The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-12-21


.AntonY Inc dead, to II, tlle
sends greeting and ia sh,
h fellowship and Of many peril, dared craxa
I this boon the safety of those who cl1nH. ~
him and that which he hath given them .,T 9S82s
t.N ay, let. not my tears for must weeps
overflow your eyesl Why, It's not manly;
i tits most womanisll! All men must die
and death were welcome were it not 50 Ions
/ Should fall, to your tender care I 1eavemy
| children il, perchance, it may avail to save.
them from the fate Of helplessness. Sol;
! diers, enough tomorrow at the dawn we
! spring at C@sar's throat, both by land and
sea. Swear that ye win cling to me, even
/ to the last issueW
| 1--WE swear'' they cried. Noble An
! tony, we swearl''
ss,Tis WELT Once more my star grows
bright; tomorrow, set in the highest heav-
en-, it yet may shine the lamp OF Cesar
| down. Till then, farewell!a
He turned to 90, and as he went they
! caught his hand and kissed it,; and so deep
| ly were they moved that many Wept like
children; nor could Antony master his
grief, for, in the moonlight, / saw tears roll
down his furrowed cheek, and fall upon
that mighty breast.
And, seeing all this, was much troubled.
For well knew that if these men held firm
| to Antony all might yet go well for Cleo
| patra; and though against Antony bore
no i'll will, yet must he fall, and in that fall
drag down the woman who, Like some poi
sonous plant, had twined herself about his
| giant strength till it choked and moldered
| in her en- brace.
! Therefore, when Antony went, went
! not, but stood back in the shadow watching
| the faces of the lords and captains as they
| spoke together.
''Then it is agreed?" said he who should
| lead the feet. s"And this we swear to, one
and all, that we will cling to noble Antony
| to the last extremity Of fortune!''
| Say! ayl' they answered.
| SAY! ayr' I said, speaking from the
shadow; selling and diet"
| Fercely they turned and seized me.
''Who is he2' quoth one.
"'Tis that dark-faced dog, Olympusp ~
cried another, Olympus, the magician!"
| s'Olympus the traitorv' growled another;
! ssput an end to him and his magic!'' and he
drew his sword.
| Gay slay him; he would betray the Lord
| Antony, whom he is paid to doctor.''
| stHold awhilev'~ I said in slow and
| solemn voice, s'and beware how We try to
murder the servant of the Gods. am no
traitor. For myself, l abide the event here
in Alexandria, but to you say: Flee, fee
to Caesar! lserve Antony and the Queen
Il serve them truly; but above all serve
the holy Gods; and what they make known
to me, that, lords, / do know. And this I
know, that Antony is doomed, and Cleo
patra is doomed, for Caesar conquers.
Therefore because l do honor you, noble
gentlemen, and think with pity on your
wives left widowed, and your little father
less children that shall, if We hold to
Antony, be sold as slaves; therefore say:
Cling to Antony if ye will, and die; or fee
to Caesar and be saved! And this I say be-
| cause it is so ordained of the Gods"
''The Gods! ~ they growled; what Gods2
Slit the traitors throat and stop his ill.
omened talk!'
''Let him show us sign from his Gods,
or let him die; DO mistrust this man."
said another.
ssStand back, ye fools ~ / cried. "Stand
back-free mine arms-and will show you
8 sign;' and there was that in my face
which frightened them, for they freed me
and stood back. Then lifted up my hands,
and, putting out all my strength Of soul,
searched the depths Of space till my Spirit
communed with the Spirit of my Mother
isis. Only the Word of Power uttered
1 not, as had been hidden. And the holy
mystery Of the Goddess answered to my
Spirits cry, falling in awful silence upon
the face of earth. Deeper and deeper
grew the terrible silence; even the dogs
ceased to howl, and in the city men stood
still afeared. Then, from far away, there
came the ghostIy music of the sistra.
Faint it was at first but ever as it came it
grew more loud, till the air shivered with
the unearthly sound of terror. I said
naught, but pointed with my hand toward
the sky. And behold! bosomed upon the
air, foated a vast vail shape that, heralded
by the swelling music of the sistra, drew
slowly near, till its shadow lay upon US. 1t
came, it passed, it went toward the camp of
Caesar, till at length the music slowly died
away, and the awful shape was swallowed
in the night.
st'Tis Bacchusp' cried one. s'Bacchus,
who leaves lost Antony!" and, as he spoke,
from all the camp there rose groan Of
terror.
But knew that it was not Bacchus, the
false God, but the Divine Isis who deserted
Khem, and, passing over the edge of the
world, sought her home in space, to be no
more known of men. For though ner wor-
ship is still upheld, though still as she is
there and in all Earths, no more doth Isis
manifest herself in Khem. hid my face
and prayed. but when lifted it from my
robe, 10! all had fed and was alone.
CHAPTER xxx.