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