“I never saw any connection between the sacrifices and the speed of the boat,” said Helen. “The question, as I understood it, was whether we were to get home at all. You didn’t make much headway, you remember, until we had those formal sacrifices in Egypt. Agamemnon will soon be back, I’ve no doubt, and we’ll have a sound explanation of his delay.”

“When he has had time to get settled,” said Menelaus, “we’ll ask him here to talk about Hermione and Orestes.”

“That will make another guest,” said Helen. “Menelaus, are you sure you’ve sent for Pyrrhus, as you said you would?”

“Certainly; the messenger went off that day—within the hour. Pyrrhus will be here on a friendly visit—that’s all we agreed on, you remember, and we’ll have Orestes too. Not at the same time, of course: before, don’t you think?”

“I’d like to see Orestes, if he can be found,” said Helen, “but Hermione doesn’t know where he is. I feel as you do that we should meet him before we come to a decision. And really I’ve no objection to Agamemnon. Since we all used to talk of the children’s marriage to one another, I dare say both sides of the house had better take part in the discussion now … There’s the gate-keeper coming up the walk. Shall I leave you two?”

“Stay here,” said Menelaus. “I don’t know what he wants. See for yourself whether I’m too intimate with him.”

“Menelaus, may I speak to him about—what he said of me?”

“You may not,” said Menelaus.

“Why not? Didn’t you give me the correct version?”

“Didn’t I what? Oh, you think I invented it, for my own uses! Think so, if you like! But I told the truth.”

“Menelaus,” said Eteoneus, “I expected to find you alone. I beg your pardon.”

“Perhaps I’m in the way, Menelaus,” said Helen. “I’ll return when you are at liberty again.”

“See here, Eteoneus, what do you mean by saying you expected to find me alone? What has come over you? Do you take it amiss that I’m talking in my own house to my own wife?”

“I presume to take nothing amiss with you, Menelaus,” said Eteoneus, “no matter what’s in the back of my thoughts.”

“That won’t do, Eteoneus,” said Menelaus. “I told you the other day you’d have to keep a civil tongue when you spoke of any member of my household. You understood me clearly, I believe?”

“No, Menelaus,” said the gate-keeper, “I heard the words clearly, but I didn’t understand you … But we’d better not go on, with my lady here.”

“Eteoneus,” said Helen, “I shall be glad to hear whatever you wish to say. Say it as if I were not present—unless it is some private business of my husband’s, which I ought not to know. You are an old friend, and I don’t feel that I’ve seen much of you since my return. How have you been?”

“My health has been excellent,” said Eteoneus, “but I have a troubled mind.”