cleopatra-第14章

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

Upon　the　darkness　were　bars　of　light。　They　changed　and　interchanged；

they　moved　to　and　fro　and　wove　mystic　symbols　which　I　could　not　read。

Swifter　and　swifter　flew　that　shuttle　of　the　light：　the　symbols

grouped；　gathered；　faded；　gathered　yet　again；　faster　and　still　more

fast；　till　my　eyes　could　count　them　no　more。　Now　I　was　afloat　upon　a

sea　of　glory；　it　surged　and　rolled；　as　the　ocean　rolls；　it　tossed　me

high；　it　brought　me　low。　Glory　was　piled　on　glory；　splendour　heaped　on

splendour's　head；　and　I　rode　above　it　all！



Soon　the　lights　began　to　pale　in　the　rolling　sea　of　air。　Great　shadows

shot　across　it；　lines　of　darkness　pierced　it　and　rushed　together　on

its　breast；　till；　at　length；　I　was　only　a　Shape　of　Flame　set　like　a

star　on　the　bosom　of　immeasurable　night。　Bursts　of　awful　music

gathered　from　far　away。　Miles　and　miles　away　I　heard　them；　thrilling

faintly　through　the　gloom。　On　they　came；　nearer　and　more　near；　louder

and　more　loud；　till　they　swept　past；　above；　below；　around　me；　swept　on

rushing　pinions；　terrifying　and　enchanting　me。　They　floated　by；　ever

growing　fainter；　till　they　died　in　space。　Then　others　came；　and　no　two

were　akin。　Some　rattled　as　ten　thousand　sistra　shaken　all　to　tune。

Some　rank　from　the　brazen　throats　of　unnumbered　clarions。　Some　pealed

with　a　loud；　sweet　chant　of　voices　that　were　more　than　human；　and　some

rolled　along　in　the　slow　thunder　of　a　million　drums。　They　passed；

their　notes　were　lost　in　dying　echoes；　and　the　silence　once　more

pressed　in　upon　me　and　overcame　me。



The　strength　within　me　began　to　fail。　I　felt　my　life　ebbing　at　its

springs。　Death　drew　near　to　me　and　his　shape　was　/Silence/。　He　entered

at　my　heart；　entered　with　a　sense　of　numbing　cold；　but　my　brain　was

still　alive；　I　could　yet　think。　I　knew　that　I　was　drawing　near　the

confines　of　the　Dead。　Nay；　I　was　dying　fast；　and　oh；　the　horror　of　it！

I　strove　to　pray　and　could　not；　there　was　no　more　time　for　prayer。　One

struggle　and　the　stillness　crept　into　my　brain。　The　terror　passed；　an

unfathomable　weight　of　sleep　pressed　me　down。　I　was　dying；　I　was

dying；　and　thennothingness！



/I　was　dead！/



A　changelife　came　back　to　me；　but　between　the　new　life　and　the　life

that　had　been　was　a　gulf　and　difference。　Once　again　I　stood　in　the

darkness　of　the　shrine；　but　it　blinded　me　no　more。　It　was　clear　as　the

light　of　day；　although　it　still　was　black。　I　stood；　and　yet　it　was　not

I　who　stood；　but　rather　my　spiritual　part；　for　at　my　feet　lay　my　dead

Self。　There　it　lay；　rigid　and　still；　a　stamp　of　awful　calm　sealed　upon

its　face；　while　I　gazed　on　it。



And　as　I　gazed；　filled　with　wonder；　I　was　caught　up　on　the　Wings　of

Flame　and　whirled　away！　away！　faster　than　the　lightnings　flash。　Down　I

fell；　through　depths　of　empty　space　set　here　and　there　with　glittering

crowns　of　stars。　Down　for　ten　million　miles　and　ten　times　ten　million；

till　at　length　I　hovered　over　a　place　of　soft；　unchanging　light；

wherein　were　Temples；　Palaces；　and　Abodes；　such　as　no　man　ever　saw　in

the　visions　of　his　sleep。　They　were　built　of　Flame；　and　they　were

built　of　Blackness。　Their　spires　pierced　up　and　up；　their　great　courts

stretched　around。　Even　as　I　hovered　they　changed　continually　to　the

eye；　what　was　Flame　became　Blackness；　what　was　Blackness　became　Flame。

Here　was　the　flash　of　crystal；　and　there　the　blaze　of　gems　shone　even

through　the　glory　that　rolls　around　the　city　which　is　in　the　Place　of

Death。　There　were　trees；　and　their　voice　as　they　rustled　was　the　voice

of　music；　there　was　air；　and；　as　it　blew；　its　breath　was　the　sobbing

notes　of　song。



Shapes；　changing；　mysterious；　wonderful；　rushed　up　to　meet　me；　and

bore　me　down　till　I　seemed　to　stand　upon　another　earth。



〃Who　comes？〃　cried　a　great　Voice。



〃Harmachis；〃　answered　the　Shapes；　that　changed　continually。　〃Harmachis

who　hath　been　summoned　from　the　earth　to　look　upon　the　face　of　Her

that　Was　and　Is　and　Shall　Be。　Harmachis；　Child　of　Earth！〃



〃Throw　back　the　Gates　and　open　wide　the　Doors！〃　pealed　the　awful

Voice。　〃Throw　back　the　Gates　and　open　wide　the　Doors；　seal　up　his　lips

in　silence；　lest　his　voice　jar　upon　the　harmonies　of　Heaven；　take　away

his　sight　lest　he　see　that　which　may　not　be　seen；　and　let　Harmachis；

who　hath　been　summoned；　pass　down　the　path　that　leads　to　the　place　of

the　Unchanging。　Pass　on；　Child　of　Earth；　but　before　thou　goest；　look

up　that　thou　mayest　learn　how　far　thou　art　removed　from　Earth。〃



I　looked　up。　Beyond　the　glory　that　shone　about　the　city　was　black

night；　and　high　on　its　bosom　twinkled　one　tiny　star。



〃Behold　the　world　that　thou　hast　left；〃　said　the　Voice；　〃behold　and

tremble。〃



Then　my　lips　and　eyes　were　sealed　with　silence　and　with　darkness；　so

that　I　was　dumb　and　blind。　The　Gates　rolled　back；　the　Doors　swung

wide；　and　I　was　swept　into　the　city　that　is　in　the　Place　of　Death。　I

was　swept　swiftly　I　know　not　whither；　till　at　length　I　stood　upon　my

feet。　Again　the　great　Voice　pealed：



〃Draw　the　veil　of　blackness　from　his　eyes；　unseal　the　silence　on　his

lips；　that　Harmachis；　Child　of　Earth；　may　see；　hear；　and　understand；

and　make　adoration　at　the　Shrine　of　Her　that　Was　and　Is　and　Shall　Be。〃



And　my　lips　and　eyes　were　touched　once　more；　so　that　my　sight　and

speech　came　back。



Behold！　I　stood　within　a　hall　of　blackest　marble；　so　lofty　that　even

in　the　rosy　light　scarce　could　my　vision　reach　the　great　groins　of　the

roof。　Music　wailed　about　its　spaces；　and　all　adown　its　length　stood

winged　Spirits　fashioned　in　living　fire；　and　such　was　the　brightness

of　their　forms　that　I　could　not　look　on　them。　In　its　centre　was　an

altar；　small　and　square；　and　I　stood　before　the　empty　altar。　Then

again　the　Voice　cried：



〃O　Thou　that　hast　been；　art；　and　shalt　be；　Thou　who；　having　many

names；　art　yet　without　a　name；　Measurer　of　Time；　Messenger　of　God；

Guardian　of　the　Worlds　and　the　Races　that　dwell　thereon；　Universal

Mother　born　of　Nothingness；　Creatix　uncreated；　Living　Splendour

without　Form；　Living　Form　without　Substance；　Servant　of　the　Invisible；

Child　of　Law；　Holder　of　the　Scales　and　Sword　of　Fate；　Vessel　of　Life；

through　whom　all　Life　flows；　to　whom　it　again　is　gathered；　Recorder　of

Things　Done；　Executrix　of　Decrees/Hear！/



〃Harmachis　the　Egyptian；　who　by　Thy　will　hath　been　summoned　from　the

earth；　waits　before　Thine　Altar；　with　ears　unstopped；　with　eyes

unsealed；　and　with　an　open　heart。　Hear　and　descend！　Descend；　O　Many…

shaped！　Descend　in　Flame！　Descend　in　Sound！　Descend　in　Spirit！　Hear

and　descend！〃







The　Voice　ceased　and　there　was　silence。　Then　through　the　silence　came

a　sound　like　the　booming　of　the　sea。　It　passed　and　presently；　moved

thereto　by　I　know　not　what；　I　raised　my　eyes　from　my　hands　with　which

I　had　covered　them；　and　saw　a　small　dark　cloud　hanging　over　the　Altar

in　and　out　of　which　a　fiery　Serpent　climbed。



Then　all　the　Spirits　clad　in　light　fell　upon　the　marble　floor；　and

with　a　loud　voice　adored；　but　what　they　said　I　could　not　understand。

Behold！　the　dark　cloud　came　down　and　rested　on　the　Altar；　the　Serpent

of　fire　stretched　itself　towards　me；　touched　me　on　the　forehead　with

its　forky　tongue　and　was　gone。　From　within　the　cloud　a　Voice　sweet　and

low　and　clear　spoke　in　heavenly　accents：



〃Depart；　ye　Ministers；　leave　Me　with　my　son　whom　I　have　summoned。〃



Then　like　arrows　rushing　from　a　bow　the　flame…clad　Spirits　leapt　from

the　ground　and　sped　away。



〃O　Harmachis；〃　said　the　Voice；　〃be　not　afraid；　I　am　She　whom　thou　dost

know　as　Isis　of　the　Egyptians；　but　what　else　I　am　strive　not　thou　to

learn；　it　is　beyond　thy　strength。　For　I　am　all　things；　Life　is　my

spirit；　and　Nature　is　my　raiment。　I　am　the　laughter　of　the　babe；　I　am

the　maiden's　love；　I　am　the　mother's　kiss。　I　am　the　Child　and　Servant

of　the　Invisible　that　is　God；　that　is　Law；　that　is　Fatethough　myself

I　be　not　God　and　Fate　and　Law。　When　winds　blow　and　oceans