Penny Dreadfuls, 1923 · page 16 of 116
The Taking of Helen by John Masefield — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running prose dialogue from a Victorian penny dreadful titled "The Taking of Helen" (page 4). The text depicts a conversation between Queen Helen and a man named Nireus, in which Helen requests that Nireus secretly provide a ship at Green Havens so she and Paris can escape together. Nireus agrees to help, though he expresses concern about the wisdom of her plan, and offers assistance with horses for their journey to the coast.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
4. THE TAKING OF HELEN ness was Queen Helen come to seek him. She said, “Nireus, I have watched you and think that you will be my friend; now be my friend and do what I ask of you.” | He said, “Lady, anything that I can do for you, I will do.” She said, “ Will you secretly cause one of your ships to be at the Green Havens at midnight three nights from now, ready to sail?” He said, ‘One is there already ready to sail. Who shall sail in her?”’ She said, “I shall, Nireus; for I cannot live here longer.”’ He said, “ Lady, forgive me, but I think you will not be sailing alone.” She said, ‘‘No, Nireus, I shall sail with Paris; so there are our two lives in your hand.” He said, “ Lady, a friend of yours is as yourself to me. But Green Havens is nearly twenty miles from here, over the moors; you will want horses to ride thither.”’ She said, ‘‘ Paris has arranged for horses. We shall slip out of the castle at dusk and ride to Green Havens, and go on board and to sea.”’ ) ‘““Lady,’’ he said, ‘Love guard you, for I see that wisdom does not. But I am your friend, O my God.” She said, “I knew that you were a good man from your face.” CORNICE DOOKS (EO)