Penny Dreadfuls, 1923 · page 51 of 116
The Taking of Helen by John Masefield — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a page of running prose from "The Taking of Helen," page 39 of what appears to be a Victorian serialized work. The text depicts a scene at a shrine where Helen stands praying at an altar while Paris watches her intently. A character named Nireus observes both of them, experiencing conflicting emotions—admiration for Helen's beauty and murderous jealousy toward Paris. When the religious rite concludes, Nireus urgently warns them they may be seen, but Helen reveals they stopped at "the Lovers' shrine" to sacrifice. The passage ends with Nireus ordering Helen not to speak further after she answers that love brought them there.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE TAKING OF HELEN 39 that place. Helen was standing in front of the altar with the pitcher raised above her head. Her sleeves had fallen back, showing her arms bare to the elbows; the light was on her face. She was praying, but even in prayer her face seemed like a smile. Nireus had never seen her look so beautiful. He looked at Paris. He, too, was beautiful, with the easy glow of the bright young man to whom life has not been difficult. He was standing a foot or two behind Helen, and a little to one side of her. When Nireus caught sight of him, he was watching Helen intently with a working mouth. “My God!” Nireus muttered. ‘‘What beauty and what ease and charm! O you lucky, beautiful fiend, I would love to kill you!’’ But the water was poured, the rite was over; Nireus ran to them. ‘In the name of the gods,” he cried, “‘why are you stopping here?”’ “We stopped to sacrifice,’ Helen said. ‘This is the Lovers’ shrine.”’ ‘““May the Lover bless you, then; but you may be seen at any instant.” ‘Why should we not be seen?’’ Paris asked. “Why not?’ Nireus said. ‘“‘Tell me, what brought you here?”’ “Love,” Helen answered. “Do not speak another word,” Nireus said. ‘ But CONRIICELO@ SS (C(O)