The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-05-23

sLet the imaye be, y she said impatiently,
ITO morrow we'll be rid Of him Strrah, be
guner'
Ibowed and went; and, As I went, heard
Antony say: "Well, knave be may be, for
that all men are, but this for thy astrologer-
he hath royal air and the eye OF king-sy,
and with itn
without the door paused. not knowing
what to do, for was bewildered with mis-
cry; and, as ! stood, some one touched me
on the hand. I glanced up-it was Char
mion, who, In the confusion OF the rising
Of the guests, had slipped away and fol-
lowed me.
For in trouble, Charmion was ever at my
side.
Follow me, )" she whispered; ''thou artin
danger"
turned and followed her. Why should
noti .r.sN .s
"whither go wet" asked, at length.
ITO my chamber" she said. "Fear not,
we ladies' of Cleopatra's Court have small
good fame to lose. II any one by chance
should see US, they'll think that Ills love-
tryst, and such are all the fashion"
l followed, and. presently, skirting the
crowd, we came, unseen. to little side en-
trance that led to stair up which we
passed. The stair ended in passsge; we
turned down 1t till we found door on the
left hand. Silently Charmion entered, and
l followed her into a dark chamber. Being
in she barred the door, and, kindling finder
to fame, lit hanging lamp. As the light
grew strong gazed around. The chamber
was not large and had but one easement
closely suffered. For the rest, it was SIM
ply furnished, having white walls, some
chests FOR garments, an ancient chair, what
l took to be firing table, wherein were
combs, perfumes and all the frippery that
pertains TO woman, aud a white bed with a
broidered coverlid, over which was hung q
gnat gauze.
"Be seated, Harmachis," she said, point
ing to the chair.
took the chair, and Charmion, throwing
back the gnat gauze, sat herself upon the
bed before me. -
'sKnowest thou what I heard Cleopatra
say as thou didst leave the banqueting
hallf' she asked presently.
Nay, know not.n
"She gazed after thee, and, as 1 went
over to her to do some service, she muir
INJURED to herself: by Scraps, 1 will make
an endl No longer will wait; tomorrow
he shall be strangledr"
''soi" said; ait may be; though, after
all that has been, scarce can believe that
she will murder me-"
"Why canst thou not believe it, o thou
most foolish of menl Dost forget how nigh
thou was to death there in the Alabaster
Halle Who savedthee then from the knives
of the eunuchsl Was it Cleopatra' Or
was it I and Brennusi Stay, will tell
thee. Thou canst not yet believe it, because
in thy folly thou dost not think it possible
that the woman who has but lately been as
a Wife to thee can now in so short time
doom thee TO be basely done to death Nay,
answer not-I know all; and this tell thee
thou hast not measured the depth of
Cleopatra's perfidy, nor canst thou dream
the blackness of her wicked heart She had
surely slain thee In Alexandria had she not
feared that thy slaughter, being noised
abroad, mig't bring trouble to her. There
fore has she brought thee here to kill thee
secretly. For what more canst thou give
herl-she has thy hearts love, and is
wearied Of thy strength and beauty. She
has robbed thee of thy Royal birthright and
brought thee, King. to stand amidst her
waiting women behind her at her feasts;
she has won from thee the great secret Of
the holy TREASURED"
"Ah, thou knowest thatf'
'Yea, know all; and tonight thou seest
how the wealth stored against the need of
Khem is being squandered to I'LL up the
wanton luxury of Khem's Macedonian
QueenI Thou seest how she hath kept her
oath to wed thee honorablyl Hsrmachis-
at length thine eyes are open TO the truth ~
"Ay, see too well; she swore she loved
me, and, fool that was, did believe herp
"She swore she loved theer' answered
Charmion, lifting her dark eyes; snow will
I show thee how she doth love thee. Know
est thou what was this housei 1t was a
priests college; and, as thou wottest, Har-
machis, priests have their ways. This lit
tie chamber aforetime was the chamber of
the Head Priest, and the chamber that Is
beyond and below was the gathering room
of the other priests. All this the old slave
who keeps the place told me, and also she
revealed what / shall show thee. Now.
Harmachis, be silent as the dead and fol-
low meln
She blew out the lamp, and by the little
light that crept through the shattered case
ment led me by the hand to the far corner
of the room Here she pressed upon he
wall, and door opened in its thickness.
we entered, and she closed the spring.
Now we were in little chamber, some five
cubits in length by four in breadth; for
faint light struggled into the closet, and
also the sound of voices, whence knew
not Loosing my hand, she crept to the
end of the place, and looked steadfastly at
the wall; then crept back, and. whispering
''silencer' led me forward with her. Then /
saw that there were eyeholes in the wall,
which pierced it, and were hidden on the
farther side by carved work in stone. i
looked through the hole that was In front Of
me, and this saw. Six cubits below was
the level o; the floor Of another chamber,
lit with fragrant lamps, and most richly
furnished. 1t was the sleeping place Of
Cleopatra, and there, within ten cubits Of
where we stood, sat Cleopatra on gilded
couch, and by her side sat Antony.
Tell me-" Cleopatra murmured-for so
was this place built that every word spoken
in the room below came TO the ears Of the
listener above-"tell me, noble Antony,
vast pleased with my poor festlvalf'
"Ay," he answered in his deep soldiers
voice; say, Egypt, have made feasts, and
been hidden to feasts, but never saw I
aught like thine; and this Itell thee, though
am rough of tongue and uuskilled IN pref
ty sayings such as women love, thou vast
the richest sight Of all that splendid board.
The red wine was not so red as thy beau
teous cheek, the roses smelt not so sweet as
the odor of thy hair, and no sapphire there
with its changing light was so lovely as thy
eyes of ocean blue"
"Whati praise from Antonyl Sweet
words from the lips Of him whose writings
are so harshl Why, tits praise, indeed"
"Ay," he went on, "'twas royal feast,
though grieved that thou didst waste that
great pearl; and what meant that hour
calling astrologer of thine, with his i'll
omened talk Of the curse of Meuka-rar'