The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-05-30

4
mixed them cunningly, rubbing the stuff or
my face and hands and on the white MARI
in my hair where the sword Of Brennus had
bitten to the bone
Snow art thou changed-somewhat for
the worse, Harmachis," she said, with a
dreary laugh; scarce myself should
know thee. Stay, there Is one more thing, ~
and going to chest of garments, she drew
thence heavy bag of gold.
Take thou this, !" she said; ssthou wilt
have need of money"
lean not take thy gold, Charmion.''
"Yea, take it. 1t was Seps who gave II
TO me for the furtherance of our cause, and
therefore tbs fitting that thou shouldst
| spend It Moreover, IL want IL, doubtless
Antony, who IL henceforth my master. will
give me more; he Is much beholden to me,
and this well he knows. There, waste not
the precious time In haggling DER the pelf-
not yet art thou all q merchant Har-
machis;" and, without more words, she
thrust the pieces into the leather bag that
hung across my shoulders. Then she made
fast the sack containing the spare gar
ments, and SO womanly thoughtful was she,
hid therein an alabaster jar Of pigment
wherewith / might stain my countenance
sfresh, and. taking the broidered robes of
mine Office that I had cast of, hid them in
the secret passage. And so at last all was
made ready.
SIS it time that should goir asked.
| "Not yet awhile. Be patient, Harmachis !;
| for but one little hour more must thou en-
dure my presence, and then, perchance,
| farewell forever
made a gesture signifying that this was
no hour for sharp words.
Forgive me my quick tongue" she said !;
'but from a salt spring do bitter waters
well Be seated, Harmaehis; 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 besute-
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 it came twas in a hoarse
whisper.
Il can not let thee 60" she said-'I can
not let thee go unwilling of the truth.
Rdrmdchts, 'tsrds vho did 6etrdy thee'''
l sprang to my feet, an oath upon my
lips; but she caught me by the hand.
''Oh, be seated" she said-''be seated
and hear me; then, when thou hast heard,
do unto me as thou wilt Listenl from
that evil moment when, in the presence of
thy uncle Sepa, for the second time set
eyes upon thy face, loved thee-how
much, little canst thou guessl Think upon
thine own love for Cleopatra, and double it,
and double it again, and, perchance, thou
mayst come near to my loves mighty sum.
loved thee, day by day loved thee more,
till in thee and for thee alone 1 seemed to
live. But thou vast cold-thou vast worse
than cold; thou didst deal with me not as a
breathing woman, but rather as the instru-
ment to an end-as a tool wherewith to
grave thy fortunes. And then saw-yea,
long before myself 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, hid within the cham
Der, saw thee cast my kerchief to the
winds, and with sweet words cherish my
Royal rivals gift. Then-ohl thou knowest
in my pain I betrayed the secret that
thou wouldst not see-and thou didst
make a mock of me, Harmachisl Oh
the shame of it.-thou, in thy foolishness,
and within me were rising all the torments
which can tear a woman's heart, for now l
was sure that thou didst love Cleopatra!
Ay, and so mad was I, even that night was
minded to betray thee; but I 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-and again thou didst
put me away when spake to thee in para
bles, as something of little worth, as thing
too small to claim q moments weighty
thought. And, knowing that this was be-
cause-though knewest it not-thou didst
love Cleopatra, whom now thou must
stralghtway 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 nv
everlasting shame and sorrow l dbl
passed into Cleopatra's presence and be-
trayed thee and those with thee, and all our
holy cause, saying that had found writ |
in g which thou hadst let fall and read all |
this therein
gasped and sat silent; and gazing sadly |
at me she went on:
when 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 she |
would cause thee to be slain, there. in the |
chamber, and l left her so believing; for, /
at that hour, fain was that thou shouldst be /
slain--ay, even if / wept out my heart upon /
thy grave. But what said / anon2-yen-
geance Is an arrow that eft falls on him |
who looses it, So was 1t with me; for be- |
tween my going aud thy coming she |
Matched deeper plan. She feared that to /
slay thee would but be to light q fercer
fire Of revolt; but she saw that to bind
thee to her, and having left men awhile in
doubt, to show thee fsithless would strike |
the imminent danger at its roots and |
wither it. This plot once formed, being
great, she dared its doubtful issue, and
need go ont Thou knowest, Harmachis,
how she Voc; and thus did the shaft of
vengeance that loosed fall upon my own
head. For on the morrow / knew that !
had sinned for naught that on the
wretched Psulus had been laid the burden
Of my betrayal, and that had but ruined
the cause whereto was sworn and given
the man / loved to the arms of wsnton
Egypt"
She bowed her head awhile, and then, a.
l spake not, once more went or:
s'Let all my sin be told, Hsrmachis, and
then let justice come See how this thing
happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to love
thee, and deep in her heart she be;hought
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
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 squsnders to de-