"I will bring you your sword," said she.
She took up a little lamp and went through a doorway, leaving
Theseus standing by the low throne in the chamber of Minos. Then
after a little while she came back, bringing with her Theseus's
great ivory-hilted sword.
"It is a great sword," she said; "I marked it before because it
is your sword, Theseus. But even this great sword will not avail
against the Minotaur."
"Show me the way to come to the Minotaur, O Ariadne," cried
Theseus.
He knew that she did not think that he would deem himself able to
strive with the Minotaur, and that when he looked upon the dread
monster he would return to her and then take the way of his
escape.
She took his hand and led him from the chamber of Minos. She was
not tall, but she stood straight and walked steadily, and Theseus
saw in her something of the strange majesty that he had seen in
Minos the king.
They came to high bronze gates that opened into a vault. "Here,"
said Ariadne, "the labyrinth begins. Very devious is the
labyrinth, built by Daedalus, in which the Minotaur is hidden,
and without the clue none could find a way through the passages.
But I will give you the clue so that you may look upon the
Minotaur and then come back to me. Theseus, now I put into your
hand the thread that will guide you through all the windings of
the labyrinth. And outside the place where the Minotaur is you
will find another thread to guide you back.
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