The Irish standard., 1890-01-04
,EOP A IRA.
1sing an Account Of the Fall and
Vengeance Of Harmachis, the
Royal Egyptian,
lis SET FORTH BY Els OWN HAND.

4 is SET FORTH BY BIS OWN HAND.
By II. RIDER HAGGARD,
Author OF King Solonnon's Mines"
"She," "Allan Quaterrnain,"
ETC., Etc, Etc. &
Illustrated by N1cHoLL after CATION WOOD
WILLIE and GRERFEHHAHEN.
And then, when the sacred music ceased,
~ aforetime on tie setting Of the majesty
W Rattle high priest raised the statue o.
the living God and held it on high before
the multitude. With joyful shout OF
sOsiris. our hopel Osiris! Osiris!'' the
people tore the black wrappings from their
dress. showing the white robes beneath,
and. as one man, bowed before the God
Then they went to feast, each at his home
but l stayed in the court of the temple.
Presently priest of the temple drew near,
and asked me of my business; and an
swered him that came from Alexandria
And would he led before the council OF the
high priest for I knew that the holy priests
were gathered together debating the ad1ngs
from Alexandria. Thereon the man left
and the high priests, hearing that was
from Alexandria, ordered that l should b
led into their presence in the second haai o.
oolumns-and 80 was led in.
IT was already dark. and between tho
great pillars lights were set, as on that
night when I was crowned Pharaoh of the
upper and the lower land. There, too, was
the long line of dignitaries seated in their
carve1r chairs and taking counsel together.
All was the same. The same cold images
Of kings and Gods gazed with the same
empty eyes from the everlasting walls.
Ay--more! Among those gathered there
were five Of the very men who, as leaders
of the great plot, had sat here to see ME
crowned, being the only consplrators who
had escaped the vengeance Of Cleopatra
and the clutching hand of time. 1 took my
stand On the spot where once 1 had been
crowned, and made me ready for the last
oct of shame, with such bitterness OF heart
as can not be written.
"Why, it is the physician Olympus!" said
one hewho lived a hermit in the tombs
Of Tape, and who but lately was OF the
household of Cleopatra. Is it, then, true
that the queen is dead by her own hand,
physician?''
''Yea, holy sirs, am that physician; also
Cleopatra is dead by my hand"
ssBy thy hand? Why, how comes thisa
though we'll she is dead, forsooth, the wick
ed wanton!'
"Your pardon, slrs, and will tell you all,
for am come hither to that end. Per-
chance among you there may be some
methlnks see some-who nigh eleven years
ago were gathered in this hall to secretly
y, oF Tbnxn
cit is true" they said ;.''but how knewest
thou these things, thou, Olympus"
''Of the rest of those seven-and- thirty no
bles,'' went on, making no answer, "are
two-and-thirty missing. Some are dead. as
Sepa is slain; and some, perchaace, yet la
Dor as slaves within the mlnes,' or live afar,
fearing vengeance"
cit is so," they said; salas it is so. Har-
machis, the accursed, betrayed the plot, and
sold himself to the wanton Cleopatra"
ssIt is sou went on, lifting up my head.
s'Harmachis betrayed the plot and sold hi1-
self to Cleopatra; and, holy sirs-I ass that
Harmachis.'' The priests and dignitaries
gazed astonished. Some rose and spoke;
some said naught. II am that Harmachis;
am that traitor, trebly stepped in crime
try, a traitor to my oath. I come hither to
say that have done this + have executed
the divine vengeance on her who ruined me
and gave Egypt to the Roman. Aud now
that, after years of toll and patient waiting,
this IL accomplished by my wisdom ana the
help of the angry Gods, behold, 1 GENE,
with all my shame upon my head, to de-
clare the thing am, and take the traitor's
guerdon
s'Mndest thou of the doon Of him VINO
hath broke the oath that may not be brokes"
asked he who first had spoken, in heavy
tones.
81 know it well," answered; II eonrt
chat awful DOOM"
ssTell us more of this matter, thou whs
vast Harmachis."
So. in cold, clear words, laid bare all ray
shame, keeping back nothing, and ever as
spoke 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, l had done,
they put me aside while they took counsel.
Then they drew me forth again, aad the
eldest among them, a man very Old and vesl-
cradle. the priest of the temple of the divine
Hatshepu at Tape spoke in icy accents:
s'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 eathraAed
Of Rome; to Isis, the mother mystery, thou
hast offered the deadly insult, and thsu hast
broken thy holy oath. For all Of these
sins there is, as well thou knowest, but one
reward, and that reward is thine. Naaght
can it weigh in the balance Of our justice
that thou hast slain her who was thy cause
Of stumbling; naught that thou coRest to
name thysei1 the vllest thing whs ever
stood within these walls. On thee, aisc,
must fall the curse of Menka-ra, thou false
priestl thou forsworn patriotl thoa
Pharaoh, shameful and discrowRedl Here.
where we set the double crown Hpoa thy
head, we doom thee to the dsomi dc TO
thy dungeon, and await the faaaing Of It's
strokel Go remembering what thou
highest have been and what aasu art, and
may those Gods who, through thy eSh do
Ing, shall perchance ere long cease - be
worshiped within these hely temples. give
TO thee that mercy which we denyt Lead
him forth!''
SO they took me and led me forthl Wish
bowed head I.went, looking not up. and yet
I felt their eyes burn upon ny face. OH!
surely, Of all my shames, this Is the heavi-
est