caesar and cleopatra-第21章
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one another。 Ftatateeta drags herself sleepily to the altar；
kneels before Ra； and remains there in prayer。 Caesar goes to
Cleopatra； leaving Rufio in the colonnade。
CAESAR （with searching earnestness）。 Cleopatra： what has
happened？
CLEOPATRA （in mortal dread of him； but with her utmost cajolery）。
Nothing； dearest Caesar。 （With sickly sweetness； her voice almost
failing） Nothing。 I am innocent。 （She approaches him
affectionately） Dear Caesar： are you angry with me？ Why do you
look at me so？ I have been here with you all the time。 How can I
know what has happened？
CAESAR （reflectively）。 That is true。
CLEOPATRA （greatly relieved； trying to caress him）。 Of course it
is true。 （He does not respond to the caress。） You know it is
true； Rufio。
The murmur without suddenly swells to a roar and subsides。
RUFIO。 I shall know presently。 （He makes for the altar in the
burly trot that serves him for a stride； and touches Ftatateeta
on the shoulder。） Now； mistress： I shall want you。 （He orders
her； with a gesture； to go before him。）
FTATATEETA （rising and glowering at him）。 My place is with the
Queen。
CLEOPATRA。 She has done no harm； Rufio。
CAESAR （to Rufio）。 Let her stay。
RUFIO （sitting down on the altar）。 Very well。 Then my place is
here too； and you can see what is the matter for yourself。 The
city is in a pretty uproar； it seems。
CAESAR （with grave displeasure）。 Rufio： there is a time for
obedience。
RUFIO。 And there is a time for obstinacy。 （He folds his arms
doggedly。）
CAESAR （to Cleopatra）。 Send her away。
CLEOPATRA （whining in her eagerness to propitiate him）。 Yes； I
will。 I will do whatever you ask me； Caesar； always； because I
love you。 Ftatateeta： go away。
FTATATEETA。 The Queen's word is my will。 I shall be at hand for
the Queen's call。 （She goes out past Ra； as she came。）
RUFIO （following her）。 Remember； Caesar； YOUR bodyguard also is
within call。 （He follows her out。）
Cleopatra； presuming upon Caesar's submission to Rufio； leaves
the table and sits down on the bench in the colonnade。
CLEOPATRA。 Why do you allow Rufio to treat you so？ You should
teach him his place。
CAESAR。 Teach him to be my enemy； and to hide his thoughts from
me as you are now hiding yours。
CLEOPATRA （her fears returning）。 Why do you say that； Caesar？
Indeed； indeed； I am not hiding anything。 You are wrong to treat
me like this。 （She stifles a sob。） I am only a child； and you
turn into stone because you think some one has been killed。 I
cannot bear it。 （She purposely breaks down and weeps。 He looks at
her with profound sadness and complete coldness。 She looks up to
see what effect she is producing。 Seeing that he is unmoved； she
sits up； pretending to struggle with her emotion and to put it
bravely away。） But there： I know you hate tears： you shall not be
troubled with them。 I know you are not angry； but only sad； only
I am so silly； I cannot help being hurt when you speak coldly。 Of
course you are quite right： it is dreadful to think of anyone
being killed or even hurt； and I hope nothing really serious
has （Her voice dies away under his contemptuous penetration。）
CAESAR。 What has frightened you into this？ What have you done？ （A
trumpet sounds on the beach below。） Aha！ That sounds like the
answer。
CLEOPATRA （sinking back trembling on the bench and covering her
face with her hands）。 I have not betrayed you； Caesar： I swear
it。
CAESAR。 I know that。 I have not trusted you。 （He turns from her；
and is about to go out when Apollodorus and Britannus drag in
Lucius Septimius to him。 Rufio follows。 Caesar shudders。） Again；
Pompey's murderer！
RUFIO。 The town has gone mad； I think。 They are for tearing the
palace down and driving us into the sea straight away。 We laid
hold of this renegade in clearing them out of the courtyard。
CAESAR。 Release him。 （They let go his arms。） What has offended
the citizens； Lucius Septimius？
LUCIUS。 What did you expect； Caesar？ Pothinus was a favorite of
theirs。
CAESAR。 What has happened to Pothinus？ I set him free； here； not
half an hour ago。 Did they not pass him out？
LUCIUS。 Ay； through the gallery arch sixty feet above ground；
with three inches of steel in his ribs。 He is as dead as Pompey。
We are quits now； as to killingyou and I。
CAESAR。 （shocked）。 Assassinated！our prisoner； our guest！
（He turns reproachfully on Rufio） Rufio
RUFIO （emphaticallyanticipating the question）。 Whoever did it
was a wise man and a friend of yours （Cleopatra is qreatly
emboldened）； but none of US had a hand in it。 So it is no use to
frown at me。 （Caesar turns and looks at Cleopatra。）
CLEOPATRA （violentlyrising）。 He was slain by order of the Queen
of Egypt。 I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer； who allows every
slave to insult him。 Rufio has said I did well： now the others
shall judge me too。 （She turns to the others。） This Pothinus
sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas
and Ptolemy。 I refused； and he cursed me and came privily to
Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery。 I caught him in the
act； and he insulted meME； the Queen！ To my face。 Caesar would
not revenge me： he spoke him fair and set him free。 Was I right
to avenge myself？ Speak； Lucius。
LUCIUS。 I do not gainsay it。 But you will get little thanks from
Caesar for it。
CLEOPATRA。 Speak； Apollodorus。 Was I wrong？
APOLLODORUS。 I have only one word of blame； most beautiful。 You
should have called upon me； your knight； and in fair duel I
should have slain the slanderer。
CLEOPATRA （passionately）。 I will be judged by your very slave；
Caesar。 Britannus： speak。 Was I wrong？
BRITANNUS。 Were treachery； falsehood； and disloyalty left
unpunished； society must become like an arena full of wild
beasts； tearing one another to pieces。 Caesar is in the wrong。
CAESAR （with quiet bitterness）。 And so the verdict is against me；
it seems。
CLEOPATRA （vehemently）。 Listen to me； Caesar。 If one man in all
Alexandria can be found to say that I did wrong； I swear to have
myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves。
CAESAR。 If one man in all the world can be found； now or forever；
to know that you did wrong； that man will have either to conquer
the world as I have； or be crucified by it。 （The uproar in the
streets again reaches them。） Do you hear？ These knockers at your
gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing。 You have
slain their leader： it is right that they shall slay you。 If you
doubt it； ask your four counselors here。 And then in the name of
that RIGHT （He emphasizes the word with great scorn。） shall I not
slay them for murdering their Queen； and be slain in my turn by
their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland？ Can Rome do
less then than slay these slayers too； to show the world how Rome
avenges her sons and her honor？ And so； to the end of history；
murder shall breed murder； always in the name of right and honor
and peace； until the gods are tired of blood and create a race
that can understand。 （Fierce uproar。 Cleopatra becomes white with
terror。） Hearken； you who must not be insulted。 Go near enough to
catch their words： you will find them bitterer than the tongue of
Pothinus。 （Loftily wrapping himself up in an impenetrable
dignity。） Let the Queen of Egypt now give her orders for
vengeance； and take her measures for defense； for she has
renounced Caesar。 （He turns to go。）
CLEOPATRA （terrified； running to him and falling on her knees）。
You will not desert me； Caesar。 You will defend the palace。
CAESAR。 You have taken the powers of life and death upon you。 I
am only a dreamer。
CLEOPATRA。 But they will kill me。
CAESAR。 And why not？
CLEOPATRA。 In pity
CAESAR。 Pity！ What！ Has it come to this so suddenly； that nothing
can save you now but pity？ Did it save Pothinus？
She rises； wringing her hands； and goes back to the bench in
despair。 Apollodorus shows his sympathy with her by quietly
posting himself behind the bench。 The sky has by this time become
the most vivid purple； and soon begins to change to a glowing
pale orange； against which the colonnade and the great image show
darklier and darklier。
RUFIO。 Caesar： enough of preaching。 The enem
