Helen of Troy Page #5

These roving jesters

come often to my palace.

And they never fail

to have some nimble talent.

What do you do besides

this royal imposture?

lt seems l try to do the impossible.

The cesti.

lf he's Paris, he should have

some skill with the cesti.

-Brilliant, brother, brilliant.

-You heard, Ajax, Achilles?

Achilles is weary from travel.

Achilles did not make his reputation

fighting children.

This Sparta, my son, is a viper's nest.

-l'll see you aren't--

-lf we offend the pretender. . .

-. . .l give him leave to go.

-No.

After all, part of my task

was to spread civilization.

But l must exact an agreement.

lf l come fairly out of this fight,

will you believe that l am Paris. . .

. . .and hear the Trojan peace terms?

lf your head's still

on your shoulders, yes.

Paris!

My good Trojan, you have used

a Spartan persuasion on me: courage.

My courage almost failed me

at the thought of meeting Ajax.

You shall rest.

And tomorrow we shall talk.

About your adventures,

your voyage. . .

. . .and the secret charm

that makes me call you ''friend. ''

And Troy shall call Sparta ''friend. ''

Alpheus, find quarters for our guest.

And, Alpheus. . .

. . .they say the Trojans have

great eyes for beauty.

Find him a slave

and see that she is beautiful.

There is one slave in your palace for

whom l'd gladly become a slave myself.

Menelaus!

You expressed a wish yesterday

to present your guests to me.

A proud wish.

Helen, Queen of Sparta,

wife to Menelaus. . .

. . .l present Paris,

Prince Royal of Troy.

Why are you here, Trojan?

To study our arts and culture?

Yes, my lady.

The art of self-preservation.

Trojan impudence!

By your leave, my lord. . .

. . .l shall receive the Greeks

at some happier moment.

l heard my lady was truly Spartan

this afternoon.

My heart behaved like a fool.

l'm sure Menelaus could hear it beating.

Tell your servants to go.

You may go.

-Get out!

-When will you learn?

The man can neither speak nor hear.

What did you think of the Trojan?

-You saw what l thought.

-Yes, l saw what you thought.

Of this Trojan anyway.

What is this game you're playing?

Helen, you reveal yourself.

So does he.

Speak plainly. lf l've given you

some offense, punish me. . .

. . .but don't welcome a stranger with

one hand and strike him with the other!

So now we're fond of Trojans?

l might do many things with him.

l might send him home. . .

. . .with his appearance altered.

l might hold him hostage

to bleed tribute out of Priam.

l imagined once l had married a king.

-You married a king.

-l married a robber.

Why did you marry him?

Why did you marry him?

When a king takes spoils,

he robs no one.

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