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Cleopatra by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard
page 49 of 343 (14%)
thee in his chamber. There, pass on. O happy day! O happy Abouthis!"

So I went, or rather ran, and reached the chamber of which I have
written, and there at the table sat my father, Amenemhat, the same as he
had been, but very old. I came to him and, kneeling before him, kissed
his hand, and he blessed me.

"Look up, my son," he said, "let my old eyes gaze upon thy face, that I
may read thy heart."

So I lifted up my head, and he looked upon me long and earnestly.

"I read thee," he said at length; "thou art pure and strong in wisdom;
I have not been deceived in thee. Oh, the years have been lonely; but I
did well to send thee hence. Now, tell me of thy life; for thy letters
have told me little, and thou canst not know, my son, how hungry is a
father's heart."

And so I told him; we sat far into the night and talked together. And
in the end he bade me know that I must now prepare to be initiated into
those last mysteries that are learned of the chosen of the Gods.

And so it came about that for a space of three months I prepared myself
according to the holy customs. I ate no meat. I was constant in the
sanctuaries, in the study of the secrets of the Great Sacrifice and of
the woe of the Holy Mother. I watched and prayed before the altars. I
lifted up my soul to God; ay, in dreams I communed with the Invisible,
till at length earth and earth's desires seemed to pass from me. I
longed no more for the glory of this world, my heart hung above it as
an eagle on his outstretched wings, and the voice of the world's blame
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