cleopatra-第58章

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lost。　Therefore；　in　the　event；　Octavianus　declared　war　against　him。



And　as　I　slept　upon　a　certain　day　in　the　chamber　of　the　Harpers；　in

the　tomb　of　Pharaoh　that　is　by　Tápé；　there　came　to　me　a　vision　of　my

father；　the　aged　Amenemhat；　and　he　stood　over　me；　leaning　on　his

staff；　and　spoke；　saying：



〃Look　forth；　my　son。〃



Then　I　looked　forth；　and　with　the　eyes　of　my　spirit　saw　the　sea；　and

two　great　fleets　grappling　in　war　hard　by　a　rocky　coast。　And　the

emblems　were　those　of　Octavian；　and　of　the　other　those　of　Cleopatra

and　Antony。　The　ships　of　Antony　and　Cleopatra　bore　down　upon　the　ships

of　C？sar；　and　drove　them　on；　for　victory　inclined　to　Antony。



I　looked　again。　There　sat　Cleopatra　in　a　gold…decked　galley　watching

the　fight　with　eager　eyes。　Then　I　cast　my　Spirit　on　her　so　that　she

seemed　to　hear　the　voice　of　dead　Harmachis　crying　in　her　ear。



〃/Fly；　Cleopatra；/〃　it　seemed　to　say；　〃/fly　or　perish！/〃



She　looked　up　wildly；　and　again　she　heard　my　Spirit's　cry。　Now　a

mighty　fear　took　hold　of　her。　She　called　aloud　to　the　sailors　to　hoist

the　sails　and　make　signal　to　her　fleet　to　put　about。　This　they　did

wondering　but　little　loath；　and　fled　in　haste　from　the　battle。



Then　a　great　roar　went　up　from　friend　and　foe。



〃Cleopatra　is　fled！　Cleopatra　is　fled！〃　And　I　saw　wreck　and　red　ruin

fall　upon　the　fleet　of　Antony　and　awoke　from　my　trance。



The　days　passed；　and　again　a　vision　of　my　father　came　to　me　and　spoke；

saying：



〃Arise；　my　son！the　hour　of　vengeance　is　at　hand！　Thy　plots　have　not

failed；　thy　prayers　have　been　heard。　By　the　bidding　of　the　Gods；　as

she　sat　in　her　galley　at　the　fight　of　Actium；　the　heart　of　Cleopatra

was　filled　with　fears；　so　that；　deeming　she　heard　thy　voice　bidding

her　fly　or　perish；　she　fled　with　all　her　fleet。　Now　the　strength　of

Actium　is　broken　on　the　sea。　Go　forth；　and　as　it　shall　be　put　into　thy

mind；　so　do　thou。〃



In　the　morning　I　awoke；　wondering；　and　went　to　the　mouth　of　the　tomb；

and　there；　coming　up　the　valley；　I　saw　the　messengers　of　Cleopatra；

and　with　them　a　Roman　guard。



〃What　will　ye　with　me　now？〃　I　asked；　sternly。



〃This　is　the　message　of　the　Queen　and　of　great　Antony；〃　answered　the

Captain；　bowing　low　before　me；　for　I　was　much　feared　by　all　men。　〃The

Queen　commands　thy　presence　at　Alexandria。　Many　times　has　she　sent；

and　thou　wouldst　not　come；　now　she　bids　thee　to　come；　and　that

swiftly；　for　she　has　need　of　thy　counsel。〃



〃And　if　I　say　Nay；　soldier；　what　then？〃



〃These　are　my　orders；　most　holy　Olympus；　that　I　bring　thee　by　force。〃



I　laughed　aloud。　〃By　force；　thou　fool！　Use　not　such　talk　to　me；　lest　I

smite　thee　where　thou　art。　Know；　then；　that　I　can　kill　as　well　as

cure！〃



〃Pardon；　I　beseech　thee！〃　he　answered；　shrinking。　〃I　say　but　those

things　that　I　am　bid。〃



〃Well；　I　know　it；　Captain。　Fear　not；　I　come。〃



So　on　that　very　day　I　departed；　together　with　the　aged　Atoua。　Ay；　I

went　as　secretly　as　I　had　come；　and　the　tomb　of　the　Divine　Rameses

knew　me　no　more。　And　with　me　I　took　all　the　treasures　of　my　father；

Amenemhat；　for　I　was　not　minded　to　go　to　Alexandria　empty…handed　and

as　a　suppliant；　but　rather　as　a　man　of　much　wealth　and　condition。　Now；

as　I　went；　I　learned　that　Antony；　following　Cleopatra；　had；　indeed；

fled　from　Actium；　and　knew　that　the　end　drew　nigh。　For　this　and　many

other　things　had　I　foreseen　in　the　darkness　of　the　tomb　of　Tápé；　and

planned　to　bring　about。







Thus；　then；　I　came　to　Alexandria；　and　entered　into　a　house　which　had

been　made　ready　for　me　at　the　palace　gates。



And　that　very　night　Charmion　came　to　meCharmion　whom　I　had　not　seen

for　nine　long　years。







CHAPTER　IV



OF　THE　MEETING　OF　CHARMION　WITH　THE　LEARNED　OLYMPUS；　OF　HER

SPEECH　WITH　HIM；　OF　THE　COMING　OF　OLYMPUS　INTO　THE

PRESENCE　OF　CLEOPATRA；　AND　OF　THE　COMMANDS　OF　CLEOPATRA。



Clad　in　my　plain　black　robe；　I　sat　in　the　guest…chamber　of　the　house

that　had　been　made　ready　for　me。　I　sat　in　a　carven　lion…footed　chair；

and　looked　upon　the　swinging　lamps　of　scented　oil；　the　pictured

tapestries；　the　rich　Syrian　rugsand；　amidst　all　this　luxury；

bethought　me　of　that　tomb　of　the　Harpers　which　is　at　Tápé；　and　of　the

nine　long　years　of　dark　loneliness　and　preparation。　I　sat；　and

crouched　upon　a　rug　near　to　the　door；　lay　the　aged　Atoua。　Her　hair　was

white　as　snow；　and　shrivelled　with　age　was　the　wrinkled　countenance　of

the　woman　who；　when　all　deserted　me；　had　yet　clung　to　me；　in　her　great

love　forgetting　my　great　sins。　Nine　years！　nine　long　years！　and　now；

once　again；　I　set　my　foot　in　Alexandria！　Once　again　in　the　appointed

circle　of　things　I　came　forth　from　the　solitude　of　preparation　to　be　a

fate　to　Cleopatra；　and　this　second　time　I　came　not　forth　to　fail。



And　yet　how　changed　the　circumstance！　I　was　out　of　the　story：　my　part

now　was　but　the　part　of　the　sword　in　the　hands　of　Justice；　I　might　no

more　hope　to　make　Egypt　free　and　great　and　sit　upon　my　lawful　throne。

Khem　was　lost；　and　lost　was　I；　Harmachis。　In　the　rush　and　turmoil　of

events；　the　great　plot　of　which　I　had　been　the　pivot　was　covered　up

and　forgotten；　scarce　a　memory　of　it　remained。　The　curtain　of　dark

night　was　closing　in　upon　the　history　of　my　ancient　Race；　its　very

Gods　were　tottering　to　their　fall；　I　could　already；　in　the　spirit；

hear　the　shriek　of　the　Roman　eagles　as　they　flapped　their　wings　above

the　furthest　banks　of　Sihor。



Presently　I　roused　myself　and　bade　Atoua　go　seek　a　mirror　and　bring　it

to　me；　that　I　might　look　therein。



And　I　saw　this：　a　face　shrunken　and　pallid；　on　which　no　smile　came；

great　eyes　grown　wan　with　gazing　into　darkness　looking　out　beneath　the

shaven　head；　emptily；　as　the　hollow　eye…pits　of　a　skull；　a　wizened

halting　form　wasted　by　abstinence；　sorrow；　and　prayer；　a　long　wild

beard　of　iron　grey；　thin　blue…veined　hands　that　ever　trembled　like　a

leaf；　bowed　shoulders　and　lessened　limbs。　Time　and　grief　had　done

their　work　indeed；　scarce　could　I　think　myself　the　same　as　when；　the

royal　Harmachisin　all　the　splendour　of　my　strength　and　youthful

beautyI　first　had　looked　upon　the　woman's　loveliness　that　did

destroy　me。　And　yet　within　me　burned　the　same　fire　as　of　yore；　yet　I

was　not　changed；　for　time　and　grief　have　no　power　to　alter　the

immortal　spirit　of　man。　Seasons　may　come　and　go；　Hope；　like　a　bird；

may　fly　away；　Passion　may　break　its　wings　against　the　iron　bars　of

Fate；　Illusions　may　crumble　as　the　cloudy　towers　of　sunset　flame；

Faith；　as　running　water；　may　slip　from　beneath　our　feet；　Solitude　may

stretch　itself　around　us　like　the　measureless　desert　sand；　Old　Age　may

creep　as　the　gathering　night　over　our　bowed　heads　grown　hoary　in　their

shameyea；　bound　to　Fortune's　wheel；　we　may　taste　of　every　turn　of

chancenow　rule　as　Kings；　now　serve　as　Slaves；　now　love；　now　hate；

now　prosper；　and　now　perish。　But　still；　through　all；　we　are　the　same；

for　this　is　the　marvel　of　Identity。







And　as　I　sat　and　thought　these　things　in　bitterness　of　heart；　there

came　a　knocking　at　the　door。



〃Open；　Atoua！〃　I　said。



She　rose　and　did　my　bidding；　and　a　woman　entered；　clad　in　Grecian

robes。　It　was　Charmion；　still　beautiful　as　of　old；　but　sad　faced　now

and　very　sweet　to　see；　with　a　patient　fire　slumbering　in　her　downcast

eyes。



She　entered　unattended；　and；　speaking　no　word；　the　old　wife　pointed　to

where　I　sat；　and　went。



〃Old　man；〃　she　said；　addressing　me；　〃lead　me　to　the　learned　Olympus。　I

come　upon　the　Queen's　business。〃



I　rose；　and；　lifting　my　head；　looked　upon　her。



She　gazed；　and　gave　a　little　cry。



〃Surely；〃　she　whispered；　glancing　round；　〃surely　thou　art　not

that〃　And　she　paused。



〃That　Harmachis　whom　once　thy　foolish　heart　did　love；　O　Charmion？　Yes；

I　am　he　and　what　thou　seest；　most　fair　lady。　Yet　is　Harmachis　dead

whom　thou　didst　love；　but　Olympus；　the　skilled　Egyptian；　waits　upon

thy　words！〃



〃Cease！〃　she　said；　〃and　of　the　past　but　one　word；　and　thenwhy