The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-03-21
I SEIZED HIM AND DREW HIM AFTER ME.

awakes she will but laugh, for she babe me
be sure to bring thee instantly, whether
she slept or woke. See, have her signet."
So we passed up the beautiful chamber
till we came to where the eunuchs stood
with drawn swords, and these would have
barred my entry; but Charmion frowned,
and drawing the signet from her bosom held
it before their eyes. Thereon, having ex-
amined the writing that is on the ring,
they bowed, dropping their sword points,
and we passed through the heavy curtains,
| broidered DER with gold, into the resting
place of Cleopatra Beautiful it was
beyond imagining-beautiful with many
| colored marbles, with gold and ivory, gems
| and flowers-all art can furnish and all
luxury can dream of were here. Here were
pictures so real that birds might have
pecked the painted fruits; here were statues
of woman's loneliness frozen into stone !;
here were draperies fine as softest silk, but
woven of a web of gold; here were touches
and carpets such as never saw. Here the
air was sweet with perfume, while through
the open window places came the far muir
muir of the sea. At the further end of the
chamber, on a couch of cleaning silk
and sheltered by net of finest
gauze, Cleopatra lay asleep. There she
lay-the fairest thing that man ever saw
fairer than a dream, and all about her
flowed the web Of her dark hair. One white,
rounded arm made a pillow for her head
| and one hung downward to the ground. Her
rich lips were parted in a smile, showing
the ivory lines of teeth; and her rosy limbs
were draped in so thin robe Of the silk of
Cos, held about her by jeweled girdle,
that the white CLEAN of flesh shone through
it. l stood astonished, and, though my
thoughts had little bent that way, the sight
Of all her beauty struck me like blow, so
that for a moment l lost myself as it were
in the vision of its power, and at heart was
grieved that must STAY so fair thing.
Turning suddenly from the sight found
Charmion watching me with her quick eyes
watching as though she would search my
heart. And, indeed, something of my
thoughts must have been written on my
face IN language that she could read, for
she whispered in my ear:
Gay, it is a pity, is it not! Harmachis be-
ing after all man, methinks thou wilt need
all thy ghostly strength to nerve thee to the
deed!"
/ frowned. but before could frame an
answer she touched me lightly on the arm
and pointed to the Queen. A change had
come upon her; her hands were clenched,
and about her face, all rosy with the hue of
sleep, gathered cloud Of fear. Her breath
came quick, she raised her arms as though
to ward away blow, and then with
stuffed moan sat up and opened the windows
of her eyes. Dark they were, dark as
night; but when the light found them they
grew blue, even as the sky grows blue be-
fore the blushing of the dawn.
"Casarion!n she said; ''where is Casa
rionl Was it then a dreaml l dreamed
that Julius-Julius who IS dead-came to
me, his bloody toga wrapped about his face,
and, having thrown his arms about his child,
led him away. Then l dreamed l died
died in blood and agony; and one l might
not see Knocked me as diedi All! who is
that mani"
'sPeace, Madam. peace" said Charmion.
"'Tis but the magician Harmachis, whom
thou didst bid me bring to thee at this
hour"
'Ah! the magician-that Harmachis vino
overthrow the gianti l remember me now.
He Is welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can
thy magic mirror give forth an answer to
this dreaml Nay, how strange a thing is
sleep, that, wrapping the mind in web OF
darkness, straightly compels it to its will.
Whence, then, come those images OF fear
rising on the horizon of the soul like some
untimely moon upon the twilight sky!
Who grants them power to stalk SO lifelike
from Memory's thronging halls, and, point
ing to their wounds, thus confront the
Present with the Pastl Are they, then,
messengersi Doth the semi-death of sleep
give them foothold in our brains, and
thus upknit the severed thread of human
knshipl That was Cesar's self, tell thee,