The Taking of Helen by John Masefield — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TAKING OF HELEN 9 “Was it?” The spy mumbled on with his report, but Nireus could not catch more of it than a few scattered words. Presently Menelaus rose from his chair to walk up and down the room. In his hand he had a pomander which he kept tossing and catching. ‘But only the two horses?’’ he said suddenly. “Yes, my lord, only the two.” “From the Two Brothers Inn?”’ “Yes, my lord.” “Good.” There was a silence after this for a little while, then the spy seemed to be dismissed by some inner door. When he had gone, Menelaus went to the window of the room, looked out into the dusk, and began to bite on his pomander. He had a way of smacking his lips on it whenever his thoughts pleased him. While he was smacking his lips over it, another man, who had not spoken until then, asked “‘ How the busi- ness went ?”’ “IT think they have it planned,’ Menelaus said, “for the night after to-morrow.” ‘What steps are you taking?” the other asked. He seemed to be a heavy man with a difficulty in breathing. ‘“T think,’ Menelaus said, “I think that it will not be very satisfactory for them.”’ ‘It seems all to fit in, like the stones in a wall,’ the heavy man said. ‘I have owed Priam a trouble for CORIICLO@ SS} (C(O)