Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-02-20

ness and preparation. l sat, ana croucned
upon q rug, nigh to the door, lay the aged
sAtoua. White was her hair as snow,
and shriveled with g the wrinkled
~countenance Of the woman who, when all
deserted me, had yet chung to me, In her
great love forgetting my great sins. Nine
years! nine long yearsi and now, once
again, I set my foot in alexandria, Once
again in the appointed circle OF things1
came forth from the solitude OF preparation
TO be a fate to Cleopatra; and this second
time I came not forth to fail. And yet how
changed the circumstance ] was out OF
the story; my part now was but the part OF
the sword In the hand of Justice; no more
might I hope to make Egypt free and great
and sit upon my lawful throne. Khem was
lost, and lost was I, Harmachis. In the rush
and turmoil of events the great plot. where
q ] had been the pivot, was covered up and
forgotten; scarce did q memory OF 1t re-
main. The curtain Of dark night was clos
ing in upon the history of my ancient race;
its very Gods were lettering to their fall;
already could ], in the spirit, hear the
Shrek Of the Roman eagles as they tapped
their wings above the furthest banks OF the
ISlhor. Presently I reused myself and babe
EAtoua 20 search q mirror and bring 1t to
me, that I might look therein.
ANU EulS 4 EdH : . 4hCO DILL unAO4 a4A
lpaIlid wherein no smile came; great eyes
Earown wan with gazing into darkness look
ing out, beneath the shaven head. emptily
las the hollow eye-pits Of the skull; Q
wizened, hating form wasted by abst-
pence, sorrow and prayer; a long, wild
beard Of iron-9ray; thin, b~lue-veined hands
that ever tren1bled like q leaf; bowed shoul-
ders and lessened limbs Time and grief
had done their work, indeed; scarce could
think myself the same as when, the Royal
H~armachis-in all the splendor OF my
strength and youthful beauty-I first had
looked upon the woman's loneliness that
did destroy me. And yet within me burned
the same fire as Of yore; yet I was not
changed, for time and grief had no power
10 alter the immortal spirit Of man. Sea-
sons may come and go; Hope, like a bird, may
6y away; Passion may break Its wings
against the iron bars of Fate; illusions may
crumble as the cloudy towers of sunset
lame; Faith, as running water, may slip
from meath our feet; Solitude may stretch
itself around US like the measureless desert
sand; Old Age may creep as the gathering
night over our bowed heads grown hoaryin
their shame; yea, bound to Fortunes wheel,
we may taste of every turn OF chance-now
rule as Kings, now serve as slaves; o
loye, now hate; now prosper and now per.
ish- But still, through all, we are the same;
for this Is the marvel OF Identity.
And as I sat and thought these things In
bitterness, there came a knocking at the
door.
.'Open, Atoua!" I said.
She rose and did my bidding; and q
woman entered, clad in the Grecian robes,
liz was Charmion, still beautiful as Of old
Ibut sad-faced now and very sweet to see
with o patient fire slumbering in her down
least eye.
She entered unattended; and, speaking
inc word, the old wife pointed to where
isat, and went.
"Old man." she said, addressing me
.qead me to the earned Olympus. ! CONF
upon the Queens business"
l rose, and, lifting my head, looked upor
her. She gazed, and gave q little cry.
s'Surely," she whispered, glancing round
'ssurely thou art not that" And she
paused.
ssThat Harmachis whom once thy fooiisl
hesrt did love, o Charmionl Yea, I am he
and what thou seest, most fair lady. We
Is Harmachis dead whom thou didst love
but Olympus, the skilled Egyptian, watt
upon thy wordsi'
tCeaser" she said, sand Of the past bu
one word, and then-why, let It Lie. No
wei with all thy wisdom c2nst thou know
true woman's heart IL thou dost believe
Harmachis, that it can change with tn
changes Of the outer form, for then as
suredly could no low follow It's beloved +
that last place of change-the Grave
Know thou, learned Physician, I am Of tina
sort who, loving once, love always, and be
ing not beloved again, go virgin to tn
death.n
She ceased and, having nsught to say,
bowed my head In answer. Yet, thougl
nanght I said, and Though this woman,
passionate folly had been the cause of al
,our ruin, to speak truth, In secret I wa
thankful to her who, wooed Of all and Twin
lin this shameless Court, had still throug
1.-The long years poured out her unreturne
Hove upon an o~utcast, and who, when tina
tpoor broken slave of Fortune came back Il
such unioveiy gufse, did yet hold him dea
lot heart. For what nan Is there who doe
Inot prize hat gIft most rare and beautiful
lthatone perfect thing which no gold ca,
buys woman's unfeigued lovel
1T thank thee that thou didst not IN
Iswer,nshksaid ssfor the bitter words whicl
thou didst pour upon me In those days tina
long are dead, and far away In Tarsus, hav
not lost their poisonous sting, and 10 q,
hearts, no more place for the ARROWS Of tn
scorn, new venomed through thy solitar
years. So let it be. Behold 1putit frol
me, that wild passion Of my soui,s and sh
lookcdhpand stretched out her hands Z
though to press some unseen presence bacl
II putit from ~me-though forget 1t l ma
notf Thsrc. .tis done, Harmachisi no MOI
5shall my love trouble thee. Enough for m
that once more my eyes behold thee, befor
sisep seals thee from their sight Dostr 7.
MEMBER how when I would have died yth
dear hand, thou wouldst NOT Stay, but did
bid mo live 70 pluck the bitter fruit
crime aud be aceursed by visions Of u
evil I had wrought and memories Of the
whom I had ruinedfs
AZ Charuion, well dol remember
llaRfsE1'isBse.s e: