Evening star., 1928-04-24

was so afraid that I could not
fall asleep; 1t was midnight before I
closed my eyes in slumber. Then
suddenly. 10 and behold. the doors Of
my chamber opened as though by magic
for they had been securely locked
and thought that thieves had come
to rob us OF the little we had.
The bed on which lay. being OF
the kind known as truckle-bed. like
cradle, and one Leg being broken, was
overturned by the violence of this OPEN
ing of the doors and fell down under
IT, From under the bed and Its cover
ings peeked out TO see what was 60
ing on in the room.
Two old women entered, one with
burning torch in her hand, and the
other carrying naked sword and a
sponge. My friend Socrates was still
fast asleep.
The woman with the sword said to
the other: Here Is the man, dear
sweet sister Panthia, who Is my true
love that does nothing but defame me
and even Is running away from me.
She pointed toward me, as lay under
the bed, as she spoke.
Then she said again: And this Is
the man who has given him. such ad-
vice. perSuading him to forsake me.
Now, facing death, my lover lies there
on the ground, seeing all that We do.
and ne has hopes OF escaping safely,
but shall see to it that he repent
too late Of the language he used about
me, and also OF his curiosity at THIS
moment"
shook with fear. and Panthia said:
"Cietar Nnroe lot Iis tear him in pieces
after while"
Nay" said Meroe, the woman had
been fleeing, "let us rather allow him
to live so that he may bury the corpse
of hts friend"
Thereupon she turned over the bed
of Socrates and thrust her sword In
his neck UP to the hilt. She caught
the gushing blood In pot, and keeping
TO the form of sacrifice, she thrust her
hand into the body and drew forth
the heart Socrates gave forth one
cry and gave up the ghost. Then
Panthia stopped the wound In his
that sprung from the sea, do not pass
by the running river"
Then the two women left me alone
there with my dead friend. and began
to think that II ! were found there
might be condemned to the gallows.
The doors were still locked. and II /
were found In the room with the ceac
man 1t would go hard with me. so
I resolved, after a few hours. TO take
my horse and 60 early on my journey.
But when ! called for my horse. the
hostler was suspicious. He thought
maybe had robbed my friend. told
him there was nothing to rob him OF.
Then the hostler startled me with:
How do ! know whether you have
not murdered your companion and now
seek to escape from the consequences
OF the deed?"
The eartn seemed to open ready to
swallow me. I began to think that
Meroe had pardoned me to have me
cruelty die on the gallows. SO re-
turned to the chamber, and planned to
end my life found piece of rope.
and tied one end of It to a rafter
by the window. Then I made a sliding
knot In the other end. and put my neck
into IL, and leaped into the room from
the window sill. But the rope was
rotten and broke. and ! fell tumbling
into the body of Socrates.
Just then the fostler came In crying:
Where are you that wanted to go so
early? Have you gone back 10 bed2"
Then Socrates made a moan and
said: "Hostlers are bad men. This one
has awakened me from sound sleep"
II was overloyed at this, saying:
See. hostier. this Is my friend whom
you falsely accused me OF numbering. :
So We went forth upon our way. and
began to look carefully at the throat
II Socrates for signs OF the sword which
! had seen plunged into his neck with
my own eyes the night before. Then
decided that II must all have beer
terrible dream. q veritable nightmare
for here was Socrates in sound health
/ remembered that one should not eat
too heartily before going to sleep, and
| told Socrates Of my dream.
Socrates laughed, and answered: Il
myself dreamed last night that my
throat was cut. as you say. and that
| felt the pain Of the wound, and that
my heart was ripped out Of ne-and
the memory OF 1t all even now makes
me afraid. / would like to stop and
take food and drink to revive my
spirits"
therefore opened q packet and pro.