cleopatra-第21章

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I　dreamed　I　saw　thee　standing　in　the　desert。　I　saw　thee　laugh　and　lift

thy　hand　to　heaven；　and　from　it　fell　a　rain　of　blood；　then　the　sky

sank　down　on　the　land　of　Khem　and　covered　it。　Whence　came　the　dream；

girl；　and　what　is　its　meaning？　I　have　naught　against　thee　as　yet；　but

hearken！　On　the　moment　that　I　have；　though　thou　art　of　my　kin；　and　I

have　loved　theeon　that　moment；　I　say；　I　will　doom　those　delicate

limbs；　which　thou　lovest　so　much　to　show；　to　the　kite　and　the　jackal；

and　the　soul　within　thee　to　all　the　tortures　of　the　Gods！　Unburied

shalt　thou　lie；　and　bodiless　and　accursed　shalt　thou　wander　in　Amenti！

ay；　for　ever　and　ever！〃



He　paused；　for　his　sudden　burst　of　passion　had　spent　itself。　But　by

it；　more　clearly　than　before；　I　saw　how　deep　a　heart　this　man　had

beneath　the　cloak　of　his　merriness　and　simplicity　of　mien；　and　how

fiercely　the　mind　within　him　was　set　upon　his　aim。　As　for　the　girl；

she　shrank　from　him　terrified；　and；　placing　her　hands　before　her　sweet

face；　began　to　weep。



〃Nay；　speak　not　so；　my　father；〃　she　said；　between　her　sobs；　〃for　what

have　I　done？　I　know　nothing　of　the　evil　wandering　of　thy　dreams。　I　am

no　soothsayer　that　I　should　read　dreams。　Have　I　not　carried　out　all

things　according　to　thy　desire？　Have　I　not　been　ever　mindful　of　that

dread　oath？〃and　she　trembled。　〃Have　I　not　played　the　spy　and　told

thee　all？　Have　I　not　won　the　heart　of　the　Queen；　so　that　she　loves　me

as　a　sister；　refusing　me　nothingay；　and　the　hearts　of　those　about

her？　Why　dost　thou　affright　me　thus　with　thy　words　and　threats？〃　and

she　wept　afresh；　looking　even　more　beautiful　in　her　sorrow　than　she

was　before。



〃Enough；　enough；〃　he　answered；　〃what　I　have　said；　I　have　said。　Be

warned；　and　affront　our　sight　no　more　with　this　wanton　dress。　Thinkest

thou　that　we　would　feed　our　eyes　upon　those　rounded　armswe　whose

stake　is　Egypt　and　who　are　dedicated　to　the　Gods　of　Egypt？　Girl；

behold　thy　cousin　and　thy　King！〃



She　ceased　weeping；　wiping　her　eyes　with　her　chiton；　and　I　saw　that

they　seemed　but　the　softer　for　her　tears。



〃Methinks；　most　royal　Harmachis；　and　beloved　Cousin；〃　she　said；　as　she

bent　before　me；　〃that　we　are　already　made　acquainted。〃



〃Yea；　Cousin；〃　I　answered；　not　without　shamefacedness；　for　I　had　never

before　spoken　to　so　fair　a　maid；　〃thou　wert　in　the　chariot　with

Cleopatra　this　day　when　I　struggled　with　the　Nubian？〃



〃Assuredly；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　and　a　sudden　lighting　of　the　eyes；

〃it　was　a　gallant　fight　and　gallantly　didst　thou　overthrow　that　black

brute。　I　saw　the　fray　and；　though　I　knew　thee　not；　I　greatly　feared

for　one　so　brave。　But　I　paid　him　for　my　fright；　for　it　was　I　who　put

it　into　the　mind　of　Cleopatra　to　bid　the　guards　strike　off　his　hand

now；　knowing　who　thou　art；　I　would　I　had　said　his　head。〃　And　she

looked　up　shooting　a　glance　at　me　and　then　smiled。



〃Enough；〃　put　in　my　uncle　Sepa；　〃the　time　draws　on。　Tell　thou　thy

mission；　Charmion；　and　be　gone。〃



Then　her　manner　changed；　she　folded　her　hands　meekly　before　her　and

spoke：



〃Let　Pharaoh　hearken　to　his　handmaiden。　I　am　the　daughter　of　Pharaoh's

uncle；　the　brother　of　his　father；　who　is　now　long　dead；　and　therefore

in　my　veins　also　flows　the　Royal　blood　of　Egypt。　Also　I　am　of　the

ancient　Faith；　and　hate　these　Greeks；　and　to　see　thee　set　upon　the

throne　has　been　my　dearest　hope　now　for　many　years。　To　this　end　I；

Charmion；　have　put　aside　my　rank　and　become　serving…woman　to

Cleopatra；　that　I　might　cut　a　notch　in　which　thou　couldst　set　thy　foot

when　the　hour　came　for　thee　to　climb　the　throne。　And；　Pharaoh；　the

notch　is　cut。



〃This　then　is　our　plot；　royal　Cousin。　Thou　must　gain　an　entrance　to

the　Household　and　learn　its　ways　and　secrets；　and；　so　far　as　may　be；

suborn　the　eunuchs　and　captains；　some　of　whom　I　have　already　tempted。

This　done；　and　all　things　being　prepared　without；　thou　must　slay

Cleopatra；　and；　aided　by　me　with　those　whom　I　control；　in　the

confusion　that　shall　ensue；　throw　wide　the　gates；　and；　admitting　those

of　our　party　who　are　in　waiting；　put　such　of　the　troops　as　remain

faithful　to　the　sword　and　seize　the　Bruchium。　Which　being　finished；

within　two　days　thou　shalt　hold　this　fickle　Alexandria。　At　the　same

time　those　who　are　sworn　to　thee　in　every　city　of　Egypt　shall　rise　in

arms；　and　in　ten　days　from　the　death　of　Cleopatra　thou　shalt　indeed　be

Pharaoh。　This　is　the　counsel　which　has　been　taken；　and　thou　seest；

royal　Cousin；　that；　though　our　uncle　yonder　thinks　so　ill　of　me；　I

have　learned　my　partay；　and　played　it。〃



〃I　hear　thee；　Cousin；〃　I　answered；　marvelling　that　so　young　a　woman

she　had　but　twenty　yearscould　weave　so　bold　a　plot；　for　in　its

origin　the　scheme　was　hers。　But　in　those　days　I　little　knew　Charmion。

〃Go　on；　how　then　shall　I　gain　entrance　to　the　palace　of　Cleopatra？〃



〃Nay；　Cousin；　as　things　are　it　is　easy。　Thus：　Cleopatra　loves　to　look

upon　a　man；　andgive　me　pardonthy　face　and　form　are　fair。　To…day

she　noted　them；　and　twice　she　said　she　would　she　had　asked　where　that

astrologer　might　be　found；　for　she　held　that　an　astrologer　who　could

wellnigh　slay　a　Nubian　gladiator　with　his　bare　hands；　must　indeed　be　a

master　of　the　fortunate　stars。　I　answered　her　that　I　would　cause

inquiry　to　be　made。　So　hearken；　royal　Harmachis。　At　midday　Cleopatra

sleeps　in　her　inner　hall　which　looks　over　the　gardens　to　the　harbour。

At　that　hour　to…morrow；　then；　I　will　meet　thee　at　the　gates　of　the

palace；　whither　thou　shalt　come　boldly　asking　for　the　Lady　Charmion。　I

will　make　appointment　for　thee　with　Cleopatra；　so　that　she　shall　see

thee　alone　when　she　wakes；　and　the　rest　shall　be　for　thee；　Harmachis。

For　much　she　loves　to　play　with　the　mysteries　of　magic；　and　I　have

known　her　stand　whole　nights　watching　the　stars　and　making　a　pretence

to　read　them。　And　but　lately　she　has　sent　away　Dioscorides　the

physician；　because；　poor　fool！　he　ventured　on　a　prophecy　from　the

conjunction　of　the　stars；　that　Cassius　would　defeat　Mark　Antony。

Thereon　Cleopatra　sent　orders　to　the　General　Allienus；　bidding　him　add

the　legions　she　had　sent　to　Syria　to　help　Antony　to　the　army　of

Cassius；　whose　victory；　forsooth；　wasaccording　to　Dioscorides

written　on　the　stars。　But；　as　it　chanced；　Antony　beat　Cassius　first

and　Brutus　afterwards；　and　so　Dioscorides　has　departed；　and　now　he

lectures　on　herbs　in　the　museum　for　his　bread；　and　hates　the　name　of

stars。　But　his　place　is　empty；　and　thou　shalt　fill　it；　and　then　we

will　work　in　secret　and　in　the　shadow　of　the　sceptre。　Ay；　we　will　work

like　the　worm　at　the　heart　of　a　fruit；　till　the　time　of　plucking

comes；　and　at　thy　dagger's　touch；　royal　Cousin；　the　fabric　of　this

Grecian　throne　crumbles　to　nothingness；　and　the　worm　that　rotted　it

bursts　his　servile　covering；　and；　in　the　sight　of　empires；　spreads　his

royal　wings　o'er　Egypt。〃



I　gazed　at　this　strange　girl　once　more　astonished；　and　saw　that　her

face　was　lit　up　with　such　a　light　as　I　had　never　seen　in　the　eyes　of

woman。



〃Ah；〃　broke　in　my　uncle；　who　was　watching　her；　〃ah；　I　love　to　see　thee

so；　girl；　there　is　the　Charmion　that　I　knew　and　I　bred　upnot　the

Court　girl　whom　I　like　not；　draped　in　silks　of　Cos　and　fragrant　with

essences。　Let　thy　heart　harden　in　this　moulday；　stamp　it　with　the

fervid　zeal　of　patriot　faith；　and　thy　reward　shall　find　thee。　And　now

cover　up　that　shameless　dress　of　thine　and　leave　us；　for　it　grows

late。　To…morrow　Harmachis　shall　come；　as　thou　hast　said；　and　so

farewell。〃



Charmion　bowed　her　head；　and；　turning；　wrapped　her　dark…hued　peplos

round　her。　Then；　taking　my　hand；　she　touched　it　with　her　lips　and　went

without　any　further　word。



〃A　strange　woman！〃　said　Sepa；　when　she　had　gone；　〃a　most　strange

woman；　and　an　uncertain！〃



〃Methought；　my　uncle；〃　I　said；　〃that　thou　wast　somewhat　harsh　with

her。〃



〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　〃but　not　without　a　cause。　Look　thou；　Harmachis；

beware　of　this　Charmion。　She　is　too　wayward；　and；　I　fear　me；　may　be

led　away。　In　trut