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thou ending linkOf Ptolemy's chain。 Forsooth； we are too muchO'erfilled
with wondering how like to theeWe all had been； inclipt and dressed in
thineOwn 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
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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；〃 he said； and
read the following：
LOVE'S TWILIGHT
I am dreaming； loved one； dreamingOf the sweet and beauteous
pastWhen the world was as its seeming；Ere the fatal shaft was cast。
I am sobbing； sad…eyed； sobbing；At the darkly sullen west；Of the
smile of ignorance robbingThe pale face against the breast。
I am smiling； tear…stained； smiling；As the sun glints on the
crestOf the troubled wave； beguilingShipwrecked Hope to its long rest。
I am parting； broken； parting；From a soul that I hold dear；And
the music of whose beautyFades a dead strain on my ear。
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I am dying； sweetheart； dying；Drips life's gold through palsied
hands； …=20See； the dead'ning Sun is sighingHis last note in red'ning
bands。
So I'm sighing； sinking； sighing；Flows life's river to the
sea。Death my throbbing heart is tyingWith the strings that ache for thee。
〃Yes；〃 I said； when he had finished。 〃I shall have to admit that
immediately suggests Higginson's poem and Cleopatra's name。 But here；
try this；〃 and I threw an old copy of the Atlantic Monthly upon the table。
Maitland opened it and laughed。 〃This may be mere chance； Doc；〃 he
said； 〃but it is remarkable； none the less。 See here！〃 He held the
magazine toward me； and I read： 〃Cleopatra's Needle。 The Historic
Significance of Central Park's New Monument。 Some of the Difficulties
that Attended its Transportation and Erection。 By James Theodore
Wright； Ph。 D。〃 I was dumfounded。 Things were indeed getting
interesting。
〃Magazines and newspapers；〃 I said； 〃seem to be altogether too much
in your line。 We'll try a book this time。 Here；〃 and I pulled the first one
that came to hand； 〃is a copy of Tennyson's Poems I fancy it will trouble
you to find your reference in that。〃 Maitland took it in silence； and；
opening it at random； began to read。 The result surprised him even more
than it did me。 He had chanced upon these verses from 〃A Dream of Fair
Women〃：
〃'We drank the Libyan Sun to sleep； and litLamps which outburn'd
Canopus。 0 my lifeIn Egypt！ 0 the dalliance and the wit；The flattery
and the strife。
〃'And the wild kiss when fresh from war's alarms；My Hercules； my
Roman Antony；My mailed Bacchus leapt into my arms；Contented there to
die！
〃'And there he died！ And when I heard my nameSigh'd forth with
life； I would not brook my fearOf the other！ With a worm I balked his
fame。What else was left？ look here！'
〃With that she tore her robe apart and halfThe polished argent of
her breast to sightLaid bare。 Thereto she pointed with a laugh；Showing
the aspic's bite。〃
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〃There is no doubt about that；〃 I said； as he laid the book upon the
table。 〃I want to try this thing once more。 Here is Pascal； if you can
find any reference to the 'Serpent of the Nile' in that； you n