's palace."

And Theseus thought all the time of his re