cleopatra-第25章

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Meanwhile　all　things　went　well　with　us；　for　the　minds　of　Cleopatra　and

those　about　her　were　so　set　upon　affairs　abroad　that　neither　she　nor

they　thought　of　revolt　at　home。　But　day　by　day　our　party　gathered

strength　in　the　cities　of　Egypt；　and　even　in　Alexandria；　which　is　to

Egypt　as　another　land；　all　things　being　foreign　there。　Day　by　day；

those　who　doubted　were　won　over　and　sworn　to　the　cause　by　that　oath

which　cannot　be　broken；　and　our　plans　of　action　more　firmly　laid。　And

every　other　day　I　went　forth　from　the　palace　to　take　counsel　with　my

uncle　Sepa；　and　there　at　his　house　met　the　Nobles　and　the　great

priests　who　were　for　the　party　of　Khem。



I　saw　much　of　Cleopatra；　the　Queen；　and　I　was　ever　more　astonished　at

the　wealth　and　splendour　of　her　mind；　that　for　richness　and　variety

was　as　a　woven　cloth　of　gold　throwing　back　all　lights　from　its

changing　face。　She　feared　me　somewhat；　and　therefore　wished　to　make　a

friend　of　me；　asking　me　of　many　matters　that　seemed　to　be　beyond　the

province　of　my　office。　I　saw　much　of　the　Lady　Charmion　alsoindeed；

she　was　ever　at　my　side；　so　that　I　scarce　knew　when　she　came　and　when

she　went。　For　she　would　draw　nigh　with　that　soft　step　of　hers；　and　I

would　turn　to　find　her　at　hand　and　watching　me　beneath　the　long　lashes

of　her　downcast　eyes。　There　was　no　service　that　was　too　hard　for　her；

and　no　task　too　long；　for　day　and　night　she　laboured　for　me　and　for

our　cause。



But　when　I　thanked　her　for　her　loyalty；　and　said　it　should　be　had　in

mind　in　that　time　which　was　at　hand；　she　stamped　her　foot；　and　pouted

with　her　lips；　like　an　angry　child；　saying　that；　among　all　the　things

which　I　had　learned；　this　had　I　not　learnedthat　Love's　service　asked

no　payment；　and　was　its　own　guerdon。　And　I；　being　innocent　in　such

matters；　and；　foolish　that　I　was；　holding　the　ways　of　women　as　of

small　account；　read　her　sayings　in　the　sense　that　her　services　to　the

cause　of　Khem；　which　she　loved；　brought　with　them　their　own　reward。

But　when　I　praised　so　fine　a　spirit；　she　burst　into　angry　tears　and

left　me　wondering。　For　I　knew　nothing　of　the　trouble　at　her　heart。　I

knew　not　then　that；　unsought；　this　woman　had　given　me　her　love；　and

that　she　was　rent　and　torn　by　pangs　of　passion　fixed　like　arrows　in

her　breast。　I　did　not　knowhow　should　I　know　it；　who　never　looked

upon　her　otherwise　than　as　an　instrument　of　our　joint　and　holy　cause？

Her　beauty　never　stirred　meno；　not　even　when　she　leaned　over　me　and

breathed　upon　my　hair；　I　never　thought　of　it　otherwise　than　as　a　man

thinks　of　the　beauty　of　a　statue。　What　had　I　to　do　with　such　delights；

I　who　was　sworn　to　Isis　and　dedicate　to　the　cause　of　Egypt？　O　ye　Gods；

bear　me　witness　that　I　am　innocent　of　this　thing　which　was　the　source

of　all　my　woe　and　the　woe　of　Khem！



How　strange　a　thing　is　this　love　of　woman；　that　is　so　small　in　its

beginning　and　in　its　ends　so　great！　See；　at　the　first　it　is　as　the

little　spring　of　water　welling　from　a　mountain's　heart。　And　at　the

last　what　is　it？　It　is　a　mighty　river　that　floats　argosies　of　joy　and

makes　wide　lands　to　smile。　Or；　perchance；　it　is　a　torrent　to　wash　in　a

flood　of　ruin　across　the　fields　of　Hope；　bursting　in　the　barriers　of

design；　and　bringing　to　tumbled　nothingness　the　tenement　of　man's

purity　and　the　temples　of　his　faith。　For　when　the　Invisible　conceived

the　order　of　the　universe　He　set　this　seed　of　woman's　love　within　its

plan；　that　by　its　most　unequal　growth　is　doomed　to　bring　about

equality　of　law。　For　now　it　lifts　the　low　to　heights　untold；　and　now

it　brings　the　noble　to　the　level　of　the　dust。　And　thus；　while　Woman；

that　great　surprise　of　nature；　is；　Good　and　Evil　can　never　grow　apart。

For　still　She　stands；　and；　blind　with　love；　shoots　the　shuttle　of　our

fate；　and　pours　sweet　water　into　the　cup　of　bitterness；　and　poisons

the　wholesome　breath　of　life　with　the　doom　of　her　desire。　Turn　this

way　and　turn　that；　She　is　at　hand　to　meet　thee。　Her　weakness　is　thy

strength；　her　might　is　thy　undoing。　Of　her　thou　art；　to　her　thou

goest。　She　is　thy　slave；　yet　holds　thee　captive；　at　her　touch　honour

withers；　locks　open；　and　barriers　fall。　She　is　infinite　as　ocean；　she

is　variable　as　heaven；　and　her　name　is　the　Unforeseen。　Man；　strive　not

to　escape　from　Woman　and　the　love　of　woman；　for；　fly　where　thou　wilt；

She　is　yet　thy　fate；　and　whate'er　thou　buildest　thou　buildest　it　for

her！



And　thus　it　came　to　pass　that　I；　Harmachis；　who　had　put　such　matters

far　from　me；　was　yet　doomed　to　fall　by　the　thing　I　held　of　no　account。

For；　see；　this　Charmion：　she　loved　mewhy；　I　know　not。　Of　her　own

thought　she　learned　to　love　me；　and　of　her　love　came　what　shall　be

told。　But　I；　knowing　naught；　treated　her　like　a　sister；　walking　as　it

were　hand　in　hand　with　her　towards　our　common　end。



And　so　the　time　passed　on；　till；　at　length；　all　things　were　made

ready。



It　was　the　night　before　the　night　when　the　blow　should　fall；　and　there

were　revellings　in　the　palace。　That　very　day　I　had　seen　Sepa；　and　with

him　the　captains　of　a　band　of　five　hundred　men；　who　should　burst　into

the　palace　at　midnight　on　the　morrow；　when　I　had　slain　Cleopatra　the

Queen；　and　put　the　Roman　and　the　Gallic　legionaries　to　the　sword。　That

very　day　I　had　suborned　the　Captain　Paulus　who；　since　I　drew　him

through　the　gates；　was　my　will's　slave。　Half　by　fear　and　half　by

promises　of　great　reward　I　had　prevailed　upon　him；　for　the　watch　was

his；　to　unbar　that　small　gate　which　faces　to　the　East　at　the　signal　on

the　morrow　night。



All　was　made　readythe　flower　of　Freedom　that　had　been　five…and…

twenty　years　in　growth　was　on　the　point　of　bloom。　Armed　companies　were

gathering　in　every　city　from　Abu　to　Athu；　and　spies　looked　out　from

their　walls；　awaiting　the　coming　of　the　messenger　who　should　bring

tidings　that　Cleopatra　was　no　more　and　that　Harmachis；　the　royal

Egyptian；　had　seized　the　throne。



All　was　prepared；　triumph　hung　in　my　hand　as　a　ripe　fruit　to　the　hand

of　the　plucker。　Yet　as　I　sat　at　the　royal　feast　my　heart　was　heavy；

and　a　shadow　of　coming　woe　lay　cold　within　my　mind。　I　sat　there　in　a

place　of　honour；　near　the　majesty　of　Cleopatra；　and　looked　down　the

lines　of　guests；　bright　with　gems　and　garlanded　with　flowers；　marking

those　whom　I　had　doomed　to　die。　There　before　me　lay　Cleopatra　in　all

her　beauty；　which　thrilled　the　beholder　as　he　is　thrilled　by　the

rushing　of　the　midnight　gale；　or　by　the　sight　of　stormy　waters。　I

gazed　on　her　as　she　touched　her　lips　with　wine　and　toyed　with　the

chaplet　of　roses　on　her　brow；　thinking　of　the　dagger　beneath　my　robe

that　I　had　sworn　to　bury　in　her　breast。　Again；　and　yet　again；　I　gazed

and　strove　to　hate　her；　strove　to　rejoice　that　she　must　dieand　could

not。　There；　too；　behind　herwatching　me　now；　as　ever；　with　her　deep…

fringed　eyeswas　the　lovely　Lady　Charmion。　Who；　to　look　at　her

innocent　face；　would　believe　that　she　was　the　setter　of　that　snare　in

which　the　Queen　who　loved　her　should　miserably　perish？　Who　would　dream

that　the　secret　of　so　much　death　was　locked　in　her　girlish　breast？　I

gazed；　and　grew　sick　at　heart　because　I　must　anoint　my　throne　with

blood；　and　by　evil　sweep　away　the　evil　of　the　land。　At　that　hour　I

wished；　indeed；　that　I　was　nothing　but　some　humble　husbandman；　who　in

its　season　grows　and　in　its　season　garners　the　golden　grain！　Alas！　the

seed　that　I　had　been　doomed　to　sow　was　the　seed　of　Death；　and　now　I

must　reap　the　red　fruit　of　the　harvest！



〃Why；　Harmachis；　what　ails　thee？〃　said　Cleopatra；　smiling　her　slow

smile。　〃Has　the　golden　skein　of　stars　got　tangled；　my　astronomer？　or

dost　thou　plan　some　new　feat　of　magic？　Say　what　is　it　that　thou　dost

so　poorly　grace　our　feast？　Nay；　now；　did　I　not　know；　having　made

inquiry；　that　things　so　low　as　we　poor　women　are　far　beneath　thy　gaze；

why；　I　should　swear　that　Eros　had　found　thee　out；　Harmachis！〃



〃Nay；　that　I　am　spared；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered。　〃The　servant　of　the

stars　marks　not　the　smaller　light　of　woman's　eyes；　and　there