Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-02
CLEOPATRA.
Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the
 Royal Egyptian,

came, and with thought that laughing mood
 which is ever apt to fasten upon nerves
 strained to the point of breaking. In 6
 flash, as it were, bethought me of the way
 in which she had that very night forced the
 wreath of roses on my head. 1 thought ot
 the kerchief and Now had flung it forth
 I thought of Charmion in the little cham
 Der watching what she held to be the arts
 of Cleopatra, and of her bitter speeches
 Lastly, thought of what my uncle Sepa
 would say of her could he sec her now, and Of the strange and tangled skein where
 with was immeshed. l laughed aloud the fools laughter-that was my knen ot ruin
 She turned winter yet-white as the dead and on her face there grew a look that checked my foolish mirth ''Thou findest, then, Harmachis, she said, in q low, choked voice, and dropping the level of her eyes 'thou findest cause of merriment in what l have said"
 "Nay," I answered, "nay, Charmion forgive me if I laughed. Twas rather a laugh of despair; for what am I to say to theea Thou hast spoken high words of all thou mightest be; is it left for me to tell thee what thou arta"
 She shranls, and paused.
 Speak," she said.
 'Thou knowest-none so well-what am and what my mission is; thou knowest-- none so well-that am sworn to Isis, and may, by law divine, have naught to do with thee."
 "Ay," she broke in, in her low voice and with her eyes still fixed upon the ground ''ay, and know that thy VOWS are broken in spirit, if not in form-broken like wreaths of clouds-for, Harmachis, thou lovest Cieopdtrd!''
 ''It is lie!" I cried. s'Thou wanton girl, who wouldst seduce me from my duty and put me to an open shame !-who, led by passion or ambition, or the love of evil, hast not shamed to break the barriers of thy sex and speak as thou hast spoken beware lest thou go too far! And if thou wilt have an answer, here it is, put straightly as thy question. Charmion, out side the matter of my duty and my vows, thou art naught to me el-nor, for all thy tender glances, will my heart beat one pulse more fast! Hardly art thou now my friend-for, of a truth, scarce can trust thee. But, once more, beware! To me thou mayest do thy worst; but if thou dost dare to lift finger against our cause, that day thou diest! And now is this play done9'
 she shrank back, and yet further back, till at length she rested against the wall, her eyes covered with her hand. But when ceased she dropped her hand, glancing up, and her face was the face of statue, wherein the great eyes glowed like embers, and round them was a ring of purple shadow.
 "Not altogether done," she said gently; "the arena must yet be sandedl' This she said having reference to the covering up of the blood stains at the gladlatorial shows with fine white sand. ''Well," she went on, 'waste not thine anger on thing so vile. l have thrown my throw and 1 have lost. Vac victis !-ahl Vac victisl Wilt thou not lend me the dagger in thy robe, that here and now I may end my shames No? Then one word more, Most Royal Harmachis: If thou canst, forget my folly; but, at the least, have no fear from me. I am now, as ever, thy servant and the servant of our cause. Farewellr'
 And she went, leaning her hand against the wall. But I, passing to my chamber, flung myself upon my couch and groaned in bitterness ot spirit. Alas! we shape our plans, and by slow degrees build up our house of Hope, never counting on the guests that time shall bring to lodge therein. For who can guard against-the Unforeseen.
 At length I slept, and evil were my dreams. When I woke the light of the
  the plot was streaming through the case ment and the birds sang merrily among the garden palms. woke, and as I woke the sense of trouble pressed in upon me, for remembered that before this day was gathered to the past must dip my hands in bIood-even in the blood of Cleopatra, who trusted mel Why could not hate her as shoulda There had been time when had looked on this act of vengeance with somewhat of righteous glow of zeal. And now-and now, why, would frankly give my royal birthright to be free from its ne cessityl But, alas! knew that there was no escape. must drain the cup or be for. ever cast away. I felt the eyes of Egypt me, and the eyes of Egypt's Gods. I prayed to my Mother Isis to give me to do this deed, and prayed as l had never prayed before; and, O wonder! no answer came. Nay, how was this! What then had loosed the link between us that, for the first time, the Goddess deigned no reply to her chosen servant? Could it be that I had sinned in heart against her! What had Charmion said-that loved Cle- opatras Was this sickness love? Nay, thousand times nay l-'twas but the revolt of Nature against deed of treachery and blood. The Goddess did but try my strength, or perchance she also turned her holy countenance from blood.
 roso filled with despair, and went about my work like 0 man without soul. I conned the fatal lists and noted all the plans -ay, in my brain I gathered up the very words of that proclamation of my Royalty which on the morrow should issue to the startled world.
 'Citlzens of Alexandria and dwellers in the land of Egypt" it began, "Cleopatra, the Macedonian, hath, by the command of the Gods, suffered justice for her crimes" All these and other things Idid, but did them as a man without @ soul-as man moved by force from without and not from within. And so the minutes wore away. In the third hour of the afternoon went, as by appointment fixed, to the houso where lodged my uncle Sepa-that same house to which some three months gone I had been brought when, for the first time, 1 entered Alexandria. And here found assembled in secret conclave the leaders of the revolt in the city, to the num- Der of seven. When had entered and the doors were barred, they prostrated them selves and cried: "Hail Pharaoh!" But I bade them rise, saying that not yet was I Pharaoh, for the chicken was still in the egg.
 "Yea, Prince," said my uncle, "but his beak shows through. Not in vain hath