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in the pause that followed； Dellius spoke once more。
〃Then； royal Egypt； my word to Antony is word of War？〃
〃Nay；〃 she answered； 〃it shall be one of Peace。 Listen； we said that
we would not come to make answer to these charges； nor will we。 But〃
and she smiled for the first time〃we will gladly come； and that
swiftly； in royal friendship to make known our fellowship of peace
upon the banks of Cydnus。〃
I heard； and was bewildered。 Could I hear aright？ Was it thus that
Cleopatra kept her oaths？ Moved beyond the hold of reason； I lifted up
my voice and cried：
〃O Queen； /remember！/〃
She turned upon me like a lioness； with a flashing of the eyes and a
swift shake of her lovely head。
〃Peace； Slave！〃 she said； 〃who bade thee break in upon our counsels？
Mind thou thy stars； and leave matters of the world to the rulers of
the world！〃
I sank back shamed； and； as I did so； once more I saw the smile of
triumph on the face of Charmion； followed by what was； perhaps； the
shadow of pity for my fall。
〃Now that yon brawling charlatan；〃 said Dellius； pointing at me with
his jewelled finger； 〃has been rebuked； grant me leave； O Egypt； to
thank thee from my heart for these gentle words〃
〃We ask no thanks from thee； noble Dellius； nor lies it in thy mouth
to chide our servant；〃 broke in Cleopatra； frowning heavily； 〃we will
take thanks from the lips of Antony alone。 Get thee to thy master； and
say to him that before he can make ready a fitting welcome our keels
shall follow in the track of thine。 And now； farewell！ Thou shalt find
some small token of our bounty upon thy vessel。〃
Dellius bowed thrice and withdrew； while the Court stood waiting the
Queen's word。 And I； too； waited； wondering if she would yet make good
her promise； and name me royal Spouse there in the face of Egypt。 But
she said nothing。 Only； still frowning heavily； she rose； and；
followed by her guards； left the throne； and passed into the Alabaster
Hall。 Then the Court broke up； and as the lords and councillors went
by they looked on me with mockery。 For though none knew all my secret；
nor how it stood between me and Cleopatra； yet they were jealous of
the favour shown me by the Queen； and rejoiced greatly at my fall。 But
I took no heed of their mocking as I stood dazed with misery and felt
the world of Hope slip from beneath my feet。
CHAPTER XIII
OF THE REPROACH OF HARMACHIS； OF THE STRUGGLE OF HARMACHIS
WITH THE GUARDS； OF THE BLOW OF BRENNUS； AND OF THE SECRET
SPEECH OF CLEOPATRA
And at length； all being gone； I； too； turned to go； when a eunuch
struck me on the shoulder and roughly bade me wait on the presence of
the Queen。 An hour past this fellow would have crawled to me on his
knees； but he had heard； and now he treated meso brutish is the
nature of such slavesas the world treats the fallen； with scorn。 For
to come low after being great is to learn all shame。 Unhappy；
therefore； are the Great； for they may fall！
I turned upon the slave with so fierce a word that； cur…like； he
sprang behind me； then I passed on to the Alabaster Hall； and was
admitted by the guards。 In the centre of the hall； near the fountain；
sat Cleopatra； and with her were Charmion and the Greek girl Iras； and
Merira and other of her waiting…ladies。 〃Go；〃 she said to these； 〃I
would speak with my astrologer。〃 So they went； and left us face to
face。
〃Stand thou there；〃 she said； lifting her eyes for the first time。
〃Come not nigh me； Harmachis： I trust thee not。 Perchance thou hast
found another dagger。 Now； what hast thou to say？ By what right didst
thou dare to break in upon my talk with the Roman？〃
I felt the blood rush through me like a storm； bitterness and burning
anger took hold of my heart。 〃What hast /thou/ to say； Cleopatra？〃 I
answered boldly。 〃Where is thy vow； sworn on the dead heart of
Menkau…ra； the ever…living？ Where now thy challenge to this Roman
Antony？ Where thy oath that thou wouldest call me 'husband' in the
face of Egypt？〃 and I choked and ceased。
〃Well doth it become Harmachis； who never was forsworn； to speak to me
of oaths！〃 she said in bitter mockery。 〃And yet； O thou most pure
Priest of Isis； and yet； O thou most faithful friend； who never didst
betray thy friends； and yet； O thou most steadfast； honourable； and
upright man； who never bartered thy birthright； thy country； and thy
cause for the price of a woman's passing loveby what token knowest
thou that my word is void？〃
〃I will not answer thy taunts； Cleopatra；〃 I said； holding back my
heart as best I might； 〃for I have earned them all； though not from
thee。 By this token； then； I know it。 Thou goest to visit Antony； thou
goest； as said that Roman knave； 'tricked in thy best attire；' to
feast with him whom thou shouldst give to vultures for their feast。
Perhaps； for aught I know； thou art about to squander those treasures
that thou hast filched from the body of Menkau…ra； those treasures
stored against the need of Egypt； upon wanton revels which shall
complete the shame of Egypt。 By these things； then； I know that thou
art forsworn； and I； who； loving thee； believed thee； tricked； and by
this； also； that thou who didst but yesternight swear to wed me； dost
to…day cover me with taunts； and even before that Roman put me to an
open shame！〃
〃To wed thee？ and I did swear to wed thee？ Well； and what is marriage？
Is it the union of the heart； that bond beautiful as gossamer and than
gossamer more light； which binds soul to soul； as they float through
the dreamy night of passion； a bond to be； perchance； melted in the
dews of dawn？ Or is it the iron link of enforced； unchanging union
whereby if sinks the one the other must be dragged beneath the sea of
circumstance； there； like a punished slave； to perish of unavoidable
corruption？＇*＇ Marriage！ /I/ to marry！ /I/ to forget freedom and court
the worst slavery of our sex； which； by the selfish will of man； the
stronger； still binds us to a bed grown hateful； and enforces a
service that love mayhap no longer hallows！ Of what use； then； to be a
Queen； if thereby I may not escape the evil of the meanly born？ Mark
thou； Harmachis： Woman being grown hath two ills to fearDeath and
Marriage； and of these twain is Marriage the more vile； for in Death
we may find rest； but in Marriage； should it fail us； we must find
hell。 Nay； being above the breath of common slander that enviously
would blast those who of true virtue will not consent to stretch
affection's links； I /love/； Harmachis； but I /marry/ not！〃
＇*＇ Referring to the Roman custom of chaining a living felon to the
body of one already dead。Editor。
〃And yesternight； Cleopatra； thou didst swear that thou wouldst wed
me； and call me to thy side before the face of Egypt！〃
〃And yesternight； Harmachis； the red ring round the moon marked the
coming of the storm； and yet the day is fair！ But who knows that the
tempest may not break to…morrow？ Who knows that I have not chosen the
easier path to save Egypt from the Roman？ Who knows； Harmachis； that
thou shalt not still call me wife？〃
Then I no longer could bear her falsehood； for I saw that she but
played with me。 And so I spoke that which was in my heart：
〃Cleopatra！〃 I cried；〃 thou didst swear to protect Egypt； and thou art
about to betray Egypt to the Roman！ Thou didst swear to use the
treasures that I revealed to thee for the service of Egypt； and thou
art about to use them to be her means of shameto fashion them as
fetters for her wrists！ Thou didst swear to wed me； who loved thee；
and for thee gave all； and thou dost mock me and reject me！ Therefore
I saywith the voice of the dread Gods I say it！that on /thee/
shall fall the curse of Menkau…ra； whom thou hast robbed indeed！ Let
me go hence and work out my fate！ Let me go； O thou fair Shame！ thou
living Lie！ whom I have loved to my doom； and who hast brought upon me
the last curse of doom！ Let me hide myself and see thy face no more！〃
She rose in her wrath； and she was terrible to see。
〃Let thee go to stir up evil against me！ Nay； Harmachis； thou shalt
not go to build new plots against my throne！ I say to thee that thou；
too； shalt come to visit Antony in Cilicia； and there； perchance； I
will let thee go！〃 And ere I could answer； she had struck upon the
silver gong that hung near her。
Before its rich echo had died away； Charmion and the waiting…women
entered from one door； and from the other； a file of soldiersfour of
them of the Queen's bodyguard； mighty men； with winged helmets and
long fair hair。
〃Seize that traitor！〃 cried Cleopatra； pointing to me。 The captain of
the guardit was Brennussaluted and came towards me with drawn
sword。
But I； being mad and desperate； and caring little if they slew me；
flew straight at his throat； and dealt him such a heavy blow that the
great man fell headlong； and his armour