CLEOPATRA."
Being an Account of the Fall and
. Vengeance of Harmachis, the
Koyal Egyptian,
AS StT FORTH BY HIS OWN HAND.
' By II. Rider I-Tacgakd,
) Author or " King Solomon's Mines,"
"Shc,""Allnn Quatermain,"
Etc., Etc., Etc.
Illustrated br NICHOLIj. after CATON WOOD
VlIiLB and OHKITFENHAOEN.
Introduction.
jN THE recesses of
tlio desolate Libyan i
Mountains that Ho
behind the temple j
and city of Abydos, '
supposed burying- ,
place of tho Holy
Osiris, a tomb wap i
recently discovered, i
among the contents ot .
which were the papyrus
rolls on which this history is !
i written. The tomb itself Is !
' spacious, but otherwise rcmarkabls 1
only for the depth of tho shaft. I
which descends vertically from the .
rock-hewn cave, that onco served as a
mortuary chapel to the friends and rela
tives of the departed, to the eoflln chamber
beneatn. This shaft is no less than righty
nine feet in depth. Tho chamber at its foot
was found to contain three cofllns only,
though it is large enough for many more.
Two of these, which in all probability in
closed the bodies of tho high priest, Am
enemhat, nnd of his wife, father and
i mother of Harmachis, tho hero of this his
tory, the shameless Arabs who discovered
them theio and then broko up.
Tho Arabs broko tho bodies up. With
unhallowed hands they tore the Holy Amen
emhat, and tho frames of her who had, as ii
is written, been filled with tho spirit of the
Hathors--torn them limb from limb, search
ing for treasure amid their bones perhaps,
as is their custom, selling tho very bones
for a few piastres to tho last ignorant tour
ist who came' their way, sticking what ho
might destroy. For in Egypt tho unhappy,
tho living iind their bread in tho tombs of
the great men who wero before them.
But, as it chanced some lUtlo while aftcr-
ward, ono who is known to this writer, and
a doctor by profession, passed up tho Nilo
to Abydos, and became acquainted with tho
men who had dono this thing. They re
vealed to him tho secrotof tho place, telling
him that one eoflln yet remained entombed.
It seemed to be tho coflia of a poor person,
they said, and thereforo, being pressed for
time, they had loft it unviolatcd. Movod by
curiosity to explore tho recesses of a tomb
as yet unprofancd by tourists, my friend
bribed tho Arabs to reveal its secret to him.
kVShat ensued I will give in his own words,
exactly as ho wrote it to mo :
I slept that night near thoTcmplo of Scti,
and startod before daybreak on tho follow
ing morning. With mo wero a cross-eyed
rascal called Ali Ali Baba I named him
the man from whom I got tho ring which I
am sending you, nnd a small but choice as
sortment of his fellow-thioves. Within an
hour after sunrise wo reached tho valley
where tho tomb is. It is a desolate place,
into which tho sun pours his scorching heat
all tho long day through, till tho huge
brown bowlders which are strewn about bo
ll come bo hot that ono can scarcely bear to
touch them, and tho sand scorches tho feot.
We rode on donkeys, for it was already too
hot to walk some way up tho valley whero
a Tulturo floating fur in tho blue overhead
was tho only other visitor till wo camo to
an enormous bowlder polished by centuries
of tho action of sun and sand. Hero All
halted, saying tho tomb was under the
atone. Accordingly wo dismounted, and,
leaving tho donkeys in cbargo of a fellah
boy, went up to tho rock. Beneath it was a
Mnall hole, brely large enough for a man
To creep through; it had been dug by jack
als, for tho doorway and some part of tho
cave were entiroly silted up, nnd it was by
means of Mis jackal holo that tho tomb had
been discovered. Ali crept in on his hands
and knees, and I followed to find myself
In a place cold after tho hot outside air,
and, in contrast with tho light, filled with a
dazzling darkness. We lit our candles, and,
the select body of thieves having nrrived, I
made an examination. Wo wero in a cavo
the size of a largo room and hollowed by
hand, tho further part of tho cavo being al
most free from drift dust. On tho walls
kro religious paintings of tho usual Ptole
maic .iharacter, and among them one of a
majestio old man with a long white beard,
who is seated in n carved chair holding a
wand in his hand. Before him is passing a
procession of priests bearing sacred im-
( CLEOPATKA.
ges. In tho far corner of tho tomb on tht
Tight hand from tho door is the shaft of the
mummy pit, a squaro-mouthed well cut in
the black rock. Wo had brought a beam of
thtfcrnwood, and this was now laid across
tho pit aud a rope made fast to It, Then
Ali who, to do him justice, is a courageous
Xhlef took hold of the ropo, and. putting
orae candles Into tho breast of his robe,
placed his baro feet against tho smooth
tides of tho well and began to descend with
great rapidity. Very soon ho had van
ished Into tho blackness, and the agi
tation of tho cord alono told us that any
thing was going on below. At last the rope
ceased shaking, and u faint shout came
Tumbling up the well, announcing All's safe
arrival. Then, far below, a tiny star of
jlcrA appeared. Ho had lit tho candle,
thereby disturbing hundreds of bats, that
flitted up in an endless stream and as si
lenUy as iplrlti. The rope was hauled up
again, and now It was my turn; but as I de
cltnedto trust my ncik to the hand-over-Und
method of descent the end of tho cord
X made fast round i middle, and I was
lowered bodily Into se sacred depths.
Hor was It a pleasan ,ourney, for If th
usaster of the situation aborc had mado acy
Jlr ivv-uir
J?
mutaKf i snould have been dashed to
pieces. Also, the bats continually flow Into
my faco nnd clung to my hair, and I have a
great disliko of bats. At last, after some
minutes of jerking and dangling. I found
myself standing In n narrow passaco by the
sido of tho worthy All covered with bats
and perspiraaon, nnd with tho skin rubbed
off my knees nnd knuckles. Then another
man camo down, hand over hand, like a
sailor, and, ns tho rest wero told to stop
above, wo wero ready to goon. All went
first with his candle of course we each had
a candle-leading the way down a long
passago about five feet nigh. At length
tho passage widened out. nnd we
wero In tho tomb chamber, I
think tho hottest and most silent
piaco I ever entered. It was simply stifling.
This tcja.h chamber Is a uiuara nwwjt in ,
the. rock and iotally"dovold of paintings or
sculpture. I held up tho candles and
looked around. About tho place wero
strewn the coffin lids and tho niummi"d
remains of tho two bodies that the Arabs
had previously violated. Tho paintings on
tho former were, I noticed, of great beauty,
though, having no knowlcdgo of hiero
glyphics, 1 could not decipher them. Beads
and spicy wrappings lay nround tho re
mains, which, I saw, wero thoso of a man
and a woman. Tho head had been broken
oft tho body of tho man. I took it up and
looked nt it. It had been closely shaved
after death, I should say, from tho general
indications and tho features wero dis
figured with gold leaf. But, notwithstand
ing this, and the shrinkage of tho flesh, I
think the face was one of tho most impos
ing nnd beautiful that I ever saw. It was
that of a very old man, and his drud coun
tenance still wore so calm and solemn, In
deed souwful a look, that I grew qllito su
perstitious (though, as you know, I am
pretty well accustomed to dead people),
and put tho head down in a hurry. There
wero still some wrappings left upjn the
faco of tho second body, and I did not ro
move them; but she must havo been n tine,
largo woman in her day.
"Thcro is tho other mummy," said All,
pointing to a large and solid caso that had
1 1 k I fa.
I WAS LOWERED 110DILT.
the appearaneo of having been carolcsslj
thrown down in a corner, for it was lying on
its side.
I went up to it to cxamino it. It was well
mado, but f perfectly plain cedar wood
not an inscription, not a solitary god on it.
"Never seo ono like him beforo," said Ah.
"Bury great hurry, ho no 'raalish,' no
'flneesh.' Throw him down thoro on sido."
I looked at tho plain case till at last my
mterest was thoroughly aroused. I had
been so shocked by tho sight of tho scattered
dust of tho departed that I had mado up my
mind not to touch tho remaining coffin but
now my curiosity overcame me, and wo sot
to work.
Ali had brought a mallet and a cold chlsol
with him, and having set tho eoflln straight he
began upon it with all tho zeal of an experi
enced tomb-breaker. And then ho pointed
out another thing. Most mummy cases are
fastened by four little tongues of wood, two
on eithor sido, which at fixed in tho uppor
half, and passing into mortises out to re
ceive them in tho thickness of tho lower
half, are thoro hold fast by pegs of hard
wood. But this mummy caso had eight
such tongues. Evidently It had been
thought woll to sccuro it firmly. At last,
with great difficulty, wo raised tho massivo
lid, which was nearly threo inches thick,
and thoro, covered over with a deep layor
of loose splcos (a very unusual thing), was
tho body.
Ali looked at It with open oyes and no
wonder. For this mummy was not as other
mummies aro. Mummies in general llo
upon their backs, as stiff and calm ns
though they wore cut from wood; but this
mummy lay upon its sido, and, tho wrap
pings notwithstanding, its knees were
slightly bent. Moro than that, Indeed, tht
gold mask, which, after tho fashion of tho
Ptolemaio period, had been set upon tho
faco, had worked down, and was literally
pounded up beneath tho hooded head.
It was impossible, seoing these things, to
avoid tho conclusion that tho mummy bo
fore us had moved with violence since it
was put in the eoflln.
"Him very funny mummy. Him not
'maflsh' when him go in there," said Ali.
"Nonsense 1" 1 said. "Who ever heard
of a live mummy!"
We lifted tho body out of tho eoflln,
nearly choking ourselves with mummy
dust in tho process, and there beneath it,
half hidden among the spices, wo mado our
first And. It was a roll of papyrus, care
lessly fastened and wrapped in a pleco of
mummy cloth, having, to all appearance,
been thrown into the coffin at tho moment
of closing.
All eyed tho papyrus greedily, but I
seized It and put it in ray pocket, for it waB
agreed that I was to have all thut might bo
discovered. Then wo began to unwrap tho
body. It was covered with very broad,
strong bandages, thickly wound and rough
ly tied, sometime by means of simple
knots, tho whole work bearing tho appear
ance of having been executed In great haste
nnd with difficulty. Just over the head was
a largo lump, l'rcsently tho bandages cov
ering it were off, and there, on the face, lay
a second roll of papyrus. I put down my
hand to lift it, but it would not como away.
It appeared to bo fixed to tho stout, seam
less shroud which was drawn over tho
whole body nnd tied beneath tho feot, as a
farmer tic's sacks. This shroud, which was
also thickly waxed, was In ono piece, being
mado to fit tho form like a garment. I took
a candle and examined tho roll, and then 1
saw why It was fast, Tho spices had cw
gealed und glued it to lw sack-like shroud
It was impossible to Kt it away wltboul
tearing tho outer sheets of papyrus.
At last, however, I wrenched it looso and
put It with tho other In my pocket.
Then In silenco wj went on with oui
dreadful task. With much caro we ripped
loose tho sack-like garment, and at last tho
body of a man lay bofore us. Between his
knees was a third roll of papyrus. I se
cured it, and then held down the lights and
looked ut him. Boing a doctor, ono glance
at his faco was enough to tell me how he
had died.
This body was not much dried up. Evl
dentl it had not passed seventy days Id
natrou, and thereforo tho expression and
hueuest were better preserved than Ii
usuaP Without entering into particulars,
I will only say that I hops I shall never see
such another look as that which was frozen
on this dead man's face, Evon the Arabs
recoiled from it in horror and began to mut
ter prayers.
For tho rest, the usual opening on tho left
side, through which the cmbaltr.crs did
their work, was absent; tho finely cut feat
ures were those of a person of mlddlo age,
although tho hair was already gray, and tho
framo that of a powerful man, tho shoul
ders being of an extraordinary width. I
had not timo to examino very closely, how
ever, for within a few seconds from its un
covering tho uncmbalmed body, now that It
was exposed to Uio action of tho air, began
to crumble In flvo or six minutes thcro
was literally nothing loft of it but a wisp of
hair, tho skull, and n few of tho larger
bones. 1 noticed that ono of the tibia;, I
forgot if it was tho right or tho loft, had
been fractured and very badly sot. It must
havo been quite an Inch shorter than tho
other.
A ell, there was nothing moro to find, and
now that tho excitement was over, what
between tho heat, tho exertion and tho
smoll of mummy dust and spices, I felt more
doad than alive.
1 am tired of writing, nnd tho ship rolls.
This letter, of course, goes overland, and I
am coming by "long sea," but 1 hopotobo
in London within ten days after you got it.
Then I will tell you of my pleasing cxporU
ences In tho courso of tho ascent from tho
tomb chamber, and of how that princo of
rascals, All Baba, and his thieves tried to
frighten mo Into handing oyor tho papyri,
and haw t uoctf.-id tuoti Then, too. we
win get tho rolls deciphered. 1 expect mat
they only contain tho usual thing, copies of
the Book of the Dead, but there may ba
something olso in them. Needless to Bay, I
did not narrato this little adventure in
Egypt, or I should havo had tho Boulac Mu
seum people on my track. Good-bye
'Maflsh Finecsh," as Ali Baba always said.
In duo courso my friend, tho writer of tho
letter from which I havo quoted, arrived In
London, nnd on tho very next day wo paid
a visit to an acquaintance, well versed in
hieroglyphics and demo tie writing. With
what anxiety wo watched him skillfully
dampening and unfolding one of the rolls
and peering through his gold-rimmod
glasses at tho mysterious characters may
woll bo imagined.
"Hum!" ho said, "whatever it is, this is
not a copy of the 'Book of tho Dead.' By
George, what's this? CleCleo Cleopatra 1
Why, my dear sirs, as lam a living man,
this is the history of somebody who lived in
the days of Cleopatra 1 Well, there's six
months work beforo me horo six months,
at tho very loastl" And in that joyful
prospect ho fairly lost control of himself,
and skipped about tho room, shaking bauds
with us at intervals, and saying: "I'll
translate I'll translate it if it kills me, nnd
we will publish it; and, by tho living
Osiris, it will drlvo overy Egyptologist In
Eu ropo mad with envy! Oh, whataflndl
what a most glorious And 1"
And O you whoso eyes shall fall upon
theso pages, seo, they havo been trans
lated, and they have been printed, and hero
they llo before you an undiscovered land
wherein you aro free to travel I
Harmachis speaks to you from bis forgot
ten tomb. Tho walls of Time fall down,
and as at tho lightning's leap a picture
from the past starts suddenlyon your view,
framed in tho gathered darkness of tho
ages.
Ho shows you thoso two Egypts that the
silent pyramids looked down upon long
centuries ago tho Egypt of tho Greek, the
Roman, and tho Ptolemy, and that otbor
outworn Egypt of tho hierophant, hoary
with years, heavy with the logends of
antiquity and tho memory of long-lost
honors.
Ho tells you how tho smoldering loyalty
of Khem (Egypt) burnt up before It died,
and how fiercely the old Time-consecrated
Faith struggled against the conquering
tide of Change, that, drawn ever by the
mystery of Mind, roso like tho Nile at flood,
and drowned tho ancient gods of Egypt.
Here, in his pages, you shall learn tbe
glory of Isis tho Many-shaped, tho Execu
tor of Decrees. Hero you shall mako ac
quaintance with tho shade . of Cleopatra,
that "Thing of Flame" whoso passion
breathing beauty shaped the destiny of
empires. Hero you shall read how the soul
of Charmlon was slain of tho sword her
vengeance smithied.
Horo Harmachis, the doomed Egyptian,
being about to dio, salutes you who follow
on tho path ho trod. In tho story of his
broken years ho shows Vj you what may in
Its own dogroo bo the story of your own.
Crying aloud from that dim Amentl whero
to-day he wears out his long atoning time,
in tho history of his fall, he tells the fate of
hm who, however sorely tried, forgets his
God, his honor, and his country.
CHAPTER L
or Tm ninTit or haiiuachis; the propu
sor or tub iiatiioks; and the slat-
INO Or THK INNOCENT CHILD.
Y OSIRIS who sleops
at Abouthis, I write
the truth. I, Har
machis, hereditary
priest of tbe Tem
pi, reared by the
divine Sethi, aforo
timo a Pharaoh of
Egypt, and now
justified in Osiris
and ruling in
Amentl. I, Har
machis, by right
divine and by true
descent of blood
King of tho Double
Crown and Pharaoh of tho Uppor and
Lower Land. I, Harmachis, who cast
aside tho opening flower of our hope, who
turned him from tho glorious path, who
forgot tho voice of Qod in hearkening to
the volco of woman. I, Harmachis, tbe
fallen, in whom aro gathered up all woes
as waters aro gathered in n desert well,
who have tasted of overy shame, why by
betraal havo betrayed, who, in losing the
glory that Is hero have lost of tbe glory
that is there, who am utterly undone I
write, and, by Him who sleeps at Abouthis,
I write the truth.
OEgyptt Egypt! dear land of Khem,
whoe black soil nourished up my mortal
part land that I have betrayed O yo
Qodsl Osirjs1 - Isisl Horusl yo Oods of
Egypt whom I havo betrayed lO ye tem
ples whoso pylons stril.o tbe sky; yo tem
ples whoso faith I have betrayed 1 O Royal
blood ot the Pharaohs of Eld, that yet runs
within these withered elns whoso vlrtuo
I have botrayecl 1 ORihtdlvino of Kings
betrayed by me! O Invisible Essence of all
Good! and O Fate, whose balanco rested
on my hand hear mo; ind, to tho last day
of utter doom, bear mo vltneis that I write
tbe truth.
What, then, Is a mnnl Ho Is a feather,
but a feather blown by tho wind. Ho Is a
fire, but u flro born of the fuel. Ho Is a
spirit, but a spirit having wings wherewith
to sail to eithor destiny. He may cbcoso
the good, and on him doth rest tho ovll
that be dues. Ho is tin helm unto the boat
of Fate; ho is tho shadow that goes beforo
tbe sword; ho Is tho dream that presages
tbe truth. Thcro Is no Chance; for man in
his hour doth direct tbe Chance, and, as
with a stylus, doth map upon the tablet of
the world tbe thing thut be brought about.
Bo bath tho Invisible decreed, and so for
evor to over shall It ba And woe to him
who failotbl
Even ns I write, boyond tho fertile fields,
tho Nilo is running red as though with
blood. Bright before mo beats tho light
upon the far Arabian hills, nnd bright it
falls uKn tho piles of Abouthis. At Ab
outhis, within tho temples, still dp the
priests make orison, but ma they know no
more; still tue sacnllco is offered, and the
stony roofs echo down tho prayers of thoso
who pray. Still from here, from this lono
cell within my prison tower, I, tho Word of
Shame, watch thy fluttering banners, O
Abouthis, flaunting from thy pylon walls
and hear tho chants as the long procession
winds from sanctuary to sanctuary.
O Abouthis, lost Abouthis I my hoart goes
out toward thee I For tho day comes when
the desert sands shall till thy holy places!
Thy gods aro doomed, O Abouthis 1 New
faiths shall mako a mock of nil thy holies,
aud centurion shall call unto centurion
across thy fortress walls. I weep 1 weep
tears of "btood; for mine Is tho weakness
that brought about theso evils and mluo
forever is their shame.
Uphold it I; written hereafter;
Hero in Abouthis was 1 born, I, Har
machis, and my father, tho justified in
Osiris, was High Priest of tho Temple of
Sothl. And on tint same day of my birth
was born also Cleopatra, tho Queon of
Egypt. In thoso fields I passed my youth
waic.i'ng tho baser people nt their labors,
nnd going In and out at will among tho great
courts of thu temples. Of my mother I
know naught, for sho died when I yet hung
at tho breast. Hut ere sho died, so tho old
wife, Atoua, told to mo, sho took from n
coffer of ivory nn urajus of puro gold and
laid It on my brow. And tlloso who saw her
do this thing bellcvtni that sho was dis
traught of tho divinity, and that in her mad
ness sho foreshadowed that the day of
tho Macedonian Iagidst) was ended
for Ptolemy Aulotos (tho FIper then woro
tho doublo crown and that Egypt's scepter
should onco again pass to the hand of ono
of Egypt's truo and royal raco. But when
my father, tho High Priest Amcnomhat,
who evon then was full of years, for I was
his only child nnd tho child of his uge (sho
who wns his wlfo beforo my mother having
been, for whatcrlmol know not, cursed by
Sokhot with tho curse of barrenness) ; I say
when mv 'i'lor cuno to and saw what tho
dying woman had done, ho lifted up Tils
hand toward the vault o! heavon and adored
tho Invisible, because oT the sign that had
been sent. And ovon as ho adored, behold I
tho Hathors filled my dying mother with tho
Spirit of Prophecy, and sho roso in strength
from tho couch and thrico prostrated her
self beforo tho cradlo whero I lay asleep,
tho Royal asp upon my brow, and cried
aloud :
"Hall to thee, fruit of my womb! Hall to
thee, 5toyal child I Hall to thee, Pharaoh
thatshalt bol Hail to thee, God that shalt
purge tho land, Divine seed of Nekt-neb, tho
Osirian. Keep thou pure, aud thou shalt
rule and dollvor Egypt and not bo broken.
But if in tho hour of trial thou dost fall,
then may the curso of all ho Uods of Egypt
rest upon theo, and tho curse of thy Royal
forefathers, tho justified, who ruled tho
land beforo theo, evon from tho ago of
Horus; then in 11 fo mayest thou bo wretch
ed, and after death may Osiris refuso theo,
and the judges of Amentl give judgment
against thee, and Set and Sekhct torment
thee, even until such timo as thy sin is
purged, and tho Gods of Egypt, called by
strange namos, onco more are worshiped
in tho temples of Egypt, and tho staff of
the Oppressor Is broken, and tho footsteps
of the foreigner aro swept clean, and tho
thing is accomplished as thou in thy weak
ness shalt cause it to bo dono."
And when sho had spokon thus, tho Spirit
of Prophecy went out of her, and sho fell
dead across thu cradlo where I slept, so that
I awoko with a cry.
But my father, Amoncmhat, the High
Priest, trembled, and wns very fearful both
because of the words which had been said
by the Spirltof tho Hathors through tho
mouth of my mother, and because what had
been uttered was treason against Ptolemy.
For he know that If tho matter should come
to tho cars of Ptolemy, Pharaoh would send
hisguaids to destroy the llfooftho child
( whom such things wero prophesied.
Therefore, my father Bhut tho doors, nnd
caused all thoso who woro thoro to swear
upon tho holy symbol of his office, and by tho
name of tho Divmo Throe, and by tho soul
of her who lay dead upon tho stones beside
yam, that naught of what they had soen
und heard should pasB their lips.
But among tho company was thoold wlfo,
Atoua, who had been tho nursoof my moth
er, and loved her well; and In theso days,
though I know not how it hath beon in tho
past, nor how It shall bo In the future, thero
is no oath that can bind a woman's tonguo.
And so it came about that by and by, when
the matter had become homely in her mind,
and her fear had fallen from her, sho spoko
of tho prophecy to hcrdaughtor, who nursed
mo at tho breast now that ray mother was
dead. This she did as they walked together
in tho desert carrying food to tho husband
of tho daughter, who was a sculptor, and
shaped tho pictures of tho holy gods in tho
tombs that nro fashioned In too rock toll
ing tho daughter, my nurso, how great
should be her care and love toward tho child
that one day should bo Pharaoh and drlvo
tho Ptolemies from Egypt. But tho daugh
ter, my nurse, was so filled with wonder at
what sho heard that sho could not keep the
talc locked within her breast, and in tho
night she uwoko her husband, and, in turn,
whispered of it to him, and thereby com
passed her own destruction, and tho de
struction of hor child, my foster-brother.
For tho man told his friend, and tho friend
was a Bpy of Ptolemy's, and thus tbo tale
camo to Pharaoh's ears. Now, Pharaoh was
much troubled thoroat, for though when ho
was full of wine hu would mako n mock of
tho Gods of tho Egyptians, and swear that
the Roman Senuto was tho only God to
whom he bowed tbo knee, yet In his heart
was ho terribly afraid, as I have learned
from ono who was his physician; for when
ho was alone at night he would scream and
cry aloud to tho great Korapls, who, indeed,
is no truo God, and to other Gods, fearing
lest he should be murdered and his soul
handed over to tho tormentors. Also, when
ho felt his throno tremble under him, he
would send largo presents to tho temples,
and ask n messago from tbe oracles, and
moro especially from the Oracle that is at
Philiu. Therefoie, when It camo to his ears
that tho wlfo of tho High Priest of the great
and ancient tctnplo of Abouthis had, ero she
died, been filled with tbe Spirit of Prophecy,
and prophebled that bgr son would be
Pharaoh, ho was much afraid, and sum
monlng some trusty guards who, beins
Greeks, feared not to do sacrilege he din
patched them by boat up tho Nilo with or
dors to coma to Abouthis und cut off the
bead of tho child of tho High Priest und
bring U to Lin. In a basket.
But, as it chanced, the boat wherein the
guards came was of deep draught, und the
time of their coming being nt tho lowest
ebb of tho r'ver, it struck and remained
fast upon u lisnk of tnud that Is opposite
tho mouth of the road that runs across to
tho plains of Aboutbls, und as the north
wind was blowing very fiercely It was llko
to sink. Thereon the guards of Pharaoh
called out to tho common people, who la
bored ut lifting water along the banks of
Uw rivet to como with boats and take tbow
off; but seoing that they wero Greeks of
Alexandria, the peoplo would not, for tho
Egyptians love not tho Greeks. Then they
cried out that thoy wero on Pharaoh's busi
ness, nnd still the people would not, nskint;
what was tho bustnoss. Whereon a eunuch
among them, who had mado himself
drunken in his fear, told thorn that thoy
camo to slay tho child of Amonemhut, tho
High Priest, of whom it was prophesied
that he should be Pharnoh nnd sweep tho
Greeks from Egypt. And then tho peoplo
feared to stand longer in doubt, but
brought boats, not knowing what might
be meant by the man's words. But ono
thoro was among them n farmer
and an overseer of canals who was a kins
man of my mother's and had been present
when she prophesied; and ho turned nnd
ran swiftly for threo parts of un hour, till
ho camo to whero 1 lay in thu house that
Is without tho north wail of the groat torn
plo. Now. ns It chauced, my father was
away In that part of the Place of Towbs
which Is to tho left of tho largo fortress,
and Pharaoh's guards, mounted on asses,
were hard upon us. Then tho messenger
cried to the old vlfo, Atoua, whoso tonguo
had brought about tho ovil, and told how
the soldiers drew near to slay me And
they looked ut each other, not knowing
rOIt A MOMENT TI1ET WAVE11BD.
what fodo; for, had thoy hid me, tho guards
would not havo stayed tholr soarch till I
was found. And tho man, gazing through
the doorway, saw a little child at play.
"Woman," ho said, "whose Is thatohlld!"
"It Is my grandchild," she answorod,
"tho fostor brother of the Prluco Harma
chis; tho child to whose mother we owe this
evil caso."
"Woman," ho said, "thou knowost thy
duty; do It!" and ho again pointed at tho
child. "I command theo, by tho Holy Naruo I"
And sho trembled oxceadlngly, because
tbe child was of hor own blood; bat, never
theless, she took the boy and washod him
and set on him a roboofsllk and laid him
on my cradlo. And me she took nnd
smeared with mud to mako ray fair skin
darkor, und took my garment from me, and
set mo to play in tho dirt of tho yard, which
I did riei.U'UvUi
Than tbe fuu'n hid himself, and presently
the soldiers rodo up and asked of tho old
wife if this were tho dwolllngof the High
Priost Amonemhat! Sho told them yea,
and bado them enter, and offored them
honoy and milk, for they were athlrst.
Thereafter tho eunuch that was with them
asked If that wero the son of Amonemhat
who lay in tho cradle, and she said: "Yea
yea," and began to tell the guards how
he would bo great, for it had boon prophe
sied of him that ho should one day rule
them all.
Thereon the Greek guards laughed, and
one of them, seizing the child, smote off Its
head with u sword; and the eunuch drew
forth the signot of Pharaoh as warrant for
the deed and showed it to tho old wlfo,
Atoua, bidding hor tell the High Priost
that his son should bo a King without a
bead.
And as they wont one of their number
saw me playing in tho dirt and callod out
that there was more breeding fh yonder
brat than In thu Princo Harmachis; and for
a moment they wavered, thinking to slay
mo also, but in tho ond thoy passed on,
bearing tho head of my fostor-brotber, for
they loved not to murder little children.
But, uftcr awhllw, tho mother of tho doad
child returned from the market place, and
when sho found what had beon dono she
and her husband would havo slain Atoua,
the old wife, her mother, and given me up
to tho soldiers of Pharaoh; but my father
came in likewise und loarnod the truth, and
he oauscd tho man and his wifo to bo seized
by night and hid away in tho dark places of
the Tomplc, so that nono saw them more.
But I would to-day it had been tho will of
the Gods that I had been slain of the sol
diers und not tho Innocent child.
And thereafter it was given out that the
High Priest Atnenomhnt hod taken me to bo
as a son to him in tho place of thut of Har
machis who was Hlaln.of Pharaoh.
CHAPTKIt II.
or tiik disoiirdienck or n AiiuAcnis; or tub
SLAYING OKTJIB LION; AND Or THE SPEIU1I
OF THK OLD WIFE, ATOUA.
D aftor these things
Ptolomy tho Piper
troubled us no more,
nor did he again
send his soldiers to
Aboutbls to seek for
him of whom it was
prophesied that he
should be Pharaoh. For
tho head of the child,
my foster-brother, was
brought to him by the
eunuch as ho sat in his
palace of marble at Alexan
dria, flushed with Cyprian
wine, and played upon the
flu to before his women. And
at his bidding tho eunuch lifted up tho bsad
by the hair for him to look on. Then he
lauf hed and smoto It on the cheek with his
sandal, und bade one of tho girls crown
Pharaoh with flowers. And ho bowed the
knee, und mocked tho head of thu innocent
child. But thu girl, who was sharp of
tongue for ull ot this I heard In utter
years sold to him "that ho did woll to bow(
the knee, for this child was Indeed Pharaoh,
tbe greatest of Pharaohs, and bis naino was
the Osiris and his throno was Death."
At this saying Aulutes was much troubled,
and snook und trembled, for, being a wicked
man, be greatly feared the entering Into
Amentl. Ko ho caused tho girl to be slalu,
because of tho ovil omen of hor saying, cry
ing that hu would send hor to worship that
Pharaoh whom sho had named. And the
thor women ho sont awuy, und played no
more upon tho iluto till ho wai onco again
drunk on thu morrow. But tho Alexandri
ans mado a song thereon, which Is still sung
about tho streets. And this Is tho beginning
thereof i
Ptolomy the Piper played
Orer dead and dying!
Piped and played he well,
ilure that flute of his was mads
Of the dank reed sighing
0'r the streams ot helL
Tbe re beneath tbe shadows grsy,
With the sisters three,
Bbsll he pipe for many a day, i
May the Frog bis butler bet
ad bis vrlne tbe water ofothst oountrle-'
Ptoltmy tbe Piper I 1
After this tho yoars passed on, nor did
being very little, know any thing of the
great things that camo to pass in Egypt;
nor Is it my purposo horo to set them dut.
For I, Harmachis, will speak only of thoso
things with which I havo been concerned.
And as tho timo went on my father and
tho teachers instructed mo in tho ancient
learning of our peoplo nnd In such matter
appertaining to tho gods us It Is meet that
children should know. So I grow strong;
nnrt comely, for my hair was black as tho
hair of the dlvlno Nout, nnd my eyes were
bluo as the blue lotus, aud my skin was as
tho nlabastcr within tho sanctuaries. For
now that theso glories have passed from
mo I may speak of them without shame.
Strong I was also. Thero was no youth of
my years in Abouthis who could stand
ugainst mo to wrestlo with mo, nor could
any throw so far with tho sling or spear.
And much I vearned to hunt tho lion; but
ho whom I called my father forbado mo to
hunt, telling mo that my llfo was of too
great worth to bo so lightly hazarded. But
when I bowed myself beforo him and
prayed he would mako his meaning clear to
me, tho old man frowned nnd answered
that tho gods mado, all things clear In their
own season. For my part, howovor, I went
away wroth, for thero was a youth la
AboutUia who with others had slain a lion
U.nt fell upon his father's herds, and, be
lng envious of my strength and beauty, ha
sot It about that I was cowardly at heart,
in that when I went out to hunt I slot
naucht but iackals and gazelles. Now, this
Was when 1 had reached my soveu'AiAk
i TiJ
jtur umi ivun it iiitin ruwu. .r
It chanced, therefore, that ns I wont sors)
nt heart from tho presence of tho High.
Priest, my father, 1 mot this youth, who
called to mo nnd mocked mo, bidding ma
know tho country peoplo had told him that
a groat lion was down among tho rush
es by tho banks of tho canal which runs
past tho Tom pie, lying at a distance of thir
ty stadia from Aboutbls. And, still mock
ing mo, ho nsked mo If I would como and
help him slay this lion, or would I go and sit
among tho old womon nnd bid them comb
myBldolock. This bitter word so angered
mo that I was noar to falling on him; but
In placo thoroof, forgetting my father's say
ing, I answered that if he would como along
1 would go with him and seok this lion, and
ho should learn If I wero Indeed a coward.
And at first ho would not, for, as monknow.
It Is our custom to hunt tho lion in compa
nies; so it was my hour to mock. Thoroon
ho went and fotchod his bow and arrows
and a sharp knife. And I brought forth my
heavy spear, which had a shaft of thorn
wood, nnd nt tho end thoroof a pomogran
ato In silver, to hold tho hand from slipping;
and togothcr, In silenco, wo went sido by
sido to whero tho Hon lay. When wo came
to tho placo It was near sundown, nnd thore,
upon tho mud of tho canal bank, wo found
tho lion's slot, which ran into a thick clump
f reeds.
"Now, thou boaster," I said, "wilt thou
lead tho way into yonder roods, or shall IP'
And I mado as though I would lead tba
way.
"Nay, nay," ho answered, "bo not so
mad I Tho brute will spring upon theo and
rend theo. Seel I will shoot among the
reeds I Pcrchanco, If ho sloops, it will
arouso him." And ho drew his bow at a
venture.
And how it chanced I know not, but th .
arrow struck tbo sleeping Hon, und, llko a
flash of light from tho bolly of a cloud, he
bounded fiom tho shelter of tho reeds, and)
stood beforo us with bristling inauo and yel
low eyes, tho arrow quivering in his flunk.
He roared aloud lu fury, and tho earth)
shook.
'8hoot with tho bow," I cried, "shoot
swiftly ero ho spring I"
But tbo courago had loft tho broast of the)
boaster. His jaw dropped down und bia
fWICE HE LEAPED Til US, HOKHUILB TO 8KB.
fingers unloosed their hold so that tho ban
fell from them. Then with a loud ory he
turned and fled behind me, leaving the Hob
in my path. But whllo I stood waiting my
doom for though I was soro afraid
I would not lly tho lion crouched
himself, and, turning 'not aside, with on;
great bound swept over me, touching me.
not. Ho lit, nnd again ho bounded full on
tho boaster's back, striking him such a blov
with his great paw that his head was
crushed as un egg thrown against a stone..
Ho fell down doad, and tho Hon stood andk
roared over lilr.i. Then 1 was mad with,
horror, und, senrco knowing what I did, 1
graspod my spear, and with a shout I
charged. As I charged the lion lifted him
self up on his hindor legs to greet me, sa
that hiB head stood up above me. He smote
at mo with bis paw, but with all my strength
I drovo tho broad spear Into his throat, and.
shrinking from tho ugony of tho steel, bia
blow fell short and did no moro than rip tha
skin. Back ho fell, the great spear far in
his throat. Then rising, he roared In pain
and leapt twice the height of a man straight
Into tho air, smiting at the spear with hla
fore paws. Twice ho leaped thus, horrible,
to see, and twico ho fell upon his back;
Then tils strength spent itself with his rush
ing blood, and, groaning like a bull, he died;
and I, being but a lad, stood and trcmblM
-with fear, now that all cause of fear had
passed. -. , . ,
ML Josoph'n acadomy, at Uroons
burg, Pa., has ndoptod tho phonograph
in teaching elocution. It iiiiigiilflesdo
footfl of enunciation, and at a roconk
tout a pupil honostly triad to repudiate
oh not Ills own a speech It had t ocordod.
Ho could not boliovo ho wan so faulty.
Tho number of converts In tho Ja
pan mission of tho American board has
Increased In flftoon months from 4,226
to 7,9'J8. a gnln of 3,807. This is the
most romarkablo record of uny mission
connected witli tho bourd, with tho ox
coption of tho groat gathering in tha
5undwich Islands.
It Is calculated to mako tho British
fool sninll as a nation whon thoy read
that a special commissioner sont over
from Japan to roport upon tho condi
tion of Groat Britain under Christianity
has inado a foaturo la his roport of the
atnpunt of drunkenness lie saw, aad
recommends the Japanese not to adopt
the British religion