The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-06-06

"Or, perchance, each others woe,"
answered, looking up; for. her swee.
speeches stung my ears, and Brought NOR.
color to my face than loved that sh.
should see therein.
s'Nay, never talk Of VICE. Be seated here
by me, Harmachis, and let US talk, not as
Queen and subject, but rs friend to friend.
Thou vast angered with me at the feast TO-
night-was 1t not sol-in that Knocked
thee with yonder WREATH Nay, twas but
jest. Didst thou know how heavy is the
task OF monarchs, and how wearisome are
their hours, thou wouldst not be wroth be-
cause Lit my dullness with o jest. Oh,
they weary me, those princes and those
mobiles, and those stiff-necked, pompous
Romans. To my face they VOW themselves
my slaves, and behind my back they mock
me and proclaim me the servant of their
triumvirate, or their empire, or their re-
public, as the wheel Of fortune turns, and
each rises on its round There is never a
man among them-nothing but FOOLS para
sites and puppets-never man since with
their cowardly daggcrs they slew that
Caesar whom all the world In arms was not
strong enough to tame. And / must play
OF one against the other, if, may be, by SO
doing can keep Egypt from their grip.
And for reward, WHAT Why, this is my
reward; that all men speak i'll of me and-I
know Tiny subjects hate mel Yea, be-
lleve that woman though be, they would
murder me could they find meansl" And
she paused, covering her eyes with her
hand, and twas well, for her words pierced
me so that shrank there upon the seat be-
side her
( ''They think i'll of me- know it; and call
me wanton, who have never stepped aside
save once, when loved the greatest man
of all the world, and at the touch of love my
/ passion famed indeed, but burnt with q
hallowed fame These ribald Alexandrians
] do swear that l poisoned Ptolemy, my
brother-whom, most unnaturally, the Ro-
man Senate would have forced on me, his
sister, as husband but it is false; he
slckened and died of fever And even so
they say that would Stay Arsinoe, my sis
ter--who, indeed, would STAY me but that
too, is false! Though she will have none of
me, l love my sister. Yea, they all think
i'll of me without a cause; even thou dost
think i'll Of me, Harmachis. Oh, Harmachis,
before thou judgest, think what thing is
envy that foul sickness Of the mind which
makes the jaundiced eye of pettiness to see
all things distraught-to read evil written
on the open face Of good, and find impurity
in the whitest virgins soul Think what a
thing it is, Harmachis, to be set on high
above the gaping crowd of knaves who hate
thee for thy fortune and thy wit; who gnash
their teeth and shoot the arrows of their
lies from the cover of their own obscure
ness, whence they have no wings to soar
and whose hearts quest it is to drag down
thy nobility to the level of the grounding
and the fool!
"Bo not, then, ready to think evil of the
great, whose every word and act is searched
for error by million angry eyes, and
whose most tiny fault Is trumpeted by a
thousand Threats, till the world shakes
with the echoes Of their sin Say not: ''Tis
thus, tits certainly thus'-say, rather: Nay,
may it not be otherwisea Have we heard
arightl Did she this thing of her own
wip Judge gently Harmachis, as vert
thou me thou wouldst be judged Remem.
Der that Queen is never free. She is, in
deed, bat the point and instrument of those
forces polite, Wherewith are craven the
iron books Of history. o, Harmachis be
thou my friend-my friend and counsellor
my friend whom | can trust indeedg-for
here, in this crowded court, ] am more ut
terly alone than any soul that breathes
about the corridors. But thee | trust; there
is faith written in those quiet eyes, and
am minded to lift thee high. Harmachis,
can no longer bear my solitude of mind
must find one with whom | may commune
and speak that which lies within my heart
have faults, l know it; but am not all
unworthy of thy faith, for there is good
grain among the evil seed. Say, Harma-
CHS, wilt thou take pity on my lonelines;
and b1friend me VINO have lovers, courtiers
slaves, dependents, more thick than l car
count, but never one single friendm anC
she leaned toward me, touching me lightly
and gazed on me with her wonderful blue
eyes,
Twas overcome; thinking of the morrow
night, shame aid sorrow smote me- l, hel
riend!-L whose assassin dagger la,
against my breast! | bent my head and {
sob or a groan, | know not which, burs
from the agony of my heart.
But Cleopatra, thinking only that wa
moved beyond myself by the surprise of he
graciousness, smiled sweetly, and said:
at grows late. Tomorrow night, wher
thou bringest the auguries, will we speal
again, o my friend Harmachis, and thor
, shalt answer me-" And she gave me hel
hand to kiss. Scarce knowing what did,
kissed it, and in another moment she wa.
, gone.
But stood in the chamber, gazing aftel
| her like one asleep.