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I thought of my aged father； Amenemhat。 Yes； the vision of him flashed
into my mind； as he would be； when they came to tell him his son's
shame and the ruin of all his hopes。 I thought of that patriot priest；
my uncle Sepa； waiting the long night through for the signal which
never came。 Ah； and another thought followed swift！ How would it go
with them？ I was not the only traitor。 I； too； had been betrayed。 By
whom？ By yonder Paulus； perchance。 If it were Paulus； he knew but
little of those who conspired with me。 But the secret lists had been
in my robe。 O Osiris！ they were gone！ and the fate of Paulus would be
the fate of all the patriots in Egypt。 And at this thought my mind
gave way。 I sank and swooned even where I stood。
My sense came back to me； and the lengthening shadows told me that it
was afternoon。 I staggered to my feet； the corpse of Paulus was still
there； keeping its awful watch above me。 I ran desperately to the
door。 It was barred； and without I heard the tramp of sentinels。 As I
stood they challenged and grounded their spears。 Then the bolts were
shot back； the door opened； and radiant； clad in royal attire； came
the conquering Cleopatra。 She came alone； and the door was shut behind
her。 I stood like one distraught； but she swept on till she was face
to face with me。
〃Greeting； Harmachis；〃 she said； smiling sweetly。 〃So； my messenger
has found thee！〃 and she pointed to the corpse of Paulus。 〃Pah！ he has
an ugly look。 Ho！ guards！〃
The door was opened； and two armed Gauls stepped across the threshold。
〃Take away this carrion；〃 said Cleopatra； 〃and fling it to the kites。
Stay； draw that dagger from his traitor breast。〃 The men bowed low；
and the knife； rusted red with blood； was dragged from the heart of
Paulus and laid upon the table。 Then they seized him by the head and
body and staggered thence； and I heard their heavy footfalls as they
bore him down the stairs。
〃Methinks； Harmachis； thou art in an evil case；〃 she said； when the
sound of the footfalls had died away。 〃How strangely the wheel of
Fortune turns！ But for that traitor；〃 and she nodded towards the door
through which the corpse of Paulus had been carried； 〃I should now be
as ill a thing to look on as he is； and the red rust on yonder knife
would have been gathered from /my/ heart。〃
So it was Paulus who had betrayed me。
〃Ay；〃 she went on； 〃and when thou camest to me last night； I /knew/
that thou camest to slay。 When； time upon time； thou didst place thy
hand within thy robe； I knew that it grasped a dagger hilt； and that
thou wast gathering thy courage to the deed which thou didst little
love to do。 Oh！ it was a strange wild hour； well worth the living； and
I wondered greatly； from moment to moment； which of us twain would
conquer； as we matched guile with guile and force to force！
〃Yea； Harmachis； the guards tramp before thy door； but be not
deceived。 Did I not know that I hold thee to me by bonds more strong
than prison chainsdid I not know that I am hedged from ill at thy
hands by a fence of honour harder for thee to pass than all the spears
of all my legions； thou hadst been dead ere now； Harmachis。 See； here
is thy knife；〃 and she handed me the dagger； 〃now slay me if thou
canst；〃 and she drew near； tore open the bosom of her robe； and stood
waiting with calm eyes。
〃Thou canst not slay me；〃 she went on； 〃for there are things； as I
know well； that no manno man such as thou artmay do and live： and
this is the chief of themto slay the woman who is all his own。 Nay；
stay thy hand！ Turn not that dagger against thy breast； for if thou
mayst not slay me； by how much more mayst thou not slay thyself； O
thou forsworn Priest of Isis！ Art thou； then； so eager to face that
outraged Majesty in Amenti？ With what eyes； thinkest thou； will the
Heavenly Mother look upon Her son； who； shamed in all things and false
to his most sacred vow； comes to greet Her； his life…blood on his
hands？ Where； then； will be the space for thy atonement？if； indeed；
thou mayest atone！〃
Then I could bear no more； for my heart was broken。 Alas！ it was too
trueI dared not die！ I was come to such a pass that I did not even
dare to die！ I flung myself upon the couch and weptwept tears of
blood and anguish。
But Cleopatra came to me； and； seating herself beside me； she strove
to comfort me； throwing her arms about my neck。
〃Nay； love； look up；〃 she said； 〃all is not lost for thee； nor am I
angered against thee。 We did play a mighty game； but； as I warned
thee； I matched my woman's magic against thine； and I have conquered。
But I will be open with thee。 Both as Queen and woman thou hast my
pityay； and more； nor do I love to see thee plunged in sorrow。 It
was well and right that thou shouldst strive to win back that throne
my fathers seized； and the ancient liberty of Egypt。 Myself as lawful
Queen had done the same； nor shrunk from the deed of darkness to which
I was sworn。 Therein； then； thou hast my sympathy； that ever goes out
to what is great and bold。 It is well also that thou shouldst grieve
over the greatness of thy fall。 Therein； then； as womanas loving
womanthou hast my sympathy。 Nor is all lost。 Thy plan was foolish
for； as I hold； Egypt could never have stood alonefor though thou
hadst won the crown and countryas without a doubt thou must have
doneyet there was the Roman to be reckoned with。 And for thy hope
learn this： I am little known。 There is no heart in this wide land
that beats with a truer love for ancient Khem than does this heart of
minenay； not thine own； Harmachis。 Yet I have been heavily shackled
heretoforefor wars； rebellions； envies； plots； have hemmed me in on
every side； so that I might not serve my people as I would。 But thou；
Harmachis； shalt show me how。 Thou shalt be my counsellor and my love。
Is it a little thing； Harmachis； to have won the heart of Cleopatra；
that heartfie on thee！that thou wouldst have stilled？ Yes； /thou/
shalt unite me to my people and we will reign together； thus linking
in one the new kingdom and the old and the new thought and the old。 So
do all things work for gooday； for the very best： and thus； by
another and a gentler road； thou shalt climb to Pharaoh's throne。
〃See thou this； Harmachis： thy treachery shall be cloaked about as
much as may be。 Was it； then； thy fault that a Roman knave betrayed
thy plans？ that； thereon； thou wast drugged； thy secret papers stolen
and their key guessed？ Will it； then； be a blame to thee； the great
plot being broken and those who built it scattered； that thou； still
faithful to thy trust； didst serve thee of such means as Nature gave
thee； and win the heart of Egypt's Queen； that； through her gentle
love； thou mightest yet attain thy ends and spread thy wings of power
across the land of Nile？ Am I an ill…counsellor； thinkest thou；
Harmachis？〃
I lifted my head； and a ray of hope crept into the darkness of my
heart； for when men fall they grasp at feathers。 Then； I spoke for the
first time：
〃And those with methose who trusted mewhat of them？〃
〃Ay；〃 she answered； 〃Amenemhat； thy father； the aged Priest of
Abouthis； and Sepa； thy uncle； that fiery patriot； whose great heart
is hid beneath so common a shell of form； and〃
I thought she would have said Charmion； but she named her not。
〃And many othersoh； I know them all！〃
〃Ay！〃 I said； 〃what of them？〃
〃Hear now； Harmachis；〃 she answered； rising and placing her hand upon
my arm； 〃for thy sake I will show mercy to them。 I will do no more
than must be done。 I swear by my throne and by all the Gods of Egypt
that not one hair of thy aged father's head shall be harmed by me；
and； if it be not too late； I will also spare thy uncle Sepa； ay； and
the others。 I will not do as did my forefather； Epiphanes； who； when
the Egyptians rose against him； dragged Athinis； Pausiras； Chesuphus；
and Irobasthus； bound to his chariotnot as Achilles dragged Hector；
but yet livinground the city walls。 I will spare them all； save the
Hebrews； if there be any Hebrews； for the Jews I hate。〃
〃There are no Hebrews；〃 I said。
〃It is well；〃 she said； 〃for no Hebrew will I ever spare。 Am I then；
indeed； so cruel a woman as they say？ In thy list； Harmachis； were
many doomed to die； and I have but taken the life of one Roman knave；
a double traitor； for he betrayed both me and thee。 Art thou not
overwhelmed； Harmachis； with the weight of mercy which I give thee；
becausesuch are a woman's reasonsthou pleasest me； Harmachis？ Nay；
by Serapis！〃 she added with a little laugh； 〃I'll change my mind； I
will not give thee so much for nothing。 Thou shalt buy it from me； and
the price shall be a heavy oneit shall be a kiss； Harmachis。〃
〃Nay；〃 I said； turning from that fair temptress； 〃the price is too
heavy； I kiss no more。〃
〃Bethink thee；〃 she answered； with a heavy frown。 〃Bethink thee and
choose。 I am but a