The Ruinous Face | Page 7

in the images the
twin-brothers of Helen, even Castor and Polydeuces, come to save the
state for their sister's sake; and opened wide their gates, and drew in the
horse, and set it upon the porch of the temple of Zeus the Thunder.
There it stood for all to see. And King Priam was carried down in his
litter to behold it; and with him came Hecabe the Queen, and Paris, and
Æneas, and Helen, with Cassandra the King's daughter.
Then King Priam lifted up his hands and blessed the horse and the
riders thereof. And he said, "Hail to ye, great pair of brothers! Be
favorable to us now, and speedy in your mercy."
But Cassandra wailed and tore at the covering of her breast, and cried
out, "Ah, and they shall be speedy! Here is a woe come upon us which
shall be mercy indeed to some of you. But for me there is no mercy."
Now was Helen, with softly shining eyes, close to the horse; and she
laid her hand upon its belly and stroked it. And Cassandra saw her and
reviled her, saying, "Thou shame to Ilium, and thou curse! The Ruinous
Face, the Ruinous Face! Cried I not so in the beginning when they
praised thy low voice and soft beguiling ways? But thou too, thou shalt
rue this night!"

But Helen laughed softly to herself, and stroked the smooth belly of the
horse where her promise lay hidden. And they led Cassandra away,
blind with weeping. And Helen returned to Paris' house and sought out
Eutyches, a slave of the door, who loved her. Of him by gentle words
and her slow sweet smile she besought arms: a sword, breastplate,
shield and helmet. And when he gave them her, unable to deny her
anything, she hid them under the hangings of the bed.
* * * * *
That night Paris came to her where she lay bathed and anointed, and
sought her in love; and she denied him nothing. Him thought such joy
had never been his since first he held her in his arms in Cranæ. Deeply
and long he loved; and in the middle of the night a great horn blew afar
off, and there came the sound of men in the streets, running. That was
the horn which they kept in the temple of Showery Zeus, to summon all
Troy when needs were. Paris, at the sound thereof, lifted up his head
from Helen's fair breast, listening. And again the great horn blew a long
blast, and he said, "O bride, I must leave thee. Behold, they call from
the temple of the God." But she took his face in her two hands and
turned it about to look at her; and he saw love in her eyes and the dew
of it upon her mouth, and kissed her, and stayed. So by and by the horn
blew a third time, and there arose a great shout; and he started away
from her, and stepped down from the bed, and stood beside it,
unresolved. Then Helen put her arms about his body and urged herself
toward him till her face touched his flank. And she clung to him, and
looked up at him, and he stayed.
[Illustration: PARIS AND HELEN FROM THE PAINTING BY
JACQUES LOUIS DAVID IN THE LOUVRE]
Now did rumor break out all at once, about the house and in the city
afar off. Men cried, "The fire, the fire!" and "Save yourselves!" and
"Oh, the Achæans!" and Paris tore himself away, and made haste to
arm himself by the light of the fire in the city, which made the room as
bright as day. And he put on all his harness, and took his sword and
buckler, and ran out of the chamber and down the stairs, crying, "Arm
ye, arm ye, and follow me!" Then Helen arose and swiftly withdrew the

arms from below the bed, and called Eutyches to her from the gallery,
and made him fasten the breastplate about her, and gird the thongs of
the shield to her white arm, and fix the helmet of bronze upon her head.
So he did, and trembled as he touched her; for he loved her out of
measure and without hope. Then said she to Eutyches, "Arm thyself
and follow me." And together, armed, they went down the stair.
There was a great press of men fighting about the doors of Paris' house,
and loud rumor. But beyond in the city the Achæans in a multitude
carried fire and sword from house to house. And there was the noise of
women crying mercy, and calling their children's names. And the
flames leaped roaring to Heaven; and the Gods turned away their faces;
and Troy was down.