Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-03-27
me so that I shranx there upon the seat BE-

me 50 that 1 shrank there upon the seat BE-
side her.
s'They think i'll Of me, know it; and call
me wanton, who have never stepped aside
save once, when loved the greatest man
OF all the world. and at the touch of love my
passion famed indeed, but burnt with a
hallowed flame. These ribald Alexandrians
do swear that I poisoned Ptolemy, my
brother-whom, most unnatura1ly, the Ro-
man Senate would have forced on me, his
sister, as husbandl but it is false; he
slckened and died of fever. And even so
they say that would slay Arsinoe, my sis
ter-who, indeed. would slay mei-but that,
too, is false! Though she will have none of
me, love my sister. Yea, they all think
Ill OF me without a cause; even thou dost
think i'll of me, Harmachis. Oh, Harmachis,
before thou judgest, think what thing is
envy!-that foul sickness Of the mind which
makes the jaundiced eye of pettiness to see
all things distraught-to read evil written
on the open face of good, and find impurify
in the whitest virgins soul Think what Q
thing it is, Harmachis, to be set on high
above the gaping crowd Of knaves who hate
thee for thy fortune and thy wit; who gnash
their teeth and shoot the arrows of their
lies from the cover Of their own obscure
ness, whence they have no wings to soar;
and whose hearts quest it is to drag down
thy nobility to the level of the grounding
and the fool
s.Be not, then, ready to think evil of the
great, whose every VOL i and act is searched
for error by million angry eyes, and
whose most tiny fault Is trumpeted by a
thousand Threats, till the world shakes
with the echoes of their sin Say not: s'Tis
thus, tits certainly thus'-say. rather: Nay,
may it not be otherwise! Have we heard
arighta Did she this thing of her own
willP Judge gently, o Harmachis, as vert
thou me thou wouldst be judged. Remem-
Der that Queen is never free. She is, in
deed, bat the point and instrument of those
forces polite, wherewith are craven the
iron books of history. o, Harmachisl be
thou my friend-my friend and counsellor!
my friend whom can trust indeed?-for
here, in this crowded court, am more ut
terly alone than any soul that breathes
about the corridors. But thee truSt; there
is faith written in those quiet eyes, and
am minded to lift thee high. Harmachis,
can no longer bear my solitude OF mind-1
must find one with whom I may commune
and speak that which lies within my heart
have faults, know it; but am not all
unworthy of thy faith, for there is good
grain among the evil seed. Say, Harma-
CHS, wilt thou take pity on my loneliness
and befriend me who have lovers, courtiers,
slaves, dependents, more thick than 1 can
count, but never one single friendl' and
she leaned toward me, touching me lightly,
and gazed on me with her wonderful blue
eyes.
was overcome; thinking of the morrow
night, shame aid sorrow smote me. /, her
friendI-L whose assassin dagger lay
against my breastl bent my head, and a
sob or a groan, I know not which, burst
from the agony of my heart.
But Cleopatra, thinking only that I was
moved beyond myself by the surprise OF her
graciousness, smiled sweetly, and said:
cit grows late. Tomorrow night, when
thou bringest the auguries, will we speak
again, o my friend Harmachis, and thou
shalt answer me-" And she gave me her
hand to kiss. Scarce knowing what did, I
kissed it, and in another moment she was
gone.
But stood in the chamber, gazing after
her like one asleep.
(TO BE Continued