Cleopatra

by H. Rider Haggard

  That same day, Charmion came to me and bade me prepare a poison ofthe most deadly power. And this at first I would not do, fearing thatCleopatra would therewith make an end of Antony before his time. ButCharmion showed me that this was not so, and told me also for whatpurpose was the poison. Therefore I summoned Atoua, the skilled insimples, and all that afternoon we laboured at the deadly work. Andwhen it was done, Charmion came once more, bearing with her a chaplet offresh roses, that she bade me steep in the poison.

  This then I did.

  That night at the great feast of Cleopatra, I sat near Antony, who wasat her side, and wore the poisoned wreath. Now as the feast went on, thewine flowed fast, till Antony and the Queen grew merry. And she told himof her plans, and of how even now her galleys were being drawn by thecanal that leads from Bubastis on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, toClysma at the head of the Bay of Heroopolis. For it was her design,should Caesar prove stubborn, to fly with Antony and her treasure downthe Arabian Gulf, where Caesar had no fleet, and seek some new home inIndia, whither her foes might not follow. But, indeed, this plan came tonothing, for the Arabs of Petra burnt the galleys, incited thereto bya message sent by the Jews of Alexandria, who hated Cleopatra and werehated of her. For I caused the Jews to be warned of what was being done.

  Now, when she had made an end of telling him, the Queen called on him todrink a cup with her, to the success of this new scheme, bidding him, asshe did so, steep his wreath of roses in the wine, and make the draughtmore sweet. This, then, he did, and it being done, she pledged him.But when he was about to pledge her back, she caught his hand, crying"_Hold!_" whereat he paused, wondering.

  Now, among the servants of Cleopatra was one Eudosius, a steward; andthis Eudosius, seeing that the fortunes of Cleopatra were at an end, hadlaid a plan to fly that very night to Caesar, as many of his bettershad done, taking with him all the treasure in the palace that he couldsteal. But this design being discovered to Cleopatra, she determined tobe avenged upon Eudosius.

  "Eudosius," she cried, for the man stood near; "come hither, thoufaithful servant! Seest thou this man, most noble Antony; throughall our troubles he has clung to us and been of comfort to us. Now,therefore, he shall be rewarded according to his deserts and the measureof his faithfulness, and that from thine own hand. Give him thy goldencup of wine, and let him drink a pledge to our success; the cup shall behis guerdon."

  And still wondering, Antony gave it to the man, who, stricken in hisguilty mind, took it, and stood trembling. But he drank not.

  "Drink! thou slave; drink!" cried Cleopatra, half rising from her seatand flashing a fierce look on his white face. "By Serapis! so surely asI yet shall sit in the Capitol at Rome, if thou dost thus flout the LordAntony, I'll have thee scourged to the bones, and the red wine pouredupon thy open wounds to heal them! _Ah!_ at length thou drinkest! Why,what is it, good Eudosius? art sick? Surely, then, this wine must be asthe water of jealousy of those Jews, that has power to slay the falseand strengthen the honest only. Go, some of you, search this man's room;methinks he is a traitor!"

  Meanwhile the man stood, his hands to his head. Presently he began totremble, and then fell, clutching at his bosom, as though to tearout the fire in his heart. He staggered, with livid, twisted face andfoaming lips, to where Cleopatra lay watching him with a slow and cruelsmile.

  "Ah, traitor! thou hast it now!" she said. "Prithee, is death sweet?"

  "Thou wanton!" yelled the dying man, "thou hast poisoned me! Thus maystthou also perish!" and with one shriek he flung himself upon her. Shesaw his purpose, and swift and supple as a tiger sprang to one side,so that he did but grasp her royal cloak, tearing it from its emeraldclasp. Down he fell upon the ground, rolling over and over in the purplechiton, till presently he lay still and dead, his tormented face andfrozen eyes peering ghastly from its folds.

  "Ah!" said the Queen, with a hard laugh, "the slave died wondrous hard,and fain would have drawn me with him. See, he has borrowed my garmentfor a pall! Take him away and bury him in his livery."

  "What means Cleopatra?" said Antony, as the guards dragged the corpseaway; "the man drank of my cup. What is the purpose of this most sorryjest?"

  "It serves a double end, noble Antony! This very night that man wouldhave fled to Octavianus, bearing of our treasure with him. Well, I havelent him wings, for the dead fly fast! Also this: thou didst fear thatI should poison thee, my Lord; nay, I know it. See now, Antony, how easyit were that I should slay thee if I had the will. That wreath of roseswhich thou didst steep within the cup is dewed with deadly bane. HadI, then, a mind to make an end of thee, I had not stayed thy hand. OAntony, henceforth trust me! Sooner would I slay myself than harm onehair of thy beloved head! See, here come my messengers! Speak, what didye find?"

  "Royal Egypt, we found this. All things in the chamber of Eudosius aremade ready for flight, and in his baggage is much treasure."

  "Thou hearest?" she said, smiling darkly. "Think ye, my loyal servantsall, that Cleopatra is one with whom it is well to play the traitor? Bewarned by this Roman's fate!"

  Then a great silence of fear fell upon the company, and Antony sat alsosilent.