cleopatra-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



in　peace；　I　come　to　Antony！'〃



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

foot　in　anger；　〃and　if　she　talk　so　freely　the　girl　shall　be　scourged

out　of　my　Court；　as　is　her　desert。　Though；　in　truth；〃　she　added；　〃she

has　more　wisdom　in　that　small　head　of　hers　than　all　my　privy

councillorsay；　and　more　wit　to　use　it。　Knowest　thou　that　I　have　sold

a　portion　of　those　gems　to　the　rich　Jews　of　Alexandria；　and　at　a　great

price；　ay；　at　five　thousand　sestertia　for　each　one？＇*＇　But　a　few；　in

truth；　for　they　could　not　buy　more　as　yet。　It　was　rare　to　see　their

eyes　when　they　fell　upon　them：　they　grew　large　as　apples　with　avarice

and　wonder。　And　now　leave　me；　Harmachis；　for　I　am　weary。　The　memory　of

that　dreadful　night　is　with　me　yet。〃



＇*＇　About　forty　thousand　pounds　of　our　money。Editor。



I　bowed　and　rose　to　go；　and　yet　stood　wavering。



〃Pardon　me；　Cleopatra；　it　is　of　our　marriage。〃



〃Our　marriage！　Why；　are　we　not　indeed　already　wed？〃　she　answered。



〃Yes；　but　not　before　the　world。　Thou　didst　promise。〃



〃Ay；　Harmachis；　I　promised；　and　to…morrow；　when　I　have　rid　me　of　this

Dellius；　I　will　keep　my　promise；　and　name　thee　Cleopatra's　Lord　before

the　Court。　See　that　thou　art　in　thy　place。　Art　content？〃



And　she　stretched　out　her　hand　for　me　to　kiss；　looking　on　me　with

strange　eyes；　as　though　she　struggled　with　herself。　Then　I　went；　but

that　night　I　strove　once　more　to　see　Cleopatra；　and　could　not。　〃The

Lady　Charmion　was　with　the　Queen；〃　so　said　the　eunuchs；　and　none　might

enter。







On　the　morrow　the　Court　met　in　the　great　hall　one　hour　before　mid…day；

and　I　went　thither　with　a　trembling　heart　to　hear　Cleopatra's　answer

to　Dellius；　and　to　hear　myself　also　named　King…consort　to　the　Queen　of

Egypt。　It　was　a　full　and　splendid　Court；　there　were　councillors；

lords；　captains；　eunuchs；　and　waiting…women；　all　save　Charmion。　The

house　passed；　but　Cleopatra　and　Charmion　came　not。　At　length　Charmion

entered　gently　by　a　side　entrance；　and　took　her　place　among　the

waiting…ladies　about　the　throne。　Even　as　she　did　so　she　cast　a　glance

at　me；　and　there　was　triumph　in　her　eyes；　though　I　knew　not　over　what

she　triumphed。　I　little　guessed　that　she　had　but　now　brought　about　my

ruin　and　sealed　the　fate　of　Egypt。



Then　presently　the　trumpets　blared；　and；　clad　in　her　robes　of　state；

the　ur？us　crown　upon　her　head；　and　on　her　breast；　flashing　like　a

star；　that　great　emerald　scarab？us　which　she　had　dragged　from　dead

Pharaoh's　heart；　Cleopatra　swept　in　splendour　to　her　throne；　followed

by　a　glittering　guard　of　Northmen。　Her　lovely　face　was　dark；　dark　were

her　slumbrous　eyes；　and　none　might　read　their　message；　though　all　that

Court　searched　them　for　a　sign　of　what　should　come。　She　seated　herself

slowly　as　one　who　may　not　be　moved；　and　spoke　to　the　chief　of　the

heralds　in　the　Greek　tongue：



〃Does　the　Ambassador　of　the　noble　Antony　wait？〃



The　herald　bowed　low　and　made　assent。



〃Let　him　come　in　and　hear　our　answer。〃



The　doors　were　flung　wide；　and；　followed　by　his　train　of　knights；

Dellius；　clad　in　his　golden　armour　and　his　purple　mantle；　walked　with

cat…like　step　up　the　great　hall；　and　made　obeisance　before　the　throne。



〃Most　royal　and　beauteous　Egypt；〃　he　said；　in　his　soft　voice；　〃as　thou

hast　graciously　been　pleased　to　bid　me；　thy　servant；　I　am　here　to　take

thy　answer　to　the　letter　of　the　noble　Antony　the　Triumvir；　whom

to…morrow　I　sail　to　meet　at　Tarsus；　in　Cilicia。　And　I　will　say　this；

royal　Egypt；　craving　pardon　the　while　for　the　boldness　of　my　speech

bethink　thee　well　before　words　that　cannot　be　unspoken　fall　from　those

sweet　lips。　Defy　Antony；　and　Antony　will　wreck　thee。　But；　like　thy

mother　Aphrodité；　rise　glorious　on　his　sight　from　the　bosom　of　the

Cyprian　wave；　and　for　wreck　he　will　give　thee　all　that　can　be　dear　to

woman's　royaltyEmpire；　and　pomp　of　place；　cities　and　the　sway　of

men；　fame　and　wealth；　and　the　Diadem　of　rule　made　sure。　For　mark：

Antony　holds　this　Eastern　World　in　the　hollow　of　his　warlike　hand；　at

his　will　kings　are；　and　at　his　frown　they　cease　to　be。〃



And　he　bowed　his　head　and；　folding　his　hands　meekly　on　his　breast；

awaited　answer。



For　a　while　Cleopatra　answered　not；　but　sat　like　the　Sphinx　Horemkhu；

dumb　and　inscrutable；　gazing　with　lost　eyes　down　the　length　of　that

great　hall。



Then；　like　soft　music；　her　answer　came；　and　trembling　I　listened　for

Egypt's　challenge　to　the　Roman：



〃Noble　Dellius；We　have　bethought　us　much　of　the　matter　of　thy

message　from　great　Antony　to　our　poor　Royalty　of　Egypt。　We　have

bethought　us　much；　and　we　have　taken　counsel　from　the　oracles　of　the

Gods；　from　the　wisest　among　our　friends；　and　from　the　teachings　of　our

heart；　that　ever；　like　a　nesting　bird；　broods　over　our　people's　weal。

Sharp　are　the　words　that　thou　has　brought　across　the　sea；　methinks

they　had　been　better　fitted　to　the　ears　of　some　petty　half…tamed

prince　than　to　those　of　Egypt's　Queen。　Therefore　we　have　numbered　the

legions　that　we　can　gather；　and　the　triremes　and　the　galleys　wherewith

we　may　breast　the　sea；　and　the　moneys　which　shall　buy　us　all　things

wanting　to　our　war。　And　we　find　this；　that；　though　Antony　be　strong；

yet　has　Egypt　naught　to　fear　from　the　strength　of　Antony。〃



She　paused；　and　a　murmur　of　applause　of　her　high　words　ran　down　the

hall。　Only　Dellius　stretched　out　his　hand　as　though　to　push　them　back。

Then　came　the　end！



〃Noble　Dellius；Half　are　we　minded　there　to　bid　our　tongue　stop；　and；

strong　in　our　fortresses　of　stone；　and　our　other　fortresses　built　of

the　hearts　of　men；　abide　the　issue。　And　yet　thou　shalt　not　go　thus。　We

are　guiltless　of　those　charges　against　us　that　have　come　to　the　ears

of　noble　Antony；　and　which　now　he　rudely　shouts　in　ours；　nor　will　we

journey　into　Cilicia　to　answer　them。〃



Here　the　murmur　arose　anew；　while　my　heart　beat　high　in　triumph；　and

in　the　pause　that　followed；　Dellius　spoke　once　more。



〃Then；　royal　Egypt；　my　word　to　Antony　is　word　of　War？〃



〃Nay；〃　she　answered；　〃it　shall　be　one　of　Peace。　Listen；　we　said　that

we　would　not　come　to　make　answer　to　these　charges；　nor　will　we。　But〃

and　she　smiled　for　the　first　time〃we　will　gladly　come；　and　that

swiftly；　in　royal　friendship　to　make　known　our　fellowship　of　peace

upon　the　banks　of　Cydnus。〃



I　heard；　and　was　bewildered。　Could　I　hear　aright？　Was　it　thus　that

Cleopatra　kept　her　oaths？　Moved　beyond　the　hold　of　reason；　I　lifted　up

my　voice　and　cried：



〃O　Queen；　/remember！/〃



She　turned　upon　me　like　a　lioness；　with　a　flashing　of　the　eyes　and　a

swift　shake　of　her　lovely　head。



〃Peace；　Slave！〃　she　said；　〃who　bade　thee　break　in　upon　our　counsels？

Mind　thou　thy　stars；　and　leave　matters　of　the　world　to　the　rulers　of

the　world！〃



I　sank　back　shamed；　and；　as　I　did　so；　once　more　I　saw　the　smile　of

triumph　on　the　face　of　Charmion；　followed　by　what　was；　perhaps；　the

shadow　of　pity　for　my　fall。



〃Now　that　yon　brawling　charlatan；〃　said　Dellius；　pointing　at　me　with

his　jewelled　finger；　〃has　been　rebuked；　grant　me　leave；　O　Egypt；　to

thank　thee　from　my　heart　for　these　gentle　words〃



〃We　ask　no　thanks　from　thee；　noble　Dellius；　nor　lies　it　in　thy　mouth

to　chide　our　servant；〃　broke　in　Cleopatra；　frowning　heavily；　〃we　will

take　thanks　from　the　lips　of　Antony　alone。　Get　thee　to　thy　master；　and

say　to　him　that　before　he　can　make　ready　a　fitting　welcome　our　keels

shall　follow　in　the　track　of　thine。　And　now；　farewell！　Thou　shalt　find

some　small　token　of　our　bounty　upon　thy　vessel。〃



Dellius　bowed　thrice　and　withdrew；　while　the　Court　stood　waiting　the

Queen's　word。　And　I；　too；　waited；　wondering　if　she　would　yet　make　good

her　promise；　and　name　me　royal　Spouse　there　in　the　face　of　Egypt。　But

she　said　nothing。　Only；　still　frowning　heavily；　she　rose；　and；

followed　by　her　guards；　left　the　throne；　and　passed　into　the　Alabaster

Hall。　Then　the　Court　broke　up；　and　as　the　lords　and　councillors　went

by　they　looked　o