The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-11-13

mood she gave some new-found charm.
Full Of talk she was as TO how should help
her make Egypt great and lessen the bur-
dens of the people and fight the Roman
eagles back. And though at first listened
heavily when she spake thus, by slow ad-
vance she wrapped me closer and yet more
close in her magic web, from which Is no
escape. NV mind fell in time with hers.
Then /, too, opened something OF
my heart, and somewhat also OF
the plans that had formed for Egypt. AND
she seemed TO listen gladly, weighing them
well, and spoke OF means and methods, tell
ing me how she would purify the faith and
repair the ancient temples-ay, and build
new ones TO the Gods. And ever she crept
deeper and more deep into my heart, till at
length, now that all things else had gone
from me, learned 70 love her with all the
unspent passion Of my aching soul. Ihad
naught left TO me but Cleopatra's love, and
Itwined my life about 1t, and brooded DER
IL as q widow DER her only babe. And thus
the very author OF my shame became my
all, my dearest dear, and loved her with
wild, deep love that grew and grew, till 1t
seemed TO swallow up the past and make
the present as dream. For she had con-
quered me, she had robbed me Of my honor
and stepped me 10 the lips In shame, and ],
Door, blinded wretch kissed the rod that
smote me and was her very slave.
Ay, even now, in those dreams which will
come when sleep unlocks the secret heart,
and sets all It's terrors free 10 roam through
the open halls OF thought, l seem 10 see her
royal form, as erst saw 1t, come with arms
outstretched and loves own light shining
In her deep eyes, with lips apart and fiow-
ing locks, and stamped upon her face the
look of utter tenderness that she alone
could wear. Ay, still, after all the years, 1
seem TO see her come as erst she came, and
still wake 10 know her an unutterable lie.
And thus ono day she came She had
fed in haste, she said, from some great
council summoned concerning the wars OF
| Antony in Syria, and she came, as she had
left the council, in all her robes Of state,
and In her hand the scepter, and on her
brow the ureus diadem Of gold. There she
sat before me laughing; for, wearying OF
them, she had told the ENJOYS, TO whom she
gave audience In the council, that she was
called from their presence by a sudden
message come from Rome; and 10 her the
| lebb booiuOu hheiiJ ouuuohiy oho aeoei
took the diadem from her brow, and set II
on my hair, and on my shoulders her Royal
ohlamys, and in my hand the scepter, and
bowed the knee before me. Then, laugh
ing again, she kissed me on the lips and
said was, indeed, her King. But, remem'
bering how had been crowned in the halls
of Abouthis, and remembering also that
wreath ofrpses whereof the odor haunts
me yet, rose pale with wrath and cast the
trinkets from me, asking her how she
dared 10 mock me-her Gagged birdf And
methinks there was that about me tina
startled her for she fell back. aaq5W3 edf
"Nay, Harmachis,n she said, .'he no
wrothi How lmowest thou that I mocl
theei How knowest thou that thou SAL
not be Pharaoh In fact and deedin n,
| rWhat lrneanest tthoulu said. s'Wil
thou. then, wed mo before Egypt How
else can Ibc Pharaoh nowln aAfss4 ss48l' *
+ She cirt down he- eyes. ''Perchance
bves wis IN my rnndsc wed thcc, = she sni'
J -siui5. az ytfitf