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from her bosom〃see； on this fair breast once night by night thy head
was pillowed； and thou didst sleep wrapped in these same arms。 Now；
put away their memory /if thou canst！/ I read it in thine eyesthat
mayst thou not！ No torture which I bear can； in its sum； draw nigh to
the rage of that deep soul of thine； rent with longings never； never
to be reached！ Harmachis； thou slave of slaves； from thy triumph…
depths I snatch a deeper triumph； and conquered yet I conquer！ I spit
upon theeI defy theeand； dying； doom thee to the torment of thy
deathless love！ O Antony！ I come； my Antony！I come to thy own dear
arms！ Soon I shall find thee； and； wrapped in a love undying and
divine； together we will float through all the depths of space； and；
lips to lips and eyes to eyes； drink of desires grown more sweet with
every draught！ Or if I find thee not； then I shall sink in peace down
the poppied ways of Sleep： and for me the breast of Night； whereon I
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 hea