The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-01-22

X " ~ nkyPvl ne crleo, "Dehoid me ~ thy
fcetin
She sprang from the couch. "And art
thou here, my lovel" she murmured; ''ther
once again are all things we'll. Come near,
and in these arms forget thy sorrows and
4 turn my grief to joy. Oh, Antony, while
love Is left to us, still lave we allI'
And she fell upon hts breast and wildly
kissed him. 3p
That same day Charmion came to me and
bade me prepare poison Of the most dead-
ly power. Aud this ut first woul not do,
fearing that Cleopatra would herewith
make an end of Antony before the time
! But Charmion showed me that this was not
4 so, and showed to me also for what pur-
pose was the poison. Therefore ] sum
moned Atoua, the skilled in simples, and
all that afternoon we labored at the deadly
work. And when 1t was done, Charmion
came once more, bearing with her chaplet
OF fresh roses that she bade me steep in the
poison.
This then did.
That night at the great feast of Cleo
patra sat nigh TO Antony, who was at her
side, and wore the poisoned wreath. Now,
as the feast went on, fast flowed the wine,
till Antony AMI the Queen grew merry.
And she told hiin OF her plans, and OF how
even now her galleys were being drawn by
the canal that leads from Dubylsiis on the
Polusiac branch OF the Nile, TO Clysma at
the head OF the Bay OF Heraopolis For It
was her design, should Caesar prove stub
born, TO ny with Antony and her treasure
down tho Arabian Gulf, where Cesar had
no feet and seek some new home In India,
whittier her foes might not follow. But,
! indeed, this plan came TO nothing, for the
Arabs OF Petra burnt the galleys, melted
thereto by message sent by the Jews Of
Alexandria, who hated Cleopatra and were
hated OF her. NHl
Now, when she had made an end of telling
him, the Queen called on sim TO drink cup
with her TO the success Of this new scheme,
bidding him, as she did so, steep his wreath
Of rose In the wine, and make the draught
more sv eet. This, then, he did, and 1t be-
ing done, she pledged HIM. But when he
was about TO pledge her back, she caught
his hand, crying "Hold~ whereat he paused,
wondering
Now. among the servants OF Cleopatra was
one Eudosius, asteward; and this Eudosius,
seeing that tho fortunes OF Cleopatra were
at an end, had laid a plan 10 fly that very
night TO Caesar, as had done many Of his bet
ters, taking with him all the tree sures in
the palace that he could steal. But this de-
sign being discovered 10 Cleopatra, she de-
termined to be avenged upon Eudosius.
"Eudosius," she cried, for the man stood
near, come hither, thou faithful servant
Seest thou this man, most noble Antony;
through all our troubles he hath clung tous
and been Of comfort TO US. Now, therefore,
he shall be rewarded according TO his de-
serts and the measure OF his faithfulness,
and that from thine own hand Give him
thy goisen cup Of wine, and let him drink a
pledge TO our success; the. cup shall be his
guerdon."
And still wondering, Antony gave II 10
the man, who, stricken in his guilty mind,
took 1t, and stood trembling. But hedrank
not.
"Drink, thou slave, drlnkr, cried Cleo
patra, half rising from her seat and flashing
a fierce look on his white face ''By Serapisi
so surely as yet shall sit In the Capitol ut
Rome, and thou dost thus fout the Lord
Antony, I'll have thee scourged 70 the
bones, aud the red wiue poured upon thy
open wounds TO heal theml An at length |
thou drinkestl Why what Is It, good |
Eudosinsi art sicki Surely, then, must
this VINE be as the water OF jealousy Of |
those Jews, that hath power 70 slay the |
false and strengthen the honest only Go, |
some Of you, search this mans room me |
thinks he is a traitorl'
Meanwhile the man stood, his hands TO |
his head. Presently he began to tremble,
and then fell, shrieking, TO tho ground. |
Anon he was on bis feet again, clutchinR at
his bosom. as though 10 tear out the fire In |
his heart. He staggered, with livid, twist
ed face AMI foaming lips, 10 where Cleo
patra lay watching him with q slosv and
cruel smile.
"Ah, traitor thou hast It nowl' she said.
"Prithee, is death sweetin |
Thou wantonin yelled the dying man,
''thou hast poisoned mel Thus mayst thou
also perishl' and with one shrek he flung
himself upon her. She saw his purpose,
and swift and supple as tiger sprang 10
'ne side, so that he did but grasp her Royal
cloak, tearing II from It's emerald clasp
Down he fell upon the ground, rolling over
md over in the purple Chiffon till presently
10 lay still and dead, his tormented face
md frozen eyes peering ghastly from It's
Iolds.
"Ahp' said the Queen. with hard laugh,
the slave died wopdrous hard, and fain
would have drawn me with him. See, he
iath borrowed my garment for pail Take
lin away Pnd bury him In his livery"
what means Cleopatrafr said Antony,
IS the guards dragged the corpse away;
the man drank Of my cum What "A the i
purpose Of this most sorry jestfp .gll
at serves double end, noble Antony
his very night would that man have fed
o Octavianus, bearing Of our treasure with
lin. Well, i have lent him wings, for the
lead fly fast Also this: thou didst fear
hat should poison thee, my Lord; nay, |
now II. Bee now, Antony, how easy were
that should slay thee II / had the VIII.
hat wreath OF roses which thou didst steep
within the cup is dewea with deadly bane.
lad l, then, mind TO make an end OF thee,
had not stayed thy hand o Antony,
enceforth trust me; sooner would slay
ayself than harm one hair OF thy beloved
ead See, here come my messengers
peak, what did ye hndp'
''Royal Egypt this we found All things
q the chamber Of Eudosius arc made ready
or flight, and In his baggage is much treas
re.n
"Thou hearestip said she, smiling darliy.
Think ye, my loyal servants all. that Cleo
atra Is one with whom II Is we'll 10 play the
raitori Be warned by this Romans fatep'
Then great silence Of fear fell upon the
ompany, and Antony sat also silent.