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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1890)
CLEOPATRA. Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmaehis, the Royal Egyptian, AQ SET FORTH BY HIS OWiT HA1ID. By H. Rider Haggard, Author or King Solomon' Mlnoa," She," "Allan Qvintermain," Etc., Etc., Etc. Xlluetratod br XIOHOLI,. artr CATOIT 'WOOD VllAJt aad ORXIFTSNIIAaEN. "atas I stood anil gazed at he dead body of him who had taunted me, and attho car caswt tho lion, n woman, even tho same old wife, Atoua, who, though I knew it not as yet, had offered up her flosh and blood 'that I might oo saved alive, came running toward mo. For nho had beon gathering simples, whorein sho had grenfsklli, by the "water's edge, not knowing that thero wa a lion nigh (and, indeed, tb.9 lions for the 'most part aro not founl in tho tilled land, but rather in tho desert and tho Libyai Mountains), and from a distance had seen .that which I have set down. Now, when sho came near sho knew mo for Harmaehis, and, bending herself she made obeisunco tc me, and saluted me, calling mo Hoyal, nnd 'worthy of nil honor, and beloved and choser of tho Holy Three, ay, and even by th name of tho Pharaoh I tbo Deliverer 1 . But I, thinking that terror had made ho: jsick of mind, asked of tier what she would speak. i "Is it a great thing. I asked, "that 1 'should siay a lionl Is it a matter worth. of such talk as thino! There llvo, and have lived, men who have slnin many lions. Did .not tho Divine Tahutimes the Oslrian slaj , with his own hand more than two hundred lions! la it not written oa tho tablet thai is Detween tho paws of tho living Koremku (tho Sphinx) that is set beyond Itetufi, nigh to tho seven pyramids, that ho slew lions aforetimo ! And have not others done likowlsel Why, then, speakest thou thus, O foolish woman?" All of which I said because, having now slain tho lion, I was minded, after the man lier of youth, to hold it as a thing of no ac count. But sho ceased not to mako obei sance and to call mo by names that aro too high even to bo written. "O Royal One!" sho cried, "wisely did thy mother prophecy. Surely tho Holy Spirit, tho Knopth, was in her. O thou conceived by a god I Sco the omen. Tho lion there he growls within tho Capitol at Rome; and the dead man, ho is tho Ptolomy tho Macedonian spawn that, liko a for eign wood, hath overgrown the land of Kilo; with tho Macedonian Lagidaj shalt thou go to smito tho Lion of Homo. And tho Macedonian cur shall lly, and tho lion shall strike him down, and thou shalt stnko down tho lion, and tho land of Khcm shall onco more bo free I freel free I Keep thy self but pure, according to tho command ment of tho gods, O son of tho Koynl House 1 O hopo of Kheml bo but waro of Woman tho Destroyer, and as I have said, so shall it be. Poor am I and wretched; yea. stricken with sorrow. I have sinned in speaking of that which should bo hid, and for my sin have I paid in tiio coin of that which was born of my womb; willingly have I paid for thee. But I havo still of tho wisdom of our people, nor do tho gods, in whose eyes all aro equal, turn their countenances from tho poor. The Divino Mother ilsis) hath spoken to me but last night sho spako bidding mo como hither to gather herbs, and read to theo the signs that I should see. And as I havo said, so shall it como' to pass, if thou canst but enduro tho weight of tho great temptation. Come hither, Royal Ono I" and sho led me to tho edge of the canal whero tho water was deep and still and blue. "Now gazo upon that face as tho water throws it back. Is not that brow fitted to bear tho double crown! Do not those gentle eyes i..rror tho perfect majesty of kings! Hatanottho Ptah, tho Creator, fashioned that form to lit tho im perial garb, and uwo tho glanco of multi tudes look ng through theo to God? "Nay, nay," she wont on in another voice a shrill old wife's voice "I will bo not r.o loolish, boy tho scratch of a lion is n ven omous thing, a terrible thing; yea, as bad as tho bito of un asp it must bo treated, or clso it will fester, and all thy days shalt thou dream of lions: ay, and snakes; and, also, it will break out in sores. But I know of itI know. I am not crazed for nothing. For mark, every thing has its balanco m madness is much wisdom, and in wisdom much madness. Lai la I la I Pharaoh him seir can't nay where that one begins and tho other ends. Now, don't stand gazing thero, looking as silly as a cat in n crocus colored robe; but just let mo stick theso green things on tho place, and in six days you'll heal up as whlto as- a three-year child. Never mind the smart of it, lad. By Him who sleeps nt Philie, or at Abou this, or at Abydos as our Divino masters havo it now or wherever ho does sleep, which is ti thing wo shall find out before wo want to by Osiris, I say you'll live to be as clean from scars as a sacrifice to Isis at tho now moon, if you'll but let mo put it on "Is it not so, my good folk!" and sho turned to address somo peoplo who had, un seen by me, assembled whilo stio propho sied. "I'vo been speaking a spell over him, just to make a way for tho virtue of my tncdicino lul lit i there's nothing liko a spell. If you don't believo it, ju9t como to mo tho next titno your wives aro barren; it's better than scraping every pillar in the Temple of Osiris, I Warrant. I'll make em bear like a twenty-year-old palm. But thorv, you see, you must know what to say thut's tho point-evc-y thing comes to n point at last. Lai la!" Now, when I heard all this, I, Harmr.ch:s, put my hand to my head, not knowing if I dreamed. But presently looking up, I saw a gray-haired man among those who were gathered together, who wa ched ua sharply, and afterward I learnod th this niun was the spy of Ptolemy, yea, ti. : vory man who bad well-nigh caused :i j to bo slain of PharauU when I was in :nycradlo. And tin n I understood why AU- -a spoko so fool isL.y. "Thine aro strange spell--, old wife," ho said. ''Thou didst speak o.' Pharaoh and the doubio crown and of i) form fashioned by Ptah to bear if, is it not so!" "Vea. ve.a -Dart of tho SDeU. tbou fool: ana what eutf'oue swear by'b6tu.r TT&wa. days than by tho divino Pharaoh, tho I iper, whom and whoso music may ho gods pre serve to charm this happy land! What bet ter than by the doubio ororrn he wears, graco to great Alexander of Macedonia! By tho way, you know about every thing. Havo they got back his chlamys yet, which Mitb rldates took to Cos! Pompey wore it last, didn't he! In his triumph, too. Just fancy Pompey in the cloak of Alexander-ft puppy dog in a lion's fkin. And talking of lions, look what this lad hath done ilaln a lion with his own spear, and right glad you vil lage folks should be to see It, for it was a very flerco Hqa. Jut se the teeth and .claws. HJ claws U Alci-.e's an-Osirii itivt, the body. And So thmTf Jf It, bat ulX 1 n hour ago he was an every -day morUl lin 4 yomorrae. v eu, away wit him to U em bslmsrs. Come, arn't ysu going to tak away tho bedy of tfcat poor lad, tad the lion, too! There, my boy, you kep iih hrbt w, and youll never fl ynr scratches. 1 know a thlaf r two fr all I'm oraxy, and you, my own grttdtonl Dar, dr, I'm g ltd hit Hsltaett th g h Prlstt tdvpted ysu whn rftrMh mtd an ad of hlssou; rou look iy. I war rati ths retl Htrmacals osuM net hare killed a Ilea like that. Qlr m ths eommon blood, sty I. It's is lusty." "Yon knew toemooh," rruaklid the tpy, now,ulto deoelvsd. "Wsll, he U a bravo youth. Hsre, you men, bear this body btek to Abouthis, tod soms ot you ttoa and help M tkin the Hoa. We'll seud the skin to you, young mm," he wont on; "not that you deserve it. To attack a lion liks thtt was the set ot t fool, and a fool deserves whtt he gets destruction. Never attack tho strong until you are stronger." But, for my part, I went homo won dering. CHAPTER IIL Or TnB RSBtTKB OF AMtftltmAT; Or TIIK PRArnn or itiRKACnis; axd or the stan OITE DT TJ1B HOLY OODS. OR swhilo ss I, Ear- raachls,went, tho juice of the green herbs which tho old wlfo, Atoua, had placed upon my wounds caused ine muchsmart, but presently the pain ceased. And of a truth, I believe that thero was virtue in them, for with in two days mr flesh healed up, so thtt after a time no marks remained. But I be-. thoUE-ht thtt I had dis. "v, obeyed the word of tb old High Priest, Amenemhat, who Tfs called my father. For till to-day I knew not that ho was iu truth my father accordiug to the flesh, having been taught that his own son wns slain, as I have written, and that hohad been pleased, with tho sanction of tho Di vine ones, to tnko mo as an nJop'.eil son and rear mo up, that I might in duo season fill an office about tho temple. Thoroforo was 1 soro troubled, for i feared tho old man, who was very tcrriblo in hi3 nngcr, and spako over with tho cold voico of Wisdom. Nevertheless, I determined to go in to him nnd confess my fault and bear such pun ishment as ho should bo pletscd to put upon mo. So, oven with tho rod spear in my hand and the red wounds on my breast, I passed through tho outer court of tho great tcmplo and camo to tho door o tho chamber where tho High Priest dwelt. It is a great chamber sculptured round about with tho imagos of tho solemn gods, and tho light of Ra (the sun) camo to it in the daytimo by an opening cut through the stonoof tho massy roof. But at night it was lit by a swinging lamp of bronzo. I passed in with out noise, for tho door was not altogethor shut, and pushing my way through tho heavy curtains that woro beyond, I stood with a beating heart within tho chambor. Tho lamp was lit, for tho darknens had fallen, and by its light I saw tho old man seated in a chair of ivory and ebony at a tablo of stone, whereon wero spread tho mystic writings of tho words of Lifo nnd Death. But ho road no more, for behold I ho slept, and his long, whito board rested upon tho tablo liko tho beard of n dead man. Tho soft light from tho lamp fell on him and on tho papyri, and on tho gold ring upon his hand, whero wero graven tho symbols of tho Invisiblo One, but all around was shadow. It fell on tho shaven head, on tho white robo, on the cedar staff of priesthood at his side, and on tho ivory of the lion-footed chulr; it showed tho mighty brow of power, tho features cut in kingly mold, tho whito eyebrows and tho dark hollows of the deep-set eyes. I looked and trembled, for thero was about him that which was moro than the dignity of man. So long had he livod with the gods, and so long kept company with them and with thoughts divino, so deoply was ho vorsod in all thoso mysteries which wo do but faintly discern, hero in this upper air, that oven now, bofore his tlmo, he partook of the naturo of the Osiris, and was a thing to shako humanity with fear. I stood and gnzoJ, and as I stood he opened his dark oyes, but looked not on me, nor turned his head; and yet ha saw me nnd spoko. "Why hast thou been disobedient to mo, Omyeon!" bo said. "How camo it that thou wontest forth against tho lion whon I bade theo not!" "How knowest tbou, my father, that I went forth!" I asked in fear. "How know 1 1 Are there, thon, no other ways of knowledgo than by tho senses! ignorant child 1 was not my spirit with theo when tho lion sprang upon thy com panion! Did I not pray thoso set about theo to protect theo to mako sure thy thrust when thou didst drive tho spear into the lion's throat! How camo it that thou wentest forth, O my son!" "The boaster taunted me," I answered, "and I went." "Yes, I know it; and because of tho hot blood of youth, I forgivo theo, Harmaehis. But now listen unto mo, and let my words sink into thy heart liko tho waters of Slhor into thirsty sand at tho rising of Slrlus. Listen unto mo. Tho boaster was sent un to thee as a temptation, as a trial of thy strength was he sent, and seel it has no been equal to tho burden. Therefore Is thy hour put back. Hadst thou been strong In this matter, tho path had been mado plain to theo even now. But thou hast failed, and thereforo is thy hour put back." "I understand thee, not my fathor," I un s we red. "What was it, then, my son, thut tho old wife, Atoua, said to theo down by tlio bank of tho canal!" And thereon I told him all that tho old wife had said. "And thou beliovest, Harmaehis, my son!" "Nay," I answered; "bow should I be lievo such tales. Surely she Is road. All the peoplo know her for man." Then for tho first tlmo ho looked toward me, who was standing in tho shadow. "My son I ray son!" ho cried, "thou art wrong. Sho Is not mad. Tbo woman spako tbo truth; sho spako not of herself, but of the voico within hor that can not lie. For this Atoua Is u prophetess and holy. Now learn thou tho destiny that tbo gods of Egypt havo given to theo to fulfill, and woe bo unto thee If by any weakness thou dost fail therein! Listen! thou art no stranger adopted into my house and tho bouso of tho temple; tbou art my very son, saved unto me by this samo woman. But, O Harmaehis, tbou art moro than this, for in thee and mo alone doth flow tho Imperial blood of Egypt. Thou and I alono of men allvo are de scended, without break or flaw, from that Pharaoh Nekt uebf whom Ochus the Per sian drove from Egypt. Tho Persian csme and the Persian went, and then after tho Persian camo the Macedonian, and now for nigh upon threo hundred years have the Lagidsa usurped th" doubio crown, defiling the land of Khem and corrupting tho wor ship of his gods. And mark tbou this; but now, but two weoks sinco, is Ptolemy Neus Dlonvsi,, Pjoluuiy tho .PJpgn who would. tariTaa wee, atza ; aflUTrt oTrianuie eunssb Pothinus, thai very suauefc who eaji hltb.srTars o, to ooX.thee .off, set ataaOgnt roe wm sitnt mas tar, v"n asac Aulvtes, sad placed the boy Ptolemy upc thetkrone. And therefore bth kit slstor Cleopatra, that flerco and beautiful girl, fled tmto Byrlt; and there, If I err not, will she gather her armies and make war upon her brother Ptolemy; for by her father's will was she left joint soverelpn with him. And meanwhile mark thou this, my son ths Roman etgle bangs on high, waiting with ready talons till suoh tints as h may fall upon the fat wether Egypt tnd road him. And mark, again, the people of Egypt trs weary of the forslg yoke, thsy hate the memory of the Persists, stek at heart are they of being called 'Men of Mscedoott' In the lntrkets ot Alexsndria. Th whole land mutters tnd murmurs beneath the yoko of tho Greek tnd tho shtdow of the Roman. Have not they been oppressed? Htvo not their children been butchered and their gains wrung fromi them to till tho bottomless greed tnd lust of the Lagidmt Have not th temples bsen forsaken! Ay. have not the divine msjes ties of tho eternal gods been set tt ntught by those Qrocitns babblers who hsre dtred to meddle with tho immortal truths, and ntme the Most High by tnother name (Sernpis), confounding the sub stance of the Invislhlo! Doth not Eypt cry aloud for freedom! and shall she cry In vain! Nay, nay, for thou, my son, art the appointed way of deliverance. To theo, being sunk In eld,;have I decreed my rights. Already is thy name whispered in many a sanctuary, from Abu even untoAthu; al ready do priests and peoplo swear alle giance, oven by tho sacred symbols, unto him who shall be declared "unto them. Still, tho tlmo is not yet; thou art too green a sapling to bear tho weight of such n storm. But to-day wast thou tried tnd found wanting. Ho who would serve the gods, O HarniachU, must put aside the fail ings of the flesh. Taunts must not move hira, nor tny lusts of wan. Thine Is a high mission, but this must thou learn. An thou lonrn it nor, thou shalt fail therein; and then, myenrso be on thee! and the curs of Egypt, tnd the curso of Egypt's broken godsl For, know thou this, that evon tho gods, who tre immortal, may, in the inter woven scheme of things, lean upon tho man who is their Instrument, oven as a war rior on his sword. And woo bo to tho sword that Butps In tho hour of battle, for it shall be thrown asido to rust! There foro, mako thou thy heart pure and high and strong; for thino is no common lot, and thine no mortal meed. Triumph, and in glory shalt thou go in glory hero and hereafterl Fall, and woo woo bo on theo I" Ho paused and bowed his head, and then went on: "Of theso matters shalt thou hear moro horcaftor. Mcanwhllo thou hast much to learn. To-morrow will I glvo theo letters, and thou shalt pass down the Nile, oven past white-walled Memphis to On (Hcliopolls), and there shalt thou sojourn certain years and learn moro of our ancient wisdom beneath tho shadow of that sacred pyramid of which thou, too, art tho Hereditary High Priest that is to be. And mean whilo will Is.t hero and watch, for my hour is not yet, and, by tho help of tho gods, spin tho web wherein thou shalt hold the wasp of Macedonia. "Como hither, my son; como hlthor nnd kiss mo on tho brow, for thou art all my hopo, and all tho hopo of Egypt. Bo but truo, rise to tho giddy height of thy des tiny, and thou shalt bo glorious hero and hereafter; bo falso, fall, and I will spit upon thee, nnd thou shnlt be accursed, and thy soul shall romain in bondage till that hour when, in the slow flight of timo, tho ovil shall onco moro grow to good and Egypt shall again bo free." I drew near trembling, nnd kissed him on tho brow. "May all theso things como upon mo, and moro," I said, "if I fall thee, O my father I" "Nay," ho cried, "not me; but rather thoso whoso will I do. And now go, my son, and ponder in thy heart, and in thy secret heart digest my words; and mark what thou shalt sec, and gathor up the dew ef wisdom, and mako theo ready for tho battlo. Fear not for thyself; thou art protected from all ill. No harm may touch theo from without; thyself alone can be thine own en emy. I have said." Then I went forth with e full heart. Tho night was very still, and there was nono stirring in tho tomplo courts. I hurried through them, and reached the ontranco to tho pylon that is nt the outer gate. And then, seeking solitude, and, as it were, to draw nigh to Heaven, I climbed tho pylon's two hundred steps, until at length I reached tho massive roof. Here I leaned my breast against tho parapet and looked forth. And as I looked the red edge of the full moon floated up over tho Arabian hills, and her rays fell upon the pylon where I stood, and tho templo walls beyond, and lit up the visages of the carveu gods. Thon the cold light struck tho wido stretch of well-tilled land, now whitening to thn harvest, and as the heavenly lamp of Isls (the moon) passed up tho sky, slowly did her rays creep down tho valley, where Slhor, father of the land of Khem, rolls on toward tho sea. And now the bright beams kissed the water, that smilod an answer back, and now mountain and valley, river, tomple, town and plain were flooded with whlto light, for Mother Isls was arisen, and threw her gleaming robe across tbo dark bosom of tho earth. Beautiful it was, with the beauty of a perfect dream, and solemn as tho hour after death. Mightily, indeed, the temples towered up against tho face ot night. Never had they seemed so grand to me as upon that night, those ancient shrines, before whose eternal walls Tlmo himself shall wither. And mino it was to bo to rulo this moonlit land; mlno to pro servo thoio sacred shrines and cherish the honor of their gods; mlno to cast out tho Ptolemy and free Egypt from tho foreign yokel In my veins ran tho blood of those great Kings who, eleoplng in tho tombs of the valley of Tapl (Thobes), await the day of resurrection. Jly spirit swelled within me as I dreamed upon this glorious destiny. I oloscd ray hands, and there, upon tho pylon, I prayed as I had never prayed be fore to tho Godhead, who is called by many names and in many forms mado manifest. "O Amen," I pruyed, "Ood of gods, who bast been from tho beginning; Lord of Truth, who art, and of whom all are, who glvcst out thy Godhead and gatherest it up ajain, in tho circlo of whom tho divino ones move and are, who was from all time the Solf-begot, unil who shalt bo till all time hearken unto me, "O Amen Osiris, tho sacrifleo by whom wo aro justified, Lord of tho Region of tho Winds, tho Ruler of tho Ages, tho Dweller in tho West, tho Supremo in Amunti, hcarkon unto ma "O Isls, Great Mother Goddess, Mother of tho Horun mysterious Mother, Sister, Spouse, hearken unto rno. If indeed I b the chosen of gods to carry out tho purpose ot tho gods, let a sign bo given unto me. even now, to seal iny life to the life above. Stretch out jour arum toward me, O ye gods, and uncover tlio lory of your coun tenance. Hearl all, hear ine!" And I caHt inywelf upon my knees and lifted up my a ciorn omtw upon tiis fact or the mook. eyes to iretivcu. And I knelt a oloud grew upon tho faco of tho moon and covered it up, so that tho night became dark, and the sllonce deopened all around oven the dogs far below lu the city crasod to howl, nndlho silonco grew and grow till it wss heavy ns death. 1 felt my spirita lifted up within mo, and my hair rose upon my head. Then of a sudden tho mighty pylon seemed to rock bencuth mo, a great wind boat about my brows, and a voico spoke within my heart: "Behold a slgnl Possess thyself In patience, O Harmaehis t" Aud oven as tho voico spoke a cold hand touched my hand and loft somewhat within It, Then tho cloud rolled from the faco of the moon, and tho wind passed, and the pylon ceased to tremblo, and tho night was as the night hnd been. And as the light camo back 1 gated upon thut which had been left within my hand It wus a bud of tho holy lotus new break Inc into bloom, nnd therofrom came a mos sweot s ivint. And ns I pared thereon, behold 1 tho lotus passed from out my grasp und vauished, leaving mo astonishoa. cnAPTKIt IV. OT TnK nsrAnTCUB oi- iiAnvxcms in ot niS MKETINO WITn HIS CNCIX fir.TA, mis man rmssT ok or; or ius urn at on, a.nd or tub wonDS or ski a. T THE dawning of tho next day I was awnkoned by a priest of tho Tomple, who brought word to mo to make ready for tho journey wheroof my father had spoken, Inasmuch ns thero was nn occasion for mo to pass down the river to Annu el Ra. Now, this is tho Hell opolis of tho Greeks, whither I should go in tho company of some priests of Ptah nt Momll who had como """ hither to Abouthis to lay tho body of ono of their great men in tho tomb that had been prepared no:.r tho resting placo of tho blossed Osiris. So I mado rady, nnd tho sumo evening, having ro ccivod lottor.i nnd embraced my father nnd thoso about tho Templo who wero dear to mo, I passed down to tho bunks of Sihor, and wo sailed with tho south wind. As the p'.iot stood upoa tho prow nnd with a rod in his hand bado tho sailor men loosen the stakes whorowlth tho vessel wns moored to tho banks, tho old wife, Atoua, hobbled up, her basket of simples in her hand, nnd calling out her fare woll, throw a sandal after me for good chance, which sandal I kept for many years. And so wo snlled, and for six days passed down the wondorful river, malting fast each night at somo convenient spot. But whon I lost sight of tho familiar things that I had seon day by day since I had eyes to seo, und found myself alone among strnngo faces, I foil soro ut heart, and would havo wept had I not been ashamed. And of nil tho wonderful things I saw I will not writo here, for, though they wero new to mo, havo they not boen known to meu sinco such tlmo as the gods rulo In Egypt! But tho priests who woro with me showed mo no llttlo honor, and expounded to me what woro tho things I saw. And on tho morning of tho seventh day wo came to Momfl, tho city of tho Whlto Willi. Horo for threo days I rested from my journey and was entertained of tho priests of tho wonderful Tomplo oj Ptah tho Creator, nnd shown the beauties of tho great and mar velous city. Also was I led in socrot by the High Priest and two othors into tho holy presence of tho god Apis, tho Ptnh who dcisns to dwoll umougmon In tho form of a bull. Tho god was black, and on his fore head thero was n whlto equuro and on his back was a whlto mark shaped liko an eagle, and beneath his tonguo was tho like ness of a Bcarabumis, und in his tall woro double hairs, and between his horns was a plate of puro gold. I entered tho placo of the god and worshiped whilo tho High Priest and thoso with him stood asldo nnd earnestly watched. Ami whou I had wor shiped, saying tho words which had boon told unto mo, tho god knelt, and lay down before mo. Aud then tbo High Priest and Hiobo with hira, who, as I heard in aftortlme, wero great men of Upper Egypt, approached wondering, nnd, saying no word, mado obeisunco to mo becauso of tho omen. And many other things I saw in Meinft thut uro too long to writo ol here. On the fourth day camo socno prlosts ol Annu to lead mo unto Sepa my undo, the High Priest of Aunu. Bo, having bid faro well to thoso of Mcmil, we crossed the river and rode on asses two parts of u day's jour ney through many villages, which wo found In great povorty because of tho oppression of tho tax gutherers. Also, cs wo went, i for tho first timo saw tbo groat pyramids that are beyond tho iinugo of the god Ilo remku (tho Sphinx), and tho temples of the Divino Mother Isls, Qucou of Memnoniu, und tho god Osiris, Lord of Rosutou, ot which Temples, together with the Tomplo of the worship of the Slvlno Monka-ra, I, Harmucnis, am by right divino the Hered itary High Priest. I saw them und mar veled at tholr greatness and at the white carven limestone und red granite of Syeno that flashed in tho sun's ruys back to Heaven. But at this timo I know untight of tho troasuro that was hid In 7fr, which Is thn third among tho Pyramids would I bad never known of it! And so at lust we i-amo within sight of Annu, whli'h utter Memll huth been seen Is no largo town, but stands on raised ground, before whu-h uro lakes fod by a canal. Behind tho town Is tho great teinenos (tnclosuro) of tho Tomplo of the God IU. At tho pylon wo dismounted, and beneath the portico wero wo met by nraun not groat of growth, but of noblo aspect, having his head stuivon, und with dark oyes that twinkled liko the further stars. "Hold I" ho cried, In u largo voico that fit tod his weak body but ill. "Hold I I um Bepa, who opens tho mouth of tho godsl" "And J," I said, "am Harmaehis, son of Amonemh&t, Hereditary High Priest and ltulor of tho Holy City Abouthis; and I boar letters to theo, O Sepal" "Enter," ho said. "Knterl" scannlngmo all tho whilo with his twlnjdintf eyejv "En- rM0 4 itt, try?--t- --a-nr-tfor-ao ana lea h to a chamber in the Inner hall close to tho door; and then, having glanced at tho letters I brought, ho of a sudden fell upon my neck and embraced me. "Welcome 1" ho oned; "welcome, son of my own sister and hope of Kb em I Not In rain ktv 1 prayed the gods that I might Mr to look upon thy face and Impart to thee tk wisdom that, perchance, I alone have mattered of those who are left tllve In Egypt. Few thero are whom it is ltwfnl thtt I should teach. But thino Is ths great destlty, tnd thino shnll bo tho cars to ktr th lessons of tho gods." ad tc mr ho embraced me and hade m g tod bttka and eat, saying thtt on tho morrow h would speak with me further. Atd of truth ho did, and at suoh length thtt 1 will fsrboar to sot down til he ttld both then tnd tfterward, for if I did so thsr would b no papyrus left in Egypt when tho task was ended. Therefore, hav ing much to tell, and perchance but llttlo tint to tell It, will I pass over tho events of th years that followed. Tor this wtt tho manner of my life. 1 roe early, 1 attended the worship of tho Temple, tnd I gr.vo my days to study. I learned ef the rites of rollgion and their sig nificance, and of tho beginning of the gods and the beginning of tho Upper World. I learned of the mystery of tho movements of ths sttrs, tnd of how tho earth rolls on among them. I wns instructed In thtt tn clont knowledge which is called magic, and in thn way of intoritrotutlon ofdroams, and of th drawing nigh to God. I was taught the language of symbols and the outer ami inner secrets thtreof. I became toqutlnted with the intorntl laws of prod tnd evil, and with th mystery of thtt trust which is hold of mat; tUo I learned the secrets ot the pyramid! which 1 would that I had nevr knorrn. .Further, I read the records of The"pasv,-nd oitsd cors -ana wsrus ot the tnolent kings who were before mo since the rule of Horus upon esrta; tnd I was made to learn all oraft ef state, the lore of earth, tnd with It the records of Greoc tad Rome. Also I lvtrned th Gre cian and the Roman tongues, of which In deed I already had some knowledge and all this while, even for fire year, I kept aiy hands olstn and my heart pur, and did no ertl In the sight of God or man; but la bored heavily to ucqulro all things, and to preptro myself for tbo destiny that await ed mo. Twice every year camo grootlngs nnd let ters from my fathor, Amonombat, and twice every yoar I sent back my nnswers asking if tho time had como to ccaso from labor. And to the days of my probation sped away till I grew faint nnd weary nt honrt, for be ing now a man, uy, and learned, I longed to ciake n beginning ot the life of men. And efttlmes 1 wonderod if this tnlk and prophe cy of tho things thero woro to bo was but n dream born of tho brains of men whoso wish ran beforo tholr thought. 1 was, in deed, of tho royal blood, that I knew; for ray uncle, Sepa, tho Priest, showed mo tho secret record of tho doscont, tracod without break from fathor unto son, and graven in mystic symbols upon a tablet of tho stono of Syeno. But of what avail was it to be royal by right whon Egypt, my heritage, was n slavo a slave to do tho pleasure and minis ter to tho luxury of tho Macedonian Lagldna ay, nnd whon sho had boon so long a serf that, porchanco, sho had forgot how to put off tho servilo smllo of boudugo and onco moro to look across the world with free dom's glorious oyes! And then I bethought mo of my prayer upon tho pylon tower of Abouthis nnd of the answer to my prayor, and wondored If that, too, wero a dream. Aud ono night, ns, weary with study, I walked within tho sacred grovo that Is Iu tho temenos of tho Tomplo, and thought such thoughts as those, I mot my Undo Bept, who also was walking and thinking. "Hold 1" ho crlod, in his great voice; "why is thy faco so sad, Hnrmaohlsl Hath the Inst problom that wo studied over whelmed theo!" "Nay, my undo," I answered. "I am verwhehucd, indeed, but not of tho problem; it was a light ono. My heart Is heavy within me, for I am nwonry of llfo within thoso cloisters, aud tho pllod-up weight of knowledgo crushos me. It Is of no avail to storo up force which can not bo used." "Ah! thou nrt impatlont, narmachls," ho answered; "it Is ovor tho way of foolish youth. Thou wouldst tasto of tho battle; thou dost weary of watching tho breakers fall upon tho shore, thou wouldst plungo therein und venturo tho dosperato hazard STILL SUB HITS LIKW TONDKIl SI'HINX AND SMILES. or tho war. And so thou wouldst bo going, Harmnchls! Tho bird would fly tho ncsl as, whon they are grown, the swallows fly from boneath tlio eaves of tho Temple. Well, It shall bo as thou dcslrest; tho hour is at hand. I havo taught theo nil that I havo learned, anil muthinka that the pupil hath outrun his muster." And ho paused tnd wiped his blight, black eyes, for hs was vory Had ut tho thought of ray depart ure. ' And whlthor shall I go, my uncle!" I asked, rejoicing; "back to Abouthis to bo initiated In the mystery of the Gods!" "Ay, back to Abouthis, nnd from Atouthij to Aloxiindrlu, and from Alexandria to the throne of thy fathers, O Harinachls 1 Listen, now; thing' are thus: Thou knowest how Cloopatra, tho Queen, lied Into Syria when that false ounueh Pothlnus sot tho will ol Auletes ut untight nnd raised her brothoi Ptolomy to tho solo lordship of Egypt. Thou knowest ulso how sho camo back, liko I Queen indeed, with a groat unny in hoi train, and lay ut Pelusun, und how at thli juncture the mighty C'lesar, that groat man, that greatest of all men, sailed with u weak company hither to Alexandria from Phur talla's bloody field In hot pursultof l'ompoy, Rut ho found Pompey already dead, having been basely murdered by Achillas, tho Gen eral, and Lucius Septlrnius, tho chief of tin Roman loglons in Egypt; and thou knowest how tho Alexandrians wero troublod at hit coming and would have sluln his llctors, .Then", as thou bust heard, Cuisar seized Ptolomy, tho young King, aud his slstei Arsinoo, and bado tho army of Cleopatra and .tuo uruiy of Ptolemy, tinker Achillas. wTnciiTay'ruct.TK outtrotntr-at rerasim, dis band and go their ways. And fot answer Achillas marched on Cresar and be sieged him straltly in tho Bruobium at Alexandria, and bo, for awhile, things were, nnd nono know who should rctgn in Egypt. But then Cloopatra took up the dice and tnrew them, andithls was tho throw sho made In truth it was ft bold one. For, leaving tho army at Peluslm, sho came at dusk to tho harbor of Alexandria, and alone with tho Sicilian Apollodorus entered and landed. Than did Apollodorus bind her in a bale of rich rugs, such as aro mado in Syria, and sont tho rugs as a presont to Cmsnr. And when tho rugs wore unbound in tho palace, behold I within them was the fairest girl on all tho oarth ay, nnd the most witty and the most learned. And sha seduced the groat Cmsar oven his wolght of years did not avail to protect him from her charms so that, as a fruit of his folly, ho woll-uigh lost his llfo nnd all tho glory ho had gained in a hundred wars." "Tho fool!" I broko In, "tho fool! Thou cnllcst him great, but how can tho man who hath no strength to standngnlnsta woman's wiles bo truly great! Cansr, with the world hanging on bis word I Cesar, at whoso broath forty legions marchod and changed tho fato of peoples! Cicsar, the cold! tho far-soolg! tho horo! Cnnar, to fall liko n ripe fruit Into a fait girl's lapl Why, in tho issue, of what common day wns this Roman Crnsnr, and how poor a thing!" But Sepa looked at mo and shook his head. "Bo not so rash, Harmaehis, nnd talk not with so proud a voico. Knowost thou not that lu overy suit of mall thoro Is a joint, and woo to him that wears it if tho sword should search It out. For woman, tn hor weakness, Is yot tho strongest forco upon the earth. Sho Is tho holm of til things human; she comes in many shapes and knocks ut irntny doors; sho is quiok and patient, nnd her passion Is not ungovern able liko that of man, but as a gentle steed that sho esu roiidb o'on whero she will, and as occasion offers can now bit up aud now give ro'n. She hath u captain's eye, and strong must be tho fortress of the heart wheroln sho finds no placo of vantage- Doth thy blood beat fast In youth! sho will outrun It, nor will hor kisses tire. Art, thou set toward ambition! sbo will unlock thy Inner heart, tnd show theo secret roadt that lead to glory. Art thou worn tnd weary I she htth comfort In her breast.' Art thou fallen! she can lift thea up. and to -Jho illusion of. thv senir.jM acTeat wiin triumph. Ay,- Btrmacuit, thoso things she can do, for Natur ever fights upon her side; and tho whilo sho does them sho can decelvu and shapa a Bccret end in which thou hast no part. And tlnis woman rules the world. For hor ara wars; for her men spend their strength in gathering galas; for her they do well anil 111, and soekforgroatnoss and find forgotful ness. And all tho whilo sho sits liko yonder Sphinx, and smiles; und no man huth over read nil tho rlddlo of hor smiles or known all tho mystery of her heart. Mock nott mock not I Harmnohis; for strong ludeodi must ho bo who can defy tho power ot woman, which, pressing round him liko thn gonorulnir, Is ofttlmes most present wheu tho senses least discover it." i I laughed aloud. "Thou sponkest oarn estly, O, my undo Sepa," I said; "almost mlgnt ono think that thou hadst not coma uiiEcuthod through this llorco llro of tempta tion. Well, for myself, I fear not woman and nil her wiles; naught know I of them, and naught do I wish to know; uad I still hold that this Cicsnr was a fool. Had I stood whero Cmsur stood, to cool Its wan tonness that balo of rugs should havo been rolled udown tho pulaco steps, oven into the) harbor of mud." "Nay, coasol coaso!" ho orlod aloud. "Evil is it to speak thus; and may tho gods avert tho omen and prosorvo to theo thla cold strength wheroof thou boastost! O man, thou knowest not! thou in thy strength and beauty that is without com pare, lu tho power of thy learning nnd tho Bweotncss of thy tonguo thou knowest not I Tho world whore thou must mixta not n sanctuary ns that of tho divino Isls, But thero It may bo so! Pray that thy heart's Ico may never melt, so shalt tbou ba groat und happy and Egypt bo delivered. And now lot mo tuko up my tolo thou seest, Harmaehis, even In so grave a story woman claims hor placo. Tho young Ptolomy, Cleopatra's brother, being loosed of Cujsar, treucherously turned on him. Thereon Cmsur and Mlthrldates stormed tho camp of Ptolomy, who took to flight across tho river. But his boat was sunk by tho fugitlvos who pressed upon it, aud such was tho miserable end of Ptolomy. "Theroou, tho war boing ondod, Cxsar appointed tho younger Ptolemy to rula with Cloopatra, aud be, iu namo, her husband, though sho had but thon borno him a son, Cmsarion, und ha himself departed for Romo, bearing with him tho beautiful Princess Arsinoo to follow bis triumphs in hor chains. But tho great Cicsur is no moro. Ho died as ho had lived, in blood, and right royally. And but now hath Cleopatra, tho Quoon, If my tid ings may bo trusted, slain Ptolomy, her brother nnd hor husband, by poison, and taken the child Caxsarion to bo hor fellow on tho throne, which sho holds by tho hole of tho Romo loglons, and, as they say, ol young Sextus Pompelus, who hath. suc ceeded Cuisar In her lovo. But, Harmaehis, tho whole land bolls and soothes against her. In ovory city tho children of Khora talk of the deliverer who is to como and thou urt ho, O Harmaehis. Almost is the tlmo ripe. Tho hour is nigh at hand. Ga thou back to Abouthis aud learn tho last secrots of tho gods, und meet thoso who shnll direct tho bursting of tho storm. And then uct, Harmuuhls act, I say, and strike homo for Khem, and rid tho land of ths Roman and tho Greek, and take thy place upon tlio thronuof thy fnthors and boa King th men. For unto this end wast tbou born. O Prince I" In Iiluclc und Whlto. It is always diflleult to make peoplo appre ciate tho fact which is certainly n fact things Mild lu tho black und whlto forceful nuas nnd ieriiiiiiieiicu of n letter uro fur mors eireetivo thiui they would havo lieeii If they had been hiokcii. Tho writer meant them just us he would have meant them had he Mild them, mid ho does not hi tho least ro fleet that, by tho losa of accent, look nnd ges ture, tho thing ho writes may bo widely dif ferent from thu thing ho would Imvosaid. Thero huvo been countless tuiarrols engen dered by things written in nil Innocence, aud which would havo hud no such cll'ect had they been delivered by tho living voice, Pooplu vent their petulance iu word, aud easily correct the Impro&Ioii Uy following it with n fcinilo of uology, u gluuco thut soft tns, or a word which module. All of tlxuta things uru, of course, wanting in tlio casoof u letter. Thu words tell for their worst, aud In tlioubbcncu of tho writer thero is nothing to moderate the annoyance to which they glvo rise. Liverpool Courier i I,. , , i - Jars concealed are half reconclloj; whilo 'tis a doubio tusk to stop tho breach nt homo and men's mouths abroad. To this end a good husband never publicly reproves his wife. An ojien reproof puts her to do jien nnco beforo ull that aro prewmt, after which many study revenge rather than reforma tion. Fuller.