Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-12-01

''By Bacchus, mo- thou shalt not"
cried Antony, snstching at her hands; L
have seen enough" And at that mo-
ment, moved thereto by know not what,
I called aloud:
1.-THE hour falls-the hour Of the coming
Of The curse Of MeRka-ral"
An asby whitenes; grew upon Uleopa-
tra's face and furiously she turned upon
me, while all the company gszed wonder
ing, not knowing what the words might
mean.
Thou ill-omened slave" she cried.
Speak thus once more and thou shalt
be scourged with rOdsi-sy, scourged like
an evil-doer-that promise thee, Harma-
CHS"
"What means the knave of an astrolo.
gsr9V asked Antony. Speak, sirrah! and
make clear thy meaning, for those who
deal in curses must warrant their wares. q"
It am a servant of the Gods, noble An
tonv. That which the Gods put in my
mind that must 1 say; nor can l read their
meaning, I answered humbly.
"Oh! oh! thou servest the Gods, dOst thou,
thou many-cOlOred mystery?" This he
said having reference to my splendid
robes. well, I serve the Goddesses,
which is softer cult. And there's this
between US: that though Whist they put IN
my mind I say, neither can read their
meaning" and he glanced at Cleopatra as
one who questions.
"Let the knave be, +" she said impatient
". tomorrow well be rid Of him. Slrrah,
BECOME"
I bowed and went; and, as I went, 1
heard Antony say: well, 8 knsve he
may be, for that all men are, but this for
thy astrologer-he hath royal air and
the eve of a king-ay, and wit in it.
Without the door paused, not knowing
whaAto do, for I was bewildered with
misery; and, as I stood, some one touched
ne on the hand. I glanced up-it was
Charmion, who, in the confusion Of the
rising of the guests, had slipped away and
followed NE.
For in trouble, ChsrmiOn was ever at
my side.
in danger"
I turned and followed her. Why should
I not?
"Whither 20 we?" asked at length.
ITO my chamber" she ssid. Fear
not, we ladies of CleOpatra's Court have
small good fame to lose. If any one by
chance should see Us, they'll think that
'tis lOve-tryst, and such are all the
fashion"
followed, and, presently, skirting the
crowd, we came, unseen, 10 little side
entrance that led to a stair up which we
passed. This stair ended in passage; we
turned down it till We found a door on the
left band. Silently CharmiOn entered and
I followed her into dark chamber. Being
in she barred the door, and, kindling tim
der to a flame, lit the hanging lamp. As
the light grew strong / gazed around. The
chamber was not large and had but one
easement closely shattered. For the rest,
it was simply furnished, having white
walls, some chests for garments, an ancient
chair, what took to be a firing table,
whereon were combs, perfumes and ali the
| frippery that pertains to woman, and a
white bed with broidered cOverlid, over
which was hung gnat gauze.
"Be seated, Harmachis," she said,
/ pointing to the chair.
took the chair, and CharmiOn, throw
ing back the guat gauzs, sat herself upon
\ the bed before me.
'KuoEest thou what heard Cleopatra
say as thou didst leave the banqueting
hall2" she asked presently.
NAY, I know not"
''She gazed after thee, and, as went
over to her to do some service, she muir
INJURED to herself: by Scraps, l will
make an end No longer will 1 wait, to-
morrow he shall be strsngledl"
sop I said, ''it may be; though, after
all that has been, scarce can believe that
she will murder me-"
"Why canst thou not believe it, o thou
most foolish of men? Dost forget how
nigh thou vast to death there IN the Ala
baster Hall? Who saved thee then from
the knives of the eunuchs? Was it Cleo
patra? Or was it l and Brennus? Stay, L
will tell thee. Thou canst not yet believe
il, because in thy folly thou dost not think
il possible that the woman who has but
lately been as a wife to thee can
now in so short a time doom thee
TO be baselv done 10 death. Nay, answer
mott know all; and this l tell thee
-thou hast not measured the depth OF
Cleopatra's perfdy, nor canst thou dream
the blackness Of her wicked heart. She
had surely slain thee in Alexandria had
she not feared that thy slaughter, being
noised abroad, might bring trouble to her.
Therefore has she brought thee here to
kill thee secretly. For what more canst
thou give heI?-she has thy hearts love,
aud is wearied of thy strength and beauty.
She has robbed thee of thy royal birth
right and brought thee, King, to stand
amidst her waiting women behind her at
oer fessts: she has won from thee the great
secret of the holy treasured"
"Ah, thou knOwest thst2'
"Yea. know all; and tonight thou
seest how the wealth stored against the
need of Khem is being squandered to NIL
M the wanton luxury Of Khem's Macedo-
nisn Queen Thou seest how she hath
kent her cath TO wed thee honorably
Harmachis-at length thine eyes are open
10 the truth"
CAV. I see too we'll; she swOre she loved
me. and, fool that l was, l did believe
heIm
.She swore she loved thee" answered
Charmion, lifting her dark eyes; now
will show thee how she doth love thee.
Knowest thou what was this house? 1t
was a priests college; and, as thou wot-
test. Harmschis, priests hSve their ways.
This little chamber aforetime was the
chamber Of the Head Priest, and the cham
Der that is beyond and below was the gath
ering room of the other priests. All this
the old slave who keeps the place told me,
and also she revealed what shall show
thee. Now, Harmachis, be silent as the
dead and follow me-"
She blew out the lamp, and by the lit
tie light that crspt through the shattered
easement led me by the hand to the far
corner of the room. Here she pressed upon
the wall. aud door opened in its thick
ness. We entered, and she closed the
spring. Now We were in little chamber,
some FIVE cubits in length by four In
breadth; for faint light struggled into the