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〃The Lord Antony would know if the tidings be good or ill； for； if
ill； then will he none of it； for with evil tidings he has been
overfed of late。〃
〃Whywhy； it is both good and ill。 Open； slave； I will make answer to
thy master！〃 and she slipped a purse of gold through the bars。
〃Well； well；〃 he grumbled； as he took the purse； 〃the times are hard；
and likely to be harder； for when the lion's down who will feed the
jackal？ Give thy news thyself； and if it do but draw the noble Antony
out of this hall of Groans； I care not what it be。 Now the palace door
is open； and there's the road to the banqueting…chamber。〃
We passed on； to find ourselves in a narrow passage； and； leaving the
eunuch to bar the door； advanced till we came to a curtain。 Through
this entrance we went； and found ourselves in a vaulted chamber； ill…
lighted from the roof。 On the further side of this rude chamber was a
bed of rugs； and on them crouched the figure of a man； his face hidden
in the folds of his toga。
〃Most noble Antony；〃 said Charmion drawing near； 〃unwrap thy face and
hearken to me； for I bring thee tidings。〃
Then he lifted up his head。 His face was marred by sorrow； his tangled
hair； grizzled with years； hung about his hollow eyes； and white on
his chin was the stubble of an unshaven beard。 His robe was squalid；
and his aspect more wretched than that of the poorest beggar at the
temple gates。 To this； then； had the love of Cleopatra brought the
glorious and renowned Antony； aforetime Master of half the World！
〃What will ye with me； Lady；〃 he asked； 〃who would perish here alone？
And who is this man who comes to gaze on fallen and forsaken Antony？〃
〃This is Olympus； noble Antony； that wise physician； the skilled in
auguries； of whom thou hast heard much； and whom Cleopatra； ever
mindful of thy welfare； though but little thou dost think of hers； has
sent to minister to thee。〃
〃And； can thy physician minister to a grief such as my grief？ Can his
drugs give me back my galleys； my honour； and my peace？ Nay！ Away with
thy physician！ What are thy tidings？quick！out with it！ Hath
Canidius； perchance； conquered C？sar？ Tell me but that； and thou shalt
have a province for thy guerdonay！ and if Octavianus be dead； twenty
thousand sestertia to fill its treasury。 Speaknayspeak not！ I fear
the opening of thy lips as never I feared an earthly thing。 Surely the
wheel of fortune has gone round and Canidius has conquered？ Is it not
so？ Nayout with it！ I can no more！〃
〃O noble Antony；〃 she said； 〃steel thy heart to hear that which I
needs must tell thee！ Canidius is in Alexandria。 He has fled far and
fast； and this is his report。 For seven whole days did the legions
wait the coming of Antony； to lead them to victory； as aforetime；
putting aside the offers of the envoys of C？sar。 But Antony came not。
And then it was rumoured that Antony had fled to T？narus； drawn
thither by Cleopatra。 The man who first brought that tale to the camp
the legionaries cried shame onay； and beat him to the death！ But
ever it grew； until at length there was no more room to doubt； and
then； O Antony； thy officers slipped one by one away to C？sar； and
where the officers go there the men follow。 Nor is this all the story；
for thy alliesBocchus of Africa； Tarcondimotus of Cilicia；
Mithridates of Commagene； Adallas of Thrace； Philadelphus of
Paphlagonia； Archelaus of Cappadocia； Herod of Jud？a； Amyntas of
Galatia； Polemon of Pontus； and Malchus of Arabiaall； all have fled
or bid their generals fly back to whence they came； and already their
ambassador's crave cold C？sar's clemency。〃
〃Hast done thy croakings； thou raven in a peacock's dress； or is there
more to come？〃 asked the smitten man； lifting his white and trembling
face from the shelter of his hands。 〃Tell me more； say that Egypt's
dead in all her beauty； say that Octavianus lowers at the Canopic
gate； and that； headed by dead Cicero； all the ghosts of Hell do
audibly shriek out the fall of Antony！ Yea； gather up every woe that
can o'erwhelm those who once were great； and loose them on the hoary
head of him whomin thy gentlenessthou art still pleased to name
'the noble Antony'！〃
〃Nay； my Lord； I have done。〃
〃Ay； and so have I donedone； quite done！ It is altogether finished；
and thus I seal the end；〃 and snatching a sword from the couch； he
would； indeed； have slain himself had I not sprung forward and grasped
his hand。 For it was not my purpose that he should die as yet； since
had he died at that hour Cleopatra had made her peace with C？sar； who
rather wished the death of Antony than the ruin of Egypt。
〃Art mad； Antony？ Art； indeed； a coward？〃 cried Charmion； 〃that thou
wouldst thus escape thy woes； and leave thy partner to face the sorrow
out alone？〃
〃Why not； woman？ Why not？ She would not be long alone。 There's C？sar
to keep her company。 Octavianus loves a fair woman in his cold way；
and still is Cleopatra fair。 Come now； thou Olympus！ thou hast held my
hand from dealing death upon myself； advise me of thy wisdom。 Shall I；
then； submit myself to C？sar； and I； Triumvir； twice Consul； and
aforetime absolute Monarch of all the East； endure to follow in his
triumph along those Roman ways where I myself have passed in triumph？〃
〃Nay； Sire；〃 I answered。 〃If thou dost yield； then art thou doomed。
All last night I questioned of the Fates concerning thee； and I saw
this： when thy star draws near to C？sar's it pales and is swallowed
up； but when it passes from his radiance； then bright and big it
shines； equal in glory to his own。 All is not lost； and while some
part remains； everything may be regained。 Egypt can yet be held；
armies can still be raised。 C？sar has withdrawn himself； he is not yet
at the gates of Alexandria； and perchance may be appeased。 Thy mind in
its fever has fired thy body； thou art sick and canst not judge
aright。 See； here； I have a potion that shall make thee whole； for I
am well skilled in the art of medicine；〃 and I held out the phial。
〃A potion； thou sayest man！〃 he cried。 〃More like it is a poison； and
thou a murderer； sent by false Egypt； who would fain be rid of me now
that I may no more be of service to her。 The head of Antony is the
peace offering she would send to C？sarshe for whom I have lost all！
Give me thy draught。 By Bacchus！ I will drink it； though it be the
very elixir of Death！〃
〃Nay； noble Antony； it is no poison； and I am no murderer。 See； I will
taste it； if thou wilt；〃 and I held forth the subtle drink that has
the power to fire the veins of men。
〃Give it me； Physician。 Desperate men are brave men。 There！ Why；
what is this？ Yours is a magic draught！ My sorrows seem to roll away
like thunder…clouds before the southern gale； and the spring of Hope
blooms fresh upon the desert of my heart。 Once more I am Antony； and
once again I see my legions' spears asparkle in the sun； and hear the
thunderous shout of welcome as Anton