Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-30

gauge, Cleopatra lay asleep. There she lay-the fairest thing that man ever saw fairer than 3 dream, and all about her flowed the web of her dark hair. One white, 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 jeweled girdle, that the white gleam of flesh shone through it. I stood astonished, and, though my thoughts had little bent that way, the sight of all her beauty struck me like a blow, 50 that for a moment lost myself as it were in the vision of it's 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 as though she would search my heart. And, indeed, something of my thoughts must have been written on my face In language that she could read, for she whispered in my ear:
 "Ay, it is pity, is it not? Harmachis be- ing after all man, methinks thou wilt need all thy ghostly strength to nerve thee to the deed!"
 frowned, but before could frame an answer she touched mo 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 the hue of sleep, gathered cloud of fear. Her breath came quick, she raised her arms as though to ward away blow, and then with a 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.
 "C@sarion?" she said; "where is Cesa- rion2 Was it then dreaml dreamed that Julius-Julius who is dead-came to me, his bloody toga wrapped about his face, and, having thrown his arms about his child, led him away. Then I dreamed I died died in blood and agony; and one might not see mocked me as diedl Ahi who is that manW
 "Peace, Madam peace l' said Charmion. Iris but the magician Harmachis, whom thou didst bid me bring to thee at this hour"
 "Ahl the magician-that Harmachis who overthrow the gianta remember me now. He IS welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can thy magic mirror give forth an answer to this dreaml Nay, how strange e thing is sleep, that. wrapping the mind in g 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 skya Who grants them power to stalk so hfelike from Memory's thronging halls, and, point ing to their wounds, thus confront the Present with the Pasti Are they, then, messengers7 Doth the semi-death of sleep give them foothold in our brains, and l thus upknit the severed thread of human kinshipl That was Cesar 8 self, tell thee, who but now stood at my side and mur- mured through his muf11ed robe warning words whereof the memory is lost to me. Read me this riddle, thou Egyptian Sphinx, and I'll show thee 8 rosier path to fortune than all thy stars can point Thou hast brought the omen, solve thou its problem" !" | .sIn good hour do come, most mighty Queen, made answer, ''for l have some skill in the mysteries of sleep, which is, as thou hast rightly guessed, 8 stair whereby those who 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 tho guardian Gods may de. l scend in many shapes upon the half-loosed spirit of their choice. For, O Queen, to those who hold the key, the madness of our dreams oan show clearer purpose and speak moro certainly than all the acted l wisdom of our waking life, which is g ! luuocu, aAuOu uluSb 6co KT0At CS6S8I | in hls bloody robe, and he threw his arms about Prince Cmsarion and led him hence Hearken now to the secret of thy visions Twas C@sar's self thou sawest coming tc thy side from Amenti in such 8 guise as l might not be mistaken. When he embraced the child Caesarion he did it for g sign that | to him, and him alone, he passed his great ness and his love. When he seemed te 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, I know it not It Is hid from me-"
 Thus, then, read the vision, though te 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 gauge, was seated upon the edge of her couch, her eyes fixed upon my face the while her fingers played with her grdle's jeweled ends.
 "Of truth" she cried, "thou art tht best of all magicians, for thou readest n. heart, and out of the rough shell of svl emen drawest the hidden sweetp'
 "Ay, O Queen!' said Charmion, wht stood by with downcast eyes, and me thought there was bitter meaning in hel soft notes; ''may no rougher words ever af front thy ears, and no evil passage les: closely tread upon its happy sense." Cleo patra placed her hands behind her head, ans leaning back looked with half shut eyes.
 "Come, show us of thy magic, Egyptian, she said. Ut is yet hot abroad. and I an weary of those Hebrew Ambassadors ant their talk of Herod and Jerusalem. hat that Herod, as he shall finland vii have pone of the Ambassadors to-day though little do yearn to try my Hebrew on them. What canst thou dot Hast tho, no new tricki By Serapisi if thou cans
 conjure as well as thou canst prophecy tho,
 shalt have place at court, with pay an,
 perquisites to boot, and thy lofty soul dot
 not soorn perquisites."
 s'Nay," answered, Gall tricks are old
 but there are some forms of magic to b
 rarely used, and with discretion, that may
 perchance. be new to thee, o Queenl Ar
 thou afraid to venture on the charmM
 "Naught fear; go on and do thy wors,
 Come, charmioa, and sit thou by me. But
 stay, where are all the girls7-lris an
 Meriri-they, too, love magic"
 ssNot so,n said ''the charms work ill be fore 40 many Now beholdi'' And. pazin