“Orestes will go back to his father’s place after a while,” said Helen. “There’s no doubt at all that the very people who are critical of him now will want him to rule them later. Then he will have the best of homes for his wife.”

“Do you think he would care to settle down and look after his own affairs?” said Eteoneus. “Remember he has grown up in a hide-and-seek kind of existence, at first eluding his mother, then hunting Ægisthus, then waylaying Pyrrhus. I fancy he is too much accustomed to it to change. If he only could take vengeance on himself for Pyrrhus, he’d be entirely in the vein. But I can’t imagine him tamed down. There’s nothing really stable about him; he’s one of those people who talk about the established order of things, but never try it.”

“He had the decency to marry my daughter, when she would have been compromised if he hadn’t.”

“How do you know he married her? He told you? Is that evidence?”

“It’s no evidence at all, but I believe him,” said Helen. “I don’t like him, but he tells the truth.”

“Well, I’m sorry for their children,” said Eteoneus. “It will be the greatest race of reformers that was ever invented.”

“I take it you are going to stay,” said Helen, “and I’m happier over the prospect than I’ve been in a long time.”

“I didn’t say I’d stay,” said Eteoneus.

“But you will, won’t you?” said Helen.

“Don’t you think I’m too old?”

“Not a bit! You will soon be in your prime as a gate-keeper—you know all about men, and an extraordinary lot about women, and you can now act on your knowledge, to the great advantage of all of us. And whether you were old or not, Menelaus and I should want you to stay. We shall love our friends at any age.”

“If you put it that way,” said Eteoneus, “there doesn’t seem to be so much point in going. I shall keep my prejudices, of course.”

“Of course,” said Helen. “What would a man be without his prejudices?”

“The going to Troy wasn’t so bad,” said Eteoneus—

“As the coming back,” said Helen. “We understand each other, Eteoneus. Thank you for staying, and thank you for this talk. If you ever have anything to say that you feel would be helpful to me, come and tell me.”

“I will,” said Eteoneus. “I’ve enjoyed this talk. Menelaus and I always disagree. Shall I tell him I’m staying, or will you?”