Thomas County cat., 1890-02-27
CLEOPATRA.
Being an Account of the Fall and
Vengeance of Harmachis, the
Royal egyptian,
As SET FORTH By Els OWN HAHD.
By II. RIDER HAGGARD,
"She," "Allan Quatermain,"
Etc, Etc. Etc.

''Of the rest of those seven-and thirty no
bles," went on, making no answer, ''are
two-and-thrty missing. Some are dead. as
Amenemhat is dead; some are slain, as
Sepa is slain; and some, perchance, yet Ia
bor as slaves within tho mines, or live afar,
fearing vengeance
at is so," they said: "alas it is 50. Har-
machis, the accursed, betrayed the plot, and
sold himself to the wanton Cleopatra
sit is So" went on, lifting up my head.
'Harmachis betrayed the plot and sold him
self to Cleopatra; and, holy sirs-T am that
Harnldchis" The priests and dignitaries
gazed astoIished. Some rose and spoke;
some said naught. II am that Harmachis !;
am that traitor, trebly stepped in crime
traitor to my Gods, a traitor to my coun-
try, traitor to my oath. l come hither to
say that have done this. I have executed
the divine vengeance on her who ruined me
and gave Egypt to the Roman. And now
that, after years of toll and patient waiting,
this IS accomplished by my wisdom and the
help of the angry Gods. behold, come,
with all my shame upon my head, to de-
clare the thing am, and take the traitors
guerdonr'
s'Mindest thou of the doom Of him who
hath broke the oath that may not be broke!"
asked he who first had spoken, in heavy
tones.
II know it WE'LL" answered; II court
that awful DOOM"
s'TeIl US more of this matter, thou who
vast Harmachs.''
So, in cold, clear words, laid bare all my
shame, keeping back nothing, and ever as
spoke l saw their faces grow more hard, and
knew that for me there was no mercy; nor
did ask it; nor had asked, could it have
been granted. When, at last, had done,
they put me aside while they took counsel.
Then they drew me forth again, and the
eldest among them, a man very old and ven-
cradle, the priest of the temple of the divine
Hatshepu at Tape, spoke in icy accents:
Thou, Harmachis, we have considered
this matter Thou hast sinned the three
fold deadly sin. On thy head lies the bur-
den Of the woe of Khem, this day enthralled
Of Rome; to Isis, the mother mystery, thou
hast offered the deadly insult, and thou hast
broken thy holy oath. For all Of these
sins there is, as we'll thou knowest, but one
reward, and tina: reward is thine. Naught
can it weigh in the balance Of our justice
that thou hast slain her who was thy cause
of stumbling; naught that thou comest to
name thyself the vllest thing who ever
stood within these walls. On thee, also,
must fall tine curse OF Menka-ra, thou false
priest! thou forswOrn patriot! thou
Pharaoh, shameful and discrowned! He e,
where we set the double crown upon thy
head, we doom thee to the doom. Go to
thy dungeon, and await the falling Of its
stroke! Go remembering what thou
mightest have been and what thou art, and
may those Gods who, through thy evil do
ing, shall perchance ere long cease to be
worshiped within these holy temples, give
10 thee that mercy which we deny! Lead
him forih!"
So they took me and led me forth! With
bowed head went, looking not up, and yet
felt their eyes burn upon my face. Oh!
surely, of all my shames, this is the heavi-
est