The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-12-25

plotted to slay met But won him over,
and slew him not, for he had the key to So
crets that fain would learn; and, indeed,
Hove his wisdom, and TO listen to his deep
talk Of all hidden things.n
by Bacchus, but grow jealous Of the
knavel And now, Egyptl' ~"
sand now have sucked his knowledge
dry and have no more cause TO fear him.
Didst thou not see th6t these three nights
Ihave made him stand slave amid my
slaves, and call aloud the hours as they fed
in festivala No captive king marching in thy
Roman triumphs can have suffered keener
pangs than that proud Egyptian Prince as
he stood aud shamed behind my couch"
Here Charmion laid her hand on mine
and pressed it, as though in tenderness
"Well, he shall trouble US no more with
his words Of evil omen," Cleopatra went on
slowly; tomorrow morn he dies-dies
swiftly and in secret, leaving no trace Of
what his fate hath been. On this is my mind
fixed; Of q truth, noble Antony, 1t is tixed.
Even as speak the fear OF this man grows
and gathers In my breast Half am / minded
to give the word even now, for till he be
dead ! breathe not freely" and she made
as though TO rise.
"Let It be till morning. he said, catching
her by the hand; "the soldiers drink, and
the deed will be Ill done. 'Tis pity, too, /
love not to think OF men slaughtered in
their sleep.n
"In the morning, perchance, may the
hawk have flown she answered, ponder
ing. sHe hath keen ears, this Harmachis,
and can summon things that are not Of the
earth 70 aid him. Perchance even now he
hears me In the spirit; for, Of truth, I
seem to feel his presence breathing round
me. could tell thee-but no, let him bel
Noble Antony. be my tirinR woman and
loose me this crown Of gold; It chafes nv
brow. Be gentle, hurt me not--so.n
He lifted the ureus crown from her
brows, and she shook loose her heavy
weight Of hair that fell about her like q
garment.
uTake thy crown, Royal Egypt he said,
speaking low, stake It from my hand; /
will not rob thee of 1t, but rather setit more
firmly on that beauteous brow.n
"What means my Lordp' she asked,
smiling and looking into his eyes.
"What mean II Why, then, this hither
thou camest at MY bidding, TO make an
swer to the charges laid against thee as TO
that hadst thou been other than thou art
thou badst not gone back TO Queen 1t on
the Nile; for Of this am sure, the charges
against thee are true, In fact But being
what thou art--and look, thoul never did
Nature serve o woman betteri-I forgive
thee all. Fen for the sake Of thy grace
and beauty forgive thee that which hath
not been forgiven to virtue, or to patriot.
ism, or to the dignity Of agel See, now, how
good thing is woman s wit and loveliness,
that can make Kings forget their duty and
cozen e'en blindfolded Justice TO paep ere
she lifts her swordl Take back thy crown,
o Egypt my care now 1t is that though IL
be heavy, IL shall not chafe thee"
"Royal words are those, most noble
Antony,r she made answer; sgracious and
generous words, such as befit the Con-
aueror Of the world And touching my mis-
deeds In the past-h misdeeds there have
been-this / say, and this alone, then
knew not Antony. For, knowing Antony,
who could sin against hint What woman
could lift sword against one who must be
TO all women as God--one who, seen and
known, draws after him the whole al!
iegiance OF tho heart, as the sun draws
fiowersi And what more can say and not
cross the bounds Of woman's modestyi
| Why, only this-set that crown upon nv
brow, great Antony, and viii take IL as
| gift from thee, by the giving made doubly
dear, and to thy uses will guard 1t There
now am thy vassal Queen, and through
me all old Egypt that / rule doth homage
unto Antony the Triumvir, who shall be
Antony the Emperor and Khem's Imperial
| Lordn
And he, having set the crown upon her
| locks, stood gazing on her, grown passion,
/ ate in the warm breath OF her living beauty,
| till at length he caught her by both hands,
| and. drawing her TO him, kissed her thrice,
saving: -.
CLEOPATRA, love thee, Sweetl-I love
| thee as ne'er l loved beforeln
She drew back from his embrace, smiling
softly: and as she did 30 the golden circlet
Of the sacred snakes fell. being but loosely
set upon her brow, and rolled away into the
| darkness beyond the ring OF light.
Even in the bitter anguish Of my heart
saw the omen and knew its evil import. But
these twain took no note.
uThou lowest mein she said most sweetly;
chow know that thou lowest mel Per.
chance ,tis Fulyia whom thou loyest--Ful.
via. thy welded wifein
aNay. 'tis not Fulyia; tits thee, Cleopatra,
and thee alone. Many women have looked
favorably upon me from INV boyhood up,
but 10 never a one have known such de.
sire as 10 thee. o thou Wonder OF the
World. ike INTO whom no woman ever
wasI Canst thou love me. Cleopatra, and
70 me be true--not for nv place and power,
mot for that which / can give or can with
hold, not for the stern music OF nv leeions'
tramp. or for the light that flows from nv
bright star OF fortune; but for myself, fol
the sake Of Antony, the rough captain
grown old In campsi Ay, for the sake Of
Antony the reveler, the frail, tho unified
Of purpose, but who never yet did desert .