Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-12-01
ssrier words to speak to thee before chou


GUS face. Idly I noticed how crest was
its pallor and how wide and dark were the
rings about the deep black eyes. Twice
she lifted her white face and tried to
speak, twice her voice failed her; and
when at last it came twas in hoarse
whisper. =, -,
81 can not let thee co." she said-"I
can not let thee 90 unwittiug of the truth.
Harmaehis, 'tlods i0hO did betrdy thee"
sprang to my feet, an oath upon my
lips, but she caught me by the hand.
"Oh, be seated" che said-"be seated
and hear me; then, when thou hast heard,
do unto me as thou wilt. Listen from
that evil moment when in the presence OF
thy uncle Sspa, for the second time l set
eyes upon thy face, loved thee-how
much, little canst thou guess Think upon
thine own love for Cleopatra, and double it.,
and double it again, and, perchance, thou
mayst come near to my loves mighty sum.
l loved thee, day by day loved thee more,
till in thee and for thee alone seemed to
live. But thou vast cold-thOu vast worse
than cold; thou didst deal with me not q
breathing woman, but rather az the instEu-
ment to the end-as a tool wherewith to
grave thy fortunes And then IsaW-yes,
long before myself thou kneWest it-thy
hearts tide was setting strong towards
that ruinous shore wherein to-day thy life
is broken And at last came that night,
that dreadful night, when, hid within the
chamber, l saw thee cast my kerchief to the
winds. and with sweet words cherish my
ROYAL rivals gift Then-oh thou knowest
in my pain 1 betrayed the secret that
thou Wouldst not see-and thou didst
make q mock of me, Harmachis On, the
shame of iti-thou, in thy foolishness didst
make a mock of me l went thence,
and within me we're rising all the torments
which can tear woman's hesrt, for now l
was sure that thou didst love Cleopatra
Az, and 80 mad was |, even that night was
| minded to hetray thee; but | thought
not yet: not YETI tomorrow ne may soften.
Then came the morrow, aud all WIS ready
for the bursting of the great plot that
should make thee Pharaoh. And l, too,
csme-thon dost Iemember-and again
thou didst put me away when l spake to
thee in parallels as something Of
little worth, as a thing too small
to claim moments weigbty
though. And, knowing that this was be-
cause-thou knoHest it not-thou didst
love Cleopatra, whom now thou must
straightway slay, l grew mad, and a
wicked spirit entered into me, possessing
me utterly, so that no longer l was my
self. And because thou hadst scorned me,
this. to my everlasting shame and SORROW
did, passed into Cleopatra's presence
aud betrayed thee and those with thee, and
all our holy cause, saying that had found
writing which thou hadst let fall and
read all this therein.
gasped and sat silent; and gazing sadly
at me she went on:
when she understood how great was
the plot, and how deep its roots, Cleopa-
ira was much troubled; and, at first, she
would have fled to Ssis or taken ship and
run for Cyprus, but l showed her that the
ways we're barred. Then she said that she
would cause thee to be claim, there, in the
chamber, and 1 left her 50 believing; for
at that hour fain was that thou shouldest
be slain-ay, even if wept out my heart
upon thy grave. But what said l anon?-
vengeance is an arrow that oft falls on him
who looses it, So was it with me; for be-
tween my going and thy coming she
Matched deeper plan. She feared that to
STAY thee would be but to light a 6ercer
fire of revolt; but she saw that to bind
thee to her, and having left men awhile in
doubt, to show thee faithless would strike
the imminent danger at its root and wither
it. This plot once formed, being great, she
dared its doubtful issue, snd--need | go
on? Thou knowest, Hsrmachis, how she
won, and thus did the shaft of vengeance
that loosed fall upon my own head. For
on the morrow l knew that l had sinned
for naught, that on the wretched Paulus
had been laid the burden Of my betrayal,
and that l had but ruined the cause whereto
I was sworn and given the man | loved to
the arms of wanton Egypt"
She bowed her head awhile, and then, ss
I spske not, once more went on:
''Let all my sin be told, Harmachis, and
then let Justice come. See how this thing
happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to
love thee, and deep in her heart she be-
thought her of taking thee to welded hus-
band. For the sake Of this half love of
hers she spared the life Of those in the plot
whom she had msshed, bethinking her
that if she welded thee she might use them
and thee to draw the heart of Egypt, which
loves not her nor any Ptolemy. And then,
once again she entrapped thee, and in thy
folly thou didst betrsy to her the secret of
the hidden wealth of Egypt, that to-day
she squanders to delight the luxurious
Antony; and, of a truth, at that
time she purposed to make good her
oath and marry thee. But on the very
morn when Dellius came for answer she
sent for me, and, telling me all-fOr my
wit, above any, she holds at price-de-
manded of me my judgment whether she
should defy Antony and wed thee, or
whether she should put the thought away
and come to Antony. Ahd now mark
thou all my sin!-I, in my bitter jealousy,
rather that I would see her thy welded
wife and thou her loving lord, counseled
her most strictly that she should come to
Antony. well knowing, for | had had speech
with Dellius-that if she came, this weak
Antony would fall like a ripe fruit at her
feet, as indeed, he has fallen. Aud to-
night I have shown thee the issue of the
scheme. Antony loves Cleopatra and
Cleopatra loves Antony. and thou art
robbed, and matters have gone we'll for me,
who of all women on the earth tonight
am the wretchedest by far. For when l
saw how thy heart broke, but now my
heart seemed to break with thine and no
longer could bear the burden of my evil
deeds, but knew that 1 must tell them and
take my punishment.
"And no more have to say. save that
thank thee for thy courtesy in hearken-
ing, and this one thing add: Driven by
my great love, have sinned against thee
unto death 1 have ruined thee, have
ruined Khem, and myself also have 1
ruined! Let death reward me! Stay thou
me, Harmachis! Gladly will 1 die upon