The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-10-17
! SLICED HIN AND DREW HIN AFTER NE.

SLICED HIM AND DREW HIM AFTER NE.
rounded arm made pillow for her head
and one hung downward to the ground. Her
rich lips were parted in smile, showing
the ivory lines Of teeth: and her rosy limbs
were draped in SO thin . robe Of the silk of
Cos, held about her by icwclcd girdle,
that the white CLEAN Of flesh shonc through
1t. stood astonished, and, though my
thoughts had little bent that way, the sight
OF all her beauty struck me like blow, SO
that for moment lost myself as it were
in the vision Of its power, and at heart was
grieved that must slay so far thing.
Turning suddenly from the sight found
Charmion watching me with her quick eyes
watching rs though she would search my
heart. And, indeed. something OF my
thoughts must have been written on my
face IN a language that she could read, for
she whispered in my car:
"Ay, it is a pity, is it nots Harmachis be-
ing after all man, methinks thou wilt need
all thy ghostly strength to nerve thee to the
dccd.''
frowned. but before could frame an
answer she touched me lightly on the arm
and pointed to the Queen. A change had
come upon her; her hands were clenched,
and about her face, all rosy with tho hue Of
sleep, gathered cloud OF fear. Her breath
came quick. she raised her arms as though
to ward away a blow, and then with .
stuffed moan sat up and opened the windows
Of her eyes. Dark they were, dark as
night; but when the light found them they
grew blue, even as the sky grows blue be-
fore the blushing of the dawn.
.sC2sarion.' she said: awhere is CRsa-
riOnf Mas il then "A siranmx I deaorno1
that Julius-Julius who IS dcad-came TO
me, his bloody toga wrapped about his face,
and, having thrown his arms about his child,
led him away. Then / dreamed / died.
died In blood and agony; and one might
not sec Knocked me as died. All! who is
that MANI
"Peace, Madam. peace.' said Charmion
TITS but the magician Harmachis, whom
thou didst bid me bring to thee at this
hour.'
"Ah! the lnagcian-that Harmachis who
overthrow the giant! remember me now.
He IS welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can
thy magic mirror give forth an answer to
this dream. Nay, how strange thing is
sleep, that. wrapping the mind in web Of
darkness, straightly compels it to its will.
Whence, then, come those images Of fear
rising on the horizon Of the soul like some
untimely moon upon the twilight sky!
Who grants them power to stalk 30 lifelike
from Memory's thronging halls, and, point
ing to their wounds, thus confront the
Present with the Past. Are they. then,
mcsscngersl Doth the semi-death of sleep
give them foothold in our brains, and
thus upknit the severed thread OF human
kinshipi That was Caesars self, / tell thee
who but now stood at my side and MUIR
| INJURED through his muffied robe warning
words whereof the memory is lost to me.
Read me this riddle, thou Egyptian Sphinx,
and Ill show thee roster path to fortune
| than all thy stars can point. Thou hast
brought the omen, solve thou its problem"
l In good hour do ! come, most mighty
Queen, l made answer. sfor I have some
skill in the mysteries of sleep, which is, as
thou hast rightly guessed, q stair whereby
those VINO are gathered to Osiris may from
time to time enter at the gateways OF our
living sense, and, by signs and words that
can be read Of mortals thereto duly learned.
repeat the echoes Of that Hall Of Truth
| which is their habitation. Thereby also the
messengers Of the guardian Gods may de-
| scend in many shapes upon the half-ioosed
spirit OF their choice. For, @ Queen, to
those who hold the key, the madness of our
dreams can show clearer purpose and
4 speak moro certainly than all the acted
wisdom OF our waking life, which is .
dream indeed. Thou didst see great Caesar
| in his bloody robe, and he threw his arms
| about Prince Casarion and led him hence.
Hearken now to the secret of thy visions.
Twas CHsar's self thou sawest coming to
| thy side from Amenti in such guise as
might not be mistaken. When he embraced
| the child Ciesarion he did it for y sign that
! to him, and him alone, he passed his great
ness and his love. When he seemed to
lead him hence he led him forth from Egypt
to be crowned in the Capitol, crowned the
Emperor of Rome and Lord of all the lands.
For the rest, know it not. 1t is hid from
me.n
Thus, then, l read the vision, though to
my sense 1t had more evil meaning But
| it is not well to prophecy evil unto Kings
Meanwhile Cleopatra had risen, and, hay-
| ing thrown back the gnat gauzc, was seated
upon the edge of her couch, her eyes fixed
upon my face the while her fingers played
with her girdle's jcweled ends.
"Of . TRUTH" she cried, s.thou art the
| best of all magicians, for thou readest nv
heart, and out OF the rough shell Of evil
| omen dravest the hidden sweet"
LAY, . Queen!' said Charmion, who
stood by with downcast eyes, and me-
| thought there was bitter meaning in her
soft notes; ''nay no rougher words ever af-
front thy ears, and no evil passage less
closely tread upon its happy sense" Cleo
patra placed her hands behind Ter head, and
leaning back looked with half shut eyes.
! ''Come, show US of thy magic, Egyptian =
she said. 1T is yet hot abroad. and ami
weary OF those Hebrew Ambassadors and
their talk OF Herod and Jerusalem. hate
that Herod, a. he shall 6nd-a--. will