Telegram-herald., 1889-10-11

4
On the morrow ne court met - the great
Ia ons hour before midday, 4nd thither 1
Ne4t VITA = trel11iizg heart " hear Geo
p-trss answer y Deliils ana u hear myself
.-so made King co8sort % the Queen Of
EsyPI l. was fan zad splendid court;
tlers were councillors, lords, captains,
s1A lcls and DallIlg woDen-s-l save Char
u-on- The nclr passed, bgt Cleopatra and
ClArH-on cane noL AT length Caar-nlon
entered zently b. = side entrance and took
her place anonz the waiting l.1Ies about
tne throne. Even a. sns id 50 she east q
glance AZ ne, aud there was triumph ln ner
eyes, though over what she triunpRed |
knew not. Little id guess shat she rad
Dat now brought about ny ruin and sealed
tie fate q Egypt
Then presently the trumpets blared, and,
clad m her robes ~ state, tbs urssus crown
upon her head, aud on her breast, flashing
Ike = star. LhaG great emera| Z sc@ra08aus
which Sue h4d dragged fron dead Pha-
raol heart C.e.pa'ra, followed oy . gilt
feruz guard 0f NorIhmen, swept Ia splel-
DOR q her tarone Dark was her lovely
face snd dark her sllmbrOus eyes, and
none might read their message though al
that court searched therein for sign Of
what should come She seated herself
sogg.y as one who may not be moved, and
spoxs 10 the Chef Of the Heralds IN the
Greek tongue;
Does the Ambassador OF the noble
Antony waitl'
The herald bowed low and made assent
Let him come IN and hear our
answer"
The doors were nuhg wide, and, fol-
lowed by ais train q knights, Deilius, clad
10 his golden armor and his put pie
chlanys, walked with eatllSe step up the
great hall, and made obelsanoe before the
thr0ne.
Most Royal and beaU,eous Egypt" he
sad, La his soft voice, "as thou hast gra-
cious.y been pleased 70 bid me, thy servant l
an here % take Thy answer 20 the letter OF
the noble Antony the Trlumvir, whom to-
morrow l sail % meet al Tarsus, in Cilcia-
And this VIII 1 say, Royal Egypt-craving
pardon the while tor the OOldness OF my
sDeech-bethiuk thee well before words
taat can nOs be uuspOkcn fall from those
sweet lips. Defy Antony, and Antony viii
wreck thee. But, lIl1o thy mother Aphro-
eite. rise glorious on his sight from the
bosom Of the Cyprian Wave, aud for
wreck be viii give thee all that can be
dear 20 woman's R0yalty-empire and
fame and wealth and TIE diadem Of rule
made sure. For mark: Antony holds this
Eastern World in the hollow OF his warlike
hand. and az his viii kings are, and at his
froyn they cease 70 be-
And Dellius bowed his head, and folding
bis hands meekiy on bis breast, awaited
answer
For awhile Cleopatra answered not, but
sat Ike the sphinx Horemku, dumb and in
scrutsble, gazing with lost eyes down the
length Of that great hall
Then, ike soft music, her answer came,
snd trem bling l listened for Egypts chal-
len 70 70 the Roman:
''Noble Dellius, much have we bethought
us Of the matter OF thy message from great
Antony TO- our poor Royalty Of Egypt
Much have we bethOught US, and counsel
have we taken from the oracles Of the gods,
from the wisest among our friends, and
from the teaching OF our heart, that ever,
Ike nesting bird, broods over our peoples
veal Sharp are the words that thou hast
brought across the sea; methinks better had
hey been fitted 20 the ears OF some petty,
iaf-tamed Prince than 70 these Of Egypt's
Queen. Therefore have we numbered the
Legions that we can gather, and the triermes
and the galleys wherewith we may breast
The sea, and the moneys which shall buy Us
a. things wanting to our war. And this
ws find, thar, though Antony be strong, yet
hath Egypt Taught TO fear from the strength
of Antony"
She paused. and murmur OF applause
of her high words ran down the hall
Only Delius stretched out bis hands as
though % push them back. Then came the
end
noble Dellusi Half are we minded
there to bid our tongue stop. and, strong
within our fortresses Of stone and our other
fortres5es built Of the hearts Of men, abide