cleopatra-第44章
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Hall。 Then the Court broke up; and as the lords and councillors went
by they looked on me with mockery。 For though none knew all my secret;
nor how it stood between me and Cleopatra; yet they were jealous of
the favour shown me by the Queen; and rejoiced greatly at my fall。 But
I took no heed of their mocking as I stood dazed with misery and felt
the world of Hope slip from beneath my feet。
CHAPTER XIII
OF THE REPROACH OF HARMACHIS; OF THE STRUGGLE OF HARMACHIS
WITH THE GUARDS; OF THE BLOW OF BRENNUS; AND OF THE SECRET
SPEECH OF CLEOPATRA
And at length; all being gone; I; too; turned to go; when a eunuch
struck me on the shoulder and roughly bade me wait on the presence of
the Queen。 An hour past this fellow would have crawled to me on his
knees; but he had heard; and now he treated meso brutish is the
nature of such slavesas the world treats the fallen; with scorn。 For
to come low after being great is to learn all shame。 Unhappy;
therefore; are the Great; for they may fall!
I turned upon the slave with so fierce a word that; cur…like; he
sprang behind me; then I passed on to the Alabaster Hall; and was
admitted by the guards。 In the centre of the hall; near the fountain;
sat Cleopatra; and with her were Charmion and the Greek girl Iras; and
Merira and other of her waiting…ladies。 〃Go;〃 she said to these; 〃I
would speak with my astrologer。〃 So they went; and left us face to
face。
〃Stand thou there;〃 she said; lifting her eyes for the first time。
〃Come not nigh me; Harmachis: I trust thee not。 Perchance thou hast
found another dagger。 Now; what hast thou to say? By what right didst
thou dare to break in upon my talk with the Roman?〃
I felt the blood rush through me like a storm; bitterness and burning
anger took hold of my heart。 〃What hast /thou/ to say; Cleopatra?〃 I
answered boldly。 〃Where is thy vow; sworn on the dead heart of
Menkau…ra; the ever…living? Where now thy challenge to this Roman
Antony? Where thy oath that thou wouldest call me 'husband' in the
face of Egypt?〃 and I choked and ceased。
〃Well doth it become Harmachis; who never was forsworn; to speak to me
of oaths!〃 she said in bitter mockery。 〃And yet; O thou most pure
Priest of Isis; and yet; O thou most faithful friend; who never didst
betray thy friends; and yet; O thou most steadfast; honourable; and
upright man; who never bartered thy birthright; thy country; and thy
cause for the price of a woman's passing loveby what token knowest
thou that my word is void?〃
〃I will not answer thy taunts; Cleopatra;〃 I said; holding back my
heart as best I might; 〃for I have earned them all; though not from
thee。 By this token; then; I know it。 Thou goest to visit Antony; thou
goest; as said that Roman knave; 'tricked in thy best attire;' to
feast with him whom thou shouldst give to vultures for their feast。
Perhaps; for aught I know; thou art about to squander those treasures
that thou hast filched from the body of Menkau…ra; those treasures
stored against the need of Egypt; upon wanton revels which shall
complete the shame of Egypt。 By these things; then; I know that thou
art forsworn; and I; who; loving thee; believed thee; tricked; and by
this; also; that thou who didst but yesternight swear to wed me; dost
to…day cover me with taunts; and even before that Roman put me to an
open shame!〃
〃To wed thee? and I did swear to wed thee? Well; and what is marriage?
Is it the union of the heart; that bond beautiful as gossamer and than
gossamer more light; which binds soul to soul; as they float through
the dreamy night of passion; a bond to be; perchance; melted in the
dews of dawn? Or is it the iron link of enforced; unchanging union
whereby if sinks the one the other must be dragged beneath the sea of
circumstance; there; like a punished slave; to perish of unavoidable
corruption?'*' Marriage! /I/ to marry! /I/ to forget freedom and court
the worst slavery of our sex; which; by the selfish will of man; the
stronger; still binds us to a bed grown hateful; and enforces a
service that love mayhap no longer hallows! Of what use; then; to be a
Queen; if thereby I may not escape the evil of the meanly born? Mark
thou; Harmachis: Woman being grown hath two ills to fearDeath and
Marriage; and of these twain is Marriage the more vile; for in Death
we may find rest; but in Marriage; should it fail us; we must find
hell。 Nay; being above the breath of common slander that enviously
would blast those who of true virtue will not consent to stretch
affection's links; I /love/; Harmachis; but I /marry/ not!〃
'*' Referring to the Roman custom of chaining a living felon to the
body of one already dead。Editor。
〃And yesternight; Cleopatra; thou didst swear that thou wouldst wed
me; and call me to thy side before the face of Egypt!〃
〃And yesternight; Harmachis; the red ring round the moon marked the
coming of the storm; and yet the day is fair! But who knows that the
tempest may not break to…morrow? Who knows that I have not chosen the
easier path to save Egypt from the Roman? Who knows; Harmachis; that
thou shalt not still call me wife?〃
Then I no longer could bear her falsehood; for I saw that she but
played with me。 And so I spoke that which was in my heart:
〃Cleopatra!〃 I cried;〃 thou didst swear to protect Egypt; and thou art
about to betray Egypt to the Roman! Thou didst swear to use the
treasures that I revealed to thee for the service of Egypt; and thou
art about to use them to be her means of shameto fashion them as
fetters for her wrists! Thou didst swear to wed me; who loved thee;
and for thee gave all; and thou dost mock me and reject me! Therefore
I saywith the voice of the dread Gods I say it!that on /thee/
shall fall the curse of Menkau…ra; whom thou hast robbed indeed! Let
me go hence and work out my fate! Let me go; O thou fair Shame! thou
living Lie! whom I have loved to my doom; and who hast brought upon me
the last curse of doom! Let me hide myself and see thy face no more!〃
She rose in her wrath; and she was terrible to see。
〃Let thee go to stir up evil against me! Nay; Harmachis; thou shalt
not go to build new plots against my throne! I say to thee that thou;
too; shalt come to visit Antony in Cilicia; and there; perchance; I
will let thee go!〃 And ere I could answer; she had struck upon the
silver gong that hung near her。
Before its rich echo had died away; Charmion and the waiting…women
entered from one door; and from the other; a file of soldiersfour of
them of the Queen's bodyguard; mighty men; with winged helmets and
long fair hair。
〃Seize that traitor!〃 cried Cleopatra; pointing to me。 The captain of
the guardit was Brennussaluted and came towards me with drawn
sword。
But I; being mad and desperate; and caring little if they slew me;
flew straight at his throat; and dealt him such a heavy blow that the
great man fell headlong; and his armour clashed upon the marble floor。
As he fell I seized his sword and targe; and; meeting the next; who
rushed on me with a shout; caught his blow upon the shield; and in
answer smote with all my strength。 The sword fell where the neck is
set into the shoulder; and; shearing through the joints of his
harness; slew him; so that his knees were loosened and he sank down
dead。 And the third; as he came; I caught upon the point of my sword
before he could strike; and it pierced him and he died。 Then the last
rushed on me with a cry of 〃Taranis!〃 and I; too; rushed on him; for
my blood was aflame。 Now the women shriekedonly Cleopatra said
nothing; but stood and watched the unequal fray。 We met; and I struck
with all my strength; and it was a mighty blow; for the sword shore
through the iron shell and shattered there; leaving me weaponless。
With a shout of triumph the guard swung up his sword and smote down
upon my head; but I caught the blow with my shield。 Again he smote;
and again I parried;