cleopatra-第30章

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birthright　to　be　free　from　its　necessity！　But；　alas！　I　knew　that　there

was　no　escape。　I　must　drain　this　cup　or　be　for　ever　cast　away。　I　felt

the　eyes　of　Egypt　watching　me；　and　the　eyes　of　Egypt's　Gods。　I　prayed

to　my　Mother　Isis　to　give　me　strength　to　do　this　deed；　and　prayed　as　I

had　never　prayed　before；　and　oh；　wonder！　no　answer　came。　Nay；　how　was

this？　What；　then；　had　loosed　the　link　between　us　that；　for　the　first

time；　the　Goddess　deigned　no　reply　to　her　son　and　chosen　servant？

Could　it　be　that　I　had　sinned　in　heart　against　her？　What　had　Charmion

saidthat　I　loved　Cleopatra？　Was　this　sickness　love？　Nay！　a　thousand

times　nay！it　was　but　the　revolt　of　Nature　against　an　act　of

treachery　and　blood。　The　Goddess　did　but　try　my　strength；　or　perchance

she　also　turned　her　holy　countenance　from　murder？



I　rose　filled　with　terror　and　despair；　and　went　about　my　task　like　a

man　without　a　soul。　I　conned　the　fatal　lists　and　noted　all　the　plans

ay；　in　my　brain　I　gathered　up　the　very　words　of　that　proclamation　of

my　Royalty　which；　on　the　morrow；　I　should　issue　to　the　startled　world。



〃Citizens　of　Alexandria　and　dwellers　in　the　land　of　Egypt；〃　it　began；

〃Cleopatra　the　Macedonian　hath；　by　the　command　of　the　Gods；　suffered

justice　for　her　crimes〃



All　these　and　other　things　I　did；　but　I　did　them　as　a　man　without　a

soulas　a　man　moved　by　a　force　from　without　and　not　from　within。　And

so　the　minutes　wore　away。　In　the　third　hour　of　the　afternoon　I　went　as

by　appointment　fixed　to　the　house　where　my　uncle　Sepa　lodged；　that

same　house　to　which　I　had　been　brought　some　three　months　gone　when　I

entered　Alexandria　for　the　first　time。　And　here　I　found　the　leaders　of

the　revolt　in　the　city　assembled　in　secret　conclave　to　the　number　of

seven。　When　I　had　entered；　and　the　doors　were　barred；　they　prostrated

themselves；　and　cried；　〃Hail；　Pharaoh！〃　but　I　bade　them　rise；　saying

that　I　was　not　yet　Pharaoh；　for　the　chicken　was　still　in　the　egg。



〃Yea；　Prince；〃　said　my　uncle；　〃but　his　beak　shows　through。　Not　in　vain

hath　Egypt　brooded　all　these　years；　if　thou　fail　not　with　that　dagger…

stroke　of　thine　to…night；　and　how　canst　thou　fail？　Nothing　can　now

stop　our　course　to　victory！〃



〃It　is　on　the　knees　of　the　Gods；〃　I　answered。



〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃the　Gods　have　placed　the　issue　in　the　hands　of　a

mortalin　thy　hands；　Harmachis！and　there　it　is　safe。　See：　here　are

the　last　lists。　Thirty…one　thousand　men　who　bear　arms　are　sworn　to

rise　when　the　tidings　come　to　them。　Within　five　days　every　citadel　in

Egypt　will　be　in　our　hands；　and　then　what　have　we　to　fear？　From　Rome

but　little；　for　her　hands　are　full；　and；　besides；　we　will　make

alliance　with　the　Triumvirate；　and；　if　need　be；　buy　them　off。　For　of

money　there　is　plenty　in　the　land；　and　if　more　be　wanted　thou；

Harmachis；　knowest　where　it　is　stored　against　the　need　of　Khem；　and

outside　the　Roman's　reach　of　arm。　Who　is　there　to　harm　us？　There　is

none。　Perchance；　in　this　turbulent　city；　there　may　be　struggle；　and　a

counter…plot　to　bring　Arsino？　to　Egypt　and　set　her　on　the　throne。

Therefore　Alexandria　must　be　severely　dealt　withay；　even　to

destruction；　if　need　be。　As　for　Arsino？；　those　go　forth　to…morrow　on

the　news　of　the　Queen's　death　who　shall　slay　her　secretly。〃



〃There　remains　the　lad　C？sarion；〃　I　said。　〃Rome　might　claim　through

C？sar's　son；　and　the　child　of　Cleopatra　inherits　Cleopatra's　rights。

Here　is　a　double　danger。〃



〃Fear　not；〃　said　my　uncle；　〃to…morrow　C？sarion　joins　those　who　begat

him　in　Amenti。　I　have　made　provision。　The　Ptolemies　must　be　stamped

out；　so　that　no　shoot　shall　ever　spring　from　that　root　blasted　by

Heaven's　vengeance。〃



〃Is　there　no　other　means？〃　I　asked　sadly。　〃My　heart　is　sick　at　the

promise　of　this　red　rain　of　blood。　I　know　the　child　well；　he　has

Cleopatra's　fire　and　beauty　and　great　C？sar's　wit。　It　were　shame　to

murder　him。〃



〃Nay；　be　not　so　chicken…hearted；　Harmachis；〃　said　my　uncle；　sternly。

〃What　ails　thee；　then？　If　the　lad　is　thus；　the　more　reason　that　he

should　die。　Wouldst　thou　nurse　up　a　young　lion　to　tear　thee　from　the

throne？〃



〃Be　it　so；〃　I　answered；　sighing。　〃At　least　he　is　spared　much；　and　will

go　hence　innocent　of　evil。　Now　for　the　plans。〃



We　sat　long　taking　counsel；　till　at　length；　in　face　of　the　great

emergency　and　our　high　emprise；　I　felt　something　of　the　spirit　of

former　days　flow　back　into　my　heart。　At　the　last　all　was　ordered；　and

so　ordered　that　it　could　scarce　miscarry；　for　it　was　fixed　that　if　by

any　chance　I　could　not　come　to　slay　Cleopatra　on　this　night；　then　the

plot　should　hang　in　the　scale　till　the　morrow；　when　the　deed　must　be

done　upon　occasion。　For　the　death　of　Cleopatra　was　the　signal。　These

matters　being　finished；　once　more　we　stood　and；　our　hands　upon　the

sacred　symbol；　swore　the　oath　that　may　not　be　written。　And　then　my

uncle　kissed　me　with　tears　of　hope　and　joy　standing　in　his　keen　black

eyes。　He　blessed　me；　saying　that　he　would　gladly　give　his　life；　ay；

and　a　hundred　lives；　if　they　were　his；　if　he　might　but　live　to　see

Egypt　once　more　a　nation；　and　me；　Harmachis；　the　descendant　of　its

royal　and　ancient　blood；　seated　on　the　throne。　For　he　was　a　patriot

indeed；　asking　nothing　for　himself；　and　giving　all　things　to　his

cause。　And　I　kissed　him　in　turn；　and　thus　we　parted。　Nor　did　I　ever

see　him　more　in　the　flesh　who　has　earned　the　rest　that　as　yet　is

denied　to　me。



So　I　went；　and；　there　being　yet　time；　walked　swiftly　from　place　to

place　in　the　great　city；　taking　note　of　the　positions　of　the　gates　and

of　the　places　where　our　forces　must　be　gathered。　At　length　I　came　to

that　quay　where　I　had　landed；　and　saw　a　vessel　sailing　for　the　open

sea。　I　looked；　and　in　my　heaviness　of　heart　longed　that　I　were　aboard

of　her；　to　be　borne　by　her　white　wings　to　some　far　shore　where　I　might

live　obscure　and　die　forgotten。　Also　I　saw　another　vessel　that　had

dropped　down　the　Nile；　from　whose　deck　the　passengers　were　streaming。

For　a　moment　I　stood　watching　them；　idly　wondering　if　they　were　from

Abouthis；　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　familiar　voice　beside　me。



〃/La！　la！/〃　said　the　voice。　〃Why；　what　a　city　is　this　for　an　old　woman

to　seek　her　fortune　in！　And　how　shall　I　find　those　to　whom　I　am　known？

As　well　look　for　the　rush　in　the　papyrus…roll。＇*＇　Begone！　thou　knave！

and　let　my　basket　of　simples　lie；　or；　by　the　Gods；　I'll　doctor　thee

with　them！〃



＇*＇　Papyrus　was　manufactured　from　the　pith　of　rushes。　Hence　Atoua's

　　　　saying。Editor。



I　turned；　wondering；　and　found　myself　face　to　face　with　my　foster…

nurse；　Atoua。　She　knew　me　instantly；　for　I　saw　her　start；　but　in　the

presence　of　the　people　she　checked　her　surprise。



〃Good　Sir；〃　she　whined；　lifting　her　withered　countenance　towards　me；

and　at　the　same　time　making　the　secret　sign。　〃By　thy　dress　thou

shouldst　be　an　astronomer；　and　I　was　specially　told　to　avoid

astronomers　as　a　pack　of　lying　tricksters　who　worship　their　own　star

only；　and；　therefore；　I　speak　to　thee；　acting　on　the　principle　of

contraries；　which　is　law　to　us　women。　For　surely　in　this　Alexandria；

where　all　things　are　upside　down；　the　astronomers　may　be　the　honest

men；　since　the　rest　are　clearly　knaves。〃　And　then；　being　by　now　out　of

earshot　of　the　press；　〃royal　Harmachis；　I　am　come　charged　with　a

message　to　thee　from　thy　father　Amenemhat。〃



〃Is　he　well？〃　I　asked。



〃Yes；　he　is　well；　though　waiting　for　the　moment　tries　him　sorely。〃



〃And　his　message？〃



〃It　is　this。　He　sends　greeting　to　thee　and　with　it　warning　that　a

great　danger　threatens　thee；　though　he　cannot　read　it。　These　are　his

words：　'Be　steadfast　and　prosper。'〃



I　bowed　my　head　and　the　words　struck　a　new　chill　of　fear　into　my　soul。



〃When　is　the　time？〃　she　asked。



〃This　very　night。　Where　goest　thou？〃



〃To　the　house　of　the　honourable　Sepa；　Priest　of　Annu。　Canst　thou　guide

me　thither？〃



〃Nay；　I　may　not　stay；　nor　is　it　wise　that　I　should　be　seen　with　thee。

Hold！〃　and　I　called　a　porter　who