Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-29

sion had spentitself. But by it, more clear ly than before, saw how deep heart had.
 this man beneath the cloak of his merriness
 and simplicity of mien, and how hercely the
 mind within him was set upon his aim. As
 for the girl, she shrank from him terrified,
 and, placing her hands before her face, be-
 gan to weep.
 "Nay, speak not 50, my father," she said,
 between her sobs; ''for what have donet
 Naught know of the evil wandering of thy
 dreams. l am no soothsayer that should
 read dreams. Have l not carried out all
 things according to thy desirei Have not
 been even mindful of that dread oathp'-
 and she trembied. "Have not played the
 spy and told thee allt Have I not won the
 heart of the Queen 80 that she loves me as
 sister, refusing me nothing, ay, and the
 hearts of those about heri Why dost thou
 alright me thus with thy words and
 threatsa" And she Wept afresh, looking
 even more beautiful in her sorrow than she
 was before.
 "Enough, enough" he answered; "what
 have said have said. Be warned, and af-
 front our sight no moro with this wanton
 dress Thinkest thou thafj we would feed
 our eyes upon those rounded arms-we
 whose stake is Egypt and who are dedicated
 to the Gods of Egypt Girl, behold thy
 cousin end thy Kingr'
 She ceased weeping, wiping her eyes
 with her chiton, and I saw that they seemed
 but the softer for her tears.
 ''Methinks, most Royal Harmachis and
 beloved cousin," she said, as she bent
 before me, t'that we are already made ac-
 quainted."
 "Yea, cousin" ' answered, not without
 shamefacedness, for never before had spoken to so fair 8 maid; "thou vert in the chariot with Cleopatra this day when I struggled with the Nubian."
 "Assuredly," she said, with g smile and a sudden lighting of the eyes, 'it was gal Iant fight, end gallsntly didst thou over- throw that black brute. I saw the fray, fear for one so brave. But paid him for my fright, for it was ] who put it into the
 mind of Cleopatra to bid the guards strike of his hand-now, knowing who thou art, would had said his head" And she looked up, shooting glance at me, and then smiled.
 Enough" put in my uncle Sepa, "the time draws or. Tell thou thy mission, Charmion, and be gone."
 Thereon her manner changed. She folded her hands meelsly before her and spake: sLet Pharaoh neerken unto hfs hand maiden. am the daughter Of Phcrsoh's uncle, the brother of his father, who is now long dead, and therefore in my veins also flows the Royal blood of Egypt. Also am of the ancient faith, and hate these Greeks, and to see thee set upon the throne has been my dearesthope TOW for many years. To this end have I, Charmion, become serving woman to Cleopatra, that might out 8 notch wherein thou couldst set thy foot when the hour came to climb the throne And behold! O Pharaoh, the notch Is cut "This, then, is our plot, Royal cousin {: Thou must gain an entrance to the House. hold and learn it's ways and secrets, and, so far as may be, suborn the eunuchs and captains, some of whom | have already tempted. This done, and all things being prepared without, thou must slay Cleo patra, and, aided by me, with those whom | control, in the confusion that shall ensue throw wide the gates, and, admitting those of our party who are in waiting, put such of the troops as remain faithful to the sword and seize the Bruchium. Which be. ing done, thou shalt within days hold this tickle Alexandria. At tho same time, those who are sworn to thee in every city Tn Egypt shall rise in arms, and within ten days from the death of Cleopatra thou shalt be Pharaoh indeed. This is the counsel which has been taken, and thou seest Royal cousin, that, though your uncle yonder doth think so ill of me, have learned my part-ay, and played it.'
 II hear thee. cousin" answered, marvel tng that so young woman, for she had but twenty years, could weave so bold a plot, for ID it's origin the scheme was hers Butin those days I little knew Charmion ''Go on; how then shall gain entrance to the palace of Cleopatra9" .. 'Nay, cousin, as things are it is easy Thus: Cleopatra loveth to look upon man, and-give me pardon--thy face and form are fair. To-day she noted them, and twice she said she would she had asked where that astrologer might be found, for she held that an astrologer who could we'll nigh slay Nubian gladiator with his bare hands must indeed be master of the stars answered her that would cause inquiry to be made. So hearken, Royal Harmachis At midday Cleopatra sleeps in her inner
 hall that looks over the gardens to the har- bor. At that hour, then, will meet thee thou boldly asking for the Lady Charmion.
 I will make appointment for thee with Cleopatra, so that she shall see thee alone when she wakes, and tho rest shall
 be for thee, Harmachis For much she loves to play with the mysteries of magic, and whole nights have known her stand watching the stars and making pretense to read them. And but lately hath she sent away Dioscorides, the Physician, In that,
 poor fooll he ventured on prophecy from the conjunction of the stars that Cassius would defeat Mark Antony. Thereon Cleo patra dispatched to the General Allienup,
 bidding him add the legions:she had sent to Syria to help Antony, to the army of Gas
 sius, whose victory, forsooth, was, eccord- ing to Dioscorides, written on the stsrs But, as it ohanced, Antony beat Cassius first and Brutus afterward, and 50 Dios- corides hath departed, and now he lectures for his bread on herbs in the museum, and hates the name Of stars. But his place is empty, and thou shalt fill 1t; and then we will work in secret and in the shadow of
 the scepter. Ay, we will work like the worm at the heart of fruit till the time of plucking comes, and on thy dagger'o touch, Royal cousin, the fabric of this Grecian
 throne crumbles to nothingness, and the worm that routed 1t bursts his servile cov-
 ering, and in the sight of empires, spreads
 his royal wings o'er Egypt" I gazed at this strange girl once more as-
 tonished, and saw that her face was lit up
 with such light as had never seen upon
 the face of woman.
 "Ahl" broke in my uncle, who was
 watching her, "ah love to see thee SO,
 girl. There is the Charmion that I knew
 and bred up-not the Court girl, whom I
 love not, draped in silks of Cos and fra
 grant with essences Let thy heart harden | %A AIs