Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-11-28

Aarth and resting on the elastic pi.ars Of
the air, and how above 10 the heavenly
ocean Nout. wherein the planets float like
ships as they rush upon their radianG way
Many things l told her, and among them
how through the certain, never-ceasing
movement of the orbs of light the planet
that was called Donaou (Venus) when sAe
showed as the morning star, became the
planet Bouou when she came as the sweet
Star of Eve. lThe motion of the planets
appears to have been familiar to the Egyp-
tiansl. And, while I stood and spoke
watching the stars, she sat, her hands
clasped upon her knee, and watched my
face
'AhF" she broke in at length, land 50
Venus Is to be seen both in the morning and
the evening sky. Well, of q truth, she is
everywhere, though best she loves the
night. But thou lowest not that should use
these Latin names to thee. Come, we will
talk in the ancient tongue of Khem, which
know right well; the first, mark thou, OF
oil the Lagida am / who know it. And
now," she went on, speaking IN mine own
tongue, but with a little foreign accent that
did but make her talk more sweet, ''enough
OF stars. for, when all ia said, they are but
tickle things, and perchance may even now
be storing up an evil hour for thee or me,
or for us both together. Not but what /
love to hear thee speak of them, for then
thy face doth lose that gloomy cloud of
thought wherewith thou drapest It and
grows quick and human. Harmachis, thou
art too young for such solemn trade; me-
thinks that l must find thee better. Youth
comes but once; why waste it In these
musingsa Time is it to think when we can
no longer act. Tell me how old art thou,
Harmachis!"
81 am six and twenty years, o Queen"
answered, "for l was born in the first
month of Shomou, in the summer season.
and on the third day of the month"
"Why, we are of an age even to q day."
she cried, "tor /, too, have six and twenty
years, and /, too, was born on the third day
of the first month of Shomou. Well, this
may we say-those who begot US need have
no shame. For If I be the fairest woman
in Egypt, methinks, Harmachis, that there
is in Egypt no man more fair and strong
than thou, aye, or more learned. Born on
the same day, why, ':is manifest that we
were destined to stand together, I as the
Queen, and thou, perchance, Harmachis, as
one Of the chief pillars Of my throne, and
thus to work each others veal"
"Or, perchance, each others woe,"
speeches stung my ears, and brought more
| color to my face than I loved that she
should see therein.
'.Nay, never talk of woe. Be seated here
| by me, Harmachis, and let US talk, not as
Queen and subject, but a friend to friend.
Thou vast angered with me at the feast to-
night-was it not sOl-in that I Knocked
| thee with yonder WREATH Nay, twas but
jest. Didst thou know how heavy is the
| task of monarchs, and how wearisome are
| their hours, thou wouldss not be wroth be-
cause lit my dullness with a jest Oh,
| they weary me, those princes and those
mobiles, and those stif-necked, pompous
| Romans. To my face they vow themselves
my slaves, and behind my back they mock
| me and proclaim me the servant of their
| triumvirate, or their empire, or their re-
| public, as the wheel of fortune turns, and
each rises on its roundl There is never q
man among them-nothing but fools, para
sites and puppets-never man since with
| their cowardly daggers they slew that
! Cesar whom all the world in arms was not
| strong enough to tame. And l must play
| off one against the other, if, may be, by Sc
| doing l can keep Egypt from their grip.
| And for reward, whats Why, this is my
| reward; that all men speak i'll of me and-1
| know tiny subjects hate mel Yea, l be.
| lleve that woman though be, they would
murder me could they find a means!" And
she paused, covering her eyes with her
| hand. and it was well, for her words pierced
| me so that shrank there upon the seat be-
| side her
| ''They think i'll of me, know it; and call
| me wanton, who have never stepped aside
save once, when loved the greatest man
| of all the world, and at the touch of love my
| passion famed indeed, but burnt with 9
| hailowed flame. These ribaId Alexandrians
| do swear that l poisoned Ptolemy, my
| brother-whom, most unnaturally, the Ro
| man Senate would have forced on me, his
| sister, as husband! but it is false; he
| slckened and died of fever. And even 81
they say that would slay Arsinoe, my sis
ter-who, indeed, would slay me! but that
too, is false! Though she will have none o.
me, love my sister. Yea, they all thinl
Ill Of me without cause; even thou dos
think i'll of me, Harmachis. Oh, Harmachis
before thou judgest, think what a thing il
envy that foul sickness of the mind which
makes the jaundiced eye Of pettiness to Sc,
all things distraught-to read evil writer
on the open face of good, and find impurit,
in the whitest virgins soul. Think what
thing it is, Harmachis, to be set on higl
above the gaping crowd Of knayes who hat,
thee for thy fortune and thy wit; who gnasl
their teeth and shoot the arrows Of thei
lies from the cover of their own obscure
ness, whence they have no wings to soar
and whose hearts quest it is to drag dow
thy nobility to the level of the grounding
and the fool!
'Be not, then, ready to think evil Of tn
great, whose every word and act is searche,
for error by a million angry eyes, an,
whose most tiny fault ls trumpeted by
41a y1rll 1nt~.
with the echoes of their sin Say not. "Ti
thus, 'tis certainly thus'-say, rather: Nay
may it not be otherwisel Have we hear
arightl Did she this thing of her owl
willl' Judge gently, o Harmachis, as wer
thou me thou wouldst be judged. Remem
Der that Queen is never free. She is, in
deed, but the point and instrument Of thos
forces polite, wherewith are craven tn
iron books of history. o, Harmachisi b
thou my friend-my friend and counsellor
my friend whom can trust indeed l-fo
| here, in this crowded court, am more u,
terly alone than any soul that breathe
about the corridors. But thee 1 trust; ther
is faith written in those quiet eyes, and
am minded to lift thee high. Harmachis,
can no longer bear my solitude Of mind
must find one with whom / may commun
and speak that which lies within my heart
have faults, I know it; but am not a
unworthy of thy faith, for there is goo
grain among the evil seed. Say, Harms
CHS, wilt thou take pity on my LONELINESS
, and befriend me who have lovers, courtiers
slaves, dependents, more thick than ca
count, but never one single friendl" an
she leaned toward me, touching me lightly
and gazed on me with her wonderful blu
eyes.
| Twas overcome; thinking of the MORO,
night, shame and sorrow smote me- j, he
friendl-L whose assassin dagger la
! against my breast! bent my head, and
, sob or groan, 1 know not which, bur,
! from the agony of my heart.
But Cleopatra, thinking only that 1 wa
. moved beyond myself by the surprise of he
, gracio1sness, smiled sweetly, and said:
sit grows late. Tomorrow night, whe
thou bringest the auguries, will we spea
again, o my friend Harmachis, and the
shalt answer me.'' And she gave me he
: hand to kiss. Scarce knowing what did,
kissed it, and in another moment she VIZ
: gone.
But stood in the chamber, gazing afte
her like one asleep.
ITO DE Continued