The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-12-26

II can not take thy gold, Charmion.''
Yea, take it. II was Sepa who gave Il
| TO me for the furtherance OF our cause, and
therefore it's fitting that thou shouldst
spend it. Moreover, II want it, doubtless
Antony, who Is henceforth my master, will
| give me more, he is much beholden TO me,
and this well he knows. There, waste not
| the precious time in haggling DER the pelf-
not yet art thou all q merchant, Har-
machis:- and, without more words, she
thrust the pieces into the leather bag that
| hung across my shoulders. Then she made
fast the sack containing the spare gar
ments, and so womanly thoughtful was she,
hid therein an alabaster jar Of pigment,
wherewith 1 might stain my countenance
afresh, and. taking the broldered robes Of
mine Office that had cast of, hid them in
the secret passage. And 50 at last all was
made ready.
rs it time that should go." asked.
Not yet awhile. Be patient, Harmachis;
for but one little hour more must thou en-
dure my presence, and then, perchance,
farewell forever
| Imade . gesture signifying that this was
no hour for sharp words.
Forgive me my quick tongue" she said !;
'but from salt spring do bitter waters
well. Be seated, Harmachis; have heavier
| words to speak to thee before thou goest. !"
Say on answered; words, however
heavy, can move me no more"
She stood before me with folded hands,
and the lamp light shone upon her beaute-
Gus face. Idly noticed how great was its
pailor and how wide and dark were the
rings about the deep black eyes. Twice
she lifted her white face and strove to
speak, twice her voice failed her: and
when at last it came twas In q hoarse
whisper.
81 can not let thee CO." she said-sI can
not let thee 60 unwilling of the truth.
Harnsachis. 't,rds rho did betray thee.s'
sprang to my feet, an oath upon my
lips; but she caught me by the hand.
s.Oh, be seated she said-s.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 Sepa, for the second time set
eyes upon thy face, loved thee-how
much, little canst thou guess! Think upon
thine own love for Cleopatra, and double 1t,
and double it again, and, perchance, thou
mayst come near to my loves mighty sum.
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 as a
breathing woman, but rather Is the instru-
ment to an end-as Q tool wherewith to
grave thy fortunes And then saw-yea.
long before myself thou knewest
it-thy hearts tide was setting strong
towards that ruinous shore where
on to-day thy life is broken.
And ct last came that night, that
dreadful night, when, hid within the cham
Der, ! saw thee cast my kerchief TO the
winds, and with sweet words cherish my
Royal rivals gift. Then-oh! thou knowest
in my pain / betrayed the secret that
thou woudst not see-and thou didst
make q mock Of me, Harmachis! Oh
| the shame Of it.-thou, in thy foolishness,
didst make mock Of me! / went thence,
and within me were rising all the torments
which can tear woman's heart, for now l
was sure that thou didst love Cleopatra!
Az, and so mad was l, even that night was
minded to betray thee: but thought
not yet: not yet; tomorrow he may soften.
Then came the morrow, and all was ready
for the bursting Of the great plot that should
make thee Pharaoh. And /, too, came
| thou dost remember-and again thou didst
put me away when / spake to thee in para
| bles. as something of little worth, as thing
too small to claim moments weighty
/
cause-though knewest it not-thou didst
love Cleopatra, whom now thou must
| stralghtway slay, grew mad, and q wicked
spirit entered into me, possessing me ut
terly, SO that no longer was myself. And
because thou hadst scorned me, this, to my
everlasting shame and sorrow / dbl
passed into Cleopatra's presence and be-
trayed thee and those with thee, and all our
holy cause, saving that had found writ
| ing which thou hadst let fall and read all
! this therein
gasped ana sat silent; and gazing sadly
at me she went on:
when she understood how great was
| the plot, and how deep its roots, Cleo
patra was much troubled: and, at first. she
would have fed to Sais or taken ship aud
run for Cyprus. but showed her that the
ways were barred. Then she said that she
would cause thee to be slain, there, in the
chamber, and l left her so believing; for,
at that hour, fain was that thou shouldst be
| slain--ay, even If / wept out my heart upon
thy grave. But what said / non!-ven-
geance is an arrow that oft falls on HIM
| who looscs 1t! So was 1t with me: for be-
tween my going and thy coming she
Matched deeper plan. She feared that to
STAY thee would but be to light fiercer
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 roots and
| wither it. This plot once formed, being
great, she dared its doubtful issue, and =
| need 60 on. Thou knowest, Harmachis,
| how she won; and thus did the shaft of
vengeance that loosed fall upon my own
| head. For on the morrow / knew that
had sinned for naught, that on the
wretched Paulus had been laid the burden
OF my betrayal, and that had but ruined
the cause whereto was sworn and given
the man loved to the arms of wanton
Egypt"
She bowed her head awhile. and then, a.
spake not, once more went on:
LET all my sin be told, Harmachis, and
then 1t justice come. See how this thing
happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to love
thee, and deep in her heart she bethought
her Of taking thee to welded husband. For
the sake Of this halt love Of hers she spared
| the lives Of those in the plot whom she had
| meshed, 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 en-
trapped thee, and in thy folly thou didst be-
tray to her the secret Of the hidden wealth
| OF Egypt, that to-day she sQuanders to de-
light the luxurious Antony; and, of truth,
at that time she purposed to make good her
oath aud 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 predetermined Of me
my judgment whether she should defy An
tony and wed thee, or whether she should
pu. the thought away and come to Antony
And I-now mark thou all my sin IL, in my
bitter jealousy, rather than would see her
thy welded wife and thou her Loving
lord, counseled her most strictly
that she should cou4c to Antony,
well knowing, for had had speech
with Dellius - that if she came, this
weak Antony would fall like ripe fruit at
her feet, as indeed he has fallen. And to-
night have / shown thee the issue of the
scheme. Antony loves Cleopatra and Cleo
patra loves Antony, and thou art robbed,
and matters have gone well for me, who Of
all women on the earth tonight am the