The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-10-16

uncle Sepa. Atlength, passing up the avenue
OF Sphinxes, we came to the great marbl,
gateway and tho gates Of bronze within
which is the guard.hopse, And here my
uncle left me, breathing many prgyers for
my safety and success. But advanced
with an easy air to the gate, whore / was
roughly challenged by the Gallic scntries
and asked of my name, following and bust
ness. l gave my name, Harmachis thu
astrologer, saying that my business was
with the Lady Charmion, the Queens lady
Thereon the man made as though to let me
pass in, when n Captain Of the Guard,
Roman named Paulus, came forward and
forbade it, Now, this Paulus was large
limbed man, with woman's face and
hand that shook from wine-bibbing. Never
theess, he knew me again.
"Why,n hecried, IN the Latin tongue to
one who came with him, "this is the follow
who wrestled yesterday with the Nubian
gladiator, that same who now howls for his
lost hand underneath my window. Curses
on the black brutel had bet on him for
tho games l have backed HIM against
Caius, and now he'll never fight again, and
| must lose my money, all through this
astroogcr. What Is II thou sayest-thou
hast business with the Lady Charnionl
Nay, then, that settles It, will not let
thee through. Fellow, worship the Lady
Charm ion-ay we all worship her, though
she gives us more slnps than sighs AND
dost thou think that we will suffer an
astrologer with such eyes and such chest
as thno TO cut in the gamel BY Bacchus,
no! She must come out to keep the tryst,
for in thou shalt not go.'
"Sir," oaid, humbly and yet with dig
| nifty, al pray that message may be sent
to the Lady Charmion, for my business will
not brook delay"
"Yc Gods" answered the fool, ''whom
have we here that he can not waltz A
Caesar In disguise! Nay, bo off-be of
| II thou wouldst not learn how spear prick
feels behind"
"Nay,n put in the other officer, "he Is an
astrolc ger; make him prophecy-make him
play tricks,'
"Ah," cried the others who had sauntered
up "lct him show his art. II lie is magi
ciGn he can pass the gates, Pnulus or no
Paulus"
"Right willingly, good sirs!' answered,
for | saw no other means OF entering
wilt thou, my young and noble Lord"--
|
-"suiicr that look thee In the eyesi Per-
chance | may read what Is written there"
"Rlght," said the youth; "but / wish that
the Lady Charmion was the sorceress.
would stare her out Of cOuutenance, / war
| rant men
Itook him by the hand and gazcd deep
into his eyes. II see," said, "a field of
battle at night, and about II bodies stretched
among them is thy body, and hyena
tears at its throat Most noble sir, thou
shalt die OF sword thrusts within year"
by Bacchusp said the youth, turning
white TO the gills, "thou art an ill-omened
sorcererin And he SUNK oif-shortly after
ward, us it chanced, TO meet this very fate.
! Tor he was sent on service and slain in
Cyprus.
'Now for thee, great Captain ~ said,
sOeaking TO Paulus. ~ will show thee how
| VIII pass iliUse gates without thy leave
~, and draw tLee through them after me
! Bc pleased t. sy thy princcly gazo upon tho
| point Of this wand in my hand"
Beng urged thereto by his comrades, tins
he did, not willingly; and let him gaze till
saw his eyes grow empty as an owls eyes
! In the sun. Then suddenly withdrew the
| wand, and, shifting my own countenance
INTO the place OF II, seized him with my
will and stare, and beginning TO turn round
and round, drew him after me, his face,
fierce and drawn, fixed, as IL were, almost
TO my own. Then slowly moved backward
till had passed the gates, still drawing
him after me, and having passed, jerked
my head away. But he fell to the ground,
TO rise wiping his brow and looking exceed
ingly foolish.
"Art thou content, most noble Capta.nm
said. Thou seest we have passed the
gates. Would any other noble sir here pres
ent wish that should show more Of my
sklln
"By Taranis, Lord Of Thunder, and all
the Gods Of Olympus thrown. In, mop
growled an old Centurion, Gaul named
Brennus ~ like thee not, say. The
man who could drag our Paulus through
those gates by the eve, as II were, is not q
man TO play with. Paulus, too, who always
goes the way you don't want him-back-
ward, like an ass-Paulusl Why, sirrah,
thou must have woman In one eye and a
wine cup In the other, 10 draw our Paulus
thus"
At this moment the talk was broken, for,
coming down the marble walk, followed by
an armed slave, was Charmion. herself. She
walked calm and careless, her hands folded
behind her and her eyes gazing at nothing
ness, as II were. But IL was when Char
mion thus looked upon nothing that she saw
most. And as she came the officers and
men OF the guard made way for her bowling,
for, as learned afterward, this girl, next
10 Cleopatra's self, welded more power
than any one about the palace.
"What Is this tumult, Brennusln she
said, speaking 10 the Centurion, and max
ing as II she saw me not; "knowest thou
not that the Queen sleeps at this hour, and
II she be awakened II is thou who must
answer for II, and that dearlyln
"Nay, Lady," said the Centlrion, humbly;
shut IL Is thus. We have heren-and he
lerked his thumb toward me-"a magician
Of the most pestilent-um, | crave his par.
don, OF the very best sort, for he hath but
Just now, only by placing his eyes close TO
the nose OF the worthy Captain Paulus,
dragged him, the said Paulus, through the
gates that Paulus swore the magician
should not pass. BY the same token. Lady,
the magician says he has business with you
which grieves me for your sake"
Charmion turned and looked OF me care
lessly. SAY, remember" she said; "and
so he hath--at least the Queen would see
his tricks; but II he can do none better
than cause sot''-here she cast glance OF
scorn at the wondering Paulus follow
his nose through the gates he guards, he
had better go whence he came. Follow me,
Sir Magician; and for thee, Brennus, / say
keep thy riotous crew more quiet For thee,
most honorable Paulus, get thee sober, and
! next time am asked for at the gates give
| him who asks a hearing" And with a
queenly nod OF her small head she turned
and led the way, followed at distance by
, | mvaelf and the armed alave