cleopatra-第51章

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business。　And　here　is　the　letter　to　the　captainthou　canst　not

mistake　the　galley；　for　she　is　moored　along　to　the　righta　small

galley；　painted　black；　as　thou　dost　enter　on　the　great　quay；　and；

moreover；　the　sailors　make　ready　for　sailing。　Now　I　will　wait　here

without；　while　thou　dost　put　off　the　livery　of　thy　service　and　array

thyself。〃



When　she　was　gone　I　tore　off　my　gorgeous　garments　and　spat　upon　them

and　trod　them　on　the　ground。　Then　I　put　on　the　modest　robe　of　a

merchant；　and　bound　the　tablets　round　me；　on　my　feet　the　sandals　of

untanned　hide；　and　at　my　waist　the　knife。　When　it　was　done　Charmion

entered　once　again　and　looked　on　me。



〃Too　much　art　thou　still　the　royal　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　〃see；　it　must

be　changed。〃



Then　she　took　scissors　from　her　tiring…table；　and；　bidding　me　be

seated；　she　cut　off　my　locks；　clipping　the　hair　close　to　the　head。

Next　she　found　stains　of　such　sort　as　women　use　to　make　dark　the　eyes；

and　mixed　them　cunningly；　rubbing　the　stuff　on　my　face　and　hands　and

on　the　white　mark　in　my　hair　where　the　sword　of　Brennus　had　bitten　to

the　bone。



〃Now　thou　art　changedsomewhat　for　the　worse；　Harmachis；〃　she　said；

with　a　dreary　laugh；　〃scarce　myself　should　I　know　thee。　Stay；　there　is

one　more　thing；〃　and；　going　to　a　chest　of　garments；　she　drew　thence　a

heavy　bag　of　gold。



〃Take　thou　this；〃　she　said；　〃thou　wilt　have　need　of　money。〃



〃I　cannot　take　thy　gold；　Charmion。〃



〃Yes；　take　it。　It　was　Sepa　who　gave　it　to　me　for　the　furtherance　of

our　cause；　and　therefore　it　is　fitting　that　thou　shouldst　spend　it。

Moreover；　if　I　want　money；　doubtless　Antony；　who　is　henceforth　my

master；　will　give　me　more；　he　is　much　beholden　to　me；　and　this　he

knows　well。　There；　waste　not　the　precious　time　in　haggling　o'er　the

pelfnot　yet　art　thou　all　a　merchant；　Harmachis；〃　and；　without　more

words；　she　thrust　the　pieces　into　the　leather　bag　that　hung　across　my

shoulders。　Then　she　made　fast　the　sack　containing　the　spare　garments；

and；　so　womanly　thoughtful　was　she；　placed　in　it　an　alabaster　jar　of

pigment；　with　which　I　might　stain　my　countenance　afresh；　and；　taking

the　broidered　robes　of　my　office　that　I　had　cast　off；　hid　them　in　the

secret　passage。　And　so　at　last　all　was　made　ready。



〃Is　it　time　that　I　should　go；〃　I　asked。



〃Not　yet　a　while。　Be　patient；　Harmachis；　for　but　one　little　hour　more

must　thou　endure　my　presence；　and　then；　perchance；　farewell　for　ever。〃



I　made　a　gesture　signifying　that　this　was　no　time　for　sharp　words。



〃Forgive　me　my　quick　tongue；〃　she　said；　〃but　from　a　salt　spring　bitter

waters　well。　Be　seated；　Harmachis；　I　have　heavier　words　to　speak　to

thee　before　thou　goest。〃



〃Say　on；〃　I　answered；　〃words；　however　heavy；　can　move　me　no　more。〃



She　stood　before　me　with　folded　hands；　and　the　lamp…light　shone　upon

her　beauteous　face。　I　noticed　idly　how　great　was　its　pallor　and　how

wide　and　dark　were　the　rings　about　the　deep　black　eyes。　Twice　she

lifted　her　white　face　and　strove　to　speak；　twice　her　voice　failed　her；

and　when　at　last　it　came　it　was　in　a　hoarse　whisper。



〃I　cannot　let　thee　go；〃　she　said〃I　cannot　let　thee　go　unwitting　of

the　truth。



〃/Harmachis；　'twas　I　who　did　betray　thee！/〃



I　sprang　to　my　feet；　an　oath　upon　my　lips；　but　she　caught　me　by　the

hand。



〃Oh；　be　seated；〃　she　said〃be　seated　and　hear　me；　then；　when　thou

hast　heart；　do　to　me　as　thou　wilt。　Listen。　From　that　evil　moment　when；

in　the　presence　of　thy　uncle　Sepa；　for　the　second　time　I　set　eyes　upon

thy　face；　I　loved　theehow　much；　thou　canst　little　guess。　Think　upon

thine　own　love　for　Cleopatra；　and　double　it；　and　double　it　again；　and

perchance　thou　mayst　come　near　to　my　love's　mighty　sum。　I　loved　thee；

day　by　day　I　loved　thee　more；　till　in　thee　and　for　thee　alone　I　seemed

to　live。　But　thou　wast　coldthou　wast　worse　than　cold！　thou　didst

deal　with　me　not　as　a　breathing　woman；　but　rather　as　the　instrument　to

an　endas　a　tool　with　which　to　grave　thy　fortunes。　And　then　I　saw

yes；　long　before　thou　knewest　it　thyselfthy　heart's　tide　was　setting

strong　towards　that　ruinous　shore　whereon　to…day　thy　life　is　broken。

And　at　last　that　night　came；　that　dreadful　night　when；　hid　within　the

chamber；　I　saw　thee　cast　my　kerchief　to　the　winds；　and　with　sweet

words　cherish　my　royal　Rival's　gift。　Thenoh；　thou　knowestin　my

pain　I　betrayed　the　secret　that　thou　wouldst　not　see；　and　thou　didst

make　a　mock　of　me；　Harmachis！　Oh！　the　shame　of　itthou　in　thy

foolishness　didst　make　a　mock　of　me！　I　went　thence；　and　within　me　were

rising　all　the　torments　which　can　tear　a　woman's　heart；　for　now　I　was

sure　that　thou　didst　love　Cleopatra！　Ay；　and　so　mad　was　I；　even　that

night　I　was　minded　to　betray　thee：　but　I　thoughtnot　yet；　not　yet；

to…morrow　he　may　soften。　Then　came　the　morrow；　and　all　was　ready　for

the　bursting　of　the　great　plot　that　should　make　thee　Pharaoh。　And　I

too　camethou　dost　rememberand　again　thou　didst　put　me　away　when　I

spake　to　thee　in　parables；　as　something　of　little　worthas　a　thing

too　small　to　claim　a　moment's　weighty　thought。　And；　knowing　that　this

was　becausethough　thou　knewest　it　notthou　didst　love　Cleopatra；

whom　now　thou　must　straightway　slay；　I　grew　mad；　and　a　wicked　Spirit

entered　into　me；　possessing　me　utterly；　so　that　I　was　myself　no

longer；　nor　could　control　myself。　And　because　thou　hadst　scorned　me；　I

did　this；　to　my　everlasting　shame　and　sorrow！I　passed　into

Cleopatra's　presence　and　betrayed　thee　and　those　with　thee；　and　our

holy　cause；　saying　that　I　had　found　a　writing　which　thou　hadst　let

fall　and　read　all　this　therein。〃



I　gasped　and　sat　silent；　and　gazing　sadly　at　me　she　went　on：



〃When　she　understood　how　great　was　the　plot；　and　how　deep　its　roots；

Cleopatra　was　much　troubled；　and；　at　first；　she　would　have　fled　to

Sais　or　taken　ship　and　run　for　Cyprus；　but　I　showed　her　that　the　ways

were　barred。　Then　she　said　she　would　cause　thee　to　be　slain；　there；　in

the　chamber；　and　I　left　her　so　believing；　for；　at　that　hour；　I　was

glad　that　thou　shouldst　be　slainay；　even　if　I　wept　out　my　heart　upon

thy　grave；　Harmachis。　But　what　said　I　just　now？Vengeance　is　an　arrow

that　oft　falls　on　him　who　looses　it。　So　it　was　with　me；　for　between　my

going　and　thy　coming　Cleopatra　hatched　a　deeper　plan。　She　feared　that

to　slay　thee　would　only　be　to　light　a　fiercer　fire　of　revolt；　but　she

saw　that　to　bind　thee　to　her；　and；　having　left　men　awhile　in　doubt；　to

show　thee　faithless；　would　strike　the　imminent　danger　at　its　roots　and

wither　it。　This　plot　once　formed；　being　great；　she　dared　its　doubtful

issue；　andneed　I　go　on？　Thou　knowest；　Harmachis；　how　she　won；　and

thus　the　shaft　of　vengeance　that　I　loosed　fell　upon　my　own　head。　For

on　the　morrow　I　knew　that　I　had　sinned　for　naught；　that　the　burden　of

my　betrayal　had　been　laid　on　the　wretched　Paulus；　and　that　I　had　but

ruined　the　cause　to　which　I　was　sworn　and　given　the　man　I　loved　to　the

arms　of　wanton　Egypt。〃



She　bowed　her　head　awhile；　and　then；　as　I　spoke　not；　once　more　went

on：



〃Let　all　my　sin　be　told；　Harmachis；　and　then　let　justice　come。　See

now；　this　thing　happened。　Half　did　Cleopatra　learn　to　love　thee；　and

deep　in　her　heart　she　bethought　her　of　taking　thee　to　wedded　husband。

For　the　sake　of　this　half　love　of　hers　she　spared　the　lives　of　those

in　the　plot　whom　she　had　meshed；　bethinking　her　that　if　she　wedded

thee　she　might　use　them　and　thee　to　draw　the　heart　of　Egypt；　which

loves　not　her　nor　any　Ptolemy。　And　then；　once　again　she　entrapped

thee；　and　in　thy　folly　thou　didst　betray　to　her　the　secret　of　the

hidden　wealth　of　Egypt；　which　to…day　she　squanders　to　delight　the

luxurious　Antony；　and；　of　a　truth；　at　that　time　she　purposed　to　make

good　her　oath　and　marry　thee。　But　on　the　very　morn　when　Dellius　came

for　answer　she　sent　for　me；　and　telling　me　allfor　my　wit；　above　any；

she　holds　at　pricedemanded　of　me　my　judgment　whether　she　should　defy

Antony　and　wed　thee；　or　whether　she　should　put　the　thought　away　and

com