J.
-.A
'I
1
CLEOPATRA."
Being; an Account of the Fall and
Vengeance of Harmachis, the
Royal Egyptian,
AS SET I0RTH BY HIS OWN HAND.
By H. Rider Haggard,
Author of "King Solomon's Mines,"
lv " She," " Allan Quntermain,"
Etc., Etc., Etc.
aiuitrated by NICHOLL. after CATON WOO&
V1LL3 and ORKIFrENHAOEN.
CHAPTKR IX
OF TI1E COMINO OF CHAIIMIOK, AND Or TUB
WHATH Of 8KPA.
Ill AT sumo night while
wo sat at supper In
the house, there camo
it knock upon tlio
door. It was opened,
and a woman passed
in, wrapped from
head to foot in a largo
dark peplos or cloak
In such fashion that
her face could not ba
clearly seen.
My uncle rose, and
as ho did so the woman
I uttered the secret word,
i i Ht "1 mn come, my father."
she said in a sweet, clear voice, "thouch
of a truth it was not easy toescapo the rev
els at the palace. Hut I told the Queen that
the sun aud thu riot in tho streets had muilo
me sick, and she let me go."
"It is well," ho answered. "Unvail thy
self; hero thou art safe."
With a littlo sigh of weariness she un
clasped the peplos and lot it slip from her,
giving to my sight the face nnd form of that
beauteous girl who had stood to fan Cleo
patra In tho chariot. For she was very fair
and pleasant to look upon, and her Grecian
robos clung sweetly about her supple limb
nnd budding form. Her wayward hair,
flowing in a hundred littlo curls, was bound
with a golden llllet, and on her feet wero
sandals. Her cheeks blushed liko a flower,
and her dark soft eyes wero downcast, as
though with modesty, but smiles and dim
ples trembled about her lips.
My uncle frowned when his eyes fell upon
iier dress.
"Why comost thou in this garb, Char
inlonl" he,.n.sked. sternly. "Is not the
arers tny inoiuar? uro gooa outturn Tor
thee? This is no time or place for woman's
vanities. Thou art not hero to conquer, but
to obey."
"Nay, bo not wroth, my father," she an
swered, softly; "porchance thou knowest
not that sho whom I serve will have none
of our Egyptian dress; it is out of fashion.
To wear it would have been to court sus
picionalso I camo in haste." And as she
spoke I saw that all tho while she watched
me covertly through the long lashes which
fringed her modest eyes.
"Well, well," he said, sharply, fixing his
keen clanco upon her face, ' "doubtless thou
speakest truth, Charmion. lie ever mind
ful of thy oath, girl, and of the cause to
'-which thou art sworn. Bo notllght-mtnded,
and 1 charge theo forget tho beauty with
which thou hast been cursed. For mark
At -ii. : .. . . . I 1..,, Am .
mou mis, IjIIUI imuu , iai us uuii uuo juit
i IV: u-and vengeance shall fall on theo tho veu-
V.. -rrnnnnn nf ITinn finrl T.nrt VOnfrejlnCO Or
$ ?tho Gods! To this service," he con-
Txlnued, lisning nimsou to afiger as ne
' vwent on. till his great voice rang in the
narrow room, "hast thou been bred ; to this
end hast thou been instructed and placed
-where thou art, to gain tho ear of that
'wicked wanton whom thou seotnest to servo.
Beo thou forgot it not; see that tho luxury
" of yonder court does not corrupt thy purity
and divort thy aim, Charmion." And his t
eyes flashed and his smnll form scorned to
' grow till it attained to dignity nay, almost
to grandeur. "Charmion," ho said, advanc
ing toward her with outstretched linger, "I
-. say to theo that at times I do not trust thee.
But two nights gone 1 drained I saw thee
standing in tho desert. I saw thee laugh
jjand lift thy hand to heaven, and therefrom
safell n rain of blood; then the sky sank
ifjdown on tho land of Khem and covered it.
.Whence camo tho dream, girl, and what Is
Itsmeaningl Nnught have I against thee
as yet; but hearken I On tho moment that
I have. thougn thou art of ray kin, and I
havo loved theo on that moment, I say, will
I doom thoso delicate limbs, which thou
lovest so much to show, to tao kilo and tu
ine jacnai, nnd the soul within thee to all
the tortures of the Gods I Unburied shalt
thou die, and bodiless and accursoi shalt
thou wander in Amentll ay, forever and
ever!"
Ho paused, for his sudden burst of pas
sion had spont itself. But by it, more clear
ly than before, I saw how deep a heart had
this man beneath tho cloak of his cicrriness
and simplicity of mien, and how fiercely the
mind within him was set upon his ala. As
for tho girl, she shrank from him terrified,
nnd, placing her hands before hor face, be
gan to weep.
"Nay, speak not so, my father," she said,
between her sobs; "for what havo I doue?
Naught know I of the evil wandorrag of thy
dreams. I nm no soothsayer that I should
read dreams. Have I not carried out all
things according to thy desire? Havo I not
been even mindful of that dread oath?"
and sho trembled. "Have I not played tho
spy and told thee ah? Havo 1 not won tho
heart of tho Queen so that she loves mo us
a sister, refusing mo nothing, ay, and the
hearts of thoso about hor? Why dost tuou
affright mo thus with thy words and
threats?" And sho wept afresh, looking
even more beautiful in her sorrow than she
was bofore.
"Enough, enough," ho answered; "what I
lave said I havo said. Be warned, and af
front our sight no more with this wanton
dress. Thinkest thou that we would feed
our eyes upon thoso rounded arms wo
Whose stake Is Egypt and who aro dedicated
to the Gods of Egypt? Girl, behold thy
cousin and thy King!"
Bho ceased weeping, wiping hor eyos
with her chiton, and I sav.' that they seemed
but tho softer for her tea: .
"Methlnks, most Ito.i Ilarraacbia and
beloved cousin," she t 1, us she bent
beforo me, "that wo are roady made ac
quainted." '
"Yea, cousin," 1 answ 1, not without
ibamcfacedness, for nev. beforo bad I
spoken to 60 fair a maid -thou wert In tho
chariot with Cleopatra this day when I
struggled with tho Nubian."
"Assuredly," sho said, with a smile and a
sudden lighting of the eyes, "It was a gal
lant fight, and gallantly didst thou over
throw that black brute. I saw the fray,
and, though I knew thee not, greatly did I
fear for one so brave. But I paid him for
my fright, for it was I who put it into the
mind of Cleopatra to bid the guards strike
off his band now, knowing who thou art, I
would I bad said his head." And she looked
up, shooting a glance at me, and then
smiled.
"Enough," put in ray uncle Hepa, "the
time draws on. Teli thou thy mission,
Charmion, and be gone." (
Thereon her manner changed. Hbe folded
her bauds rac' .. tat-" Ur and s-V J
Lot Pharaoh hearken unto his hand
maiden. I am the daughter of Pharaoh's
uncle, tho brother of his father who Is now
long dead, and therefore In my veins also
flows the Royal blood rf Egypt. Also I am
of tho ancient laith, and hate theso Greeks
and to seo thee set upon the throno has beon
my deM-csthopo now for many years To
this end have I, Charmion, become serving,
woman to Cleopatra, that I might cut a
notch wherein thou couldst sot thv foot
when the hour camo to climb tho throne.
And behold! O Pharaoh, the notch Is cut
"This, then, Is our plot, Hoyal cousin:
Thou must gain an entrance to tho House
hold nnd learn its ways and secrets, and.
so far as may be, suborn the eunuchs nnd
captains, somo of whom I havo already
tempted. This done, und nil things being
propared without, thou must siay Cleo
patra, and, aided by me, with thoso whom I
control, in tho confusion that shall ensue'
throw wide the gates, and. admitting those
of our party who nro in waiting, put such
of tho troops as remain faithful to the '
sword nnd sclzo tho Uruchium. Which be
Ing done, thou shalt within two days hold
this tickle Alexandria. At tho samo time,
thoso who are sworn to theo in evorv
city in Esyut shall rise in nrtns, mill 1
within ten days from tho death of Cleopatra '
thou shalt be Pharaoh indeed. This is tho 1
counsel which has been taken, nnd thou I
seest, Hoyal cousin, that, though your uncle
yonder doth think so ill of me. 1 have
learned my part ay, nnd plnycd It." I
"I hear tiiee, cousin," I answered, marvel-'
Ingthat so young a wi'inan, for sho had
but twenty years, coJid woavo so bold n
plot, for m Its origin the scheme was hers
But In thoso days I littlo knew Charmiou.
"Goon; how then shall I gain cutrauco to
tno paiaco of Cleopatra I'"
"Nay, cousin, as things nro it is easy.
Thus: Cleopatra loveth to look upon a mini,
and-give mo pardon--thy face und form
nro fair. To-day sho noted them, mid
twico sho said sho would sho hud asked
whore that astrologer might bo found, for
sho held that an astrologer who could well
nigh slay a Nubian gladiator with his bare
hands must Indeed bo u master of tho stars.
I answered her that I would causo inquiry
to bo made. Ho hearken, Royal Harmachis.
At midday Cleopatra sleeps in hor Inner
hall that looks over tho gardens to tho ljur
bor. At that hour, then, will I meet thee
at the gates of tho Palace, whither come
thou boldlv asking for the Lady Charmiou.
I will iniiko appointment for theo with
Cleopatra, so that she shall seo theo ulono
when sho wakes, and tho rest shall
bo for theo, Harmachis. For much sho
loves to play with tho mystories of magic,
and whole nights havo I known her stand
watching tho stars and making a pretonse
to read them. Aud but lately hath she sent
away Dioscoridcs, tho Physician, lu that,
poor fool! he ventured on a prophecy from
the conjunction of tho stars that Cassius
would defeat Mark Antony. Thereon Cleo
patra dispatched to the Gcueral Allieuus,
bidding him add the legions she bad sent to
Syria to help Antony, to the army of Cas
sius, whose victory, forsooth, was, accord
ing to Dioscorides, written on the stars.
But, as it chanced, Antony beat Cassius
first and Brutus afterward, and so Dios
corides hath departed, and now be lectures
for his bread on herbs in tho museum, and
hates the name of stars. But his place U
empty, and thou shalt fill it; and then w
will work in secret and in the shadow or
the scepter. Ay, we will work like tl
worm at.tho heart of arnlt till tho time oi
piucsmg co.'ies, uau on iuy aaggersroucn,
Royal cousin, tho fabric of this Grecian
throne crumb'es to nothingness, and the
worm that rotted it bursts his servile cov
ering, and in the sight of empires, spreads
his royal wings o'er Egypt."
I gazed at this strange girl once more as
tonished, nnd saw that her face was lit up
with such a light as I had never seen upon
tho faco of woman.
"Ah!" broke in my uncle, who was
watching her, "ah! I love to see thee ro,
girl. Thero is tho Charmion that I knew
and I bred up not the Court girl, whom 1
love not, draped In silks of Cos and fra
grant with essences. Let thy heart harden
in this mold ay, stamp it with tho fervid
zeal of patriot faith, and thy reward shall
And theo. And now cover up that shame
less dress of thine and leave us, for it grows
late. To-morrow shall Harmachis come, as
thou hast said. And so, farewell."
Charmion bowed her head, and, turning,
wrapped hor dark-huod peplos around hor;
then, taking my band, sho touched it with
her lips and without any furthor words sho
went.
"A strange woman I" saidSepa, when she
had gone; "a most strange woman and un
certain." "Methought, my uncle," I said, "that
thou wast somewhat harsh with her."
"Ay," he answered, "but not without a
cause. Look thou, Harmachis, beware of
this Charmion. She is too wayward, and, I
fear me, may be led away. In truth, she is
a very woman; nnd, like a restlvo horse,
Will take the path that pleases her. Brain
she has, and fire; and she loves our causo;
but I pray that the causo come not face to
faco with hordesiros, for what her heart is
sot on that will she do at any cost will sho
do iw. Thereforo did I frighten her now,
while I may, for who can know but that
sho will pass beyond my power? I tell thee
that in this one girl's hand lie all our lives;
and if sho play u false, what then? Alas I
and alas I that wo must uso such tools as
these! But it wus needful; thero was no
other way; and yet 1 misdoubt mo. I pray
that it may be well; and still, ut times, I
fear my niece Charciion she is too fair,
and tho blood of youth runs too warm in
thoso blue veins of hers. Oh! woo to tho
causo that builds its strength upon a wom
an's faith; forwon-en, I say, aro faithful
"ATE, WR WILL WOIlK LIKE TDK WOIIM AT TUB
UE1UT Of TUB ritl'IT "
only where they Jove, and when they love
their faithlessness becomes their faith.
Tneyaronot fixed as men are fixed; they
rise more high and sink more low they are
strong nnd changeful as tho sea. I say to
thee, Harmachis, beware of this Charmion ;
for, like the ocean, she may lloatthee home;
or, like theocean, she may wreck thee, and,
with thee, all the hope of Egypt I"
CHAPTER X.
or the couino or uAnxAcms to tbb rxu
AVE; HOW RE DREW PAUI.US THHOOOH Till
GATES: CLEOPATRA SLEEPIHO; AUD Till
MAOIO WHICH HAKMACUIS SHOWED UNTO
II US it enmo to pass
that on tho next day
1 arrayed myself
after the fashion of ;i
magician or astrol
oger, in a long and
flowing robe. I placed
on my ho a d a cap,
about which were
broidered linages of tho
stars, and In my belt a
scribe's paletto nnd n
ill of papyrus written
er with mystic spells
and signs. In my hiin.l I held
a wand of ebony, tipped with
ivory, such as is used by priests and
masters of magic. Among thoso, indeed,
1 held high rank, tilling by knowledge of
their secrets which I had learned at On
what I lacked in that skill of hand which
comes from use. And so, with no small
shiune, for 1 lovo not such play, and hold
this common magic in contempt, I set forth
through the Bruehium to tho pulnco on tho
Lochias, being guided on my way by my
undo Sepa. At length, passing upthenvenue
of Sphinxes, wo camo to tho great marble
gateway and tho gates of bronzo within
which is tho guard-houso. And here my
undo left inn, breathing many prayers for
my safety und success. But I udvunced
with un easy nir to tho gate, wl. I was
rougnly challenged by the Gnlllo sentries
and asked of my name, following nnd busi
ness. I gavo my name, Harmaehis the
astrologer, spying that my business was
with tho Lady Charmion, tho Queen's lady.
Thereon tho man uuulo as though to let me
pass in, when a Captain of tho Guard, a
Roman nunied Paulus, camo forward and
forbade it. Now, this Paulus was a lurgo
liuib d man, with n woman s faco nnd n
hand that shook from wine-bibbing. Never
theless, ho knew me again.
"Why,'' ho cried, in tho Latin tougue, to
iino who camo with him, "this is tho fo.low
who wrest. ed yesterday with tho Nubian
glndiator, that samo who now howls for his
lost hand underneath my window. Curses
on tho blnek bruto I I hud n bet on him for
the games! 1 have backed him ugulnst
Cuius, und now ho'U never light again, nnd
I must lose my money, nil through this
astroloor. What is it thou snyest thou
bnst business witti tho Lady Channion!
Nay, then, that settles it. I will not let
theo through. Fellow, I worship tho Lady
Charn.ion ny, wo ull worship her, though
sho gives us iiioro slaps than sighs. Aud
dost thou think that wo will suffer an
astrologer with such eyes and such n chest
us thiuo to cut in thogumct By Bacchus,
no I Sho must come out to keep tho tryst,
for in thou shalt not go."
"Sir," I said, humbly and yet with dig
nity, "I pray that n messago may bo sent
to tho Lady Charmion, for my business will
not b.-ook delay."
'Yo Gods!" answered tho fool, "whom
havo wo hero that he cau not wait? A
Cicsur in disguise? Nay, bo off bo off!
If thou wouldst not learn how a spear prick
feels behind."
"Nay," put In tho other officer, "ho Is nu
astrologer; muke lntn prophecy mako him
play tricks."
"Ah," cried tho others who had sauntered
up, "let him show his art. If ho is a magi
ion he can pass the gates, Paulus or no
Paulus."
"Right willingly, good sirs 1" I answered,
for I saw no other means of entering.
"Wilt thou, my young and noble Lord"
and I addressed him who wns with Paulus
"suffer that I look thee in tho eyes? Per
chance I may read what Is written there,"
"Right," said tho youth; "but I wish that
tho Lady Charmion was the sorceress. I
would sturo her out of countenance, I war
rant mo."
I took him by tho hand and gazed deep
into his eyes. "I see," I said, "a Hold of
battle utnigbt, and about it bodies strotched
among them is thy body, and u hyeua
tears at its throat. Host noblo sir, thou
bhalt dio of sword thrusts within a year."
"By Bacchus 1" said tho youth, turning
whilo to tho gills, "thou art an ill-omened
Boreerer I" And ho slunk off shortly after
ward, as it chanced, to meet this very fate.
For he was sent on service and slain in
oyp. us. a
'Now for thee, great Captain 1" I said,
apeakiug to Paulus. "1 will show thee how
I will pass thoso gates without thy leave
av, and draw thee through them after me.
Be pleased to fix thy princely guzo upon the
point of th's wand In my hand."
Being urged thereto by n:s comrades, this
hu did, not willingly; and I lot him gazotlll
1 f.aw his eyes gvovv cmj.ty as an owl's oyc
Is tho sun. Then suddenly I withdjw the
wand, and, shifting my own countenance
Into tho place of it, I seized him with my
will and stare, and beginning to turn round
and round, drow him after me, his face,
llerco nnd drawn, fixed, as It were, almost
to my own. Then I Blowly moved backward
till I hud passed the gates, still drawing
aim after me, and having passed, I jerttcd
my head nwny. But he fell to the ground,
to riso wiping his brow and looking exceed
ingly foolish.
"Art thou content, most noblo Captain ?'
I said. "Thou seest we have passed tho
gates. Would any other noblo sir hero pres
ent wish that I should show more of my
skill!"
"By Taranis, Lord of Thunder, and all
tho Gods of Olympus thrown in, nol"
growled un old Centurion, u Gaul named
Brcnnus. "I liko theo not, I say. Tho
man who could drag our Paulus through
those gates by tho eyo, us it were, is not o
mau to play with. Paulus, too, who always
goes tho way you don't want him back
ward, liko an ass Paulus! Why, sirrah,
thou must havo a woman in one cyo and a
wino cup in tho other, to draw our Paulus
thus,"
At this moment tho talk was broken, for,
coming down tho marble walk, followed by
an nrmcd slavo, was Oharmion horself. She
walked cairn und careless, her hands folded
behind her and hor eyes gazing at nothing
ness, us it wero. But it was when Char
mion thus looked upon nothing that she saw
most. And us sho camo tho officers und
men of tho guard mado way for her bowing
for, as 1 learned afterward, this girl, next
lo Cleopatra's self, wielded moro power
than any ono about the palace.
"What is this tumult, Brcnnus?" sho
said, speaking to the Centurion, and mak.
ingas if she saw mo not; "knowest thou
not that tho Queen sleeps at this hour, and
If sho be awakened It is thou who must
answer for It, and that dearly?"'
"Nay, Lady," said tho Cent jrlon, humbly;
"but It is thus. Wo have hero" and ho
jerked his thumb toward me- "a magician
of tho most postilcnt um, I cruvo his par
don, of the very best sort, for ho hath but
just now, only by placing his eyes close to
tho noso of the worthy Captain Paulus,
dragged him, the said Paulus, through tho
gates that Paulus swore tho magician
should not pass. By the samo token, Lady,
the magician says ho has business with you
which grioves me for your sake."
Charmion turned and looked at mo care
lessly. "Ay, I remember," she said; "and
so he hath at least the Queen would seo
his tricks; but if ho can do nono better
than cause a sot" hero she cast a glanco of
scorn at the wondering Paulus -"to follow
his nose through the gates ho guards, he
had better go whence he came. Follow me,
Sir Magician; and for thee, Brennus, I say
keep thr riotqus crew more . ilet. For thce
r most' lionoraiTo r'auf-.TJ 3ot,"Cr, tChd
' next tlmo 1 nm asked for at tho gates give
htm who nsks a hearing," And with a
I queenly nod of her small head sho turned
and led tho way, followed at a dlstauco by
1 myself and tho urmed slavo.
Wo passed up tho marble walk which
i runs through tho garden grounds, and is
I set on either side with tuarblo statuos, for
tho most p.irt of heathen Gods and God
desses, whorewith thoso Lagidra woro not
ashamed to defile their royal d ivellings. As
length we camo to n portico with fluted col
umns very beautiful to see, but of Grecian
style of art, where wo found more guards,
who mado way for tho Lady Charmion.
Crossing tho portico, wo reached an outor
marble hall wherein a fountain softly
plashed, and then o by n low doorway a
second chamber, known as tho Alabaster
Hall, most beautiful to seo. Its roof was
upheld by light columns of black marblo,
but alt Its walls wero paneled with ala
buster, whereon woro graven Grecian le
gends. Its floor was of rich nnd tuany-hued
mosaic that told tho tnlo of the passion of
Psycho for tho Grecian God of Love, and
about It wero set chairs of ivory aud geld.
At the doorway of this chamber Charmiou
bade tho armed slavo stay, so that wo
passed lu alone, for tho place wns ompty
save for two eunuchs who stood with
drawn swords beforo tho curtains at tho
further end.
"I am voxed, my Lord," sho said, speak
ing very low and shyly, "that thou shouldt
havo met with such affront at tho gate;
but the guard thero sorved a double watch,
aud 1 had given my commands to tho olH
per of tho company that should havo re
lieved It, They aro over lusolont, these
Roman officers, who, though thoy seem to
serve, know weil that Egypt Is their play
thing. But it is not altogether ill, for theso
rough soldiers aro sup -rstitious, and here
after they will fear thee. Now,bido thou here
whilo 1 "pass into Cleopatra's chamber,
where sho sleeps. But now havo I sung
I SEIZED HIM AND DREW HIM A FT Ull ME.
her to sleep, and If she bo awakened I will
call thee, for sho waits thy coming." And
without moro words she glided from my side.
In a littlo t-imo sho returned, and, coming
to my sido, spoke :
"Wouldst seo tho fairest woman in nil the
world asleep!" she whispered. ''If so, fol
low thou mo. Nay, fc.r not; when bIio
awakes she will but laugh, for sho bade me
be sure to bring thee instantly, whether
sho slept or woko. See, I have hor signet."
So we passed up the beautiful chninljor
till wo camo to whore the eunuchs Blood
with drawn swords, and these would havo
barred my entry; but Charmion frowned,
und drawing tho signet from hor bosom hold
it beforo their oyes. Thereon, having ex
amined the writing that is on tho ring,
thoy bowod, dropping their sword poiuts,
nnd wo passed through tho heavy curtains,
hroidered o'er with gold, Iuto the resting
placo of Cleopatra. Beautiful it was
beyond imagining beautiful with many
colored murbles, with gold and ivory, i?oins
nnd flowers all art can furnish und ull
luxury can dream of wero hero. Hero woro
pictures so real that birds might huvo
pecked thti painted fruits; hero wero statues
tif woman's loveliness frozen into stouo;
'ere wero draperies flue as softest silk, but
woven of a web of gold; here wero couches
and carpets such as 1 novcr saw. Here the
air was sweet with porfumo, whilo through
he open window places came the far mur
mur of tho sea. At the furthor end of the
chamber, on a couch of gleaming silk
and sheltered by a net of finest
gauze, Cleopatra lay asleep. There she
lay the fairest thing that man ever saw
fairer than a dream, and all about hor
flowed the web of her dark hair. Ono whlto,
rounded arm made a pillow for her head
and one hung downward to the ground. Her
rich lips wero parted in a Bmllo, showing
the ivory lines of teeth: and her rosy limbs
wero draped in so thin a rabo of tho silk of
Cos-hold about hfcr.hv aumlul , olrrllo.
mat (ho whlto gleam of flesh sh'otie th'rough
it. I stood astonished, aud, though my
Ihoushts had littlo bent that way, the sight
of all her beauty struck mo like a blow, so
hat for n moment I lost myself as it wero
in tho vision of Its power, and at heart was
grieved that I must slay so fair a thing.
Turning suddenly from tho sight I found
Channion watching mo with hor quick eyes
watching as though she would search my
heart. And, indeed, something of my
thoughts must havo boon written on my
faco in u language that sho could, read, for
she whispered in my car:
"Ay, It is a pity, is it not! Harmachis be
ing after ull ii man, mothlnksthou wilt need
all thy ghostly strength to ucrvo theo to tho
deed!"
1 frowned, but before I could frame an
answer sho touched me lightly on the arm
uud pointed tti tho Queen. A chango hud
coino upon hor; her hands wero clenched,
und about her fuco, ull rosy with tho huo of
sleep, gathered n cloud of fear. Her breath
cumo quli k, sho raised her arms us though
to ward awny a blow, and then with a
stifled moan sat up und opened tho windows
of her oyos. Dark they were, durlc as
night; but when tho light found them thoy
grow blue, even ns tho sky grows bluo bo
foro tho blushlnc of the dawn.
"Ciusarion?" stio suid; "where is Cassa
Hon? Wns it then a dream? I dreamed
that Julius Julius who is deud camo to
mo, his bloody toga wrapped about his fuce,
and, having thrown his urms ubouthlschild,
led him uwny. Then I dreamed I died
died lu blood and ugony; and ono I might
not see mocked me us I died I Ahl who lu
that man!"
"Peace, Madum I peace!" said Charmion.
" 'lis but tho magician Hurmachla, whom
thou didst bid me briug to thee at this
hour."
"Ahl tho magician that Harmachis who
overthrow tho glantl 1 remember mo now.
Ho is welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can
thy magio mirror give forth au answer to
this dream! Nay, how strange a thing Is
sleep, that, wrapping the mind in a web of
darkness, stralghtly compels it to Its will.
Whence, then, como those linages of fear
rising on tho horizon of the soul like some
untimely moon upon the twilight skyl
Who grants them power to stalk so llfellko
from Memory's thronging balls, and, point
ing to their wounds, thus confront the
Present with the Past! Are they, then,
messengers? Doth the semi-death of sleep
give ilieai a ctoattiold. in Quc-hlos- anil
tnus upiTu.". n.o b'ovored t uTJ J.
kinship! That was Cnwnr's self, I toll thoo,
who but now stood at my side and mur
mured through his muffled robe warning
words whereof tho memory is lost to me.
Road mo this riddle, thou Egyptian Sphinx,
and I'll show theo a romnr path to fortune
than nil thy stars can )olut. Thou hnst
brought tho omen, solvo thou Its problcia."
"In a good hour do 1 come, most mighty
Queen," I made unswor, "for 1 havo somo
skill In tho mysteries of sleep, which is, as
thou hast rightly guessed, a stair whoroby
those who uro gathered to Osiris may from
time to ttmo enter nt tho gateways of our
living sense, nnd, by signs and words that
can bo lead of mortals thereto duly learned,
repeut tho echoes of that Hall of Truth
which Is their habitation. Thereby also tho
messengers of tho guardian Gods may de
scend In many shapes upon tho half-loosod
spirit cf their choice. For, O Queen, to
thoso who hold tho key, tho madness of our
dreams cm show :t clearer purposo uud
speak moro certainly thnu nil tho acted
wlsflom of our waking life, which Is a
dream Indeed. Thou didst seo great Cresnr
in his bloody robe, and ho threw his arms
about Princn Cunurion and led him bunco.
Hearken now to tho secret of thy visions.
'Twas Civsat's self thou sawest coming to
thy side from Anient! in such a guiso ns
might not bo mistaken. When ho embraced
the child Civsarlon bo did It for u sign that
to him, and hint alone, ho passed his great
ness and his love. When ho seemed to
lend him hence ho led him forth from Egypt
to bo crowned in tho Capitol, crowned tho
Emperor of Homo nnd Lord of all tho lands.
For tho rest, I know It not. It is hid from
! mo."
I Thus, then, I read tho vision, though to
I my sense it had u moro evil meaning. But
i It "is not well to prophecy ovil unto Kings.
) Meai. whilo Cleopatra had risen, and, huv
I lug thrown back tho gnat gauze, was seated
I upon the edge of her couch, hor oyes fixed
ir.'on piy face tho whilo her lingers played
with her girdle's jeweled ends.
"Of r. ir'th," sho cried, "thou art tho
best of nil muglcluiiB, 'or thou rcudostmy
heart, and out of tin roir;h shell of ovil
omen dnuvest tho hidden sweet I"
"Ay, O Qjccn!" said Charmion, who
stood by with downcast oyes, and mo
thought thero wus bitter meuiiiug in her
soft notes; "may no rougher words over af
front thy ears, uud no ovil passago lass
closely trend upon Its happy sonso." Cleo
patra placed her hands behind her head, und
leaning back looked with half-shut oyes.
"Come, show us of thy magic, Egyptian,"
sho said. "It is yet hot abroad, and I am
weary of tho Hebrow Ambassadors and
their talk of Herod and Jerusalem. 1 halo
that Herod, as ho shall find nnd I will
huvo I'onu of tho Ambassadors to-day,
though a littlo do I yearn to try my Hebrow
un thorn. What eunst thou do! Hast thou
no now trick! By Scruplsl If thou canst
oonjuro ns well as thou canst prophecy thou
shult huvo a placo at court, with pay and
perquisites to boot, and thy lofty soul doth
uotscoru porqulsltes."
"Nay," I answered, "nil tricks nro old;
but thero are somo forms of uiagio to bo
rarely used, and with discretion, that may,
perchanco, bo new to theo, O Queen I Art
thou afraid to venturo on the charm!"
"Nuughtl fear; goon and do thy worst.
Come, Charmion, aud sit thou by me. But,
stay, whoro are ull tho girls! Iris and
Morlr! -they, too, love magic."
"Not ho," I said ; "the charms work ill be
foro so many. Nowboholdl" And, gazing
ut the twain, I cast down my wand upon
tho marblo nnd murmured u spell. For a
moment It wus still, uud then, as I muttered,
tho rod slowly begau to writhe. It bont it
self. It Btood on etui, and of its owu motion
moved. Next it put on scales, uud bohold
it was a surpout that cruwlod ami fiurculy
hissed.
"Fie on theo I" cried Cleopatra, clapping
her hands; "callost thou that magic! Why,
'tis an old trick that any wayside conjuror
can do. I havo seen it a sooro of times."
"Walt, O Queen," I answered; "thou hast
not icon ull." And even as 1 Bpoko tho ser
pent seemed to break in fragments, and
from ouch frugmeut grew a new scrpont.
And these, too, broke in fragments and
brod others, till in a little spaco the placo,
to their glamored sight, was a seething sea
ot snakes, that crawled, hissed and knotted
themselves in knots. Then I mado a sign,
and tho serpents gathered themselves
about me, and seomed slowly to twlno
themselves about my body and my limbs
till, save my face, I was wreathed thick
with hissing snnkes.
"Oh, horrlblol horrlblol" crlod Char
mion, hiding her countenance in the skirt of
tho Quoou's garment.
' "Nay, enough I Magician, enough 1" said
the Quoon ; "thy muglo overwhelms us."
I waved my snake-wrapped arms, und all
was gone. There at my feet lay tho black
wand tipped with ivory, and naught bo
side. Tho two women looked one upon another
and gasped with wonder. But I took up
tho wand and stood with, folded arms be
foro them,
"Is tho Queen content with ray poor art!"
I asknd most humbly.
uAyo, that um I, Egyptian; nevor did I
neo its llkol Court astronomer nrt thou
from this day forward, with right of access
to tho Queen's presence Hust thou moro
of such maglo ut thy call!"
"Yos, Royal Egypt; suffer that tho
chamber bo a littlo darkened und I will
show theo ono more thing,"
"Half am I afraid," sho unswered;
"nevertheless, do thou, Charmion, even us
thl.i nnrraachis says."
So tho curtains woro drawn nnd the
chamber mado as though tho twilight wns
at haud. I came forward and stood mo bo
sldo Cleopatra. "Gazo thou there I" I
said, sternly, polntinir with the wand to tho
ompty spafo wnuro l had boort, "and thou
shalt bohold feat which Is in thy mind."
Thou for ii littlo spaco was silence, whilo
tho two vemeu gazed fixedly und half fear
ful ut tho (pot.
Aud us thoy uazod u cloud gathered be
fore them. Vory slowly it took shapo and
form, und tho fut in it took wus tho form of
a muu, though us yet he was but vaguely
mapped upo.i tho twilight, and seemed now
to grow und now to melt away.
Thon I oncd with u loud volco :
"Hhado, I conjuro theo, uji;.ir"
And evrji ns I cried tho Thing, perfect In
ovory part, leapt into form beforo us, sud
den as tie (lash of day. His shape was thu
shupo of Itoyul Cu:sur, the toga thrown
about his faco, uud on his form u vestment
bloody from u hundred wounds. An in
stant so he stood, then 1 wuved my wand
uud hu was gone.
I turned mo to tho two women on tho
couch, und then I bow Cloopatru's lovo.y
faco all clothod in terror. Her lips woro
ashy whlto, her eyes stared wido, and the
flesh wus shaking on hor boues,
"Muni" sho tasped, "man I what art
thou who canst bring tho dead before our
eyes!"
"I am tho Queen's astronomor, magician,
servant whot tho Queen wills," I un
swered, laughing. "Was this tho form that
was on the Queen's mind!"
She mado no answer, but, rising, loft the
chamber by another door.
Then Charmion rose aud took hor hands
from her face, Sir she, too, bad been strick
en with dread.
"How dost thou these things, Royal
Harmachis!" she said. "Of a truth I fear
thee-"
Ai-, coocNIHlC DUUTOR.
Thr Quaint Wy of n Surrrsnful IfeW
Kntctnnil Mrillral .Mnn.
Dr. Charles Wild practiced medtcino
in ltrookllno, Mas., in tho days when
people insisted upon tnklng largo doses,
of calomel, rhubarb, jalap, picni, ipecac,
antimony and countless other drugs,
and on being blistered and bled. Tho
doctor was eijual to tho occasion, and
gave his patients tholr monoy's worth
of physic and sorvlco when thoy could
secure his attendance.
For tho doctor was a difficult man to
lltul, and, when found, to impress witli
the Idea that he was actually needed.
I'nless tho case was represented as a.
matter of life and death, ho was apt to
delay his visit until tho patient had re
covered or died. Those who hunted for
him, knowing his habits of going from
one patient to another, without going
home for a day or a night, used to go
through the streets looking for "old
Sal," his sorrel mare, and his familiar
old buggy, standing before some hou.su
door.
But such was tho public eonlldonco in
him, that in ordinary Illnesses people)
would wait his tardy visit rather than
send for another physician.
The author of "Sketches of Urook
llno" describes him as entering a houso
in the breezy way. stamping oil tho
snow or the land, throwing oil his ovor
coat and letting down his black leather
pouch, with nolso enough for threo men.
Ills salutation, uttered In a deep, grult
voice, was likely to be, If tho patient
wns an nctinlntance:
"Well! well! what kind ot a kick-up
luve you got now'.'" ,
He gave nicknames to tho children,
and would usk: "How's Nicodenius to
day'.'1' or: "Well! is Jchabod's tooth
ready for the luneo this morning'.'" A
friend's child, whoso naino was Flor
ence, ho called "Konio," "Milan." or by
several other Italian cities. ,
A member of Ills family, whilo making
out tho doctor's hills, was perplexed by
a charge upon tho books of a visit tu
"Don Sebastian." On inquiry it proved
to be tho nickname ot a child of tho
Cabot family.
When the doctor had studied tho caso
and given tho patient his doso of medi
;ino, ho would, if there was causo for
anxiety, sottlo himself for u social visit
of two or threo hours, during vvhluh ho
told droll stories, and acted them out to
tho amusement of tho children, who
were very fond ot him. If tho caso was
serious lie was gruvo and silent, entail
ing files, If thero woro any to cittuh, or
walked tho room In deep thought.
il'ho doctor was moro than a physician.,,
ho was tho counselor of his patients,
who consulted him upon all sorts of
matters, from choosing n wlfo or a hus
band to building a lion-coop. Ills opin
ion was an authority that few disputed,,
for his good senso was seldom at fault..
11 Is quaint humor, on leaving a sick
room, would often express itself in somo
such salutation as this: "Now If you can't
sleep well and don't know what tu
do, you uau umuso yourself with taking;
an oiuotic." Youth's Companion.
AMONG THE PERUVIANS.
Tli South American Nation Drscrftml by
ii Wisconsin Olrl.
When Hon. John Hicks was appointed.
United States Minister to Peru ho ohoso
as Secretary of Legation a bright Amer
ican girl, Miss Elizabeth L. Hanks.
Since being domiciled nt Lima, tho cap
ital of Peru, Miss Hunks bus kept hue
eyes open, and, with instinct sharponod,
by her connection with various North
western nowspapors, sho bus proved a
good news-gatherer. Writing' to a
friend in this city, Miss Hanks says:
"Procrastination is tho ruling habit of
Peru. Ask a Poruvlan when ho will do
any i thing and ho replies 'Mununn,"
which being" translated means 'to-morrow.'
Nothing is ovor dono to-day, all
things take placo on tho 'mamma,'
which never conios. This 'manana
habit is, I suppose, breathed In with
ovory breath of tho air that ono taken
hi Peru, iinil I am afraid I havo drawn a
good deal of It into my system.
"This is a vory interesting old city,
and yet tho people nnd tho government
aro very much behind tho times, tholr
ideas being thoso of ono hundrod yearn
ago. Tho city of Lliuu has boon called
'tho heuvon of women, tho purgatory of
men and tho hell of asses;' und to tho
Inst proposition I will heartily assont.
The city is full of donkeys, nnd tho men
and women who drlvo and rldo thorn al
ways carry a big chunk of wood with '
them, which thoy continually apply to
tho ribs of tho poor animals. Somo en
thusiastic wrisor has caUod tho women
of Lima tho most beautiful lu tho world.
Thero uro Homo protty Peruvian girlH to
he mot on tho streets or saying tholr
bonds in some of tho many churches.
Their dark eyes uro tho kind that would
make it muu jump olt l'Izarro's hridgo
into tlio river Itlinao if his suit hap
pened to go wrong. Tho Peruvian mon
pay a great deal of attention to tholr
personal uppoaruiico and pass nway
much of their time in dress suits and
tooth-pick shoes. They nro very gal
lant, but aro not half ho nlco as Amori
ciwi men from any point of vlow. Wash
ington Capital.
SPEED VS. QUALITY.
N'rr Conxlilcr I'liHt-llolui; f .More Iin
purliliicii '1 11 it n WVIl.ltolui;.
Many persons hociii to think that
speed In work Is a hlghor accomplish
ment than quality of work. If speed is
of tlio first importance, then it may bo
an apology for poor quality. If quality
is of tlio first Importance, then it may
ho an upology for want of speed. Ono
says: "J want to loam to wrlto fast."
Another Hays: "I wrlto this very
hurriedly; please excuse orasureH."
Would Biieh writers or workers--rather
he thought quick than uccuruto? Do
ihey placo tho writing abovo tho writ
ton? Even a shorthand writer ought
not to wrlto faster than ho can wrlto
woll, Speed follows quality; quality
never follows speed. It is a good thing
to do good work fast. Hut it is u bad
thing to do fast work badly und that in
tho way it generally la dono whon tho
fast-doing is hold nbo7o tho woll-dolng.
Had work had hotter bo dono ho slowly
that it nover gets dono at all. Tho only
way to attain to high speed is to work for
something bottor tbn spood, S. B.
'I'lmeti.