cleopatra-第42章

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lips；　and　at　my　kiss　she　woke。　She　woke　with　a　little　sob　of　feara

shiver　ran　along　her　delicate　limbs；　and　she　stared　upon　my　face　with

wide　eyes。



〃Ah！　it　is　thou！〃　she　said。　〃I　mind　methou　hast　saved　me　from　that

horror…haunted　place！〃　And　she　threw　her　arms　about　my　neck；　drew　me

to　her　and　kissed　me。　〃Come；　love；〃　she　said；　〃let　us　be　going！　I　am

sore　athirst；　andah！　so　very　weary！　The　gems；　too；　chafe　my　breast！

Never　was　wealth　so　hardly　won！　Come；　let　us　be　going　from　the　shadow

of　this　ghostly　spot！　See　the　faint　lights　glancing　from　the　wings　of

Dawn。　How　beautiful　they　are；　and　how　sweet　to　behold！　Never；　in　those

Halls　of　Eternal　Night；　did　I　think　to　look　upon　the　blush　of　dawn

again！　Ah！　I　can　still　see　the　face　of　that　dead　slave；　with　the

Horror　hanging　to　his　beardless　chin！　Bethink　thee！there　he'll　sit

for　evertherewith　the　Horror！　Come；　where　may　we　find　water？　I

would　give　an　emerald　for　a　cup　of　water！〃



〃At　the　canal　on　the　borders　of　the　tilled　land　below　the　Temple　of

Horemkhuit　is　close　by；〃　I　answered。　〃If　any　see　us；　we　will　say

that　we　are　pilgrims　who　have　lost　our　way　at　night　among　the　tombs。

Veil　thyself　closely；　therefore；　Cleopatra；　and　beware　lest　thou　dost

show　aught　of　those　gems　about　thee。〃



So　she　veiled　herself；　and　I　lifted　her　on　to　the　ass　which　was

tethered　near　at　hand。　We　walked　slowly　through　the　plain　till　we　came

to　the　place　where　the　symbol　of　the　God　Horemkhu；＇*＇　fashioned　as　a

mighty　Sphinx　（whom　the　Greeks　call　Harmachis）；　and　crowned　with　the

royal　crown　of　Egypt；　looks　out　in　majesty　across　the　land；　his　eyes

ever　fixed　upon　the　East。　As　we　walked　the　first　arrow　of　the　rising

sun　quivered　through　the　grey　air；　striking　upon　Horemkhu's　lips　of

holy　calm；　and　the　Dawn　kissed　her　greeting　to　the　God　of　Dawn。　Then

the　light　gathered　and　grew　upon　the　gleaming　sides　of　twenty

pyramids；　and；　like　a　promise　from　Life　to　Death；　rested　on　the

portals　of　ten　thousand　tombs。　It　poured　in　a　flood　of　gold　across　the

desert　sandit　pierced　the　heavy　sky　of　night；　and　fell　in　bright

beams　upon　the　green　of　fields　and　the　tufted　crest　of　palms。　Then

from　his　horizon　bed　royal　Ra　rose　up　in　pomp　and　it　was　day。



＇*＇　That　is；　〃Horus　on　the　horizon〃；　and　signifies　the　power　of　Light

　　　　and　Good　overcoming　the　power　of　Darkness　and　Evil　incarnate　in

　　　　his　enemy；　Typhon。Editor。



Passing　the　temple　of　granite　and　of　alabaster　that　was　built　before

the　days　of　Khufu；　to　the　glory　of　the　Majesty　of　Horemkhu；　we

descended　the　slope；　and　came　to　the　banks　of　the　canal。　There　we

drank；　and　that　draught　of　muddy　water　was　sweeter　than　all　the

choicest　wine　of　Alexandria。　Also　we　washed　the　mummy　dust　and　grime

from　our　hands　and　brows　and　made　us　clean。　As　she　bathed　her　neck；

stooping　over　the　water；　one　of　the　great　emeralds　slipped　from

Cleopatra's　breast　and　fell　into　the　canal；　and　it　was　but　by　chance

that　at　length　I　found　it　in　the　mire。　Then；　once　more；　I　lifted

Cleopatra　onto　the　beast；　and　slowly；　for　I　was　very　weary；　we　marched

back　to　the　banks　of　Sihor；　where　our　craft　was。　And　having　at　length

come　thither；　seeing　no　one　save　some　few　peasants　going　out　to　labour

on　the　lands；　I　turned　the　ass　loose　in　that　same　field　where　we　had

found　him；　and　we　boarded　the　craft　while　the　crew　were　yet　sleeping。

Then；　waking　them；　we　bade　them　make　all　sail；　saying　that　we　had　left

the　eunuch　to　sojourn　a　while　behind　us；　as　in　truth　we　had。　So　we

sailed；　having　first　hidden　away　the　gems　and　such　of　the　ornaments　of

gold　as　we　could　bring　to　the　boat。



We　spent　four　days　and　more　in　coming　to　Alexandria；　for　the　wind　was

for　the　most　part　against　us；　and　they　were　happy　days！　At　first；

indeed；　Cleopatra　was　somewhat　silent　and　heavy　at　heart；　for　what　she

had　seen　and　felt　in　the　womb　of　the　pyramid　weighed　her　down。　But

soon　her　Imperial　spirit　awoke　and　shook　the　burden　from　her　breast；

and　she　became　herself　againnow　gay；　now　learned；　now　loving；　and

now　cold；　now　queenly；　and　now　altogether　simpleever　changing　as　the

winds　of　heaven；　and　as　the　heaven；　deep；　beauteous；　and　unsearchable！



Night　after　night　for　those　four　perfect　nights；　the　last　happy　hours

I　ever　was　to　know；　we　sat　hand　in　hand　upon　the　deck　and　heard　the

waters　lap　the　vessel's　side；　and　watched　the　soft　footfall　of　the

moon　as　she　trod　the　depths　of　Nile。　There　we　sat　and　talked　of　love；

talked　of　our　marriage　and　all　that　we　would　do。　Also　I　drew　up　plans

of　war　and　of　defence　against　the　Roman；　which　now　we　had　the　means　to

carry　out；　and　she　approved　them；　sweetly　saying　that　what　seemed　good

to　me　was　good　to　her。　And　so　the　time　passed　all　too　swiftly。



Oh　those　nights　upon　the　Nile！　their　memory　haunts　me　yet！　Yet　in　my

dreams　I　see　the　moonbeams　break　and　quiver；　and　hear　Cleopatra's

murmured　words　of　love　mingle　with　the　sound　of　murmuring　waters。　Dead

are　those　dear　nights；　dead　is　the　moon　that　lit　them；　the　waters

which　rocked　us　on　their　breast　are　lost　in　the　wide　salt　sea；　and

where　we　kissed　and　clung　there　lips　unborn　shall　kiss　and　cling！　How

beautiful　was　their　promise；　doomed；　like　an　unfruitful　blossom；　to

wither；　fall；　and　rot！　and　their　fulfilment；　ah；　how　drear！　For　all

things　end　in　darkness　and　in　ashes；　and　those　who　sow　in　folly　shall

reap　in　sorrow。　Ah！　those　nights　upon　the　Nile！



And　so　at　length　once　more　we　stood　within　the　hateful　walls　of　that

fair　palace　on　the　Lochias；　and　the　dream　was　done。







〃Whither　hast　thou　wandered　with　Cleopatra；　Harmachis？〃　Charmion　asked

of　me　when　I　met　her　by　chance　on　that　day　of　return。　〃On　some　new

mission　of　betrayal？　Or　was　it　but　a　love…journey？〃



〃I　went　with　Cleopatra　upon　secret　business　of　the　State；〃　I　answered

sternly。



〃So！　Those　who　go　secretly；　go　evilly；　and　foul　birds　love　to　fly　at

night。　Not　but　what　thou　art　wise；　for　it　would　scarce　beseem　thee；

Harmachis；　to　show　thy　face　openly　in　Egypt。〃



I　heard；　and　felt　my　passion　rise　within　me；　for　I　could　ill　bear　this

fair　girl's　scorn。



〃Hast　thou　never　a　word　without　a　sting？〃　I　asked。　〃Know；　then；　that　I

went　whither　thou　hadst　not　dared　to　go；　to　gather　means　to　hold　Egypt

from　the　grasp　of　Antony。〃



〃So；〃　she　answered；　looking　up　swiftly。　〃Thou　foolish　man！　Thou　hadst

done　better　to　save　thy　labour；　for　Antony　will　grasp　Egypt　in　thy

despite。　What　power　hast　thou　to…day　in　Egypt？〃



〃That　he　may　do　in　my　despite；　but　in　despite　of　Cleopatra　that　he

cannot　do；〃　I　said。



〃Nay；　but　with　the　/aid/　of　Cleopatra　he　can　and　will　do　it；〃　she

answered　with　a　bitter　smile。　〃When　the　Queen　sails　in　state　up　Cydnus

stream　she　will　surely　draw　this　coarse　Antony　thence　to　Alexandria；

conquering；　and　yet；　like　thee；　a　slave！〃



〃It　is　false！　I　say　that　it　is　false！　Cleopatra　goes　not　to　Tarsus；

and　Antony　comes　not　to　Alexandria；　or；　if　he　come；　it　will　be　to　take

the　chance　of　war。〃



〃Now；　thinkest　thou　thus？〃　she　answered　with　a　little　laugh。　〃Well；　if

it　please　thee；　think　as　thou　wilt。　Within　three　days　thou　shalt　know。

It　is　pretty　to　see　how　easily　thou　art　fooled。　Farewell！　Go；　dream　on

Love；　for　surely　Love　is　sweet。〃



And　she　went；　leaving　me　angered　and　troubled　at　heart。







I　saw　Cleopatra　no　more　that　day；　but　on　the　day　which　followed　I　saw

her。　She　was　in　a　heavy　mood；　and　had　no　gentle　word　for　me。　I　spake

to　her　of　the　defence　of　Egypt；　but　she　put　the　matter　away。



〃Why　dost　thou　weary　me？〃　she　said　with　anger；　〃canst　thou　not　see

that　I　am　lost　in　troubles？　When　Dellius　has　had　his　answer　to…morrow

then　we　will　speak　of　these　matters。〃



〃Ay；〃　I　said；　〃when　Dellius　has　had　his　answer；　and　knowest　thou　that

but　yesterday；　Charmionwhom　about　the　palace　they　name　the　'Keeper

of　the　Queen's　secrets'Charmion　swore　that　the　answer　would　be　'Go

in　peace；　I　come　to　Antony！'〃



〃Charmion　knows　nothing　of　my　heart；〃　said　Cleopatra；　stamping　her

foot　in