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shall be softly cradled； will yet seem thy bosom； Antony！ Oh； I die！
come； Antonyand give me peace！〃
Even in my fury I had quailed beneath her scorn； for home flew the
arrows of her winged words。 Alas！ and alas！ it was /true/the shaft
of my vengeance fell upon my own head； never had I loved her as I
loved her now。 My soul was rent with jealous torture； and thus I swore
she should not die。
〃Peace！〃 I cried； 〃what peace is there for thee？ Oh！ ye Holy Three；
hear now my prayer。 Osiris； loosen Thou the bonds of Hell and send
forth those whom I shall summon！ Come Ptolemy； poisoned of thy sister
Cleopatra； come Arsino？； murdered in the sanctuary by thy sister
Cleopatra； come Sepa； tortured to death of Cleopatra； come Divine
Menkau…ra； whose body Cleopatra tore and whose curse she braved for
greed； come one； come all who have died at the hands of Cleopatra！
Rush from the breast of Nout and greet her who murdered you！ By the
link of mystic union； by the symbol of the Life； Spirits； I summon
you！〃
Thus I spoke the spell； while Charmion； affrighted； clung to my robe；
and the dying Cleopatra； resting on her hands； swung slowly to and
fro； gazing with vacant eyes。
Then the answer came。 The casement burst asunder； and on flittering
wings that great bat entered which last I had seen hanging to the
eunuch's chin in the womb of the pyramid of /Her/。 Thrice it circled
round； once it hovered o'er dead Iras； then flew to where the dying
woman stood。 To her it flew； on her breast it settled； clinging to
that emerald which was dragged from the dead heart of Menkau…ra。
Thrice the grey Horror screamed aloud； thrice it beat its bony wings；
and lo！ it was gone。
Then suddenly within that chamber sprang up the Shapes of Death。 There
was Arsino？； the beautiful； even as she had shrunk beneath the
butcher's knife。 There was young Ptolemy； his features twisted by the
poisoned cup。 There was the majesty of Menkau…ra； crowned with the
ur？us crown； there was grave Sepa； his flesh all torn by the
torturer's hooks； there were those poisoned slaves； and there were
others without number； shadowy and dreadful to behold！ who； thronging
that narrow chamber； stood silently fixing their glassy eyes upon the
face of her who slew them！
〃Behold！ Cleopatra！〃 I said。 〃/Behold thy peace； and die！/〃
〃Ay！〃 said Charmion。 〃Behold and die！ thou who didst rob me of my
honour； and Egypt of her King！〃
She looked； she saw the awful Shapesher Spirit； hurrying from the
flesh； mayhap could hear words to which my ears were deaf。 Then her
face sank in with terror； her great eyes grew pale； and； shrieking；
Cleopatra fell and died： passing； with that dread company； to her
appointed place。
Thus； then； I； Harmachis； fed my soul with vengeance； fulfilling the
justice of the Gods； and yet knew myself empty of all joy therein。 For
though that thing we worship doth bring us ruin； and Love being more
pitiless than Death； we in turn do pay all our sorrow back； yet we
must worship on； yet stretch out our arms towards our lost Desire； and
pour our heart's blood upon the shrine of our discrowned God。
For Love is of the Spirit； and knows not Death。
CHAPTER IX
OF THE FAREWELL OF CHARMION； OF THE DEATH OF CHARMION； OF
THE DEATH OF THE OLD WIFE； ATOUA； OF THE COMING OF HARMACHIS
TO ABOUTHIS； OF HIS CONFESSION IN THE HALL OF SIX…AND…THIRTY
PILLARS； AND OF THE DECLARING OF THE DOOM OF HARMACHIS
Charmion unclasped my arm； to which she had clung in terror。
〃Thy vengeance； thou dark Harmachis；〃 she said； in a hoarse voice； 〃is
a thing hideous to behold！ O lost Egypt； with all thy sins thou wast
indeed a Queen！
〃Come； aid me； Prince； let us stretch this poor clay upon the bed and
deck it royally； so that it may give its dumb audience to the
messengers of C？sar as becomes the last of Egypt's Queens。〃
I spoke no word in answer； for my heart was very heavy； and now that
all was done I was weary。 Together； then； we lifted up the body and
laid it on the golden bed。 Charmion placed the ur？us crown upon the
ivory brow； and combed the night…dark hair that showed never a thread
of silver； and； for the last time； shut those eyes wherein had shone
all the changing glories of the sea。 She folded the chill hands upon
the breast whence Passion's breath had fled； and straightened the bent
knees beneath the broidered robe； and by the head set flowers。 And
there at length Cleopatra lay； more splendid now in her cold majesty
of death than in her richest hour of breathing beauty！
We drew back and looked on her； and on dead Iras at her feet。
〃It is done！〃 quoth Charmion； 〃we are avenged； and now； Harmachis；
dost follow by this same road？〃 And she nodded towards the phial on
the board。
〃Nay； Charmion。 I flyI fly to a heavier death！ Not thus easily may I
end my space of earthly penance。〃
〃So be it； Harmachis！ And I； HarmachisI fly also； but with swifter
wings。 My game is played。 I； too； have made atonement。 Oh！ what a
bitter fate is mine； to have brought misery on all I love； and； in the
end； to die unloved！ To thee I have atoned； to my angered Gods I have
atoned； and now I go to find a way whereby I may atone to Cleopatra in
that Hell where she is； and which I must share！ For she loved me well；
Harmachis； and； now that she is dead； methinks that； after thee； I
loved her best of all。 So of her cup and the cup of Iras I will surely
drink！〃 And she took the phial； and with a steady hand poured what was
left of the poison into the goblet。
〃Bethink thee； Charmion；〃 I said； 〃yet mayst thou live for many years；
hiding these sorrows beneath the withered days。〃
〃Yet I may； but I will not！ To live the prey of so many memories； the
fount of an undying shame that night by night； as I lie sleepless；
shall well afresh from my sorrow…stricken heart！to live torn by a
love I cannot lose！to stand alone like some storm…twisted tree； and；
sighing day by day to the winds of heaven； gaze upon the desert of my
life； while I wait the lingering lightning's strokenay； that will
not I； Harmachis！ I had died long since； but I lived on to serve thee；
now no more thou needest me； and I go。 Oh； fare thee well！for ever
fare thee well！ For not again shall I look again upon thy face； and
there I go thou goest not！ For thou dost not love me who still dost
love that queenly woman thou hast hounded to the death！ Her thou shalt
never win； and I thee shall never win； and this is the bitter end of
Fate！ See； Harmachis： I ask one boon before I go and for all time
become naught to thee but a memory of shame。 Tell me that thou dost
forgive me so far as thine is to forgive； and in token thereof kiss me
with no lover's kiss； but kiss me on the brow； and bid me pass in
peace。〃
And she drew near to me with arms outstretched and pitiful trembling
lips and gazed upon my face。
〃Charmion；〃 I answered； 〃we are free to act for good or evil； and yet
methinks there is a Fate above our fate； that； blowing from some
strange shore； compels our little sails of purpose； set them as we
will； and drives us to destruction。 I forgive thee； Charmion； as I
trust in turn to be forgiven； and by this kiss； the first and the
last； I seal our peace。〃 And with my lips I touched her brow。
She spoke no more； only for a little while she stood gazing on me with
sad eyes。 Then she lifted the goblet； and said：
〃Royal Harmachis； in this deadly cup I pledge thee！ Would that I had
drunk of it ere ever I looked upon thy face！ Pharaoh； who； thy sins
outworn； yet shalt rule in perfect peace o'er worlds I may not tread；
who yet shalt sway a kinglier sceptre than that I robbed thee of； for
ever； fare thee well！〃
She drank； cast down the cup； and for a moment stood with the wide
eyes of one who looks for Death。 Then He came； and Charmion the
Egyptian fell prone upon the floor； dead。 And for a moment more I
stood alone with the dead。
I crept to the side of Cleopatra； and； now that none were left to see；
I sat down on the bed and laid her head upon my knee； as once before
it had been laid in that night of sacrilege beneath the shadow of the
everlasting pyramid。 Then I kissed her chill brow and went from the
House of Deathavenged； but sorely smitten with despair！
〃Physician；〃 said the officer of the Guard as I went through the
gates； 〃what passes yonder in the Monument？ Methought I heard the
sounds of death。〃
〃Naught passesall hath passed；〃 I made reply； and went。
And as I went in the darkness I heard the sound of voices and the
running of the feet of C？sar's messengers。
Flying swiftly to my house I found Atoua waiting at the gates。 She
drew me into a quiet chamber and closed the doors。
〃Is it done？〃 she asked； and turned her wrinkled face to mine； while
the lamplight streamed white upon her snowy hair。 〃Nay； why ask II
know that it is don