Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-08
CLEOPATRA.
Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the
 Royal Egyptian.

1 Royal Egyptian.
 | cains9 to the place where the sylnpol Of th, | God Horemku, fashioned as a mighty sphin. | {whom the Greeks call Harmachis), ant
 crowned with the royal crown of Egypt,
 looks out in majesty across the land, hl
 eyes ever fixed upon the East. Even as VI, | walked tho first arrow of the rising sur quiverud through the gray air, striking upon Horemku's lips of holy calm. Then the
 light gathered and grew upon the gleaminf | sides of twenty pyramids, and, like prom
 ise of Life to Death. rested on the portals o | ten thousand tombs. Then from his horizon
 bod Royal Ra rose up in pomp, and it was
 day.
 And passing the temple of granite and of
 alabaster that was built before the days of
 Chufu, to the glory of the majesty of Hor-
 emku, we descended the slope and came tC | the water of the canal. There we drank;
 and sweeter was that draught of muddy
 water than all the choicest wine of Alex
 andria. Also we washed the mummy dust
 and grime from our hands and brows and
 made us clean. And as she bathed her
 neck, stopping over the water, one of the great emeralds slipped from Cleopatra's breast and fell into the water, and 1t was | but by chance that at length found 1t in the mire Then, once more, I lifted Cleo 1 patra on to the beast, and slowly, for was very weary, we marched back to the banks
 of Sihor, where our craft was. And having
 at length come thither, seeing no one save
 some few peasants going out to labor on the
 lands, turned the ass loose in that s4me | field where we had found him, and we
 boarded tue craft while the crew were yet sleeping. Then, waking them, we. bade them make all sail, saying that we had left the eunuch to sojourn awhile behind.us, as
 in truth we had. So we sailed, and the gems, with such of the ornaments of gold as we could bring hither, we hid away.
 Four days and more we spent in coming to Alexandria, for the wind was for the most part against us; and they were happy days! At first, indeed, Cleopatra was somewhat silent and heavy at heart, for what she had seen and felt in the womb of the pyramid weighed her down. But soon her imperial spirit awoke and shook the burden from her breast and she became herself again-now gay, now learned; now loving and now cold; now queenly and now altogether simple-ever changing as the winds of heaven, and as tho heaven, deep, beauteous and unsearchablel
 Night after night for those four unhappy nights, the last happy hours ever was to know, we sat hand ill hand upon the deck and heard the waters lap the vessels side, and watched the soft footfall of the moon she trod the depths of the Nile. There we sat and talked of love, talked of our marriage and all that we would do. Also drew up plans of war and of defense against the Roman, which now we had the means to carry out; and she approved them, sweetly saying that what seemed good to me was good to her. And so all too swiftly passed the days. 0 those nights upon the Nile! their memory haunts me yet! Dead are those dear nights, dead Is the moon hot hnn md lnct f tl,N1 3.1 are the waters which rocked us on their breast! For all things end ill darkness and ashes, and those who sow in folly shall reap ill sorrow. An those nights upon the Nile
 And so, at length, once more we stood within the walls of that fair palace on the Lochias, and the dream was done.
 "Whither hast thou wandered with Cleo patra, Harmachis!" asked Charmion of me when met her by chance on that day of return. ''On some new mission of betrayal? or was it but love journeya'
 II went with Cleopatra upon secret busi- ness of the State," I answered, sternly.
 ''So those who go secretly, go evilly; and foul birds love to fly at night. Not but what thou art wise, for scarce would it beseem thee, Harmachis, to show thy face in Egypt"
 I heard. and felt my passion rise within me; for Ill could bear this fair girls scorn
 "Hast thou never a word without Q sting' asked. "Know, then, that went whither thou hadst never dared to go; to gather means to hold Egypt from the grasp of Antony"
 "So!" she answered, looking up swiftly. ''Thou foolish man! Better hadst thou done to save thy labor, for Antony will grasp Egypt in thy despite. What power hast thou to-day in Egypt?"
 ''In my despite that he may do; but in de- spite of Cleopatra that he can not do," l said.
 '.Nay, but with the aid of Cleopatra he ;an and will do It." she answered, with bitter smile. "When the Queen sails in state up Cydnus' stream she will surely iraw this coarse Antony thence to Alex andria, conquering, and yet, like thee, a ,lave!"
 ''It is false! say that it is false! Cleo oatra goes not to Tarsus, and Antony comes not to Alexandria; or, if he come, twill be to take the chance of war"
 "Now, thinkest thou thuss" she an- 'wered, with little laugh "Well, if it please thee, think as thou wilt Within hree days thou shalt know. 'Tis pretty Q see how easily thou art fooled Fare velll Go, dream on Love, for surely Love 8 sweet"
 And she went, leaving me angered and
 
 That day I saw Cleopatra nc more, but 'n the day which followed I saw her. She vas in heavy mood, and had no gentle word for me- spake to her of the defense If Egypt, but she put the matter away.
 'Why dost thou weary mel" she sad, with anger; "canst thou not see that am ost in troubles! When Dellius hath had lis answer, then will we speak of these 
 "Ay," said, "when Dellius hath had his and knowest thou that but yester- lay Charmion-whom about the palace hey name the keeper of the Queens | did swear that the an. wer would be: Go in peace; como to l Antonyr"
 ''Naught knows Charmion of my heart' aid Cleopatra, stamping her foot ill anger, and if she talk so freely the girl shall be | courged from out my court, as is her de- l ert. Though, in truth" she added, "she ! lath more wisdom in that small head of l lers than all my privy councillors-ay, and | nore wit to use 1t. Knowest thou that I | rave sold portion of those gems to the rich | ews of Alexandria, and at a great price, y, at five thousand sestertia for each one. l But few, in truth, for moro they could not l