cleopatra-第13章

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where　is　hid　that　sacred　symbol　of　the　Goddess　on　which　few　may　look；

there　came　a　sound　as　of　the　rattling　rods　of　the　sistrum。＇*＇　And　as　I

listened；　awestruck；　behold！　I　saw　the　outline　of　the　symbol　drawn　as

with　fire　upon　the　blackness　of　the　air。　It　hung　above　my　head；　and

rattled　while　it　hung。　And；　as　it　turned；　I　clearly　saw　the　face　of

the　Mother　Isis　that　is　graven　on　the　one　side；　and　signifies　unending

Birth；　and　the　face　of　her　holy　sister；　Nephthys；　that　is　graven　on

the　other；　and　signifies　the　ending　of　all　birth　in　Death。



＇*＇　A　musical　instrument　peculiarly　sacred　to　Isis　of　which　the　shape

　　　　and　rods　had　a　mystic　significance。Editor。



Slowly　it　turned　and　swung　as　though　some　mystic　dancer　trod　the　air

above　me；　and　shook　it　in　her　hand。　But　at　length　the　light　went　out；

and　the　rattling　ceased。



Then　of　a　sudden　the　end　of　the　chamber　became　luminous；　and　in　that

white　light　I　beheld　picture　after　picture。　I　saw　the　ancient　Nile

rolling　through　deserts　to　the　sea。　There　were　no　men　upon　its　banks；

nor　any　signs　of　man；　nor　any　temples　to　the　Gods。　Only　wild　birds

moved　on　Sihor's　lonely　face；　and　monstrous　brutes　plunged　and

wallowed　in　his　waters。　The　sun　sank　in　majesty　behind　the　Libyan

Desert　and　stained　the　waters　red；　the　mountains　towered　up　towards

the　silent　sky；　but　in　mountain；　desert；　and　river　there　was　no　sign

of　human　life。　Then　I　knew　that　I　saw　the　world　as　it　had　been　before

man　was；　and　a　terror　of　its　loneliness　entered　my　soul。



The　picture　passed　and　another　rose　up　in　its　place。　Once　again　I　saw

the　banks　of　Sihor；　and　on　them　crowded　wild…faced　creatures；

partaking　of　the　nature　of　the　ape　more　than　of　the　nature　of　mankind。

They　fought　and　slew　each　other。　The　wild　birds　sprang　up　in　affright

as　the　fire　leapt　from　reed　huts　given　by　foemen's　hands　to　flame　and

pillage。　They　stole　and　rent　and　murdered；　dashing　out　the　brains　of

children　with　axes　of　stone。　And；　though　no　voice　told　me；　I　knew　that

I　saw　man　as　he　was　tens　of　thousands　of　years　ago；　when　first　he

marched　across　the　earth。



Yet　another　picture。　Again　I　beheld　the　banks　of　Sihor；　but　on　them

fair　cities　bloomed　like　flowers。　In　and　out　their　gates　went　men　and

women；　passing　to　and　fro　from　wide；　well…tilled　lands。　But　I　saw　no

guards　or　armies；　and　no　weapons　of　war。　All　was　wisdom；　prosperity；

and　peace。　And　while　I　wondered；　a　glorious　Figure；　clad　in　raiment

that　shone　as　flame；　came　from　the　gates　of　a　shrine；　and　the　sound　of

music　went　before　and　followed　after　him。　He　mounted　an　ivory　throne

which　was　set　in　a　market…place　facing　the　water：　and　as　the　sun　sank

called　in　all　the　multitudes　to　prayer。　With　one　voice　they　prayed；

bending　in　adoration。　And　I　understood　that　herein　was　shown　the　reign

of　the　Gods　on　earth；　which　was　long　before　the　days　of　Menes。



A　change　came　over　the　dream。　Still　the　same　fair　city；　but　other　men

men　with　greed　and　evil　on　their　faceswho　hated　the　bonds　of

righteous　doing；　and　set　their　hearts　on　sin。　The　evening　came；　the

glorious　Figure　mounted　the　throne　and　called　to　prayer；　but　none

bowed　themselves　in　adoration。



〃We　are　aweary　of　thee！〃　they　cried。　〃Make　Evil　King！　Slay　him！　slay

him！　and　loose　the　bonds　of　Evil！　Make　Evil　King！〃



The　glorious　Shape　rose　up；　gazing　with　mild　eyes　upon　those　wicked

men。



〃Ye　know　not　what　ye　ask；〃　he　cried；　〃but　as　ye　will；　so　be　it！　For　if

I　die；　by　me；　after　much　travail；　shall　ye　once　again　find　a　path　to

the　Kingdom　of　Good！〃



Even　as　he　spoke；　a　Form；　foul　and　hideous　to　behold；　leapt　upon　him；

cursing；　slew　him；　tore　him　limb　from　limb；　and　amidst　the　clamour　of

the　people　sat　himself　upon　the　throne　and　ruled。　But　a　Shape　whose

face　was　veiled　passed　down　from　heaven　on　shadowy　wings；　and　with

lamentations　gathered　up　the　rent　fragments　of　the　Being。　A　moment　she

bent　herself　upon　them；　then　lifted　up　her　hands　and　wept。　And　as　she

wept；　behold！　from　her　side　there　sprang　a　warrior　armed　and　with　a

face　like　the　face　of　Ra　at　noon。　He；　the　Avenger；　hurled　himself　with

a　shout　upon　the　Monster　who　had　usurped　the　throne；　and　they　closed

in　battle；　and；　struggling　ever　in　a　strait　embrace；　passed　upward　to

the　skies。



Then　came　picture　after　picture。　I　saw　Powers　and　Peoples　clad　in

various　robes　and　speaking　many　tongues。　I　saw　them　pass　and　pass　in

millionsloving；　hating；　struggling；　dying。　Some　few　were　happy　and

some　had　woe　stamped　upon　their　faces；　but　most　bore　not　the　seal　of

happiness　nor　of　woe；　but　rather　that　of　patience。　And　ever　as　they

passed　from　age　to　age；　high　above　in　the　heavens　the　Avenger　fought

on　with　the　Evil　Thing；　while　the　scale　of　victory　swung　now　here　now

there。　But　neither　conquered；　nor　was　it　given　to　me　to　know　how　the

battle　ended。



And　I　understood　that　what　I　had　beheld　was　the　holy　vision　of　the

struggle　between　the　Good　and　the　Evil　Powers。　I　saw　that　man　was

created　vile；　but　Those　who　are　above　took　pity　on　him；　and　came　down

to　him　to　make　him　good　and　happy；　for　the　two　things　are　one　thing。

But　man　returned　to　his　wicked　way；　and　then　the　bright　Spirit　of

Good；　who　is　of　us　called　Osiris；　but　who　has　many　names；　offered

himself　up　for　the　evil…doing　of　the　race　that　had　dethroned　him。　And

from　him　and　the　Divine　Mother；　of　whom　all　nature　is；　sprang　another

spirit　who　is　the　Protector　of　us　on　earth；　as　Osiris　is　our　justifier

in　Amenti。



For　this　is　the　mystery　of　the　Osiris。



Of　a　sudden；　as　I　saw　the　visions；　these　things　became　clear　to　me。

The　mummy　cloths　of　symbol　and　of　ceremony　that　wrap　Osiris　round　fell

from　him；　and　I　understood　the　secret　of　religion；　which　is　Sacrifice。



The　pictures　passed；　and　again　the　priest；　my　guide；　spoke　to　me。



〃Hast　thou　understood；　Harmachis；　those　things　which　it　has　been

granted　thee　to　see？〃



〃I　have；〃　I　said。　〃Are　the　rites　ended？〃



〃Nay；　they　are　but　begun。　That　which　follows　thou　must　endure　alone！

Behold　I　leave　thee；　to　return　at　the　morning　light。　Once　more　I　warn

thee。　That　which　thou　shalt　see；　few　may　look　upon　and　live。　In　all　my

days　I　have　known　but　three　who　dared　to　face　this　dread　hour；　and　of

those　three　at　dawn　but　one　was　found　alive。　Myself；　I　have　not　trod

this　path。　It　is　too　high　for　me。〃



〃Depart；〃　I　said；　〃my　soul　is　athirst　for　knowledge。　I　will　dare　it。〃



He　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　blessed　me。　He　went。　I　heard　the

door　shut　to　behind　him；　the　echoes　of　his　footsteps　slowly　died　away。



Then　I　felt　that　I　was　alone；　alone　in　the　Holy　Place　with　Things

which　are　not　of　the　earth。　Silence　fellsilence　deep　and　black　as

the　darkness　which　was　around　me。　The　silence　fell；　it　gathered　as　the

cloud　gathered　on　the　face　of　the　moon　that　night　when；　a　lad；　I

prayed　upon　the　pylon　towers。　It　gathered　denser　and　yet　more　dense

till　it　seemed　to　creep　into　my　heart　and　call　aloud　therein；　for

utter　silence　has　a　voice　that　is　more　terrible　than　any　cry。　I　spoke；

the　echoes　of　my　words　came　back　upon　me　from　the　walls　and　seemed　to

beat　me　down。　The　stillness　was　lighter　to　endure　than　an　echo　such　as

this。　What　was　I　about　to　see？　Should　I　die；　even　now；　in　the　fulness

of　my　youth　and　strength？　Terrible　were　the　warnings　that　had　been

given　to　me。　I　was　fear…stricken；　and　bethought　me　that　I　would　fly。

Fly！fly　whither？　The　temple　door　was　barred；　I　could　not　fly。　I　was

alone　with　the　Godhead；　alone　with　the　Power　that　I　had　invoked。　Nay；

my　heart　was　puremy　heart　was　pure。　I　would　face　the　terror　that　was

to　come；　ay；　even　though　I　died。



〃Isis；　Holy　Mother；〃　I　prayed。　〃Isis；　Spouse　of　Heaven；　come　unto　me；

be　with　me　now；　I　faint！　be　with　me　now。〃



And　then　I　knew　that　things　were　not　as　things　had　been。　The　air

around　me　began　to　stir；　it　rustled　as　the　wings　of　eagles　rustle；　it

took　life。　Bright　eyes　gazed　upon　me；　strange　whispers　shook　my　soul。

Upon　the　darkness　were　bars　of　light。　They　chan