"
"Well, well; enough of Cleopatra. Hast thou seen our uncle?"
"Yes, royal Harmachis."
"And hast thou the last lists?"
"Yes; here they are," and she drew them from her bosom. "Here is the
list of those who, after the Queen, must certainly be put to the sword.
Among them thou wilt note is the name of that old Gaul Brennus. I grieve
for him, for we are friends; but it must be. It is a heavy list."
"It is so," I answered conning it; "when men write out their count they
forget no item, and our count is long. What must be must be. Now for the
next."
"Here is the list of those to be spared, as friendly or uncertain;
and here that of the towns which will certainly rise as soon as the
messenger reaches their gates with tidings of the death of Cleopatra."
"Good. And now"--and I paused--"and now as to the manner of Cleopatra's
death. How hast thou settled it? Must it be by my own hand?"
"Yea, my Lord," she answered, and again I caught that note of bitterness
in her voice. "Doubtless Pharaoh will rejoice that his should be the
hand to rid the land of this false Queen and wanton woman, and at one
blow break the chains which gall the neck of Egypt."
"Talk not thus, girl," I said; "thou knowest well that I do not rejoice,
being but driven to the act by deep necessity and the pressure of my
vows. Can she not, then, be poisoned? Or can no one of the eunuchs be
suborned to slay her? My soul turns from this bloody work! Indeed, I
marvel, however heavy be her crimes, that thou canst speak so lightly of
the death by treachery of one who loves thee!"
"Surely Pharaoh is over-tender, forgetting the greatness of the moment
and all that hangs upon this dagger-stroke that shall cut the thread of
Cleopatra's life.
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