Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-01-30

hs1 therein an R.abast6r jar OF pigmoaL
wherewith might stain my countcna.ce
shesh, and. taking the broidered robes Of
mine Office that had cast OF, hid them In
the secret passage. And so at last all was
made ready.
as 1t time that should goie asked.
1Not yet awhile. Be patient, Harmack;s;
for but one little hour more must thou en-
dure my presence, and then, perchsnce,
farewell forever.''
made gesture sign1fying that this was
no hour for sharp words.
sForgive me my quick tongue" she said,
'fbut from salt spring do bitter waters
well. Be seated, Harmachis; ! have heavier
words to speak to thee before thou goest."
'Say on" answered; "words, however
heavy, can move me no more"
She stood before me with folded hands,
and the lamp light shone upon her beaute-
GUS face. Idly noticed how great was its
pallor and how wide and dark were the
rings about the deep black eyes. Twice
she lifted her white face and strove to
speak, twice her voice failed her; and
when at last 1t came twas in hoarse
whisper.
lean net let thee go" she said-'T can
not let thee go unwitting of thu truth.
Rdrmaehis, 'tras seho did betruy ttee!''
ssrang TO my feet, an oath upon my
lips; but she caught me by the hand.
"Oh, be seated" she said-s'be seated
and hear me; then, when thou hast heard,
do unto me as thou wilt. Listen! from
that evil moment when, in the presence Of
thy uncle Sepa, for the second time I set
eyes upon thy face, loved thee-how
much, little canst thou guessl Think upon
thine own love for Cleopatra, and double 1t,
and double it again, and, perchance, thou
L., :-lA
loved thee, day by day loved thee more,
till in thee and for thee alone seemed to
live. But thou vast cold-thou vast worse
than cold; thou didst deal with me not as q
breathing woman, but rather as the instru-
ment to an end-as tool wherewith to
grave thy fortunes. And then / saw-yea,
long before thyself thou knewest
it-thy hearts tide was setting strong
towards that ruinous shore where
on to-day thy life is broken.
And at last came that night, that
dreadful night, when, hld within the cham
Der, / saw thee cast my kerchief to the
winds, and with sweet words cherish my
Royal rivaPs gift. Then-ohi thou knowest
in my pam betrayed the secret that
thou wouldst not see-and thou didst
make q mock Of me, Harmachisi Oh
the shame Of it!-thou, in thy foolishness,
didst make . mock Of me! / went thence,
and within me were rising all the torments
which can tear q woman's heart, for now
was sure that thou didst love Cleopatrai
Ay, and so mad was l, even that night was
minded to betray thee; but thought
not yet; not yet; tomorrow he may soften.
Then came the morrow, and all was ready
for the bursting of the great plot that should
make thee Pharaoh. And ], too, came
thou dost remember-aud again thou didst
put me away when spake to thee in para
bles, as something Of little worth, as thing
too small to claim moments weighty
thought. And, knowing that this was be.
cause-though knewest it not-thou didst
love Cleopatra, whom now thou must
straightway slay, grew mad, and a wicked
spirit entered into me, possessing me ut
terly, SO that no longer was myself. And
because thou hadst scorned me, this, to my
everlasting shame and sorrow l didi-I
passed into Cleopatra's presence and be-
| trayed thee and those with thee, and all our
| holy cause, saying that had found a writ
| ing which thou hadst let fall and read all
| this therein"
lgasped and sat silent; and gazing sadly
| at me she went on:
'sWhen she understood how great was
| the plot, and how deep its roots, Cleo
| patra was much troubled; and, at first, she
| would have fed to Sais or taken ship and
| run for Cyprus, but showed her that the
| ways were barred. Then she said that shs
| would cause thee to be slain, there, In the
| chamber, and left her SO believing; for,
| at that hour, fain was I that thou shouldst be
| siain--ay, even if wept out my heart upon
| thy grave. But what said / anon3-ven-
| geance Is an arrow that oft falls on him
| who looses 1t. So was 1t with me; for be-
tween my going and thy coming she
| hatched deeper plan. She feared that to
| slay thee would but be to light fercer
| fire of revolt; but she saw that to bind
thee to her, and having left men awhile in
| doubt, to show thee faithless would strike
| the imminent danger ct its roots and
| great, she dared its doubtful issue, and
need 90 ont Thou knowest, Harmachis,
how she won; and thus did the shaft Of
vengeance that leosed fall upon my own
head. For on the morrow I knew that ]
had sinned for naught, that on the
| wretched Paulus had been lald the burden
of my betrayal, and that had but ruined
the cause whereto was sworn and given
the man I loved to the arms Of wanton
Egypt"
She bowed her head awhile, and then, a.
spake not, once more went on:
ssLet all my sin be told, Harmachis, and
then let justice come. See how this thing
happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to love
thee, and deep in her heart she bethought
her Of taking thee to welded husband. For
the sake Of this halt love Of hers she spared
the lives Of those in the plot whom she had
meshed, bethinking her that If she welded
i thee she might use them and thee to draw
the heart Of Egypt, which loves not her nor
any Ptolemy. And then, once again she en-.
trapped thee, and in thy folly thou didst be-
| tray to her the secret Of the hidden wealth
Of Egypt, that to-day she squanders to de-
light the luxurious Antony; and, Of q truth,
ct that time she purposed to make good her
oath and marry thee. But on the very morn
| when Dellius came for answer she sent for
me, and, telling me all-for my wit, above
any, she holds at price-demanded OF me
i my Judgment whether she should defy An
| tony and wed thee, or whether she should
put the thought away and come to Antony.
| And I-now mark thou all my Ill, in my
bitter jealousy, rather than would see her
thy welded wife and thou her loving
lord, couuseled her most strictly
! | that she should cou1e to Antony,
, well knowing, for / had had speect
with Dellius - that IL she came, this
weak Antony would fall like ripe fruit a
her feet, as indeed. he has fallen. And to
night have I shown thee the issue Of tht
, scheme. Antony loves Cleopatra and Cleo
patra loves Antony, and thou art robbed
: and matters have gone well for me, who o
all women on the earth tonight am thu
wretchedest by far. For when saw how
, thy heart broke, but now my heart seemed
!. to break with thine, and no longer could
bear the burden Of my evil deeds, but knew
|. that / must tell them and take my punish
, ment.
= Sand no more have to say, save that
! thank ,hee for thy courtesy in hearkening
|. and this one thing l add: Driven by m
: great love, / have sinned against thee unit
death! l have ruined thee, have ruine'
!. Khem, and myself also have ruinedt LIE
death reward mel Slay thou me, Har
, machisI Gladly win die upon thy sword
i ay, aud kiss its blade! Slay thou me, an
: go; for if thou slayest me not, myself will
/ surely slayp' And she threw herself upo
= her knees, lifting her fair breast towar
I me, that might smite her with my dagger
: And, in my bitter fury, minded was l I