“Æole, strength. The worst is over.”
It was Sensel, and he was offering his other arm to Electra; whilst about him were flocking the nearest handmaids, as though he alone could save them.
It was at this moment that Hellen succeeded in getting sight of the two. Reaching an aperture, he sprang up among its clustering papyrus plumes to perceive them with Sensel. By this time, the people were quieting, and Queen Atlana was being borne out. As the throng pressed after her, Hellen was the better able to watch. Great was his relief when Sensel began marshaling the handmaids to their door. “If he can but get them to the air,” he thought, “before more evil cometh.”
Hid among the papyrus, he waited until all had passed out even to the priest and handmaids in attendance upon the altar fire.
For once the great temple was deserted. Hellen was alone. As he realized this, an idea came that he was quick to act upon. Springing from the aperture, he darted across the great space toward the door of the handmaids, opened this, and beheld, stretching deep, the passage through which Sensel had conducted him to the priests’ gathering room; and knew that some distance down, was the side passage leading to the cell where he had seen the red-garbed figure. At the very end was a door leading, probably, to the building of the handmaids. If he could but run down this long passage, and come upon Æole and Electra!
As if urged by a force uncontrollable, he sped onward—his eyes, his thoughts on the door at the end. But, when midway, was arrested, and by a voice. It was as though a wall had sprung up in front of him. Low, strong in fear, it warned.
“Rash youth, thou wilt ruin all. Go back ere the priests come. Wouldst thou die?”
Hellen still would have pressed on.
“Call to mind thy promise. If here thou art found, at an end are the meetings with thy sister—the hope of freedom.”
Hellen, now irresolute, was looking about him for the red-garbed figure, when Sensel appeared through the far door. For one moment, the latter stood motionless. Then he bounded toward Hellen. Seizing his wrist, he cried: