The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-10-16

uncle, the brother of his father who Is now
long dead und therefore in my veins also
flows the Royal blood Of Egypt. Also am
of the ancient faith, and hate these Greeks,
and 10 see thee set upon the throne has been
nv dearest hope now for many years. To
this end have /, Charmion, become serving
woman to Cleopatra, that l might cut
notch wherein thou couldst set thy foot
when the hour came to climb the throne.
And behold o Pharaoh, the notch Is cut
"rhis, then, is our plot, Royal cousin'
Thou must gain an entrance TO the House
hold and learn its ways and secrets, and,
so far as may be, suborn the eunuchs and
captains, some OF whom / have already
tempted. This done, and all things being
prepared without, thou must slay Cleo
patra and, aided by me, with those whom l
control, in the confusion that shall ensue
throw wide the gates, and, admitting those
of our party who are In waiting, put such
of the troops as remain faithful TO the
sword and seize the Bruchium, Which be.
ing done, thou shalt within two days hold
this tickle Alexandria. At the same time,
those who are sworn 10 thee In every
city IN Egypt shall rise In arms, and
within ten days from the death Of Cleopatra
thou shalt be Pharaoh indeed. This is the
counsel which has been takcr and thou
seest, Royal cousin, that, thoug. your uncle
yonder doth think so III of me, have
learned my part-ay, and played It,"
II hear thee, cousin answered, marvel
ing that so young a woman, for she had
but twenty years, could weave so bold a
plot, for IN its origin the scheme was hers
Butin those days little knew Charmion
$50 on; how then shall gam entrance to
the palace Of CleopatraF
"Nay, cousin, as things are 1t is easy.
Thus; Cleopatra loyeth TO look upon man,
and-give me pardon--thy face and form
are fair. To-day she noted them, and
twice she said she would she had asked
where that astrologer might be found, for
she held that an astrologer who could we'll
nigh slay Nubian gladiator with his bare
hands must indeed be q master of the stars.
| answered her that would cause inquiry
to be made. SO hearEep, Royal Harmachis.
At midday Cleopatra sleeps In her inner
hall that looks over the gardens TO the har-
Dor. At that hour, then, win meet thee
| at the gates Of the Palace, whittier come
thou boldly asking for the Lady Charmion.
| will make appointment for thee with
Cleopatra, so that she shall see tEee alone
when she wakes, and the rest shall
| be for thee, HarmacEis. For much she
loves TO play with the mysteries Of magic,
and whole nights have known her stand
watching the stars and making prctense
TO read them. And but lately hath she sent
away Dioscorides, the Physician, in that,
| pOOr fool he venturc1 on a prophecy from
| tho conjunction Of the stars that Cassius
would defeat Mark Antony. Thereon Cleo
patra dispatched to the General Allienus,
btiling him add tho lcginns she had sent TO
| Syria TO hep Antony, TO the army OF Cas-
5lus, whose victory, forsooth, was, accord
,1g 70 Dioscorides. written on the stars.
Cut, us 1t chanc"d, Antony beat Cassius
| irst and Bruius afierw,.rd, aud 80 Dios-
brides hath dcpa'1 cr, and now he lectures
| .or his bread on haibs in the museum, and
ha;es the name OF stars. But his place is
| emmy, and thou salJ Ill It.; and then We
viii work In secret and In the ahad0w OF
lhG scepter. Ay, we will work like the
worm at the heart Of fruit till the time OF
pluciSing comes, and on thy dagger's touch,
Royal cousin, the fabric OF this Grec!na
throne crumb'es TO nothingness, and the
worm that rotted II bursts his serviic GOV
ering, and in the sight Of empires. spreads
his royal wings DER Egypt"
| gazed at this strange girl once more as.
tonished, and saw that her face was liz up
with such light us had never seen upon
the face OF woman.
"Ah!" broke in my uncle, who was
watching her, "ahl love TO sec thee so,
girl. There is the Charmion that | knew
and | bred up-not the Court girl, whom
love not, draped in silks Of Cos and fra.
grant with essences. Let thy heart harden
in this mold-ay, stamp IL with the fervid
zeal Of patriot faith, and thy reward shall
find thee. And now cover up that shame.
less dress Of thine and leave US, for il grows
late. Tomorrow shall Harmachis come, as
thou hast said. And so, farewell"
Charmion bowed her head, and, turning
wrapped her dark.hued peplos around her
then, taking my hand, she touched 1t with
her lips and without any further words she
went.
"a strange womanl" said Sepa, when she
had gone; "a most strange woman and un
certain.n
"Methought, my uncle" l said, "that
thou vast somewhat harsh with her."
"Ay," he answered, "but not without {
cause. Look thou, Harmachis, beware o.
this Charmion. She is too wayward, and,
fear me, may be led away. In truth, she 4
very woman; and, like q restive horse
will take the path that pleases her. BraiI
she has, and fret and she loves our cause
but pray that the cause come not face Il
face with her desires, for what her heart Il
| ~. II. Il Il.
do IL. Therefore did / frighten her now
while may; for who can know but tina
she will pass beyond my powerl tell the,
that in this one girls hand lie all our lives
and II she play us false, what thenl Alas
and alas that we must use such tools a
thesel But II was needful; there was n
other way; and yet misdoubt me. / pra,
that II may be well; and still, at times,
fear my niece Charmion-she Is too fair
and the blood OF youth runs too warm Il
those blue veins Of hers. OH woe 10 tn
cause that builds It's strength upon won
ans faith; for women, say, are faithful
only where they love, and when they low
their faithlessness becomes their faith
They are not fixed as men are fixed; the
rise more high and sink more low-they ar
strong and changeful as the sea. / say 3
thee, Harmachis, beware OF this Charmion
for, like the ocean, she may float thee home
or, like the ocean, she may wreck thee, and
with thee, all the hope Of Egyptp'
CHAPTER x
or THE COMING or HARMACHIs TO THE PAL
ACE; HOW HE DREW PAULUs THROUGH tn
, GATES; CLEOPATRA SLEEPING; AND TIL
D MAGIC WHICH HARMAoHIs SHOWED UNIT
HER.
E9m 9mnI5nnHUs it came to pas
I IE==ASzLZE13M that on tho next da
II Eg75=lNTzSE0 I arrayed myseI