Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-12
CLEOPATRA.
Being an Account of the Fall and
 Vengeance of Harmachis, the
Royal Egyptian.

Vengeance of Harmachis, the
 Royal Egyptian.
 thee to her, and having left ren aE-hiIe ip doubt, to show thee faithless would strike the imminent danger at it's roots and wither it. This plot once formed, being great, she dared its doubtful issue, and need go ona Thou knowest, Harmachis, how she won; and thus did the shaft of vengeance that loosed fall upon my own head. For on the morrow l 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 I was sworn and given the man loved to the arms of wanton Egypt"
 She bowed her head awhile, and then, as l spalke not, once more went on:
 t'Let all my sin be told, Harmachis, and then let 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 tho hidden wealth of Egypt, that o-day she squanders to de- light the luxurious Antonyi and, of truth, at that time she purposed to make good her oath and 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 price-demanded of me my judgment whether she should defy An tony and wed thee, or whether she should put the thought away and come to Antony. And I-now mark thou all my sin !-I, in my bitter jealousy, rather than would see her thy welded wife and thou her loving lord, counseled her most strictly that she should coue to Antony, well knowing, for l had had speech with Dellius = that if she came, this weak Antony would fall like a ripe fruit at her feet, as indeed, he has fallen, And to- night have I 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 wretchedest by far. For when saw how thy heart broke, but now my heart seemed to break with thine, and no longer could I bear the burden of my evil deeds, but knew that I must tell them and take my punish ment.
 "And no more have to say, save that thank thee for thy courtesy in hearkening, and this one thing I add: Driven by my great love, have sinned against thee unto deathl have ruined thee, have ruined Khem, and myself also have ruined Let death reward mo! Slay thou me, Har- machis Gladly will die upon thy sword; ay, and kiss its blade! Slay thou me, and go; for if thou slayest me not, myself will surely slay!' And she threY herself upon her knees, lifting her fair breast toward me, that might smite her with my dagger. And, in my bitter fury, minded was I to strike, for above all thought how, when I was fallen, this woman, who herself was my cause of shame, had scourged me with her scorn. But hard it is to slay fair woman; and even as lifted my hand to strike remembered that now twice had she saved my life.
 'Womani thou shameless woman!'' said, "arisel I slay thee notl Who am I, that should judge thy crime, that with mine own do overtop all earthly judg ment?"
 ''Slay me- Harmachls '' she moaned sslay me or slay myselfl My burden is too great for me to bear! Be not so deadly calm! Curse me and slay!'
 ''What was it that thou didst say to me anon, Charmion-that as I had sown so must reapl It Is not lawful that thou shouldst slay myself; it is not lawful that I, thine equal in sin, should slay thee, be- cause through thee sinned As thou hast sOwn, Charmion, so must thou also reap. Base woman whose cruel jealousy hath brought all these woes on me and Egypt, live-live on, and from year to year pluck the bitter fruit of crimel Haunted be thy sleep by visions of thy outraged Gods, whose vengeance awaits thee and me in thelr dim Amentil Haunted be thy days by memories of that man whom thy fierce love did bring to ruin, and by the sight of Khem . prey to the insatiate Cleopatra and slave to Roman Antony"
 "Oh, speak not thus, Harmachisl More sharp are thy words than any sword, ana more surely, if more slowly, shall they slayi Listen, Harmachis," and she grasped my robe; 'when thou vast great and all power lay within thy grasp, thou didst re- ject me. Wilt reject me now that Cleopatra hath cast thee from her now that thou art poor and shamed, and with no pillow to thy heada Still am fair, and still I worship theel Let me fly with thee, and make atone ment by my lifelong love: Or, if this be too great a thing to ask, let me be but as thy sister and thy servant-thy very slave. so that may still look upon thy face and share thy trouble and minister to thee. OHarma- chis, let me but come and will brave all things and endure all things, and naught but Death himself shall spear me from thy side. For do believe that the love that sank me to 50 tow depth, dragging thee, can yet lift me to an equal height, and thee with me-"
 "Wouldst tempt me to fresh sin, womanl And dost thou think, Charmion, that in
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