And when Electra would know why he was so troubled, he said, “It paineth me to see thee excelling all women in sorrow.”

“Nay,” she said, “thou seest but a small part of my sorrows.”

“Hast thou, then, yet worse to bear than these?”

“Yea, for I live with them that are murderers.”

“Whom sayest thou they murdered?”

“They murdered my father—­and I am constrained to serve them.”

“Who constraineth thee?”

“A mother that is no mother.”

“And is there none that can help thee?”

“None, for him that was my helper thou bringest in this urn.  But why pitiest thou me as doth no other man?  Art thou, perchance, a kinsman?”

“Put down this urn and I will tell thee.”

“Nay, stranger, take this not from me, for it holds all that is dearest to me.”

“Speak not such idle words:  thy sorrow is without cause.”

“Sayest thou ‘without cause’ when my brother is dead?”

“Thou dost ill to speak thus of thy brother.”

“Doth the dead then think so lightly of me?”

“No man thinketh lightly of thee; yet with these ashes thou hast no concern.”

“How so, if this is the body of my Orestes?”

“Here is no true body, only one that is feigned.”

“Unhappy man! where, then, is his tomb?”

“He hath none—­what need hath the living of a tomb?”

“Liveth he, then?”

“Yea, if I am alive.”

“Art thou, then, he?”

“Yea; look at this my father’s seal, and say whether I speak truly.”

And when she saw the seal, she knew that it was her father’s, and that this stranger was indeed Orestes.  And she cried aloud for joy, and embraced him.  Then, after the two had talked together for a very brief space, Orestes said, “Tell me not how ill thy mother hath done, nor how AEgisthus hath wasted the substance of my house; but rather instruct me in this:  shall I do this thing secretly or openly?  Take heed also lest thy mother see thee bear a joyful face, and so take warning.”

And Electra made answer, “As for this present, know that AEgisthus is absent, and that the Queen is alone.  Therefore do as thou deemest best.  And as for me, be sure that I shall not cease from tears; for the old sorrow is inveterate in me; and also, now that I have seen thee, I weep for joy.”

But while they talked together came the old man in haste, and rebuked them that they so spent the time; and to Orestes he said that no one knew him who he was, but that all deemed him dead, and that he must make haste and do the deed; for that now the Queen was alone, nor was there any man in the palace.