Feng Ping, University of Warsaw

She lowered down her head when she spoke, and her eyes flashed. Julia was very appreciative and glad to have Odysseus as her listener to hear what happened in her past.

Odysseus trusted Julia immediately, just from her manner and temperament. Then, in his heart, there aroused a special feeling towards this girl, more than just sympathy and admiration of her beauty, but a comradeship. Similar to him, she also wandered from place to place, and saw what the rolling moral world looked like.

“Ah, I see,” Odysseus laughed, “So you are a wondering princess.”

Julia blushed a little.

“What is your plan for the future? Can you tell me if you like?”

“Well, I want to become an artist. I want to find my muses, so that I can create the most touching music in the world.”

“You are really ambitious. But why not find a good husband to marry so that everything will be settled?”

“Because I think I should do something meaningful in my life. When I was the princess of Sparta, I never cherished life. I was very extravagant and spoiled. Parents always wanted me to learn something as a lady should learn, but I threw away my opportunity. Only during the escape did I notice how willful and selfish I was before. So I want to do something to make it up,” Julia said in a sad voice, trying not to shed a tear.

“Good. Marvel. I have a lot of music teachers in my palace. Maybe I can help you realize your dream. Would you like to stay in my home for a while?”

“Well, thank you, my honored Odysseus.”

Odysseus led Julia to a palace not far from his home, where Julia could attend a concert, learn how to play the harp, enjoy panting, and write stories. The moment she entered into this palace, Julia was shocked by all the splendid sculptures and paintings on the walls, impressed by Odyssey’s richness. Odyssey let Julia treat this place as her home, and visited her whenever he had an opportunity, without being known by his wife. To him, Julia was a marvelous piece of art, the sighting of which never bored him, and he would like to enjoy and study her.

One night, it was thundering heavily outside. Sheets of rain fell to the ground.

“Odysseus, do you have some plans today? I got an invitation from Duck Mars, who asked us to take our son Telemachus to dinner. He had a beautiful daughter who is of the same age as Telemachus, and I think we had better go. It’s a good match.”

Odysseus thought of Mar’s daughter, who was also a beautiful lady with a fair reputation, and wanted to receive the invitation very much, however, he thought of the appointment with Julia, and wanted to see her more. So he said, “I am sorry. I have some business to do tonight. I can’t go with you. Let our son make his own choice of wife. That’s enough.”

“Oh,” Penelope was a little disappointed. She felt something strange about Odysseus these days, but she didn’t talk about it.

These days, Odysseus always took some music books out with him, and he seemed always very busy. There were fears in Penelope’s heart. She was afraid that the newfound happiness would vanish like summer bubbles. She was more afraid that after 20 years of waiting, the marriage still couldn’t last. The tie of love that bound them together would be broken. Who knew what happened during those 20 years?

People changed, the world changed, and the heart changed too. She just let Odysseus go, asking no more questions.

“What? My father said he had business to do tonight? I heard from Emurus that they don’t have too much work in the palace to do these days. There weren’t many political affairs to deal with, so some officials could even have a nice vocation.”

“Maybe he has some other important affairs to deal with.”

“Maybe.”

Telemachus thought of something, and said, “Mum, I will follow him and ask if he want my help.”