Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-11

with mine agony that rent me like tort ure-bed. Methinks, had it not been for that fierce desire of vengeance which from time to time flashed across my tormented mind as the quick lightning o'er a midnight sea, my reason had left me in that dark hour. At length I heard her footstep at the door, and she entered, breathing heav- lily, for in her arms she bore sack of cloth ing.
 "All is well," she said; there is the garb with spare linen, and writing tablets, and all things needful. I have seen Brennus also, and told him that a Syrian merchant would pass the guard an hour before the dawn. And, though he made pretense of sleep, methinks he understood, for he an- swered, yawning, that if they but had the pass word, Antony fifty Syrian merchants might go through about their lawful busi- ness. And here is the letter to the Cap- | tain-thou canst not mistake the galley, for she is moored along the right-a small galley, painted black, as thou dost enter on the great quay, and, moreover, the sailors make read3 for sailing. Now will wait here without while thou dost put off the | livery of thy service and array thysef." When she was gone I tore off my gor- geous garments and spat upon them and trod | them on the ground. Then l put on the modest robe of a merchant, and bound round me the tablets, on my feet the sandals
 
 When 1t was done, Charmion entered once again and looked on me.
 "Too much art thou still the Royal Har- machis," she said. ''See, it must be ! changed"
 Then she took scissors from her tiring | table, and bidding me to be seated, she cut l of my locks, clipping the hair close to the head. Next she found stains of such sort l as women use to make dark the eyes and mixed them cunningly, rubbing the stuff on l my face and hands and on the white mark l in my hair where the sword of Brennus had bitten to the bone
 1 "Now art thou changed-some what for the worse, Harmachis," she said, with a dreary laugh; ''scarce myself should I know thee. Stay, there is one more thing" and going to a chest of garments, she drew thence heavy bag of gold.
 ''Take thou this," she said; ''thou wilt have need of money"
 II can not take thy gold, Charmion." l t'Yea, take 1t. 1t was Sepa who gave it to me for the furtherance of our cause, and therefore 'tis fitting that thou shouldst spend it. Moreover if I want it, doubtless | Antony, who is henceforth my master, will 1 give me more; he is much beholden to me, and this well he knows. There, waste not the precious time in haggling o'er the pelf- l pot yet art theu all merehant, Har- machis ;n and, without more words, she thrust the pieces into the leather bag that hung across my shoulders. Then she made fast the sack eoateiging the spare gar 1nents, and so Womanly thoughtful was she, hld therein an alabaster jar of pigment, l wherew!th might stain my oountenance afresh, and. taking the broidered robes of mine office that had cast off, hid them in the secret passage. And so at last all was | made ready.
 is it time that should got" I asked. Mot yet awhile, Bs patient, Harmachis {; for but ono little hour moro must thou en- dure my presence, and then, perchance, farewell fo"over."
 mado gesture signlfying that this was nn hN'," fer sharp words;
 sI>,.. -i.c ne my quick tangue,i she said |; ''rut from 2 salt spring do bitter waters ,veu. Be seated, Harmachis; have heavier words to speak to thee before thou goest"
 "Say on," answered; swords, however ! ,}vy, can move me no more."
 i5ac stood before mo with folded hands and the lania light shone upon her beaute- aus face. Idly noticed how great was it's palar and how wide and dark were the rings about the deep black eyes. Twice she lifted her white face and strove to speak, twice her voice failed her; an6 when at last it came twas in hoarse whisper.
 "I can not let thee go" she said-'T can not let thee go unwilling of the truth Harmachis, 't,oas I acho did besray thee!"
 l sprang to my feet, an oath upon my lips; but she caught me by the hand.
 'Oh be seated" she said-''be seated and hear me; then, when thou hast heard, do unto mo as thou wilt I4steni from that evil moment when, in the presence of thy uncle Sepa, for the second time set eyes upon thy face, I loved thee-how much, little canst thou guess! Think upon thine own love for Cleopatra, and double it, and double it again, and, perchance, thou mayst come near to my love's mighty sum. loved thee, day by day loved thee more, till in thee and for thee alone seemed to live. But thou vast cold-thou vast worse than cold; thou didst deal with me not as a breathing woman, but rather as tho instru- ment to an end-as q tool wherewith to grave thy fortunes. And then saw-yea, long before myself thou knewes: it-thy hearts tide was setting strong towards that ruinous shore where on to-day thy life is broken And at last came that night, that dreadful night, when, hld within the cham Der, 1 saw thee cast my kerchief to the winds, and with sweet words cherish my Royal rivals gift. Then-ohl thou knowes, in my pain l betrayed the secret tha, I thou wouldst not see-and thou aids, make mock of mo, Harmachisi Ol ) the shame of it!-thou, in thy foolishness didst make a::mock of mel went thence and within me were rising all the torments which can tear a woman's heart, for now ] was sure that thou didst love Cleopatra Az, and so mad was l, even that night was I minded to betray thee; but thought not yet; not yet; tomorrow he may soften Then came the morrow, and all was ready for the bursting of the great plot that should mako thee Pharaoh. And I, too, came thou dost remember-and again thou dids put me away when spake to thee in para bles, as something of little worth, as thing too small to claim a moments weighty thought And, knowing that this was be cause--though knewest it not-thou didst love Cleopatra, whom now thou mus, straightway slay, grew mad, and wicked spirit entered into me, possessing me ut terly, so that no longer was myself. AnG ) because thou hadst scorned me, this, to my everlasting shame and sorrow l did!-l passed into Cleopatra's presence and be trayed thee and those with thee, and all ou,