cleopatra-第47章

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first　for　the　coast　of　Syria；　and　thence　to　the　gulf　of　Issus　and

Cilicia。



Thereon；　with　all　formality；　and　in　writing；　I　craved　leave　of

Cleopatra　that　I　might　be　left；　urging　that　my　health　was　so　feeble

that　I　could　not　travel。　But　a　message　was　sent　to　me　in　answer　that　I

must　come。



And　so；　on　the　appointed　day；　I　was　carried　in　a　litter　down　to　the

boat；　and　together　with　that　very　soldier　who　had　cut　me　down；　the

Captain　Brennus；　and　others　of　his　troop　（who；　indeed；　were　sent　to

guard　me）；　we　rowed　aboard　a　vessel　where　she　lay　at　anchor　with　the

rest　of　the　great　fleet。　For　Cleopatra　was　voyaging　as　though　to　war

in　much　pomp；　and　escorted　by　a　fleet　of　ships；　among　which　her

galley；　built　like　a　house　and　lined　throughout　with　cedar　and　silken

hangings；　was　the　most　beautiful　and　costly　that　the　world　has　ever

seen。　But　I　went　not　on　this　vessel；　and　therefore　it　chanced　that　I

did　not　see　Cleopatra　or　Charmion　till　we　landed　at　the　mouth　of　the

river　Cydnus。



The　signal　being　made；　the　fleet　set　sail；　and；　the　wind　being　fair；

we　came　to　Joppa　on　the　evening　of　the　second　day。　Thence　we　sailed

slowly　with　contrary　winds　up　the　coast　of　Syria；　making　C？sarea；　and

Ptolemais；　and　Tyrus；　and　Berytus；　and　past　Lebanon's　white　brow

crowned　with　his　crest　of　cedars；　on　to　Heraclea　and　across　the　gulf

of　Issus　to　the　mouth　of　Cydnus。　And　ever　as　we　journeyed；　the　strong

breath　of　the　sea　brought　back　my　health；　till　at　length；　save　for　a

line　of　white　upon　my　head　where　the　sword　had　fallen；　I　was　almost　as

I　had　been。　And　one　night；　as　we　drew　near　Cydnus；　while　Brennus　and　I

sat　alone　together　on　the　deck；　his　eye　fell　upon　the　white　mark　his

sword　had　made；　and　he　swore　a　great　oath　by　his　heathen　Gods。　〃An

thou　hadst　died；　lad；〃　he　said；　〃methinks　I　could　never　again　have

held　up　my　head！　Ah！　that　was　a　coward　stroke；　and　I　am　shamed　to

think　that　it　was　I　who　struck　it；　and　thou　on　the　ground　with　thy

back　to　me！　Knowest　thou　that　when　thou　didst　lie　between　life　and

death；　I　came　every　day　to　ask　tidings　of　thee？　and　I　swore　by　Taranis

that　if　thou　didst　die　I'd　turn　my　back　upon　that　soft　palace　life　and

then　away　for　the　bonny　North。〃



〃Nay；　trouble　not；　Brennus；〃　I　answered；　〃it　was　thy　duty。〃



〃Mayhap！　but　there　are　duties　that　a　brave　man　should　not　donay；　not

at　the　bidding　of　any　Queen　who　ever　ruled　in　Egypt！　Thy　blow　had

dazed　me　or　I　had　not　struck。　What　is　it；　lad？art　in　trouble　with

this　Queen　of　ours？　Why　art　thou　dragged　a　prisoner　upon　this　pleasure

party？　Knowest　thou　that　we　are　strictly　charged　that　if　thou　dost

escape　our　lives　shall　pay　the　price？〃



〃Ay；　in　sore　trouble；　friend；〃　I　answered；　〃ask　me　no　more。〃



〃Then；　being　of　the　age　thou　art；　there's　a　woman　in　itthat　I　swear

and；　perchance；　though　I　am　rough　and　foolish；　I　might　make　a　guess。

Look　thou；　lad；　what　sayest　thou？　I　am　weary　of　this　service　of

Cleopatra　and　this　hot　land　of　deserts　and　of　luxury；　that　sap　a　man's

strength　and　drain　his　pocket；　and　so　are　others　whom　I　know　of。　What

sayest　thou：　let's　take　one　of　these　unwieldy　vessels　and　away　to　the

North？　I'll　lead　thee　to　a　better　land　than　Egypta　land　of　lake　and

mountain；　and　great　forests　of　sweet…scented　pine；　ay；　and　find　thee　a

girl　fit　to　mate　withmy　own　niecea　girl　strong　and　tall；　with　wide

blue　eyes　and　long　fair　hair；　and　arms　that　could　crack　thy　ribs　were

she　of　a　mind　to　hug　thee！　Come；　what　sayest　thou？　Put　away　the　past；

and　away　for　the　bonny　North；　and　be　a　son　to　me。〃



For　a　moment　I　thought；　and　then　sadly　shook　my　head；　for　though　I　was

sorely　tempted　to　be　gone；　I　knew　that　my　fate　lay　in　Egypt；　and　I

might　not　fly　my　fate。



〃It　may　not　be；　Brennus；〃　I　answered。　〃Fain　would　I　that　it　might　be；

but　I　am　bound　by　a　chain　of　destiny　which　I　cannot　break；　and　in　the

land　of　Egypt　I　must　live　and　die。〃



〃As　thou　wilt；　lad；〃　said　the　old　warrior。　〃I　should　have　dearly　loved

to　marry　thee　among　my　people；　and　make　a　son　of　thee。　At　the　least；

remember　that　while　I　am　here　thou　hast　Brennus　for　a　friend。　And　one

thing　more；　beware　of　that　beauteous　Queen　of　thine；　for；　by　Taranis；

perhaps　an　hour　may　come　when　she　will　hold　that　thou　knowest　too

much；　and　then〃　and　he　drew　his　hand　across　his　throat。　〃And　now

good　night；　a　cup　of　wine；　then　to　sleep；　for　to…morrow　the

foolery〃



＇Here　several　lengths　of　the　second　roll　of　papyrus　are　so　broken　as

to　be　undecipherable。　They　seem　to　have　been　descriptive　of

Cleopatra's　voyage　up　the　Cydnus　to　the　city　of　Tarsus。＇



〃And＇the　writing　continues＇to　those　who　could　take　joy　in　such

things；　the　sight　must；　indeed；　have　been　a　gallant　one。　For　the　stern

of　our　galley　was　covered　with　sheets　of　beaten　gold；　the　sails　were

of　the　scarlet　of　Tyre；　and　the　oars　of　silver　touched　the　water　to　a

measure　of　music。　And　there；　in　the　centre　of　the　vessel；　beneath　an

awning　ablaze　with　gold　embroidery；　lay　Cleopatra；　attired　as　the

Roman　Venus　（and　surely　Venus　was　not　more　fair！）；　in　thin　robes　of

whitest　silk；　bound　in　beneath　her　breast　with　a　golden　girdle

delicately　graven　over　with　scenes　of　love。　All　about　her　were　little

rosy　boys；　chosen　for　their　beauty；　and　clad　in　naught　save　downy

wings　strapped　upon　their　shoulders；　and　on　their　backs　Cupid's　bow

and　quiver；　who　fanned　her　with　fans　of　plumes。　Upon　the　vessel's

decks；　handling　the　cordage；　that　was　of　silken　web；　and　softly

singing　to　the　sound　of　harps　and　the　beat　of　oars；　were　no　rough

sailors；　but　women　lovely　to　behold；　some　robed　as　Graces　and　some　as

Nereidsthat　is；　scarce　robed　at　all；　except　in　their　scented　hair。

And　behind　the　couch；　with　drawn　sword；　stood　Brennus；　in　splendid

armour　and　winged　helm　of　gold；　and　by　him　othersI　among　themin

garments　richly　worked；　and　knew　that　I　was　indeed　a　slave！　On　the

high　poop　also　burned　censers　filled　with　costliest　incense；　of　which

the　fragrant　steam　hung　in　little　clouds　about　our　wake。



Thus；　as　in　a　dream　of　luxury；　followed　by　many　ships；　we　glided　on

towards　the　wooded　slopes　of　Taurus；　at　whose　foot　lay　that　ancient

city　Tarshish。　And　ever　as　we　came　the　people　gathered　on　the　banks

and　ran　before　us；　shouting：　〃Venus　is　risen　from　the　sea！　Venus　hath

come　to　visit　Bacchus！〃　We　drew　near　to　the　city；　and　all　its　people

everyone　who　could　walk　or　be　carriedcrowded　down　in　thousands　to

the　docks；　and　with　them　came　the　whole　army　of　Antony；　so　that　at

length　the　Triumvir　was　left　alone　upon　the　judgment　seat。



Dellius；　the　false…tongued；　came　also；　fawning　and　bowing；　and　in　the

name　of　Antony　gave　the　〃Queen　of　Beauty〃　greeting；　bidding　her　to　a

feast　that　Antony　had　made　ready。　But　she　made　high　answer；　and　said；

〃Forsooth；　it　is　Antony　who　should　wait　on　us；　not　we　on　Antony。　Bid

the　noble　Antony　to　our　poor　table　this　nightelse　we　dine　alone。〃



Dellius　went；　bowing　to　the　ground；　the　feast　was　made　ready；　and　then

at　last　I　set　eyes　on　Antony。　He　came　clad　in　purple　robes；　a　great

man　and　beautiful　to　see；　set　in　the　stout　prime　of　life；　with　bright

eyes　of　blue；　and　curling　hair；　and　features　cut　sharply　as　a　Grecian

gem。　For　he　was　great　of　form　and　royal　of　mien；　and　with　an　open

countenance　on　which　his　thoughts　were　so　clearly　written　that　all

might　read　them；　only　the　weakness　of　the　mouth　belied　the　power　of

the　brow。　He　came　attended　by　his　generals；　and　when　he　reached　the

couch　where　Cleopatra　lay　he　stood　astonished；　gazing　on　her　with

wide…opened　eyes。　She；　too；　gazed　on　him　earnestly；　I　saw　the　red

blood　run　up　beneath　her　skin；　and　a　great　pang　of　jealousy　seized

upon　my　heart。　And　Charmion；　who　saw　all　beneath　her　downcast　eyes；

saw　this　also　and　smiled。　But　Cleopatra　spoke　no　word；　only　she

stretched　out　her　white　hand　for　him　to　kiss；　and　he；　saying　no　word；

took　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



〃Behold；　noble　Antony！〃　she　said　at　last　in　her　voice　of　music；　〃thou

hast　called　me；　and　I　am　come。〃