Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-01-16

CRllllS slaves-as the world treats the
fallen, with scorn. For to come low after
being great is to learn all shame. Un-
happy, therefore, are the great, for they
may fall!
Iturned upon the slave with SO fercc
word that, cur like, he sprang behind me;
then passed on to the Alabaster Hall, and
was admitted Of the guards. In the GEN.
ter Of the hall. nigh to the fountain, sat
Cleopatra, and with her were Charmion
and the Greek girl Iras, and Merira and
other of her waiting ladies'. "Go," she
said to these, 81 would speak with my as
trologer." So they went, and left US face
70 face.
s'Stand thou there" she said, lifting her
face for the first time. "Come not near
me, Harmachis; / trust thee not. Per-
chance thou hast found another dagger.
Now, what hast thou to say! By what right
didst thou dare to break in upon my talk
with the Ronanl"
| I felt the blood rush through me like
storm, bitterness and burning anger took
hold upon my heart. "What hast thou to
cay, Cieopatrap' I answered boldly.
"Where Is thy oath, sworn on the dead
iheart Of Menka-ra, the ever-livinga Where
now thy challenge to this Roman Antonya
Where thy oath that thou wouldst call me
husband in the face of Egyptf' And I
Ichoked and ceased.
swell does it become Harmachis, who
never was forsworn, to speak to me Of
oathsi" she said, in bitter mockery. "And
yet, o thou most pure Priest Of Isis; and
yet, o thou most faithful friend, who never
didst betray thy friends; and yet, o thou
most steadfast, honorable and upright
man, who never dldst barter thy birthright,
thy country and thy cause for the price Of
woman's passing love; by what token
knowest thou that my word is voidl"
'aThy taunts I will not answer, Cleo
patra,' I said, holding back my heart as
best might; 'for have earned them all,
though not from thee By this token, then,
I know It. Thou goest to visit Antony;
thou goest, as said that Roman knave,
stricked in the best attire, to feast with
him whom thou shouldst give to vultures
for their feast. Perchance, for aught
know, thou art about to squander those
treasures that thou hast flched from the
ibody Of Menks-ra, those treasures stored
laxainst the need Of Egypt. upon wanton
revels which shall complete the shame OF
Egypt. By these things, then, / know that
thou art forsworn, and !, who, loving thee,
believed thee tricked; and by this, also,
that thou who didst but yesternight swear
ttsunts, and even before that Roman put me
10 an open shamer'
s'To wed theei And did swear to wed
ltheel Well, and what is marriages Is 1t
the union Of the heart, that bond beautiful
- gossamer and than gossamer more light,
which binds soul to soul as through the
dreamy night Of passion they float, a bond
to be, perchance, melted in the dews OF
dawna Or is it the iron link Of enforced
unchanging union whereby IL sinks the one
the other must be dragged beneath the sea
of circumstances, there, like q punished
slave, to perish of unavoidable corruption
Marriagei to rnarryi l to forget free
dom and court the worst slavery Of our sex
which, by the selfish will of man, the
stronger, doth still bind US to bed growr
hateful, and enforce a service that lovs
mayhap no longer haliowsi OF what use
then, 70 be Queen, IL thereby I may no
escape the evil Of the meanly borni MarI
thou, Harrnachis: Woman being grown
hath two ills to fear, death and marriage
| and Of these twain Is marriage the NOR,
vile; for in death we may find rest, but il
marriage, should 1t fail US, we must fine
he'll. Nay, being above the breath Of com
mon slander that would blast those who o
true virtue will not consent to stretch of
fection's bonds, love, Harmachis, but
marry notl'f
"And yesternight thou didst swear tina
thou wouldst wed me and call me to tn,
side before the face Of Egypti'
"And yesternight the red ring round tn
moon did mark tho coming of the storm
and yet the day is fairl But who know
that the tempest may not break tomorrow
Who knows that have not chosen the cas-
Ter path to save Egypt from the Roman
Who knows, Harmachis, that thou shalt no
still call me 'wifef"
Then no longer could bear her falsehood
forI saw thatshe but played with me- An
30 spoke that which was in my heart.
s'Cleopatra," cried, ''thou didst swear t
protect Egypt, and thou art about to betra
Egypt to tho Romanl Thou didst swear t
use the treasures that revealed to the
for the service Of Egypt, and thou al
about to use them to be her means Of sham
Ito fashion them rs fetters for her wrists
Thou didst swear to wed me, who love
thee, and for thee gave all, and thou dos
mock me and rejectl Therefore say
with the voice Of tho dread Gods say it
that on thee shall fall the curse Of Menks
n, whom thou hast robbed, indeedi LIE
me 60 hence and work out my dooml Le
me 90, @, thou fair shame thou living Lie
whom have loved to my doom, and VIII
hast brought upon me the last curse &
doomi Let me hide myself and see thy fac
no morep
She rose In her wrath, and terrible sh
was TO see.
sLet thee 20 to stir up evil against me
Nay, Harnachis, thou shalt not 60 to bull
new plots against my thronei say to the
that thou, too. shalt como to visit Anton
In Cilicia, and there, perchance, will l.
thee gop' And ere I could answer, she ha
struck upen the silver gong that hung mig
TO where she was.
Ere its rich echo had died away thel
tentered from one door Charmion and q
waiting women, and from the other q file
Euards-four OF them Of the Queens bot
guard, mighty men, with winged helme
and long, fair hair.
s'Seize that traitorr' cried Cleopa.r
otnting to me. The Captain OF the qua
IL WAS Brennus salused and came towa
70 with drawn sword.
But l. being mad and drsperase, and liz,
caring Z hey slsw mo, fsw ssIaaght -