and
upon the parapet of the roof, that then I stretched out my robes
and they became wings on which I floated up to Heaven, leaving him
astonished. And all those about the Court lent ear to this history,
believing in it, because of the great fame of my magic; and they
wondered much what the marvel might portend. The tale also travelled
into Egypt, and did much to save my good name among those whom I had
betrayed; for the more ignorant among them believed that I acted not
of my will, but of the will of the dread Gods, who of their own purpose
wafted me into Heaven. And thus to this day the saying runs that "_When
Harmachis comes again Egypt shall be free._" But alas, Harmachis comes
no more! Only Cleopatra, though she was much afraid, doubted her of the
tale, and sent an armed vessel to search for the Syrian merchant, but
not to find him, as shall be told.

When I reached the galley of which Charmion had spoken, I found her
about to sail, and gave the writing to the captain, who conned it,
looking on me curiously, but said nothing.

So I went aboard, and immediately we dropped swiftly down the river with
the current. And having come to the mouth of the river unchallenged,
though we passed many vessels, we put out to sea with a strong favouring
wind that before night freshened to a great gale. Then the sailor men,
being much afraid, would have put about and run for the mouth of Cydnus
again, but could not because of the wildness of the sea. All that night
it blew furiously, and by dawn our mast was carried away, and we rolled
helplessly in the trough of the great waves. But I sat wrapped in a
cloak, little heeding; and because I showed no fear the sailors cried
out that I was a wizard, and sought to cast me into the sea, but the
captain would not. At dawn the wind slackened, but ere noon it once more
blew in terrible fury, and at the fourth hour from noon we came in sight
of the rocky coast of that cape in the island of Cyprus which is called
Dinaretum, where is a mountain named Olympus, and thither-wards we
drifted swiftly. Then, when the sailors saw the terrible rocks, and how
the great waves that smote on them spouted up in foam, once more they
grew much afraid, and cried out in their fear. For, seeing that I still
sat unmoved, they swore that I certainly was a wizard, and came to
cast me forth as a sacrifice to the Gods of the sea. And this time the
captain was over-ruled, and said nothing. Therefore, when they c