“Oh, nonsense, Menelaus,” said Helen, “you are trying to deceive yourself. Orestes told Hermione all about it, Hermione told me, as no doubt she told you. Eteoneus has known of it before any of us. No, my sister is living with Ægisthus, and her husband has come home. The trader quite evidently moved on too soon. By this time they’ve all reached some sort of understanding. How I should like to know what it is!”

“There’s only one kind of understanding,” said Menelaus. “My brother will kill Ægisthus, and Clytemnestra will want to kill Cassandra. Eteoneus, tell the men to get my things ready for an immediate journey. I’ll go at once to my brother.”

“If you ought to go,” said Helen, “I shan’t try to keep you, but I have a presentiment that you’d better stay here. Whatever has happened, has happened already; you’d be too late to help. Messengers better informed are sure to bring news. I’d stay here, if I were you.”

“There’s something in what you say, Helen, but I ought to go. I must see for myself how it has been settled.”

“If you are worrying about Agamemnon,” said Helen, “I’d send for news at once, but I wouldn’t go myself. You’d be of no use, if he’s in trouble, unless you took a considerable company of your men with you, and you’d look rather foolish marching in with your troops if by any chance Agamemnon and Clytemnestra have made it up.”

“They can’t make it up,” said Menelaus.

“Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as that,” said Helen. “Almost any reconciliation is possible in this world. Send Agamemnon a greeting, as though you knew nothing of the Ægisthus incident; ask him to come here at the first opportunity. His answer will give you the news and guide your actions.”

“Suppose he is reconciled to Clytemnestra and brings her along?” said Menelaus.

“Well, if he is reconciled to her, he may bring her,” said Helen. “She’s my sister, when all’s said and done, and she’s the mother of the young man you’re determined to have for a son-in-law. You can’t ignore her. Now, if you had seen the matter my way, and had thrown your influence toward Pyrrhus, you would have spared yourself this embarrassment.”

“I never liked Clytemnestra,” said Menelaus. “Whether they are reconciled or not, I shall always feel that her conduct was peculiarly offensive … I dare say the messenger is the right thing—Eteoneus, tell one of the men to get ready. Tell him at once.”

“Well, what do you think of it, Helen?”

“I don’t know, Menelaus. It’s your brother and my sister. What it will mean to us, I don’t know.”

“I’m not thinking of us,” said Menelaus. “We’ll stand any shock, I dare say. I didn’t like to show my feelings before Eteoneus. There’ll be terrible doings in that house … don’t you think?”

“I think there have been, by this time,” said Helen. “I’m sorry for Electra, and for Orestes. And I’m sorry for Hermione. She’ll take it much to heart, and such things ought not to be occupying a young girl’s mind … Menelaus, what did you make of that trader Eteoneus pretended to quote?”