The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-10-16

dream indeed. Tn0u ulust see RreaJ CeSar
in his bloody robe, and he threw his arms
about Prince C@sarion and led him hence.
HearlSen now to the secret OF thy visions.
Twas Caesars self thou sawest coming to
thy side from Amenti in such q Huise as
might not be mistaken. When he embraced
the child CGsarion he did 1t for a sign that
TO him, and him alone, he passed his great.
ness end his love. When he seemed to
lead him hence he led him forth from Egypt
to be crowned in the Capitol, crowned the
Emperor of Rome and Lord Of all the lands.
For the res know 1t not. 1t Is hid from
me-"
Thus, then, read the vision, though TO
my sense it had more evil meaning. But
it is not well TO prophecy evil unto Kings.
Meanwhile Cleopatra had risen, and, hav-
ing thrown back the gnat gauze, was seated
upon the edge Of her couch, her eyes fixed
upon my face the while her fingers played
with her girdle's jeweled ends.
"Of q truth" she cried, "thou art the
best Of all maglcians, for thou readest my
heart and out Of the rough shell Of evil
omen drawest he. hidden sweet"
"Ay, o Queenn said Charmion, who
stood by with downcast eyes, and me-
soft notes "may no rougher words ever af-
frontthy ears, and no evil passage less
closely tread upon its happy sense" Cleo
patra placed her hands behind her head, and
leaning back looked with half shut eyes,
"Come, show us Of thy magic, Egyptian,p
she said. 1T is yet hot abroad, and am
weary Of those Hebrew Ambassadors and
their talk OF Herod and Jerusalem. / hate
that Herod, as he shall Finland / will
have none Of the Ambassadors today,
though little do yearn 10 try my Hebrew
on them. What canst thou dot Hast thou
no new tricll By Serapisl il thou canst
conjure as well as thou canst prophecy thou
shalt havn q place at court, with pay and
perquisites to boot, and thy lofty soul doth
not scorn perquisites." o.. .-
"Nay,"I answered, "all tricks are old !;
but there are some forms Of magic TO be
rarely used, and with discretion, that may,
perchance, be new 70 thee, Queen! Art
thou afraid to venture on the charml"
"Naught fear; go on and do thy worst
Come, Charmion, and sit thou by me. But
stay, where are all the girlsl-Iris and
Merirl--they, too, love magic"
"Not So" said; ''the charms work i'll be-
fore so many. Now behold" And, gazing
at the twain, cast down my wand upon
the marble and murmured spell. For a
moment II was still, and then, as l muttered,
the rod slowly began TO writhe. II bent It,
self, II stood on end, and Of its own motion
moved. Next II put on scales, and behold
IL was u serpent that crawl0d aud fiercely
hissed.
"Fie on theem cried Cleopatra, clapping
her hands; "callest thou that magicl Why,
tits an old trick that any wayside conjurer
can do. have seen 1t score Of times"
swat, o Queen" Ianswered; "thou hast
not seen alln And even as l spoke the SER
| pent seemed TO break In fragments, and
from each fragment grew a new serpent.
| And these, too, broke in fragments and
| bred others, till In a little space the place,
| to their glamorcd sight, was seething sea
OF snakes, that crawlcd, hissed and knotted
| themselves in knots. Then / made sign,
and the scrpcnts gathered themselves
about me, and seemed slowly to twine
themselves about my body and my limbs
| till, save my face, was wrenthed thick
with Kissing snakes.
"Oh, horriblel horrlblc" cried Char
mion, hiding her counteunnce in the SKIRT OF
the Queens garment
"Nay, enoughl Magician, enoughm said
the Queen; "thy magic overwhelms us"
waved my snalie-wrapped arms, and all
was gone. There at my feet lay the black
wand tipped with ivory, and naught be
side
Tie two women looked one upon another
and gaspcd with wonder. But / took up
| the wand aud stood with folded arms be
fore them.
"Is the Queen content with my poor art p
asked most humbly.
"Aye, that am l, Egyptian; never did
sec its likel Court astronomer art thou
from this day forward, with right Of access
to the Queens presence. Hast thou moro
of such magic at thy calll'
"Ycs, Royal Egypt; suffer that tht
chamber be little darkened and vii
show thee one more thing"
"Half am afraid,n she answered
nevertheless, do thou, Charmion, even IL,
this Harmachis says
SO the curtains were drawn and The
chamber made as though the twilight wa,
ut hand / came forward and stood me be
side Cleopatra. "Gaze thou thercw
said, sternly, pointing with the wand TO th'
empty space where had been, "and thor
shalt behold that which Is In thy mind"
Then for little space was silence, Will,
tie two women gazed fixedly and half fear
ful at the spot.
Aud as they gazed cloud gathered be
fore them. Very slowly 1t took shape ant
form, and the form IL took was the form o
man, though as yet ho was but vaguel!
mapped upon the twilight, and seemed nov
10 grow and now TO melt away.
Then L cried with a loud voice:
"Shade, conjure thee, dppedrg'
And ev,n as | cried tho Thing, perfect il
every part, leapt into form before US, sud
den as the fash Of day. His shape was tn,
shape Of Royal Caesar, the togn thrown
about his face, and on his form vestmen
bloody from hundred wounds. An IN
slant so he stood, then waved my want
and he was gone.
turned me TO tho two women on th
couch, and then saw gleopatra's love.
face all clothed In terror. Her lips wer
ashy white, her eyes stared wide, and Tia
flesh was shaking on her bones.
"Manw she gasped, "manl what ar
thou who canst bring the dead before ou
eyesr
~ am the Queens astronomer magician
servant-what the Queen wills" / an
swered, laughing. "Was this the form tina
was on the Queens mindp
She made no answer, but, rising, left th
chamber by another door.
Then Charmion rose and took her hand
from her face, for she, too had been stricIS
en- with dread.
aaNI. A. Al.