Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-01-23

voice; say, Egypt, have made feasts. and
been hidden 10 feasts, but never saw
aught like thine; and this tell thee, though
am rough of tongue and unskilied IN pref
ty sayings snch Us women love, thou vast
the rich st sight Of all that splendid board.
The red wine was not SO red as thy beau
teous cheek, the roses smelt not 50 sweet ~
the odor Of thy hair, amt no sapphire there
with its changing light was so lovely a. thy
syes of ocean blue"
"Whatl praise from Antonyi Sweet
words from the Iips of him whose writings
are SO harsha Why, 'tis praise, indeedr
"Ay," he went on, "'twas a royal feast,
though grieved that thou didst waste that
great pearl: and what meant that hour
calling astrologer of thine. with his ILL.,
,mened talk of the curse of Merka-rap'
A shadow fled across her glowing face.
81 know not; he was lately wounded in O
brawl and methinks the blow has crazed
aim.''
He seemed not crazed, and there was
that about his voic, which doth ring in my
ears like some oracle of fate. So wildly,
too, he looked upon tnee, Egypt, with those
piercing eyes of his, like cne who loved and
Fet hated through the love-"
"'Tis strange man, tell thee, noble
Antony, and a learned. Myself, at times, I
almost fear him, for deeply is lie versed In
the ancient arts VI Egypt. Knowest thou
that the man is of royal blood. and once he
plotted to slay met But won HIM over,
and slew him not, for lie had the key to Sc.
crets that fain would learn; and, indeed,
love his wisdom, and to listen to his deep
talk of all hidden things"
BY Bacchus, but l grow jealous Of the
knavel And now, Egypt"
''And now have sucked his knowledge
dry und have no more cause to fear him.
Didst tnou not see that the Sc three nights
have made him stand a slave amid my
slaves, aad call aload the hours as they fed
in festivala No captive king marching in thy
Roman triumphs can have suffered keener
pangs than that proud Egyptian Prince az
he stood and shamed behind my couch"
Here Charmion laid her hand on mine
and pressed it, as though in tenderness.
"Weil, he shall trouble us no more with
his words IF evil omen," Cleopatra went on
slowly; tomorrow morn he dies-dies
swiftly and in secret. leaving no trace OF
what his fate hath been. On this is my mind
fixed; of q truth, noble Antony, it Is fixed.
Even as speak the fear OF this man grows
and gathers in my breast. Half am minded
to give the word even now, for till he be
dead bre the not freely" and she made
Us though to rise.
s'Let it be till morning." he SAID catching
her by the hand; 1.-THE soldiers drink, and
the deed will be i'll done. 'Tis pity, too, ]
love not to think Of men slaughtered In
their sleep"
TN the morning, perchance, may the
hawk have flown." she answered, ponder
lug HE hath keen ears, this Harmacnis
and can summon things that are not of the
earth to aid him. Perchance even now he
hears me in the spirit; for, of o truth,
seem to feel his presence breathing round
me. I could tell thec-but no, let him be
Noble Antony, be my firing woman and
loose me this crown of gold; it chafes my
brow. Be gentle, hurt me not-so."
He lifted The ureus crown from her
brows, and she shook loose her heavy
weight of hair that fell about her like q
garment.
Take thy crown, Royal Egypt" he said
speaking low, ''take it from my hand;
will not rob thee of it, but rather setit more
firmly on that beauteous brow.''
"What means my Lordf' she asked
smiling and looking into his eyes.
''WhaJ mean II Why, then, this hither
thou calnest at my bidding, to make All
swer to the charges laid against thee as t.
~
that hadst thou been other than thou ar
thou hadst not gone back to Queen it OF
the Nile; for Of tins am sure, the charges
against thee are true, in fact. But beinl
what thou art-and look, thou! never di,
Nature serve a woman better!-I forglv.
thee all. Fen for the sake of thy grac.
and beauty l forgive thee that which hatl
not been forgiven to virtue, or to patriot.
ism, or to the dignity of age! See, now, how
good a thing is wOman's wit aud loveliress
that can make Kings forget their duty anG
cozen e'en bliudfoIded Justice to peep err.
she lifts her sword! Take back thy crown
o Egypt! my care now it Is that, though i
be heavy, it shall not chafe thee"
''Royal words are those, most noble
Antony" she made answer; gracious ans
generous words, such as befit the Con
queror Of the world. And touching my mis-
deeds IN the past-if nisdeeds there have
been this l say, and this alon;, then
knew not Antony. For, knowing Antony
who could sin against him! What woma,
could lift sword against one who must b.
to all women as q God lone who, seen anl
known, draws after him the whole al
legiance of the heart, as the sun draw.
nowersa And what more can say and no
cross the bounds of woman's modesty
Why, only this set that crown upon m,
brow, great Antony, and will take 1t as I
gift from thee, by the giving made doubly
dear, and to thy uses will guard it. There
now am thy vassal Queen, and through
me all old Egypt that rule doth homag,
unto Antony the Triumvir, who shall b,
Antony the Emperor and Khem's Imperia
Lord"
And he, having set the crown upon hel
locks, stood gazing on her. grown passion
ate in the warm breath of Ter living beauty
till at length he caught her by both hands
and, drawing her TO him, kissed her thrice
saying:
cleopatra, love thee, Sweet!-I Low,
thee as ne'er loved betore!"
She drew back from his embrace, smiliny
softly; and as she did so the golden circle
of the sacred snakes fell, being but loosel,
set upon her brow, and rolled away into tn,
darkness beyond the ring of light
Even in the bitter anguish Of my heart
saw the omen and knew its evil import. Blu
these twain took no note.
"Thou lowest rnel" she said most sweetly
"how know that thou lowest me? Per
chance tits Fulvia whom thou lovest-Ful
via, thy welded wifea''
s'Nay, tits not Fulvia; tits thee, Cleopatra
and thee alone. Many women have looket
favorably upon me from my boyhood up
but to never q one have known such de
sire as to thee, o thou Wonder of tn
World, like unto whom no woman eve
was! Canst thou love me, Cleopatra, ant
to me be true-not for my place and power
not for that which l can give or can with
hold, not for the stern music of my legions
tramp, or for the light that flows from m,
bright star of fortune; but for myself, 10
,he sake of Antony, the rough captain
grown old in campss Ay, for the sake o
Antony the reveler, the fraii, the unfixe.
of purpose, but who never yet did desert
friend, or rob poor man, Or take an enem,
unawaress Say, canst thou love me. Egypt
for if thou canst, why, I am more happ,
than though to night l sat crowned in tn,
Capitol at Rome absolute Monarch of tn,
Worldi"
And ever as he spoke she gazed on hin
with wonderful eyes, and in them shone
hight of truth and honesty such as wa!
strange to me.
''Thou speakest plainly" she said, "ant
sweet are thy words unto mine ears
sweet would they be even were thing:
otherwise than they are, for what woman
would not love to see the worlds master al
her feetl But things being as they are
why, Antony, what can be so sweet as THY
sweet wordsl The smooth harbor Of hi
rest to the storm-tossed mariner-surely
that is sweet! The dream of heavens blis.
that cheers the poor ascetic priest on hi.
path of sacrifice-surely thatis sweeti 1h,
sight of Dawn, the rosy fingered. coming II
his promise to glad the watching Earth
surely that is sweet But, ahI not one O.
these, nor all dear, delightful things tha
are, can match the hoLey-sweethess of tn,
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