“I am glad you did, Orestes—proud to have your confidence. If it is a sign of a ruined mind to see a resemblance to Clytemnestra in Hermione, my mind has been ruined for a long time. She has her aunt’s positive feeling on any subject she notices at all; there’s no light and shade to Hermione. I can think of her as marrying a man or murdering him, but nothing in between. Her adverse judgments are severe. One of my girls in the house was recently betrayed by a scandalously mean lover, and when we found that she would have a child, Hermione wanted her dismissed in disgrace.”

“Hermione told me about that,” said Orestes. “I must say I agreed with her entirely. There are limits to broad-mindedness.”

“I have always found that there were,” said Helen. “You and Hermione must work out those things for yourselves, but you are right in thinking she is like your mother. I never could see that she resembled me.”

“Not in the slightest!” said Orestes.

“She does resemble her father in some ways,” Helen went on, “and I hope you will do what you can to bring those two together again. Menelaus is devoted to her—she is the person he loves best in the world; it’s often so with fathers and daughters. Menelaus tried to discourage her from marrying you, and she took offence. Since you have won her, you can afford to be generous and reconcile them. It wouldn’t be a good thing for her or for him to go on through the rest of their days cherishing a grudge.”

“She told me about it,” said Orestes, “and of course I shall want to do whatever is right, but I must say the things Menelaus chose to slander me with are not easy to forget. He has a hasty temper, Hermione tells me, and once he has taken a position, he is stubborn. Hermione deplores that trait in him, as the chief cause of their sad relations. I don’t see at the moment how I can interfere. If Menelaus is in the wrong, he ought to make the first advances. I certainly can’t apologise for the unpleasant remarks he made at my expense.”

“Perhaps the situation is impossible,” said Helen.

“Forgive me for mentioning it. But you may be able to approach Menelaus—or Hermione, whichever you think best—and effect an understanding. If you can’t do it, nobody can. I have faith in your wisdom.”

“It is difficult, as you say, but of course I’ll do my best,” said Orestes.

III

III

“I’ve come to say good-bye, father. Orestes and I start to-morrow.”

“I’m sorry, Hermione—I don’t want to lose you. And going off with that—”

“Don’t say anything against him, father! You’ll understand him better, perhaps, some day.”