and　minister　to　the　luxury　of　the　Macedonian　Lagid？ay；　and　when　she
  had　been　so　long　a　serf　that；　perchance；　she　had　forgotten　how　to　put
  off　the　servile　smile　of　Bondage　and　once　more　to　look　across　the
  world　with　Freedom's　happy　eyes？
  Then　I　bethought　me　of　my　prayer　upon　the　pylon　tower　of　Abouthis　and
  of　the　answer　given　to　my　prayer；　and　wondered　if　that；　too；　were　a
  dream。
  And　one　night；　as；　weary　with　study；　I　walked　within　the　sacred　grove
  that　is　in　the　garden　of　the　temple；　and　mused　thus；　I　met　my　uncle
  Sepa；　who　also　was　walking　and　thinking。
  〃Hold！〃　he　cried　in　his　great　voice；　〃why　is　thy　face　so　sad；
  Harmachis？　Has　the　last　problem　that　we　studied　overwhelmed　thee？〃
  〃Nay；　my　uncle；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　overwhelmed　indeed；　but　not　of　the
  problem；　it　was　a　light　one。　My　heart　is　heavy；　for　I　am　weary　of　life
  within　these　cloisters；　and　the　piled…up　weight　of　knowledge　crushes
  me。　It　is　of　no　avail　to　store　up　force　which　cannot　be　used。〃
  〃Ah；　thou　art　impatient；　Harmachis；〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　ever　the　way
  of　foolish　youth。　Thou　wouldst　taste　of　the　battle；　thou　dost　tire　of
  watching　the　breakers　fall　upon　the　beach；　thou　wouldst　plunge　into
  them　and　venture　the　desperate　hazard　of　the　war。　And　so　thou　wouldst
  be　going；　Harmachis？　The　bird　would　fly　the　nest　as；　when　they　are
  grown；　the　swallows　fly　from　the　eaves　of　the　Temple。　Well；　it　shall
  be　as　thou　desirest；　the　hour　is　at　hand。　I　have　taught　thee　all　that
  I　have　learned；　and　methinks　that　the　pupil　has　outrun　his　master；〃
  and　he　paused　and　wiped　his　bright　black　eyes；　for　he　was　very　sad　at
  the　thought　of　my　departure。
  〃And　whither　shall　I　go；　my　uncle？〃　I　asked　rejoicing；　〃back　to
  Abouthis　to　be　initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　the　Gods？〃
  〃Ay；　back　to　Abouthis；　and　from　Abouthis　to　Alexandria；　and　from
  Alexandria　to　the　Throne　of　thy　fathers；　Harmachis！　Listen；　now；
  things　are　thus：　Thou　knowest　how　Cleopatra；　the　Queen；　fled　into
  Syria　when　that　false　eunuch　Pothinus　set　the　will　of　her　father
  Aulêtes　at　naught　and　raised　her　brother　Ptolemy　to　the　sole　lordship
  of　Egypt。　Thou　knowest　also　how　she　came　back；　like　a　Queen　indeed；
  with　a　great　army　in　her　train；　and　lay　at　Pelusium；　and　how　at　this
  juncture　the　mighty　C？sar；　that　great　man；　that　greatest　of　all　men；
  sailed　with　a　weak　company　hither　to　Alexandria　from　Pharsalia's
  bloody　field　in　hot　pursuit　of　Pompey。　But　he　found　Pompey　already
  dead；　having　been　basely　murdered　by　Achillas；　the　General；　and　Lucius
  Septimius；　the　chief　of　the　Roman　legions　in　Egypt；　and　thou　knowest
  how　the　Alexandrians　were　troubled　at　his　coming　and　would　have　slain
  his　lictors。　Then；　as　thou　hast　heard；　C？sar　seized　Ptolemy；　the　young
  King；　and　his　sister　Arsino？；　and　bade　the　army　of　Cleopatra　and　the
  army　of　Ptolemy；　under　Achillas；　which　lay　facing　each　other　at
  Pelusium；　disband　and　go　their　ways。　And　for　answer　Achillas　marched
  on　C？sar；　and　besieged　him　straitly　in　the　Bruchium　at　Alexandria；　and
  so；　for　a　while；　things　were；　and　none　knew　who　should　reign　in　Egypt。
  But　then　Cleopatra　took　up　the　dice；　and　threw　them；　and　this　was　the
  throw　she　madein　truth；　it　was　a　bold　one。　For；　leaving　the　army　at
  Pelusium；　she　came　at　dusk　to　the　harbour　of　Alexandria；　and　alone
  with　the　Sicilian　Apollodorus　entered　and　landed。　Then　Apollodorus
  bound　her　in　a　bale　of　rich　rugs；　such　as　are　made　in　Syria；　and　sent
  the　rugs　as　a　present　to　C？sar。　And　when　the　rugs　were　unbound　in　the
  palace；　behold！　within　them　was　the　fairest　girl　on　all　the　earthay；
  and　the　most　witty　and　the　most　learned。　And　she　seduced　the　great
  C？sareven　his　weight　of　years　did　not　avail　to　protect　him　from　her
  charmsso　that；　as　a　fruit　of　his　folly；　he　wellnigh　lost　his　life；
  and　all　the　glory　he　had　gained　in　a　hundred　wars。〃
  〃The　fool！〃　I　broke　in〃the　fool！　Thou　callest　him　great；　but　how　can
  the　man　be　truly　great　who　has　no　strength　to　stand　against　a　woman's
  wiles？　C？sar；　with　the　world　hanging　on　his　word！　C？sar；　at　whose
  breath　forty　legions　marched　and　changed　the　fate　of　peoples！　C？sar
  the　cold！　the　far…seeing！　the　hero！C？sar　to　fall　like　a　ripe　fruit
  into　a　false　girl's　lap！　Why；　in　the　issue；　of　what　common　clay　was
  this　Roman　C？sar；　and　how　poor　a　thing！〃
  But　Sepa　looked　at　me　and　shook　his　head。　〃Be　not　so　rash；　Harmachis；
  and　talk　not　with　so　proud　a　voice。　Knowest　thou　not　that　in　every
  suit　of　mail　there　is　a　joint；　and　woe　to　him　who　wears　the　harness　if
  the　sword　should　search　it　out！　For　Woman；　in　her　weakness；　is　yet　the
  strongest　force　upon　the　earth。　She　is　the　helm　of　all　things　human；
  she　comes　in　many　shapes　and　knocks　at　many　doors；　she　is　quick　and
  patient；　and　her　passion　is　not　ungovernable　like　that　of　man；　but　as
  a　gentle　steed　that　she　can　guide　e'en　where　she　will；　and　as　occasion
  offers　can　now　bit　up　and　now　give　rein。　She　has　a　captain's　eye；　and
  stout　must　be　that　fortress　of　the　heart　in　which　she　finds　no　place
  of　vantage。　Does　thy　blood　beat　fast　in　youth？　She　will　outrun　it；　nor
  will　her　kisses　tire。　Art　thou　set　toward　ambition？　She　will　unlock
  thy　inner　heart；　and　show　thee　roads　that　lead　to　glory。　Art　thou　worn
  and　weary？　She　has　comfort　in　her　breast。　Art　thou　fallen？　She　can
  lift　thee　up；　and　to　the　illusion　of　thy　sense　gild　defeat　with
  triumph。　Ay；　Harmachis；　she　can　do　these　things；　for　Nature　ever
  fights　upon　her　side；　and　while　she　does　them　she　can　deceive　and
  shape　a　secret　end　in　which　thou　hast　no　part。　And　thus　Woman　rules
  the　world。　For　her　are　wars；　for　her　men　spend　their　strength　in
  gathering　gains；　for　her　they　do　well　and　ill；　and　seek　for　greatness；
  to　find　oblivion。　But　still　she　sits　like　yonder　Sphinx；　and　smiles；
  and　no　man　has　ever　read　all　the　riddle　of　her　smile；　or　known　all　the
  mystery　of　her　heart。　Mock　not！　mock　not！　Harmachis；　for　he　must　be
  great　indeed　who　can　defy　the　power　of　Woman；　which；　pressing　round
  him　like　the　invisible　air；　is　often　strongest　when　the　senses　least
  discover　it。〃
  I　laughed　aloud。　〃Thou　speakest　earnestly；　my　uncle　Sepa；〃　I　said；
  〃one　might　almost　think　that　thou　hadst　not　come　unscathed　through
  this　fierce　fire　of　temptation。　Well；　for　myself；　I　fear　not　woman　and
  her　wiles；　I　know　naught　of　them；　and　naught　do　I　wish　to　know；　and　I
  still　hold　that　this　C？sar　was　a　fool。　Had　I　stood　where　C？sar　stood；
  to　cool　its　wantonness　that　bale　of　rugs　should　have　been　rolled　down
  the　palace　steps；　into　the　harbour　mud。〃
  〃Nay；　cease！　cease！〃　he　cried　aloud。　〃It　is　evil　to　speak　thus；　may
  the　Gods　avert　the　omen　and　preserve　to　thee　this　cold　strength　of
  which　thou　boastest。　Oh！　man；　thou　knowest　not！thou　in　thy　strength
  and　beauty　that　is　without　compare；　in　the　power　of　thy　learning　and
  the　sweetness　of　thy　tonguethou　knowest　not！　The　world　where　thou
  must　mix　is　not　a　sanctuary　as　that　of　the　Divine　Isis。　But　thereit
  may　be　so！　Pray　that　thy　heart's　ice　may　never　melt；　so　thou　shalt　be
  great　and　happy　and　Egypt　shall　be　delivered。　And　now　let　me　take　up
  my　talethou　seest；　Harmachis；　even　in　so　grave　a　story　woman　claims
  her　place。　The　young　Ptolemy；　Cleopatra's　brother；　being　loosed　of
  C？sar；　treacherously　turned　on　him。　Then　C？sar　and　Mithridates　stormed
  the　camp　of　Ptolemy；　who　took　to　flight　across　the　river。　But　his　boat
  was　sunk　by　the　fugitives　who　pressed　upon　it；　and　such　was　the
  miserable　end　of　Ptolemy。
  〃Thereon；　the　war　being　ended；　though　she　had　but　then　borne　him　a
  son；　C？sarion；　C？sar　appointed　the　younger　Ptolemy　to　rule　with
  Cleopatra；　and　be　her　husband　in　name；　and　he　himself　departed　for
  Rome；　bearing　with　him　the　beautiful　Princess　Arsino？　to　follow　his
  triumph　in　her　chains。　But　the　great　C？sar　is　no　more。　He　died　as　he
  had　lived；　in　blood；　and　right　royally。　And　but　now　Cleopatra；　the
  Queen；　if　my　tidings　may　be　trusted；　has　slain　Ptolemy；　her　brother
  and　husband；　by　poison；　and　taken　the　child　C？sarion　to　be　her　fellow
  on　the　throne；　which　she　holds　by　the　help　of　the　Roman　legions；　and；
  as　they　say；　of　young　Sextus　Pompeius；　who　has　succeeded　C？sar　in　her
  love。　But；　Harmachis；　the　whole　land　boils　and　seethes　against　her。　In
  every　city　the　children　of　Khem　talk　of　the　deliverer　who　is　to　come
  and　thou　art　he；　Harmachis。　The　time　is　almost　ripe。　The　hour　is　nigh
  at　hand。　Go　thou　back　to　Abouthis　and　learn　the　last　secrets　of　the
  Gods；　and　meet　those　who　shall　direct　the　bursting　of　the　storm。　Then
  act；　Harmachisact；　I　say；　and　strike　home　for　Khem；　rid　the　land　of
  the　Roman　and　the　Greek；　and　take　thy　place　upon　the　throne　of　thy
  divine　fathers　and　be　a　King　of　men。　For　to　this　end　thou　wast　born；　O
  Prince！〃
  CHAPTER　V
  OF　THE　RETURN　OF　HARMACHIS　TO　ABOUTHIS；　OF　THE　CELEBRATION
  OF　THE　MYSTERIES；　OF　THE　CHANT　OF　ISIS；　AND　OF　THE　WARNING
  OF　AMENEMHAT
  On　the　next　day　I　embraced　my　uncle　Sepa；　and　with　an　eager　heart
  departed　from　Annu　back　to　Abouthis。　To　be　short；　I　came　thither　in
  saf