but I noticed that her=20fingers at once busied themselves with the
entirely uncalled…for labour of readjusting the tidy upon the arm of
her chair； and I thought that； if appearances were to be trusted；
she was very happy and contented at the change she had made in the
bit of lacework beneath her hands。 With singular good sense； with
which she was always surprising me； Alice now introduced the subject
of the Young People's Club； and mentioned incidentally that Gwen was
to have charge of the next meeting。 Before Gwen had time to inform
Maitland that she intended to decline this honour； he congratulated
her upon it； and rendered her withdrawal difficult by saying： 〃I feel
that I should thank you； Miss Darrow； for the faithful way in which
you fulfil the spirit of your agreement to permit me to order your
actions。 I know； if you consulted your own desires； you would
probably decline the honour conferred upon you； and that in accepting
it； you are influenced by the knowledge that you are pursuing just
the course I most wish you to follow。 Verily； you make my office of
tyrant over you a perfect sinecure。 I had expected you to chafe a
little under restraint； but； instead； I find you voluntarily yielding
to my unexpressed desires。〃
Gwen made no reply； but we heard no more of her resignation。 She
applied herself at once to the preparation of her paper upon
〃Antony and Cleopatra。〃 Maitland； who； like all vigorous； healthy；
and informed intellects； was an ardent admirer of Shakespeare； found
time to call on Gwen and to discuss the play with her。 This seemed
to please her very much； and I am sure his interest in the play was
abnormal。 He confessed to me that every morning； as he awoke； the
first thing which flashed into his mind； even before he had full
possession of his senses； was these words of Antony：
〃I am dying； Egypt； dying。〃
He professed himself utterly unable to account for this； and asked
me what I thought was the cause of it。 He furthermore suddenly
decided that he would ask Gwen to propose his name for membership at
the next meeting of the Young People's Club。 I hastily indorsed
this resolution； for I had a vague sort of feeling that it would
please Gwen。
The 〃Antony and Cleopatra〃 night at length arrived。 We all attended
the meeting and listened to a very able paper upon the play。 One
of the most marked traits of Gwen's character is that whatever she
does she does thoroughly； and this was fully exemplified on the night
in question。 Maitland was very much impressed by some verse Gwen
had written for the occasion； and a copy of which he succeeded in
procuring from her。 I think； from certain remarks he made； that it
was the broad and somewhat unfeminine charity expressed in the verse
which most astonished and attracted him； but of this； after what I
have said； you will； when you have perused it； be as good a judge
as I：
CLEOPATRA
In Egypt； where the lotus sips the waters
Of ever…fruitful Nile； and the huge Sphinx
In awful silence； … mystic converse with
The stars； … doth see the pale moon hang her crescent on
The pyramid's sharp peak； … e'en there； well in
The straits of Time's perspective；
Went out； by Caesarean gusts from Rome；
The low…burned candle of the Ptolemies：
Went out without a flicker in full glare
Of noon…day glory。 When her flame lacked oil
Too proud was Egypt's queen to be
The snuff of Roman spirits； so she said；
〃Good…night；〃 and closed the book of life half read
And little understood； perchance misread
The greater part； … yet； who shall say？ Are we
An ermined bench to call her culprit failings up
And make them plead for mercy？ Or can we；
Upon whom soon shall fall the awful shadow of
The Judgment Seat； stand in her light and throw
Ourselves that shadow？ Rather let fall upon
Her memory the softening gauze of Time；
As mantle of a charity which else
We might not serve。 She was a woman；
And as a woman loved！ What though the fierce
Simoom blew ever hot within the sail
Of her desire？ What if it shifted with
Direction of her breath？ Or if the rudder of
Her will did lean as many ways as trampled straws；
And own as little worth？ She was a woman still；
And queen。 They do best understand themselves
Who trust themselves the least； as they are wisest
Who； for their safety； thank more the open sea
Than pilot will。 Oh； Egypt's self…born Isis！
Ought we to fasten in thy memory the fangs
Of unalloyed distrust？ We know how little
Better is History's page than leaf whereat the ink
Is thrown。 Nor yet should we forget how much
The nearer thou than we didst come to
The rough…hewn corner…stone of Time。 We know
Thy practised love enfolded Antony；
And that around the heart of Hercules'
Descendant； threading through and through；
Like the red rivers of its life； in tangled mesh
No circumstance could e'er unravel； thou
Didst coil； … the dreamy； dazzling 〃Serpent of
The Nile！〃 Thy sins stick jagged out
From history's page； and bleeding tear
Fair Judgment from thy merits。 We perchance
Do wrong thee； Isis； for that coward； History；
Who binds in death his object's jaw and then
Besmuts her name； hath crossed his focus in
Another age； and paled his spreading figment from
Our sight。 Thou art so far back toward
The primal autocrat whose wish； hyena…like；
Was his religion； that； appearing as thou dost
On an horizon new flushed in the first
Uncertain ray of Altruism； thou seem'st
More ghost than human。 Yet thou lovest； loving ghost；
And thy fierce parent flame thyself snuffed out
Scarce later than the dark'ning of the fire
Thou gav'st to be eternal vestal of
Thine Antony's spirit。 Thou didst love and die
Of love； let； therefore； no light tongue； brazen
In censure； say that nothing in thy life
Became thee like the leaving it。 The cloth
From which humanity is cut is woven of
The warp and woof of circumstance； and all
Are much alike。 We spring from out the mantle； Earth；
And hide at last beneath it； in the interim
Our acts are less of us than it。 We are
No judge； then； of thy sins； thou ending link
Of Ptolemy's chain。 Forsooth； we are too much
O'erfilled with wondering how like to thee
We all had been； inclipt and dressed in thine
Own age and circumstance。
The exercises of the evening concluded with the reading of the
familiar poem； beginning：
〃I am dying； Egypt； dying；
Ebbs the crimson life…tide fast。〃
It was about noon the next day when Maitland called upon me。 〃See
here； Doc；〃 he began at once； 〃do you believe in coincidences？〃 I
informed him that his question was not altogether easy to understand。
〃Wait a moment；〃 he said； 〃while I explain。 For at least two years
prior to my recent return from California the name 'Cleopatra' has
not entered my mind。 You were the first to mention it to me； and
from you I learned that Miss Darrow was to have charge of the 'Antony
and Cleopatra' night。 That is all natural enough。 But why should I；
on every morning since you first mentioned the subject to me； awake
with Antony's words upon my lips？ Why should every book or paper I
pick up contain some reference to Cleopatra？ Why； man； if I were
superstitious； it would seem positively spookish。 I am getting to
believe that I shall be confronted either by Cleopatra's name； or
some allusion to her； every time I pick up a book。 It's getting to
be decidedly interesting。〃
〃I have had；〃 I replied； 〃similar； though less remarkable；
experiences。 It is quite a common occurrence to learn of a thing；
say； this morning for the first time in one's life； and then to
find； in the course of the day's reading； three or four independent
references to the same thing。 Suppose we step into the library； and
pick out a few books haphazard； just to see if we chance upon any
reference to Cleopatra。〃
To this Maitland agreed； and； entering the library； I pushed the
Morning Herald across the table to him； saying： 〃One thing's as good
as another； try that。〃 He started a little； but did not touch the
paper。 〃You will have to find something harder than that；〃 he said；
pointing to the outspread paper。
I followed the direction of his finger； and read：
〃Boston Theatre。 Special engagement of Miss Fanny Davenport。
For one week。 Beginning Monday； the 12th of December； Sardou's
'Cleopatra。'〃
I was indeed surprised； but I said nothing。 The next thing I handed
him was a copy of Godey's Magazine； several years old。 He opened it
carelessly； and in a moment read the following line： 〃I am dying；
sweetheart； dying。〃 〃Doesn't that sound familiar？ It reminds me at
once of the poetic alarm clock that wakens me every morning； … 'I am
dying； Egypt； dying。' There is no doubt that Higginson's poem
suggested this one。 Here is the whole of the thing as it is printed
here；〃 h