The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-12-07

}NSS&#T3ZNXNyaf n
H4NWMMXlM stirring. The last
M8MNMAM reveler had drunk
MzazaM&zNbHN his I'LL, the dancing
m484A G. girls had ceased their 4
1@#EN8llTI dancing, and silence
@Ez an lay upon the city.
Mz.#MN drew near the gate, and
lN-ISW was challenged by an off,
- Ger on guard wrapped in
heavy cloak. sWho passesa" said the voice
of Brennus.
/. "a merchant, may It please thee, sir,
who having brought gifts from Alexandr1a
to a lady Of the Queens household, ana,
having been entertained Of the lady, now
departs to his galley" answered IN .
feigned voice. 49,,
a'Umphin he growled. ''The ladies Of
the Queens household keep their guests
late. Well; tits a time OF festival. Ine
password, Sir Snopkeeper2 Without the
password thou must needs return ana craVe
the lady's further hospitality"
"tAntony,' sir, and a right good Word' 700.
Ahl I've wandered far, and never saw SO
goodly man and so great General. Ano'
mark you, sir, I've travelled far, and seen
many Generals"
"Aye; sA,stony' is the world And Antony
is good General in his way-when 1T is
sober way, and when he can not find skirt
to follow. I've served with Antony-and
against him, too and know his points. Well
well; he's,got an armful noww
And all this while that he was holding me
in talk, the sentry had been pacing to and
fro before the gate. But now he Eloved
little way, leaving the entrance clear
ssFare thee well, Harmachis, and begone,"
WHISPERED Brennus, leaning forward and
speaking quickly. Ginger not. But at
times bethink thee OF Brennus, who r1sked
his neck to save thine. Farewell, lad;
would that we were sailing north together
and he turned his back upon me and begun
to hum a tune.
ssFarewell, Brennus, thou honest man,
answered, and was gone. And, as long att
erward heard, when on the morrow the
hue and cry was raised because the murder
ers could not find me, though everywhere
they sought me to slay me, Brennus did me
service. For he swOre that as he kept his
watch alone an hour after midnight he saw
me come and stand upon the parapet OF the
roof, that then stretched out my robes and
they became wings wherein hoated up te
heaven, leaving him astonished. And al
those about the courtlent ear unto the his
tory, believing therein, because OF the great
dered what the wonder might portend. The
tale also travelled into Egypt, and did much
to save my good name among those whom
had betrayed; for the more ignorant among
them believed that acted not Of my will.
butof the will of the dread Gods, who Of
their own purpose waited me to heaven
And thus, even to this day, the saying runs
that "Whe7, Harmdchis comes again Egypt
shall be Free" Only Cleopatra, though she
was much afraid, doubted her of the tale
and sent an armed vessel to search for the
Syrian merchant, but not to find him, as
shall be told.
When I reached the galley whereof
Charmion had spoken, found her about to
sail, and gave the writing to the Captain
who conned it, looking on me curiously, but
said naught.
So I went aboard, and Immediately we
dropped swiftly down the river with the
current. And having come to the mouth
of the river unchallenged, though we passed
many vessels, we put out to sea with
strong favoring wind that ere night fresh
ened to great gale. Then the sailor men.
being much afeared, would fam have put
about and run for the mouth of the Cydnus
once again, but could not because OF the
wildness of the sea. All that night it blew
ried away, and we rolled helplessly in the
trough of the great waves. But ga,
wrapped in cloak, little needing; and be
cause / showed no fear the sailors cried out
that was wizard, and would have cast me
into the sea, but the Captain would not Al
dawn the wind slackened, but ere noon il
once more blew IN terrible fury; and at the
fourth hour from noon we came in sight Oh
the rocky coast Of that cape in the island OF
Cyprus which is called Dinaretum, where is
mountain named Olympus, and thitherwards
we drifted swiftly. Then when the sailors
saw the terrible rocks, and how the great
waves that smote thereon spouted up in
foam, once more they grew much afraid,
and cried out in their fear. For, seeing that
/ still sat unmoved, they swore that Ger:
tainly was a wizard, and came to cast me
forth as sacrifice to the Gods Of the sea
And this time the Captain was overruled,
and said naught Therefore, when they
came to me rose and defed them, saying:
ssCast me forth, if We will; but if ye cast
me forth ye shall perish"
For in my heart cared little, having nc
more any love of life, but rather desire to
die, though greatly feared to pass into the
presence of my holy Mother Isis. But my
WEAKNESS and sorrow at the bitterness OF
IVY AOO ONSICSsA0 0NOn tLAo uO1vy 4Ct4I, ~
that when, being mad as brute beasts, they
seized me and, lifting me, hurled me into the
raging waters, did but utter one prayer
to Isis and make me ready for death. But
it was fated that should not die; for, when
/ rose to the sdrface Of the water saw
floating near to me spar Of wood. wheretc
swan and chung. And a great wave came
and swept me, riding, as it were, upon the
spar, as when a boy had learned to do ID
the waters of the Nile, past the b=lwarks OF
the galley where the fierce. faced sailors
chung to see me drown Ard when
they saw me come mounted on the wave
cursing them as came, and saw, too, that
the color of my face had changed--for the
salt water had washed away the pigment,
they shrieked with fear and cast themselves
down upon the deck And within a very
little while, as / rode towards the rocky
coast, a great wave poured into the vessel,
that rode broadside on, and pressed her
down into the deep, whence no more she
rose. 5 s| E
And so she sank, with all her crew. And
m that same storm also sank the galley that
Cleopatra had sent to search for the Syrian
merchant Thus were all traces of me lost,
and Of surety she believed that was.