〃Ah！　it　is　thou；　Charmion。　Well；　for　all　thy　watching　the　man　dies。〃
  〃Ay；〃　she　answered；　in　a　voice　thick　with　grief。　〃Ay；　O　Queen；　so　the
  physicians　say。　Forty　hours　has　he　lain　in　stupor　so　deep　that　at
  times　his　breath　could　barely　lift　this　tiny　feather's　weight；　and
  hardly　could　my　ear；　placed　against　his　breast；　take　notice　of　the
  rising　of　his　heart。　I　have　watched　him　now　for　ten　long　days；　watched
  him　day　and　night；　till　my　eyes　stare　wide　with　want　of　sleep；　and　for
  faintness　I　can　scarce　keep　myself　from　falling。　And　this　is　the　end
  of　all　my　labour！　The　coward　blow　of　that　accursed　Brennus　has　done
  its　work；　and　Harmachis　dies！〃
  〃Love　counts　not　its　labour；　Charmion；　nor　can　it　weight　its
  tenderness　on　the　scale　of　purchase。　That　which　it　has　it　gives；　and
  craves　for　more　to　give　and　give；　till　the　soul's　infinity　be　drained。
  Dear　to　thy　heart　are　these　heavy　nights　of　watching；　sweet　to　thy
  weary　eyes　is　that　sad　sight　of　strength　brought　so　low　that　it　hangs
  upon　thy　weakness　like　a　babe　to　its　mother's　breast！　For；　Charmion；
  thou　dost　love　this　man　who　loves　thee　not；　and　now　that　he　is
  helpless　thou　canst　pour　thy　passion　forth　over　the　unanswering
  darkness　of　his　soul；　and　cheat　thyself　with　dreams　of　what　yet　might
  be。〃
  〃I　love　him　not；　as　thou　hast　proof；　O　Queen！　How　can　I　love　one　who
  would　have　slain　thee；　who　art　as　my　heart's　sister？　It　is　for　pity
  that　I　nurse　him。〃
  She　laughed　a　little　as　she　answered；　〃Pity　is　love's　own　twin；
  Charmion。　Wondrous　wayward　are　the　paths　of　woman's　love；　and　thou
  hast　shown　thine　strangely；　that　I　know。　But　the　more　high　the　love；
  the　deeper　the　gulf　whereinto　it　can　fallay；　and　thence　soar　again
  to　heaven；　once　more　to　fall！　Poor　woman！　thou　art　thy　passion's
  plaything：　now　tender　as　the　morning　sky；　and　now；　when　jealousy　grips
  thy　heart；　more　cruel　than　the　sea。　Well；　thus　are　we　made。　Soon；
  after　all　this　troubling；　nothing　will　be　left　thee　but　tears；
  remorse；　andmemory。〃
  And　she　went　forth。
  CHAPTER　XIV
  OF　THE　TENDER　CARE　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　HEALING　OF　HARMACHIS；
  OF　THE　SAILING　OF　THE　FLEET　OF　CLEOPATRA　FOR　CILICIA；　AND　OF　THE
  SPEECH　OF　BRENNUS　TO　HARMACHIS
  Cleopatra　went；　and　for　a　while　I　lay　silent；　gathering　up　my　strength
  to　speak。　But　Charmion　came　and　stood　over　me；　and　I　felt　a　great　tear
  fall　from　her　dark　eyes　upon　my　face；　as　the　first　heavy　drop　of　rain
  falls　from　a　thunder　cloud。
  〃Thou　goest；〃　she　whispered；　〃thou　goest　fast　whither　I　may　not
  follow！　O　Harmachis；　how　gladly　would　I　give　my　life　for　thine！〃
  Then　at　length　I　opened　my　eyes；　and　spoke　as　best　I　could：
  〃Restrain　thy　grief；　dear　friend；〃　I　said；　〃I　live　yet；　and；　in　truth；
  I　feel　as　though　new　life　gathered　in　my　breast！〃
  She　gave　a　little　cry　of　joy；　and　I　never　saw　aught　more　beautiful
  than　the　change　that　came　upon　her　weeping　face！　It　was　as　when　the
  first　lights　of　the　day　run　up　the　pallor　of　that　sad　sky　which　veils
  the　night　from　dawn。　All　rosy　grew　her　lovely　countenance；　her　dim
  eyes　shone　out　like　stars；　and　a　smile　of　wonderment；　more　sweet　than
  the　sudden　smile　of　the　sea　as　its　ripples　wake　to　brightness　beneath
  the　kiss　of　the　risen　moon；　broke　through　her　rain　of　tears。
  〃Thou　livest！〃　she　cried；　throwing　herself　on　her　knees　beside　my
  couch。　〃Thou　livestand　I　thought　thee　gone！　Thou　art　come　back　to
  me！　Oh！　what　say　I？　How　foolish　is　a　woman's　heart！　'Tis　this　long
  watching！　Nay；　sleep　and　rest　thee；　Harmachis！why　dost　thou　talk？
  Not　one　more　word；　I　command　thee　straitly！　Where　is　the　draught　left
  by　that　long…bearded　fool？　Nay　thou　shalt　have　no　draught！　There；
  sleep；　Harmachis；　sleep！〃　and　she　crouched　down　at　my　side　and　laid
  her　cool　hand　upon　my　brow；　murmuring；　〃/Sleep！　sleep！/〃
  And　when　I　woke　there　she　was　still；　but　the　lights　of　dawn　were
  peeping　through　the　casement。　There　she　knelt；　one　hand　upon　my
  forehead；　and　her　head；　in　all　its　disarray　of　curls；　resting　upon　her
  outstretched　arm。
  〃Charmion；〃　I　whispered；　〃have　I　slept？〃
  Instantly　she　was　wide　awake；　and；　gazing　on　me　with　tender　eyes；
  〃Yea；　thou　hast　slept；　Harmachis。〃
  〃How　long；　then；　have　I　slept？〃
  〃Nine　hours。〃
  〃And　thou　hast　held　thy　place　there；　at　my　side；　for　nine　long　hours？〃
  〃Yes；　it　is　nothing；　I　also　have　sleptI　feared　to　waken　thee　if　I
  stirred。〃
  〃Go；　rest；〃　I　said；　〃it　shames　me　to　think　of　this　thing。　Go　rest
  thee；　Charmion！〃
  〃Vex　not　thyself；〃　she　answered；　〃see；　I　will　bid　a　slave　watch　thee；
  and　to　wake　me　if　thou　needest　aught；　I　sleep　there；　in　the　outer
  chamber。　PeaceI　go！〃　and　she　strove　to　rise；　but；　so　cramped　was
  she；　fell　straightway　on　the　floor。
  I　can　scarcely　tell　the　sense　of　shame　that　filled　me　when　I　saw　her
  fall。　Alas！　I　could　not　stir　to　help　her。
  〃It　is　naught；〃　she　said；　〃move　not；　I　did　but　catch　my　foot。　There！〃
  and　she　rose；　again　to　fall〃a　pest　upon　my　awkwardness！　WhyI　must
  be　sleeping。　'Tis　well　now。　I'll　send　the　slave；〃　and　she　staggered
  thence　like　one　overcome　with　wine。
  And　after　that；　I　slept　once　more；　for　I　was　very　weak。　When　I　woke　it
  was　afternoon；　and　I　craved　for　food；　which　Charmion　brought　me。
  I　ate。　〃Then　I　die　not；〃　I　said。
  〃Nay；〃　she　answered；　with　a　toss　of　her　head；　〃thou　wilt　live。　In
  truth；　I　did　waste　my　pity　on　thee。〃
  〃And　thy　pity　saved　my　life；〃　I　said　wearily；　for　now　I　remembered。
  〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　answered　carelessly。　〃After　all；　thou　art　my
  cousin；　also；　I　love　nursingit　is　a　woman's　trade。　Like　enough　I　had
  done　as　much　for　any　slave。　Now；　too；　that　the　danger　is　past；　I　leave
  thee。〃
  〃Thou　hadst　done　better　to　let　me　die；　Charmion；〃　I　said　after　a
  while；　〃for　life　to　me　can　now　be　only　one　long　shame。　Tell　me；　then；
  when　sails　Cleopatra　for　Cilicia？〃
  〃She　sails　in　twenty　days；　and　with　such　pomp　and　glory　as　Egypt　has
  never　seen。　Of　a　truth；　I　cannot　guess　where　she　has　found　the　means
  to　gather　in　this　store　of　splendour；　as　a　husbandman　gathers　his
  golden　harvest。〃
  But　I；　knowing　whence　the　wealth　came；　groaned　in　bitterness　of
  spirit；　and　made　no　answer。
  〃Goest　thou　also；　Charmion？〃　I　asked　presently。
  〃Ay；　I　and　all　the　Court。　Thou；　toothou　goest。〃
  〃I　go？　Nay；　why　is　this？〃
  〃Because　thou　art　Cleopatra's　slave；　and　must　march　in　gilded　chains
  behind　her　chariot；　because　she　fears　to　leave　thee　here　in　Khem；
  because　it　is　her　will；　and　there　is　an　end。〃
  〃Charmion；　can　I　not　escape？〃
  〃Escape；　thou　poor　sick　man？　Nay；　how　canst　thou　escape？　Even　now　thou
  art　most　strictly　guarded。　And　if　thou　didst　escape；　whither　wouldst
  thou　fly？　There's　not　an　honest　man　in　Egypt　but　would　spit　on　thee　in
  scorn！〃
  Once　more　I　groaned　in　spirit；　and；　being　so　very　weak；　I　felt　the
  tears　roll　adown　my　cheek。
  〃Weep　not！〃　she　said　hastily；　and　turning　her　face　aside。　〃Be　a　man；
  and　brave　these　troubles　out。　Thou　hast　sown；　now　must　thou　reap；　but
  after　harvest　the　waters　rise　and　wash　away　the　rotting　roots；　and
  then　seed…time　comes　again。　Perchance；　yonder　in　Cilicia；　a　way　may　be
  found；　when　once　more　thou　art　strong；　by　which　thou　mayst　flyif　in
  truth　thou　canst　bear　thy　life　apart　from　Cleopatra's　smile；　then　in
  some　far　land　must　thou　dwell　till　these　things　are　forgotten。　And　now
  my　task　is　done；　so　fare　thee　well！　At　times　I　will　come　to　visit　thee
  and　see　that　thou　needest　nothing。〃
  So　she　went；　and　I　was　nursed　thenceforward；　and　that　skilfully；　by
  the　physician　and　two　women…slaves；　and　as　my　wound　healed　so　my
  strength　came　back　to　me；　slowly　at　first；　then　most　swiftly。　In　four
  days　from　that　time　I　left　my　couch；　and　in　three　more　I　could　walk　an
  hour　in　the　palace　gardens；　another　week　and　I　could　read　and　think；
  though　I　went　no　more　to　Court。　And　at　length　one　afternoon　Charmion
  came　and　bade　me　make　ready；　for　the　fleet　would　sail　in　two　days；
  first　for　the　coast　of　Syria；　and　thence　to　the　gulf　of　Issus　and
  Cilicia。
  Thereon；　with　all　formality；　and　in　writing；　I　craved　leave　of
  Cleopatra　that　I　might　be　left；　urging　that　my　health　was　so　feeble
  that　I　could　not　travel。　But　a　message　was　sent　to　me　in　answer　that　I
  must　come。
  And　so；　on　the　appointed　day；　I　was　carried　in　a　litter　down　to　the
  boat；　and　together　with　that　very　soldier　who　had　cut　me　down；　the
  Captain　Brennus；　and　others　of　his　troop　（who；　indeed；　were　sent　to
  guard　me）；　we　rowed　aboard　a　vessel　where　she　lay　at　anchor　with　the
  rest　of　the　great　fleet。　For　Cleopatra　was　voyaging　as　though　to　war
  in　much　pomp；　and　escorted　by　a　fleet　of　ships；　among　which　her
  galley；　built　like　a　house　and　lined　throughout　with　cedar　and　silken
  hangings；　was　the　most　beautiful　and　costly　that　the　world　has　ever
  seen。　But　I　went　not　on　this　vessel；　and　therefore　it　chanced　that　I
  did　not　see　Cleopatra　or　Charmion　till　we　landed　at　the　mouth　of　the
  river　Cydnus。
  The　signal