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thereafter she and Antony sent many times to me for counsel； and I
ever counselled them to their ruin； nor did my prophecies fail。
Thus the long years rolled away； and I； the hermit Olympus； the
dweller in a tomb； the eater of bread and the drinker of water； by
strength of the wisdom that was given me of the avenging Power； became
once more great in Khem。 For I grew ever wiser as I trampled the
desires of the flesh beneath my feet and turned my eyes to heaven。
At length eight full years were accomplished。 The war with the
Parthians had come and gone； and Artavasdes； King of Armenia； had been
led in triumph through the streets of Alexandria。 Cleopatra had
visited Samos and Athens； and； by her counselling； the noble Octavia
had been driven； like some discarded concubine； from the house of
Antony at Rome。 And now； at the last； the measure of the folly of
Antony was full even to the brim。 For this Master of the World had no
longer the good gift of reason； he was lost in Cleopatra as I had been
lost。 Therefore； in the event； Octavianus declared war against him。
And as I slept upon a certain day in the chamber of the Harpers； in
the tomb of Pharaoh that is by Tápé； there came to me a vision of my
father； the aged Amenemhat； and he stood over me； leaning on his
staff； and spoke； saying：
〃Look forth； my son。〃
Then I looked forth； and with the eyes of my spirit saw the sea； and
two great fleets grappling in war hard by a rocky coast。 And the
emblems were those of Octavian； and of the other those of Cleopatra
and Antony。 The ships of Antony and Cleopatra bore down upon the ships
of C？sar； and drove them on； for victory inclined to Antony。
I looked again。 There sat Cleopatra in a gold…decked galley watching
the fight with eager eyes。 Then I cast my Spirit on her so that she
seemed to hear the voice of dead Harmachis crying in her ear。
〃/Fly； Cleopatra；/〃 it seemed to say； 〃/fly or perish！/〃
She looked up wildly； and again she heard my Spirit's cry。 Now a
mighty fear took hold of her。 She called aloud to the sailors to hoist
the sails and make signal to her fleet to put about。 This they did
wondering but little loath； and fled in haste from the battle。
Then a great roar went up from friend and foe。
〃Cleopatra is fled！ Cleopatra is fled！〃 And I saw wreck and red ruin
fall upon the fleet of Antony and awoke from my trance。
The days passed； and again a vision of my father came to me and spoke；
saying：
〃Arise； my son！the hour of vengeance is at hand！ Thy plots have not
failed； thy prayers have been heard。 By the bidding of the Gods； as
she sat in her galley at the fight of Actium； the heart of Cleopatra
was filled with fears； so that； deeming she heard thy voice bidding
her fly or perish； she fled with all her fleet。 Now the strength of
Actium is broken on the sea。 Go forth； and as it shall be put into thy
mind； so do thou。〃
In the morning I awoke； wondering； and went to the mouth of the tomb；
and there； coming up the valley； I saw the messengers of Cleopatra；
and with them a Roman guard。
〃What will ye with me now？〃 I asked； sternly。
〃This is the message of the Queen and of great Antony；〃 answered the
Captain； bowing low before me； for I was much feared by all men。 〃The
Queen commands thy presence at Alexandria。 Many times has she sent；
and thou wouldst not come； now she bids thee to come； and that
swiftly； for she has need of thy counsel。〃
〃And if I say Nay； soldier； what then？〃
〃These are my orders； most holy Olympus； that I bring thee by force。〃
I laughed aloud。 〃By force； thou fool！ Use not such talk to me； lest I
smite thee where thou art。 Know； then； that I can kill as well as
cure！〃
〃Pardon； I beseech thee！〃 he answered； shrinking。 〃I say but those
things that I am bid。〃
〃Well； I know it； Captain。 Fear not； I come。〃
So on that very day I departed； together with the aged Atoua。 Ay； I
went as secretly as I had come； and the tomb of the Divine Rameses
knew me no more。 And with me I took all the treasures of my father；
Amenemhat； for I was not minded to go to Alexandria empty…handed and
as a suppliant； but rather as a man of much wealth and condition。 Now；
as I went； I learned that Antony； following Cleopatra； had； indeed；
fled from Actium； and knew that the end drew nigh。 For this and many
other things had I foreseen in the darkness of the tomb of Tápé； and
planned to bring about。
Thus； then； I came to Alexandria； and entered into a house which had
been made ready for me at the palace gates。
And that very night Charmion came to meCharmion whom I had not seen
for nine long years。
CHAPTER IV
OF THE MEETING OF CHARMION WITH THE LEARNED OLYMPUS； OF HER
SPEECH WITH HIM； OF THE COMING OF OLYMPUS INTO THE
PRESENCE OF CLEOPATRA； AND OF THE COMMANDS OF CLEOPATRA。
Clad in my plain black robe； I sat in the guest…chamber of the house
that had been made ready for me。 I sat in a carven lion…footed chair；
and looked upon the swinging lamps of scented oil； the pictured
tapestries； the rich Syrian rugsand； amidst all this luxury；
bethought me of that tomb of the Harpers which is at Tápé； and of the
nine long years of dark loneliness and preparation。 I sat； and
crouched upon a rug near to the door； lay the aged Atoua。 Her hair was
white as snow； and shrivelled with age was the wrinkled countenance of
the woman who； when all deserted me； had yet clung to me； in her great
love forgetting my great sins。 Nine years！ nine long years！ and now；
once again； I set my foot in Alexandria！ Once again in the appointed
circle of things I came forth from the solitude of preparation to be a
fate to Cleopatra； and this second time I came not forth to fail。
And yet how changed the circumstance！ I was out of the story： my part
now was but the part of the sword in the hands of Justice； I might no
more hope to make Egypt free and great and sit upon my lawful throne。
Khem was lost； and lost was I； Harmachis。 In the rush and turmoil of
events； the great plot of which I had been the pivot was covered up
and forgotten； scarce a memory of it remained。 The curtain of dark
night was closing in upon the history of my ancient Race； its very
Gods were tottering to their fall； I could already； in the spirit；
hear the shriek of the Roman eagles as they flapped their wings above
the furthest banks of Sihor。
Presently I roused myself and bade Atoua go seek a mirror and bring it
to me； that I might look therein。
And I saw this： a face shrunken and pallid； on which no smile came；
great eyes grown wan with gazing into darkness looking out beneath the
shaven head； emptily； as the hollow eye…pits of a skull； a wizened
halting form wasted by abstinence； sorrow； and prayer； a long wild
beard of iron grey； thin blue…veined hands that ever trembled like a
leaf； bowed shoulders and lessened limbs。 Time and grief had done
their work