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Chapters (39)
  1. Cover
  2. The Private Life of Helen of Troy
  3. Contents
  4. NOTE
  5. PART I
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. VII
  13. PART II
  14. I
  15. II
  16. III
  17. IV
  18. V
  19. VI
  20. PART III
  21. I
  22. II
  23. III
  24. IV
  25. V
  26. PART IV
  27. I
  28. II
  29. III
  30. IV
  31. V
  32. PART V
  33. I
  34. II
  35. III
  36. IV
  37. V
  38. VI
  39. VII

“You believed the account, then. I thought you did. I didn’t. Eteoneus knows more than he told us, or the trader knew more than he told Eteoneus. As you said yourself, any trader would hear the scandal, no matter how short a time he stayed, and if he heard it, he wouldn’t leave so carelessly.”

“You think Eteoneus knows more than he told us?”

“Eteoneus or the trader.”

“I’ll call him back this minute and find out!”

“Ask him whether I wasn’t right to advise you to stay at home,” said Helen. “And ask him for his reasons. I’ll go and tell Hermione the news. Perhaps it concerns her most.”

“Menelaus,” said Eteoneus, “I’ve been looking through the door till your wife should leave the room. Now I can speak to you alone. I didn’t tell you all.”

“Then tell me now—what’s the rest of it?”

“The trader knew the scandal, all right—that part was an invention of mine. He wanted to stay and see what happened, but he says every one in town told him to move on, if he valued his health.”

“His health?”

“His life, if you want it plainly. The trader said Clytemnestra and Ægisthus had the scene all set to trap Agamemnon, and they preferred to do it without witnesses.”

“Get the men together, Eteoneus! I’ll go at once.”

“I wouldn’t, Menelaus, if I were you. I hope it’s not necessary. I’ve been trying to find Orestes, and I rather think I’ve got word to him. In fact, I know I have. He’ll attend to it. He doesn’t consider me his friend, but in an emergency like this I like him well enough, and now he has his chance to show what kind of son he is. It’s his right, more than yours, to be with Agamemnon now. If I’m not mistaken, he’s already well on his way. You’d better stay here, send your messenger, and wait till you have the reply.”

“Where was Orestes? I thought he couldn’t be found?”

“I didn’t want to find him before,” said Eteoneus. “It’s his secret, so I won’t say where he was, but now we’ll see what he’s made of. You won’t mind, I hope, but I fitted him out with some of your best weapons. It’s all in the family, as I said to him.”

VI

VI

“Hermione, my dear, I came as soon as I heard the news. I hope Helen is at home.”

“She isn’t, Charitas—she’s out this afternoon, I’m sorry to say. Come in and let me be a poor substitute.”