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Cleopatra； who hath betrayed him！ To Cleopatra he sends greeting and
farewell！'〃
And so I went to the tomb； but Antony fled to the palace。 When I came
to the tomb I knocked upon the door； and Charmion looked forth from
the window。
〃Open；〃 I cried； and she opened。
〃What news； Harmachis？〃 she whispered。
〃Charmion；〃 I said； 〃the end is at hand。 Antony is fled！〃
〃It is well；〃 she answered； 〃I am aweary。〃
And there on her golden bed sat Cleopatra。
〃Speak； man！〃 she cried。
〃Antony has fled； his forces are fled； C？sar draws near。 To Cleopatra
the great Antony sends greeting and farewell。 Greeting to Cleopatra
who betrayed him； and farewell。〃
〃It is a lie！〃 she screamed； 〃I betrayed him not！ Thou； Olympus； go
swiftly to Antony and answer thus： 'To Antony； Cleopatra； who hath not
betrayed him； sends greeting and farewell。 Cleopatra is no more。'〃
And so I went； following out my purpose。 In the Alabaster Hall I found
Antony pacing to and fro； tossing his hands toward heaven； and with
him Eros； for of all his servants Eros alone remained by this fallen
man。
〃Lord Antony；〃 I said； 〃Egypt bids thee farewell。 Egypt is dead by her
own hand。〃
〃Dead！ dead！〃 he whispered； 〃and is Egypt dead？ and is that form of
glory now food for worms？ Oh； what a woman was this！ E'en now my heart
goes out towards her。 And shall she outdo me at the last； I who have
been so great； shall I become so small that a woman can overtop my
courage and pass where I fear to follow？ Eros； thou hast loved me from
a boymindest thou how I found thee starving in the desert； and made
thee rich； giving thee place and wealth？ Come； now pay me back。 Draw
that sword thou wearest and make an end of the woes of Antony。〃
〃Oh； Sire；〃 cried the Greek； 〃I cannot！ How can I take away the life
of godlike Antony？〃
〃Answer me not； Eros； but in the last extreme of fate this I charge
thee。 Do thou my bidding； or begone and leave me quite alone！ No more
will I see thy face； thou unfaithful servant！〃
Then Eros drew his sword and Antony knelt before him and bared his
breast； turning his eyes to heaven。 But Eros； crying 〃I cannot！ oh； I
cannot！〃 plunged the sword to his own heart； and fell dead。
Antony rose and gazed upon him。 〃Why； Eros； that was nobly done；〃 he
said。 〃Thou art greater than I； yet I have learned thy lesson！〃 and he
knelt down and kissed him。
Then； rising of a sudden； he drew the sword from the heart of Eros；
plunged it into his bowels； and fell； groaning； on the couch。
〃O thou； Olympus；〃 he cried； 〃this pain is more than I can bear！ Make
an end of me； Olympus！〃
But pity stirred me； and I could not do this thing。
Therefore I drew the sword from his vitals； staunched the flow of
blood； and； calling to those who came crowding in to see Antony die； I
bade them summon Atoua from my house at the palace gates。 Presently
she came； bringing with her simples and life…giving draughts。 These I
gave to Antony； and bade Atoua go with such speed as her old limbs
might to Cleopatra； in the tomb； and tell her of the state of Antony。
So she went； and after a while returned； saying that the Queen yet
lived and summoned Antony to die in her arms。 And with her came
Diomedes。 When Antony heard； his ebbing strength came back； for he was
fain to look upon Cleopatra's face again。 So I called to the slaves
who peeped and peered through curtains and from behind pillars to see
this great man dieand together； with much toil； we bore him thence
till we came to the foot of the Mausoleum。
But Cleopatra； being afraid of treachery； would no more throw wide the
door； so she let down a rope from the window and we made it fast
beneath the arms of Antony。 Then did Cleopatra； who the while wept
most bitterly； together with Charmion and Iras the Greek； pull on the
rope with all their strength； while we lifted from below till the
dying Antony swung in the air； groaning heavily； and the blood dropped
from his gaping wound。 Twice he nearly fell to earth： but Cleopatra；
striving with the strength of love and of despair； held him till at
length she drew him through the windowplace； while all who saw the
dreadful sight wept bitterly； and beat their breastsall save myself
and Charmion。
When he was in； once more the rope was let down； and； with some aid
from Charmion； I climbed into the tomb； drawing up the rope after me。
There I found Antony； laid upon the golden bed of Cleopatra； and she；
her breast bare； her face stained with tears； and her hair streaming
wildly about him； knelt at his side and kissed him； wiping the blood
from his wounds with her robes and hair。 And let all my shame be
written： as I stood and watched her the old love awoke once more
within me； and mad jealousy raged in my heart becausethough I could
destroy these twainI could not destroy their love。
〃O Antony！ my Sweet； my Husband； and my God！〃 she moaned。 〃Cruel
Antony； hast thou the heart to die and leave me to my lonely shame？ I
will follow thee swiftly to the grave。 Antony； awake！ awake！〃
He lifted up his head and called for wine； which I gave him； mixing
therein a draught that might allay his pain； for it was great。 And
when he had drunk he bade Cleopatra lie down on the bed beside him；
and put her arms about him； and this she did。 Then was Antony once
more a man； for； forgetting his own misery and pain； he counselled her
as to her own safety： but to this talk she would not listen。
〃The hour is short；〃 she said； 〃let us speak of this great love of
ours that hath been so long and may yet endure beyond the coasts of
Death。 Mindest thou that night when first thou didst put thine arms
about me and call me 'Love'？ Oh！ happy； happy night！ Having known that
night it is well to have livedeven to this bitter end！〃
〃Ay； Egypt； I mind it well and dwell upon its memory； though from that
hour fortune has fled from melost in my depth of love for thee； thou
Beautiful。 I mind it！〃 he gasped； 〃then didst thou drink the pearl in
wanton play； and then did that astrologer of thine call out his hour
'The hour of the coming of the curse of Menkau…ra。' Through all the
after…days those words have haunted me； and now at the last they ring
in my ears。〃
〃He is long dead； my love；〃 she whispered。
〃If he be dead； then I am near him。 What meant he？〃
〃He is dead； the accursed man！no more of him！ Oh！ turn and kiss me；
for thy face grows white。 The end is near！〃
He kissed her on the lips； and for a little while so they stayed； to
the moment of death； babbling their passion in each other's ears； like
lovers newly wed。 Even to my jealous heart； it was a strange and awful
thing to see。
Presently； I saw the Change of Death gather on his face。 His head fell
back。
〃Farewell； Egypt； farewell！I die！〃
Cleopatra lifted herself upon her hands； gazed wildly on his ashen
face； and then； with a great cry； she sank back swoonin