cleopatra-第34章

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than　prison　chainsdid　I　not　know　that　I　am　hedged　from　ill　at　thy

hands　by　a　fence　of　honour　harder　for　thee　to　pass　than　all　the　spears

of　all　my　legions；　thou　hadst　been　dead　ere　now；　Harmachis。　See；　here

is　thy　knife；〃　and　she　handed　me　the　dagger；　〃now　slay　me　if　thou

canst；〃　and　she　drew　near；　tore　open　the　bosom　of　her　robe；　and　stood

waiting　with　calm　eyes。



〃Thou　canst　not　slay　me；〃　she　went　on；　〃for　there　are　things；　as　I

know　well；　that　no　manno　man　such　as　thou　artmay　do　and　live：　and

this　is　the　chief　of　themto　slay　the　woman　who　is　all　his　own。　Nay；

stay　thy　hand！　Turn　not　that　dagger　against　thy　breast；　for　if　thou

mayst　not　slay　me；　by　how　much　more　mayst　thou　not　slay　thyself；　O

thou　forsworn　Priest　of　Isis！　Art　thou；　then；　so　eager　to　face　that

outraged　Majesty　in　Amenti？　With　what　eyes；　thinkest　thou；　will　the

Heavenly　Mother　look　upon　Her　son；　who；　shamed　in　all　things　and　false

to　his　most　sacred　vow；　comes　to　greet　Her；　his　life…blood　on　his

hands？　Where；　then；　will　be　the　space　for　thy　atonement？if；　indeed；

thou　mayest　atone！〃



Then　I　could　bear　no　more；　for　my　heart　was　broken。　Alas！　it　was　too

trueI　dared　not　die！　I　was　come　to　such　a　pass　that　I　did　not　even

dare　to　die！　I　flung　myself　upon　the　couch　and　weptwept　tears　of

blood　and　anguish。



But　Cleopatra　came　to　me；　and；　seating　herself　beside　me；　she　strove

to　comfort　me；　throwing　her　arms　about　my　neck。



〃Nay；　love；　look　up；〃　she　said；　〃all　is　not　lost　for　thee；　nor　am　I

angered　against　thee。　We　did　play　a　mighty　game；　but；　as　I　warned

thee；　I　matched　my　woman's　magic　against　thine；　and　I　have　conquered。

But　I　will　be　open　with　thee。　Both　as　Queen　and　woman　thou　hast　my

pityay；　and　more；　nor　do　I　love　to　see　thee　plunged　in　sorrow。　It

was　well　and　right　that　thou　shouldst　strive　to　win　back　that　throne

my　fathers　seized；　and　the　ancient　liberty　of　Egypt。　Myself　as　lawful

Queen　had　done　the　same；　nor　shrunk　from　the　deed　of　darkness　to　which

I　was　sworn。　Therein；　then；　thou　hast　my　sympathy；　that　ever　goes　out

to　what　is　great　and　bold。　It　is　well　also　that　thou　shouldst　grieve

over　the　greatness　of　thy　fall。　Therein；　then；　as　womanas　loving

womanthou　hast　my　sympathy。　Nor　is　all　lost。　Thy　plan　was　foolish

for；　as　I　hold；　Egypt　could　never　have　stood　alonefor　though　thou

hadst　won　the　crown　and　countryas　without　a　doubt　thou　must　have

doneyet　there　was　the　Roman　to　be　reckoned　with。　And　for　thy　hope

learn　this：　I　am　little　known。　There　is　no　heart　in　this　wide　land

that　beats　with　a　truer　love　for　ancient　Khem　than　does　this　heart　of

minenay；　not　thine　own；　Harmachis。　Yet　I　have　been　heavily　shackled

heretoforefor　wars；　rebellions；　envies；　plots；　have　hemmed　me　in　on

every　side；　so　that　I　might　not　serve　my　people　as　I　would。　But　thou；

Harmachis；　shalt　show　me　how。　Thou　shalt　be　my　counsellor　and　my　love。

Is　it　a　little　thing；　Harmachis；　to　have　won　the　heart　of　Cleopatra；

that　heartfie　on　thee！that　thou　wouldst　have　stilled？　Yes；　/thou/

shalt　unite　me　to　my　people　and　we　will　reign　together；　thus　linking

in　one　the　new　kingdom　and　the　old　and　the　new　thought　and　the　old。　So

do　all　things　work　for　gooday；　for　the　very　best：　and　thus；　by

another　and　a　gentler　road；　thou　shalt　climb　to　Pharaoh's　throne。



〃See　thou　this；　Harmachis：　thy　treachery　shall　be　cloaked　about　as

much　as　may　be。　Was　it；　then；　thy　fault　that　a　Roman　knave　betrayed

thy　plans？　that；　thereon；　thou　wast　drugged；　thy　secret　papers　stolen

and　their　key　guessed？　Will　it；　then；　be　a　blame　to　thee；　the　great

plot　being　broken　and　those　who　built　it　scattered；　that　thou；　still

faithful　to　thy　trust；　didst　serve　thee　of　such　means　as　Nature　gave

thee；　and　win　the　heart　of　Egypt's　Queen；　that；　through　her　gentle

love；　thou　mightest　yet　attain　thy　ends　and　spread　thy　wings　of　power

across　the　land　of　Nile？　Am　I　an　ill…counsellor；　thinkest　thou；

Harmachis？〃



I　lifted　my　head；　and　a　ray　of　hope　crept　into　the　darkness　of　my

heart；　for　when　men　fall　they　grasp　at　feathers。　Then；　I　spoke　for　the

first　time：



〃And　those　with　methose　who　trusted　mewhat　of　them？〃



〃Ay；〃　she　answered；　〃Amenemhat；　thy　father；　the　aged　Priest　of

Abouthis；　and　Sepa；　thy　uncle；　that　fiery　patriot；　whose　great　heart

is　hid　beneath　so　common　a　shell　of　form；　and〃



I　thought　she　would　have　said　Charmion；　but　she　named　her　not。



〃And　many　othersoh；　I　know　them　all！〃



〃Ay！〃　I　said；　〃what　of　them？〃



〃Hear　now；　Harmachis；〃　she　answered；　rising　and　placing　her　hand　upon

my　arm；　〃for　thy　sake　I　will　show　mercy　to　them。　I　will　do　no　more

than　must　be　done。　I　swear　by　my　throne　and　by　all　the　Gods　of　Egypt

that　not　one　hair　of　thy　aged　father's　head　shall　be　harmed　by　me；

and；　if　it　be　not　too　late；　I　will　also　spare　thy　uncle　Sepa；　ay；　and

the　others。　I　will　not　do　as　did　my　forefather；　Epiphanes；　who；　when

the　Egyptians　rose　against　him；　dragged　Athinis；　Pausiras；　Chesuphus；

and　Irobasthus；　bound　to　his　chariotnot　as　Achilles　dragged　Hector；

but　yet　livinground　the　city　walls。　I　will　spare　them　all；　save　the

Hebrews；　if　there　be　any　Hebrews；　for　the　Jews　I　hate。〃



〃There　are　no　Hebrews；〃　I　said。



〃It　is　well；〃　she　said；　〃for　no　Hebrew　will　I　ever　spare。　Am　I　then；

indeed；　so　cruel　a　woman　as　they　say？　In　thy　list；　Harmachis；　were

many　doomed　to　die；　and　I　have　but　taken　the　life　of　one　Roman　knave；

a　double　traitor；　for　he　betrayed　both　me　and　thee。　Art　thou　not

overwhelmed；　Harmachis；　with　the　weight　of　mercy　which　I　give　thee；

becausesuch　are　a　woman's　reasonsthou　pleasest　me；　Harmachis？　Nay；

by　Serapis！〃　she　added　with　a　little　laugh；　〃I'll　change　my　mind；　I

will　not　give　thee　so　much　for　nothing。　Thou　shalt　buy　it　from　me；　and

the　price　shall　be　a　heavy　oneit　shall　be　a　kiss；　Harmachis。〃



〃Nay；〃　I　said；　turning　from　that　fair　temptress；　〃the　price　is　too

heavy；　I　kiss　no　more。〃



〃Bethink　thee；〃　she　answered；　with　a　heavy　frown。　〃Bethink　thee　and

choose。　I　am　but　a　woman；　Harmachis；　and　one　who　is　not　wont　to　sue　to

men。　Do　as　thou　wilt；　but　this　I　say　to　theeif　thou　dost　put　me

away；　I　will　gather　up　the　mercy　I　have　meted　out。　Therefore；　most

virtuous　priest；　choose　thou　between　the　heavy　burden　of　my　love　and

the　swift　death　of　thy　aged　father　and　of　all　those　who　plotted　with

him。〃



I　glanced　at　her　and　saw　that　she　was　angered；　for　her　eyes　shone　and

her　bosom　heaved。　So；　I　sighed　and　kissed　her；　thereby　setting　the

seal　upon　my　shame　and　bondage。　Then；　smiling　like　the　triumphant

Aphrodité　of　the　Greeks；　she　went　thence；　bearing　the　dagger　with　her。



I　knew　not　yet　how　deeply　I　was　betrayed；　or　why　I　was　still　left　to

draw　the　breath　of　life；　or　why　Cleopatra；　the　tiger…hearted；　had

grown　merciful。　I　did　not　know　that　she　feared　to　slay　me；　lest；　so

strong　was　the　plot　and　so　feeble　her　hold　upon　the　Double　Crown；　the

tumult　that　might　tread　hard　upon　the　tidings　of　my　murder　should

shake　her　from　the　throneeven　when　I　was　no　more。　I　did　not　know

that　because　of　fear　and　the　weight　of　policy　only　she　showed　scant

mercy　to　those　whom　I　had　betrayed；　or　that　because　of　cunning　and　not

for　the　holy　sake　of　woman's　lovethough；　in　truth；　she　liked　me　well

enoughshe　chose　rather　to　bind　me　to　her　by　the　fibres　of　my　heart。

And　yet　I　will　say　this　in　her　behalf：　even　when　the　danger…cloud　had

melted　from　her　sky　she　kept　faith；　nor；　save　Paulus　and　one　other；

did　any　suffer　the　utmost　penalty　of　death　for　their　part　in　the　great

plot　against　Cleopatra's　crown　and　dynasty。　But　they　suffered　many

other　things。



And　so　she　went；　leaving　the　vision　of　her　glory　to　strive　with　the

shame　and　sorrow　in　my　heart。　Oh；　bitter　were　the　hours　that　could　not

now　be　made　light　with　prayer。　For　the　link　between　me　and　the　Divine

was　snapped；　and　Isis　communed　with　Her　Priest　no　more。　Bitter　were

the　hours　and　dark；　but　ever　through　their　darkness　shone　the　starry

eyes　of　Cleopatra；　and　came　the　echo　of　her　whispered　love。　For　not