that　we　were　destined　to　stand　together；　I；　as　the　Queen；　and　thou；
  perchance；　Harmachis；　as　one　of　the　chief　pillars　of　my　throne；　and
  thus　to　work　each　other's　weal。〃
  〃Or　maybe　each　other's　woe；〃　I　answered；　looking　up；　for　her　sweet
  speeches　stung　my　ears　and　brought　more　colour　to　my　face　than　I　loved
  that　she　should　see　there。
  〃Nay；　never　talk　of　woe。　Be　seated　here　by　me；　Harmachis；　and　let　us
  talk；　not　as　Queen　and　subject；　but　as　friend　to　friend。　Thou　wast
  angered　with　me　at　the　feast　to…night　because　I　mocked　thee　with
  yonder　wreathwas　it　not　so？　Nay；　it　was　but　a　jest。　Didst　thou　know
  how　heavy　is　the　task　of　monarchs　and　how　wearisome　are　their　hours；
  thou　wouldst　not　be　wroth　because　I　lit　my　dulness　with　a　jest。　Oh；
  they　weary　me；　those　princes　and　those　nobles；　and　those　stiff…necked
  pompous　Romans。　To　my　face　they　vow　themselves　my　slaves；　and　behind
  my　back　they　mock　me　and　proclaim　me　the　servant　of　their　Triumvirate；
  or　their　Empire；　or　their　Republic；　as　the　wheel　of　Fortune　turns；　and
  each　rises　on　its　round！　There　is　never　a　man　among　themnothing　but
  fools；　parasites；　and　puppetsnever　a　man　since　with　their　coward
  daggers　they　slew　that　C？sar　whom　all　the　world　in　arms　was　not　strong
  enough　to　tame。　And　I　must　play　off　one　against　the　other；　if　maybe；
  by　so　doing；　I　can　keep　Egypt　from　their　grip。　And　for　reward；　what？
  Why；　this　is　my　rewardthat　all　men　speak　ill　of　meand；　I　know　it；
  my　subjects　hate　me！　Yes；　I　believe　that；　woman　though　I　am；　they
  would　murder　me　could　they　find　a　means！〃
  She　paused；　covering　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　it　was　well；　for　her
  words　pierced　me　so　that　I　shrank　upon　the　seat　beside　her。
  〃They　think　ill　of　me；　I　know　it；　and　call　me　wanton；　who　have　never
  stepped　aside　save　once；　when　I　loved　the　greatest　man　of　all　the
  world；　and　at　the　touch　of　love　my　passion　flamed　indeed；　but　burnt　a
  hallowed　flame。　These　ribald　Alexandrians　swear　that　I　poisoned
  Ptolemy；　my　brotherwhom　the　Roman　Senate　would；　most　unnaturally；
  have　forced　on　me；　his　sister；　as　a　husband！　But　it　is　false：　he
  sickened　and　died　of　fever。　And　even　so　they　say　that　I　would　slay
  Arsino？；　my　sisterwho；　indeed；　would　slay　me！but　that；　too；　is
  false！　Though　she　will　have　none　of　me；　I　love　my　sister。　Yes；　they
  all　think　ill　of　me　without　a　cause；　even　thou　dost　think　ill　of　me；
  Harmachis。
  〃O　Harmachis；　before　thou　judgest；　remember　what　a　thing　is　envy！
  that　foul　sickness　of　the　mind　which　makes　the　jaundiced　eye　of
  pettiness　to　see　all　things　distraughtto　read　Evil　written　on　the
  open　face　of　Good；　and　find　impurity　in　the　whitest　virgin's　soul！
  Think　what　a　thing　it　is；　Harmachis；　to　be　set　on　high　above　the
  gaping　crowd　of　knaves　who　hate　thee　for　thy　fortune　and　thy　wit；　who
  gnash　their　teeth　and　shoot　the　arrows　of　their　lies　from　the　cover　of
  their　own　obscureness；　whence　they　have　no　wings　to　soar；　and　whose
  hearts'　quest　it　is　to　drag　down　thy　nobility　to　the　level　of　the
  groundling　and　the　fool！
  〃Be　not；　then；　swift　to　think　evil　of　the　Great；　whose　every　word　and
  act　is　searched　for　error　by　a　million　angry　eyes；　and　whose　most　tiny
  fault　is　trumpeted　by　a　thousand　throats；　till　the　world　shakes　with
  echoes　of　their　sin！　Say　not：　'It　is　thus；　'tis　certainly　thus'say；
  rather：　'May　it　not　be　otherwise？　Have　we　heard　aright？　Did　she　this
  thing　of　her　own　will？'　Judge　gently；　Harmachis；　as　wert　thou　I　thou
  wouldst　be　judged。　Remember　that　a　Queen　is　never　free。　She　is；
  indeed；　but　the　point　and　instrument　of　those　forces　politic　with
  which　the　iron　books　of　history　are　graved。　O　Harmachis！　be　thou　my
  friendmy　friend　and　counsellor！my　friend　whom　I　can　trust　indeed！
  for　here；　in　this　crowded　Court；　I　am　more　utterly　alone　than　any
  soul　that　breathes　about　its　corridors。　But　/thee/　I　trust；　there　is
  faith　written　in　those　quiet　eyes；　and　I　am　minded　to　lift　thee　high；
  Harmachis。　I　can　no　longer　bear　my　solitude　of　mindI　must　find　one
  with　whom　I　may　commune　and　speak　that　which　lies　within　my　heart。　I
  have　faults；　I　know　it；　but　I　am　not　all　unworthy　of　thy　faith；　for
  there　is　good　grain　among　the　evil　seed。　Say；　Harmachis；　wilt　thou
  take　pity　on　my　loneliness　and　befriend　me；　who　have　lovers；
  courtiers；　slaves；　dependents；　more　thick　than　I　can　count；　but　never
  one　single　/friend/？〃　and　she　leant　towards　me；　touching　me　lightly；
  and　gazed　on　me　with　her　wonderful　blue　eyes。
  I　was　overcome；　thinking　of　the　morrow　night；　shame　and　sorrow　smote
  me。　/I/；　her　friend！/I/；　whose　assassin　dagger　lay　against　my
  breast！　I　bent　my　head；　and　a　sob　or　a　groan；　I　know　not　which；　burst
  from　the　agony　of　my　heart。
  But　Cleopatra；　thinking　only　that　I　was　moved　beyond　myself　by　the
  surprise　of　her　graciousness；　smiled　sweetly；　and　said：
  〃It　grows　late；　to…morrow　night　when　thou　bringest　the　auguries　we
  will　speak　again；　O　my　friend　Harmachis；　and　thou　shalt　answer　me。〃
  And　she　gave　me　her　hand　to　kiss。　Scarce　knowing　what　I　did；　I　kissed
  it；　and　in　another　moment　she　was　gone。
  But　I　stood　in　the　chamber；　gazing　after　her　like　one　asleep。
  CHAPTER　VI
  OF　THE　WORDS　AND　JEALOUSY　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　LAUGHTER　OF
  HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　MAKING　READY　FOR　THE　DEED　OF　BLOOD；　AND　OF　THE
  I　stood　still；　plunged　in　thought。　Then　by　hazard　as　it　were　I　took　up
  the　wreath　of　roses　and　looked　on　it。　How　long　I　stood　so　I　know　not；
  but　when　next　I　lifted　up　my　eyes　they　fell　upon　the　form　of　Charmion；
  whom；　indeed；　I　had　altogether　forgotten。　And　though　at　the　moment　I
  thought　but　little　of　it；　I　noted　vaguely　that　she　was　flushed　as
  though　with　anger；　and　beat　her　foot　upon　the　floor。
  〃Oh；　it　is　thou；　Charmion！〃　I　said。　〃What　ails　thee？　Art　thou　cramped
  with　standing　so　long　in　thy　hiding…place？　Why　didst　not　thou　slip
  hence　when　Cleopatra　led　me　to　the　balcony？〃
  〃Where　is　my　kerchief？〃　she　asked；　shooting　an　angry　glance　at　me。　〃I
  let　fall　my　broidered　kerchief。〃
  〃Thy　kerchief！why；　didst　thou　not　see？　Cleopatra　twitted　me　about
  it；　and　I　flung　it　from　the　balcony。〃
  〃Yes；　I　saw；〃　answered　the　girl；　〃I　saw　but　too　well。　Thou　didst　fling
  away　my　kerchief；　but　the　wreath　of　rosesthat　thou　wouldst　not　fling
  away。　It　was　'a　Queen's　gift；'　forsooth；　and　therefore　the　royal
  Harmachis；　the　Priest　of　Isis；　the　chosen　of　the　Gods；　the　crowned
  Pharaoh　wed　to　the　weal　of　Khem；　cherished　it　and　saved　it。　But　my
  kerchief；　stung　by　the　laughter　of　that　light　Queen；　he　cast　away！〃
  〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　asked；　astonished　at　her　bitter　tone。　〃I　cannot
  read　thy　riddles。〃
  〃What　mean　I？〃　she　answered；　tossing　up　her　head　and　showing　the　white
  curves　of　her　throat。　〃Nay；　I　mean　naught；　or　all；　take　it　as　thou
  wilt。　Wouldst　know　what　I　mean；　Harmachis；　my　cousin　and　my　Lord？〃　she
  went　on　in　a　hard；　low　voice。　〃Then　I　will　tell　theethou　art　in
  danger　of　the　great　offence。　This　Cleopatra　has　cast　her　fatal　wiles
  about　thee；　and　thou　goest　near　to　loving　her；　Harmachisto　loving
  her　whom　to…morrow　thou　must　slay！　Ay；　stand　and　stare　at　that　wreath
  in　thy　handthe　wreath　thou　couldst　not　send　to　join　my　kerchief
  sure　Cleopatra　wore　it　but　to…night！　The　perfume　of　the　hair　of
  C？sar's　mistressC？sar's　and　others'yet　mingles　with　the　odour　of
  its　roses！　Now；　prithee；　Harmachis；　how　far　didst　thou　carry　the
  matter　on　yonder　balcony？　for　in　that　hole　where　I　lay　hid　I　could　not
  hear　or　see。　'Tis　a　sweet　spot　for　lovers；　is　it　not？ay；　and　a　sweet
  hour；　too？　Venus　surely　rules　the　stars　to…night？〃
  All　of　this　she　said　so　quietly　and　in　so　soft　and　modest　a　way；
  though　her　words　were　not　modest；　and　yet　so　bitterly；　that　every
  syllable　cut　me　to　the　heart；　and　angered　me　till　I　could　find　no
  speech。
  〃Of　a　truth　thou　hast　a　wise　economy；〃　she　went　on；　seeing　her
  advantage：　〃to…night　thou　dost　kiss　the　lips　that　to…morrow　thou　shalt
  still　for　ever！　It　is　frugal　dealing　with　the　occasion　of　the　moment；
  ay；　worthy　and　honourable　dealing！〃
  Then　at　last　I　broke　forth。　〃Girl；〃　I　cried；　〃how　darest　thou　speak
  thus　to　me？　Mindest　thou　who　and　what　I　am　that　thou　loosest　thy
  peevish　gibes　upon　me？〃
  〃I　mind　what　it　behoves　thee　to　be；〃　she　answered　quick。　〃What　thou
  art；　that　I　mind　not　now。　Surely　thou　knowest　alonethou　and
  Cleopatra！〃
  〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　said。　〃Am　I　to　blame　if　the　Queen〃
  〃The　Queen！　What　have　we　here？　Pharaoh　owns　a　Queen！〃
  〃If　Cleopatra　wills　to　come　hither　of　a　night　and　talk〃
  〃Of　stars；　Harmachissurely　of　stars　and　roses；　and　naught　beside！〃
  After　that　I　know　not　what　I　said；　for；　troubled　as　I　was；　the　girl's
  bitter　tongue　and　quiet　way　drove　me　wellnigh　to　madness。　But　this　I
  know：　I　spoke　so　fiercely　that　she　cowered　before　me　as　she　had
  cowered　before　my　uncle　Sepa　when　he　rated　her　because　of　her　Grecian
  garb。　And　as　she　wept　then；　so　she　wept　now；　only　more　passionately
  and　with　great　sobs。
  At　length　I　ceased；　half…shamed　but　still　angry