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strength； her might is thy undoing。 Of her thou art； to her thou
goest。 She is thy slave； yet holds thee captive； at her touch honour
withers； locks open； and barriers fall。 She is infinite as ocean； she
is variable as heaven； and her name is the Unforeseen。 Man； strive not
to escape from Woman and the love of woman； for； fly where thou wilt；
She is yet thy fate； and whate'er thou buildest thou buildest it for
her！
And thus it came to pass that I； Harmachis； who had put such matters
far from me； was yet doomed to fall by the thing I held of no account。
For； see； this Charmion： she loved mewhy； I know not。 Of her own
thought she learned to love me； and of her love came what shall be
told。 But I； knowing naught； treated her like a sister； walking as it
were hand in hand with her towards our common end。
And so the time passed on； till； at length； all things were made
ready。
It was the night before the night when the blow should fall； and there
were revellings in the palace。 That very day I had seen Sepa； and with
him the captains of a band of five hundred men； who should burst into
the palace at midnight on the morrow； when I had slain Cleopatra the
Queen； and put the Roman and the Gallic legionaries to the sword。 That
very day I had suborned the Captain Paulus who； since I drew him
through the gates； was my will's slave。 Half by fear and half by
promises of great reward I had prevailed upon him； for the watch was
his； to unbar that small gate which faces to the East at the signal on
the morrow night。
All was made readythe flower of Freedom that had been five…and…
twenty years in growth was on the point of bloom。 Armed companies were
gathering in every city from Abu to Athu； and spies looked out from
their walls； awaiting the coming of the messenger who should bring
tidings that Cleopatra was no more and that Harmachis； the royal
Egyptian； had seized the throne。
All was prepared； triumph hung in my hand as a ripe fruit to the hand
of the plucker。 Yet as I sat at the royal feast my heart was heavy；
and a shadow of coming woe lay cold within my mind。 I sat there in a
place of honour； near the majesty of Cleopatra； and looked down the
lines of guests； bright with gems and garlanded with flowers； marking
those whom I had doomed to die。 There before me lay Cleopatra in all
her beauty； which thrilled the beholder as he is thrilled by the
rushing of the midnight gale； or by the sight of stormy waters。 I
gazed on her as she touched her lips with wine and toyed with the
chaplet of roses on her brow； thinking of the dagger beneath my robe
that I had sworn to bury in her breast。 Again； and yet again； I gazed
and strove to hate her； strove to rejoice that she must dieand could
not。 There； too； behind herwatching me now； as ever； with her deep…
fringed eyeswas the lovely Lady Charmion。 Who； to look at her
innocent face； would believe that she was the setter of that snare in
which the Queen who loved her should miserably perish？ Who would dream
that the secret of so much death was locked in her girlish breast？ I
gazed； and grew sick at heart because I must anoint my throne with
blood； and by evil sweep away the evil of the land。 At that hour I
wished； indeed； that I was nothing but some humble husbandman； who in
its season grows and in its season garners the golden grain！ Alas！ the
seed that I had been doomed to sow was the seed of Death； and now I
must reap the red fruit of the harvest！
〃Why； Harmachis； what ails thee？〃 said Cleopatra； smiling her slow
smile。 〃Has the golden skein of stars got tangled； my astronomer？ or
dost thou plan some new feat of magic？ Say what is it that thou dost
so poorly grace our feast？ Nay； now； did I not know； having made
inquiry； that things so low as we poor women are far beneath thy gaze；
why； I should swear that Eros had found thee out； Harmachis！〃
〃Nay； that I am spared； O Queen；〃 I answered。 〃The servant of the
stars marks not the smaller light of woman's eyes； and therein is he
happy！〃
Cleopatra leaned herself towards me； looking on me long and steadily
in such fashion that； despite my will； the blood fluttered at my
heart。
〃Boast not； thou proud Egyptian；〃 she said in a low voice which none
but I and Charmion could hear； 〃lest perchance thou dost tempt me to
match my magic against thine。 What woman can forgive that a man should
push us by as things of no account？ It is an insult to our sex which
Nature's self abhors；〃 and she leaned back again and laughed most
musically。 But； glancing up； I saw Charmion； her teeth on her lip and
an angry frown upon her brow。
〃Pardon； royal Egypt；〃 I answered coldly； but with such wit as I could
summon； 〃before the Queen of Heaven even stars grow pale！〃 This I said
of the moon； which is the sign of the Holy Mother whom Cleopatra dared
to rival； naming herself Isis come to earth。
〃Happily said；〃 she answered； clapping her white hands。 〃Why； here's
an astronomer who has wit and can shape a compliment！ Nay； such a
wonder must not pass unnoted； lest the Gods resent it。 Charmion； take
this rose…chaplet from my hair and set it upon the learned brow of our
Harmachis。 He shall be crowned /King of Love/； whether he will it or
not。〃
Charmion lifted the chaplet from Cleopatra's brows and； bearing it to
where I was； with a smile set it upon my head yet warm and fragrant
from the Queen's hair； but so roughly that she pained me somewhat。 She
did this because she was wroth； although she smiled with her lips and
whispered； 〃An omen； royal Harmachis。〃 For though she was so very much
a woman； yet； when she was angered or suffered jealousy； Charmion had
a childish way。
Having thus fixed the chaplet； she curtsied low before me； and with
the softest tone of mockery named me； in the Greek tongue； 〃Harmachis；
King of Love。〃 Then Cleopatra laughed and pledged me as 〃King of
Love；〃 and so did all the company； finding the jest a merry one。 For
in Alexandria they love not those who live straitly and turn aside
from women。
But I sat there； a smile upon my lips； and black wrath in my heart。
For； knowing who and what I was； it irked me to think myself a jest
for the frivolous nobles and light beauties of Cleopatra's Court。 But
I was chiefly angered against Charmion； because she laughed the
loudest； and I did not then know that laughter and bitterness are
often the veils with which a sore heart wraps its weakness from the
world。 〃An omen〃 she said it wasthat crown of flowersand so it
proved indeed。 For I was fated to barter the Double Diadem of the
Upper and the Lower Land for a wreath of passion's roses that fade
before they fully bloom； and Pharaoh's ivory bed of state for the
pillow of a faithless woman's breast。
〃/King of Love！/〃 they crowned me in their mockery； ay； and King of
Shame！ And I； with the perfumed roses on my browI； by descent and
ordination the Pharaoh of Egyptthought of the imperishable halls of
Abouthis