The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-05-23

Hearken now to the secret OF thy visions.
Twas Caesars self thou sawest coming TO
thy aide fpom Amenti in such guise ss
might not be mistaken. When he embraced
the child Cesarion he did it for sign that
70 him, and him alone, he passed his great
ness and his love. When he seemed TO
lead him hence he led him forth from Egypt
to be crowned in the Capitol, crowned the
Emperor of Rome and Lord Of all the lands.
For the rest, know it not 1t is hid from
me-"
Thus, then, read the vision, though to
my sense it had more evil meaning. But
it is not we'll to prophecy evil unto Kings.
Meanwhile Cleopatra. had risen, and, hav-
ing thrown back the gnat gauze, was seated
upon the edge Of her couch, her eyes fixed
upon my face the while her fingers played
with her girdle's jeweled ends.
"Of truth" she cried, "thou art the
best of all magicians, for thou readest my
heart, and out of the rou h shell of evil
omen drawest tho hidden sweet"
SAY, o Qucenw said Charmion, who
stood by with downcast eyes, and me-
thought there was bitter meaning in her
soft notes; may no rougher words ever af-
front thy ears, and no evil passage less
closely tread upon its happy sense" Cleo
patra paced her hands behind her head, and
leaning back looked with half-shut eyes.
"Come, show US Of thy magic, Egyptian"
she said. at is yet hot abroad, and | am
weary of those Hebrew Ambassadors and
their talk of Herod and Jerusalem. ! hate
that Herod, as he shall find and I will
have rome of the Ambassadors to-day,
though little do yearn to try my Hebrew
on them. What canst thou 6oi Hast thou
no new trickl By 6erapisl if thou canst
conjure as well as thou canst prophecy thou
shalt have place at court, with pay and
perquisites to boot, and thy lofty soul doth
not scorn pcrluisites."
"Nay," / answered, "ail tricks are old !,
but there are some forms of magic to be
rarely used, and with discretion, that may,
perchance, be now to thee, o Queen! Art
thou afraid TO venture on the charml"
"Naught fear; 60 on and do thy worst.
Come, Charmion, and sit thou by me. But,
stay, where are all the girlsf-lris and
Merirl-they, too, love magic"
"Not So" said; ''the charms work i'll be-
fore so many. Now beholdr' And, gazing
at the twain, l cast down my wand upon
the marble and murmured spell. For a
moment it was still, and then, as muttered,
the rod slowly began to writhe. 1t bent it
self, it stood on end, and of it's own motion
moved. Next it put on scales, and behold
it was serpent that crawled and fiercely
Kissed.
'Fie on thcer" cried Cleopatra, clapping
her hands; "callest thou that magicl Why,
tits an old trick that any wayside conjurer
can do. l have seen it u score of times"
"Wait, Queen" answered; "thou hast
not seen ALL" And even as ] spoke the ser
pent seemed to break in fragments, and
from each fragment grew new serpent
And these, too, broke in fragments and
bred others, till in little space the place,
| to their glamored sight, was seething ses
OF snakes, that crawled, Kissed and knotteG
themselves in knots. Then l made sign
and the serpents gathered themselves
about me, and seemed slowly to Irvine
themselves about my body and my limbs
till save my face, was wreathed thicl
with kissing snakes.
mion, hiding her countenancein the skirt Of
the Queens garment
"Nay, enoughl Magician, enoughl" said
the Queen; "thy magic overwhelms u.s."
! WAVED my snake-wrapped arms, and all
was gone. There at my feet lay the black
wand tipped with ivory, and naught be-
side.
and gasped with wonder. But | took up
the wand and stood with folded arms be-
fore them.
as the Queen content with my poor artl'
asked most humbly.
"Aye, that am !, Egyptian; never did
see its likel Court astronomer art thou
from this day forward, with right of access
to the Queens presence. Hast thou more
of such magic at thy call!"
"Ycs, Royal Egypt; suffer that the
chamber he little darkened and l will
show thee one more thing"
"Half am | afraid" she answered
nevertheless, do thou, Charmion, even as
this Harmachis says"
So the curtains were drawn and the
chamber made as though the twilight was
at hand. came forward and stood me be-
side Cleopatra. 'Gaze thou thereW
said, sternly, pointing with the wand to the
empty space where had been, "and thou
shalt behold that which is in thy mind"
Then for a little space was silence, while
the two women gazed fxedly and half fear
full at the spot.
And as they gazed cloud gathered be
fore them. Very slowly it took shape ant
form, and the form it took was the form o.
man, though as yet he was but vaguel.
mapped upon the twilight, and seemed nov
to grow and now to melt away.
Then cried with a loud voice:
"Shade, conjure thee, appedrl'
And even as l cried the Thing, perfect il
every part, leapt into form before us, sud
den as the flash of day. His shape was thu
shape of Royal Caesar, tho toga throw
about his face, and on his form a vestmen
bloody from hundred wounds. An in
slant so he stood, then l waved my wan,
and he was gone.
turned me to the two women on tn
couch. and then I saw Cleopatra's love-,
face all clothed in terror. Her lips wer
ashy white, her eyes stared wide, and tn
flesh was shaking on her bones.
"Manl' she sasped, "mani what ar
thou who canst bring the dead before on
eyes"
~ am the Queens astronomer, magician
servant-what the Queen Wills" l an
swered, laughing. "Was this the form tina
was on the Queens mindr'
She made no answer, but, rising, left tn
chamber by another door.
Then Charmion rose and took her hand
from her face, for she, too, had been strick
en- with dread.
"How dost thou these things, Roya
Harmachisp she said ''Of truth | fea
thesn
"Be not afraid" answered. "Perchanc
thou didst see naught but what was in tn
mind All things are shadows. How cans