caesar and cleopatra-第17章
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let him speak with you。
CLEOPATRA （wrathfully）。 Ha！ You all sell audiences with me； as if
I saw whom you please； and not whom I please。 I should like to
know how much of her gold piece that harp girl will have to give
up before she leaves the palace。
IRAS。 We can easily find out that for you。
The ladies laugh。
CLEOPATRA （frowning）。 You laugh； but take care； take care。 I will
find out some day how to make myself served as Caesar is served。
CHARMIAN。 Old hooknose！ （They laugh again。）
CLEOPATRA （revolted）。 Silence。 Charmian： do not you be a silly
little Egyptian fool。 Do you know why I allow you all to chatter
impertinently just as you please； instead of treating you as
Ftatateeta would treat you if she were Queen？
CHARMIAN。 Because you try to imitate Caesar in everything； and he
lets everybody say what they please to him。
CLEOPATRA。 No； but because I asked him one day why he did so； and
he said 〃Let your women talk； and you will learn something from
them。〃 What have I to learn from them？ I said。 〃What they ARE；〃
said he； and oh！ you should have seen his eye as he said it。 You
would have curled up； you shallow things。 （They laugh。 She turns
fiercely on Iras） At whom are you laughingat me or at Caesar？
IRAS。 At Caesar。
CLEOPATRA。 If you were not a fool； you would laugh at me； and if
you were not a coward you would not be afraid to tell me so。
（Ftatateeta returns。） Ftatateeta： they tell me that Pothinus has
offered you a bribe to admit him to my presence。
FTATATEETA （protesting）。 Now by my father's gods
CLEOPATRA （cutting her short despotically）。 Have I not told you
not to deny things？ You would spend the day calling your father's
gods to witness to your virtues if I let you。 Go take the bribe；
and bring in Pothinus。 （Ftatateeta is about to reply。） Don't
answer me。 Go。
Ftatateeta goes out； and Cleopatra rises and begins to prowl to
and fro between her chair and the door； meditating。 All rise and
stand。
IRAS （as she reluctantly rises）。 Heigho！ I wish Caesar were back
in Rome。
CLEOPATRA （threateningly）。 It will be a bad day for you all when
he goes。 Oh； if I were not ashamed to let him see that I am as
cruel at heart as my father； I would make you repent that speech！
Why do you wish him away？
CHARMIAN。 He makes you so terribly prosy and serious and learned
and philosophical。 It is worse than being religious； at OUR ages。
（The ladies laugh。）
CLEOPATRA。 Cease that endless cackling； will you。 Hold your
tongues。
CHARMIAN （with mock resignation）。 Well； well： we must try to live
up to Caesar。
They laugh again。 Cleopatra rages silently as she continues to
prowl to and fro。 Ftatateeta comes back with Pothinus； who halts
on the threshold。
FTATATEETA （at the door）。 Pothinus craves the ear of the
CLEOPATRA。 There； there： that will do： let him come in。
（She resumes her seat。 All sit down except Pothinus； who advances
to the middle of the room。 Ftatateeta takes her former place。）
Well； Pothinus： what is the latest news from your rebel friends？
POTHINUS （haughtily）。 I am no friend of rebellion。 And a prisoner
does not receive news。
CLEOPATRA。 You are no more a prisoner than I amthan Caesar is。
These six months we have been besieged in this palace by my
subjects。 You are allowed to walk on the beach among the
soldiers。 Can I go further myself； or can Caesar？
POTHINUS。 You are but a child； Cleopatra； and do not understand
these matters。
The ladies laugh。 Cleopatra looks inscrutably at him。
CHARMIAN。 I see you do not know the latest news； Pothinus。
POTHINUS。 What is that？
CHARMIAN。 That Cleopatra is no longer a child。 Shall I tell you
how to grow much older； and much； MUCH wiser in one day？
POTHINUS。 I should prefer to grow wiser without growing older。
CHARMIAN。 Well； go up to the top of the lighthouse； and get
somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea。 （The
ladies laugh。）
CLEOPATRA。 She is right； Pothinus： you will come to the shore
with much conceit washed out of you。 （The ladies laugh。 Cleopatra
rises impatiently。） Begone； all of you。 I will speak with
Pothinus alone。 Drive them out； Ftatateeta。 （They run out
laughing。 Ftatateeta shuts the door on them。） What are YOU
waiting for？
FTATATEETA。 It is not meet that the Queen remain alone with
CLEOPATRA （interrupting her）。 Ftatateeta： must I sacrifice you to
your father's gods to teach you that I am Queen of Egypt； and not
you？
FTATATEETA （indignantly）。 You are like the rest of them。 You want
to be what these Romans call a New Woman。 （She goes out； banging
the door。）
CLEOPATRA （sitting down again）。 Now； Pothinus： why did you bribe
Ftatateeta to bring you hither？
POTHINUS （studying her gravely）。 Cleopatra： what they tell me is
true。 You are changed。
CLEOPATRA。 Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months： and
YOU will be changed。
POTHINUS。 It is the common talk that you are infatuated with this
old man。
CLEOPATRA。 Infatuated？ What does that mean？ Made foolish； is it
not？ Oh no： I wish I were。
POTHINUS。 You wish you were made foolish！ How so？
CLEOPATRA。 When I was foolish； I did what I liked； except when
Ftatateeta beat me； and even then I cheated her and did it by
stealth。 Now that Caesar has made me wise； it is no use my liking
or disliking； I do what must be done； and have no time to attend
to myself。 That is not happiness； but it is greatness。 If Caesar
were gone； I think I could govern the Egyptians； for what Caesar
is to me； I am to the fools around me。
POTHINUS （looking hard at her）。 Cleopatra： this may be the vanity
of youth。
CLEOPATRA。 No； no： it is not that I am so clever； but that the
others are so stupid。
POTHINUS （musingly）。 Truly； that is the great secret。
CLEOPATRA。 Well； now tell me what you came to say？
POTHINUS （embarrassed）。 I！ Nothing。
CLEOPATRA。 Nothing！
POTHINUS。 At leastto beg for my liberty： that is all。
CLEOPATRA。 For that you would have knelt to Caesar。 No； Pothinus：
you came with some plan that depended on Cleopatra being a little
nursery kitten。 Now that Cleopatra is a Queen； the plan is upset。
POTHINUS （bowing his head submissively）。 It is so。
CLEOPATRA （exultant）。 Aha！
POTHINUS （raising his eyes keenly to hers）。 Is Cleopatra then
indeed a Queen； and no longer Caesar's prisoner and slave？
CLEOPATRA。 Pothinus： we are all Caesar's slavesall we in this
land of Egyptwhether we will or no。 And she who is wise enough
to know this will reign when Caesar departs。
POTHINUS。 You harp on Caesar's departure。
CLEOPATRA。 What if I do？
POTHINUS。 Does he not love you？
CLEOPATRA。 Love me！ Pothinus： Caesar loves no one。 Who are those
we love？ Only those whom we do not hate： all people are strangers
and enemies to us except those we love。 But it is not so with
Caesar。 He has no hatred in him： he makes friends with everyone
as he does with dogs and children。 His kindness to me is a
wonder： neither mother； father； nor nurse have ever taken so much
care for me； or thrown open their thoughts to me so freely。
POTHINUS。 Well： is not this love？
CLEOPATRA。 What！ When he will do as much for the first girl he
meets on his way back to Rome？ Ask his slave； Britannus： he has
been just as good to him。 Nay； ask his very horse！ His kindness
is not for anything in ME： it is in his own nature。
POTHINUS。 But how can you be sure that he does not love you as
men love women？
CLEOPATRA。 Because I cannot make him jealous。 I have tried。
POTHINUS。 Hm！ Perhaps I should have asked； then； do you love him？
CLEOPATRA。 Can one love a god？ Besides； I love another Roman： one
whom I saw long before Caesarno god； but a manone who can
love and hateone whom I can hurt and who would hurt me。
POTHINUS。 Does Caesar know this？
CLEOPATRA。 Yes
POTHINUS。 And he is not angry。
CLEOPATRA。 He promises to send him to Egypt to please me！
POTHINUS。 I do not understand this man？
CLEOPATRA （with superb contempt）。 YOU understand Caesar！ How
could you？ （Proudly） I doby instinct。
POTHINUS （deferentially； after a moment's thought）。 Your Majesty
caused me to be admitted to…day。 What message has the Queen for
me？
CLEOPATRA。 This。 You think that
