cleopatra-第6章

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and　his　fingers　unloosed　their　hold　so　that　the　bow　fell　from　them；

then；　with　a　loud　cry　he　turned　and　fled　behind　me；　leaving　the　lion

in　my　path。　But　while　I　stood　waiting　my　doom；　for　though　I　was　sore

afraid　I　would　not　fly；　the　lion　crouched　himself；　and　turning　not

aside；　with　one　great　bound　swept　over　me；　touching　me　not。　He　lit；

and　again　he　bounded　full　upon　the　boaster's　back；　striking　him　such　a

blow　with　his　great　paw　that　his　head　was　crushed　as　an　egg　thrown

against　a　stone。　He　fell　down　dead；　and　the　lion　stood　and　roared　over

him。　Then　I　was　mad　with　horror；　and；　scarce　knowing　what　I　did；　I

grasped　my　spear　and　with　a　shout　I　charged。　As　I　charged　the　lion

lifted　himself　up　above　me。　He　smote　at　me　with　his　paw；　but　with　all

my　strength　I　drove　the　broad　spear　into　his　throat；　and；　shrinking

from　the　agony　of　the　steel；　his　blow　fell　short　and　did　no　more　than

rip　my　skin。　Back　he　fell；　the　great　spear　far　in　his　throat；　then

rising；　he　roared　in　pain　and　leapt　twice　the　height　of　a　man　straight

into　the　air；　smiting　at　the　spear　with　his　forepaws。　Twice　he　leapt

thus；　horrible　to　see；　and　twice　he　fell　upon　his　back。　Then　his

strength　spent　itself　with　his　rushing　blood；　and；　groaning　like　a

bull；　he　died；　while　I；　being　but　a　lad；　stood　and　trembled　with　fear

now　that　all　cause　of　fear　had　passed。



But　as　I　stood　and　gazed　at　the　body　of　him　who　had　taunted　me；　and　at

the　carcass　of　the　lion；　a　woman　came　running　towards　me；　even　the

same　old　wife；　Atoua；　who；　though　I　knew　it　not　as　yet；　had　offered　up

her　flesh　and　blood　that　I　might　be　saved　alive。　For　she　had　been

gathering　simples；　in　which　she　had　great　skill；　by　the　water's　edge；

not　knowing　that　there　was　a　lion　near　（and；　indeed；　the　lions；　for

the　most　part；　are　not　found　in　the　tilled　land；　but　rather　in　the

desert　and　the　Libyan　mountains）；　and　had　seen　from　a　distance　that

which　I　have　set　down。　Now；　when　she　was　come；　she　knew　me　for

Harmachis；　and；　bending　herself；　she　made　obeisance　to　me；　and　saluted

me；　calling　me　Royal；　and　worthy　of　all　honour；　and　beloved；　and

chosen　of　the　Holy　Three；　ay；　and　by　the　name　of　the　Pharaoh！　the

Deliverer！



But　I；　thinking　that　terror　had　made　her　sick　of　mind；　asked　her　of

what　she　would　speak。



〃Is　it　a　great　thing；〃　I　asked；　〃that　I　should　slay　a　lion？　Is　it　a

matter　worthy　of　such　talk　as　thine？　There　live；　and　have　lived；　men

who　have　slain　many　lions。　Did　not　the　Divine　Amen…hetep　the　Osirian

slay　with　his　own　hand　more　than　a　hundred　lions？　Is　it　not　written　on

the　scarab？us　that　hangs　within　my　father's　chamber；　that　he　slew

lions　aforetime？　And　have　not　others　done　likewise？　Why　then；　speakest

thou　thus；　O　foolish　woman？〃



All　of　which　I　said；　because；　having　now　slain　the　lion；　I　was　minded；

after　the　manner　of　youth；　to　hold　it　as　a　thing　of　no　account。　But

she　did　not　cease　to　make　obeisance；　and　to　call　me　by　names　that　are

too　high　to　be　written。



〃O　Royal　One；〃　she　cried；　〃wisely　did　thy　mother　prophecy。　Surely　the

Holy　Spirit；　the　Knepth；　was　in　her；　O　thou　conceived　by　a　God！　See

the　omen。　The　lion　therehe　growls　within　the　Capitol　at　Romeand

the　dead　man；　he　is　the　Ptolemythe　Macedonian　spawn　that；　like　a

foreign　weed；　hath　overgrown　the　land　of　Nile；　with　the　Macedonian

Lagid？　thou　shalt　go　to　smite　the　lion　of　Rome。　But　the　Macedonian　cur

shall　fly；　and　the　Roman　lion　shall　strike　him　down；　and　thou　shalt

strike　down　the　lion；　and　the　land　of　Khem　shall　once　more　be　free！

free！　Keep　thyself　but　pure；　according　to　the　commandment　of　the　Gods；

O　son　of　the　Royal　House；　O　hope　of　Khemi！　be　but　ware　of　Woman　the

Destroyer；　and　as　I　have　said；　so　shall　it　be。　I　am　poor　and　wretched；

yea；　stricken　with　sorrow。　I　have　sinned　in　speaking　of　what　should　be

hid；　and　for　my　sin　I　have　paid　in　the　coin　of　that　which　was　born　of

my　womb；　willingly　have　I　paid　for　thee。　But　I　have　still　of　the

wisdom　of　our　people；　nor　do　the　Gods；　in　whose　eyes　all　are　equal；

turn　their　countenance　from　the　poor；　the　Divine　Mother　Isis　hath

spoken　to　mebut　last　night　she　spakebidding　me　come　hither　to

gather　herbs；　and　read　to　thee　the　signs　that　I　should　see。　And　as　I

have　said；　so　it　shall　come　to　pass；　if　thou　canst　but　endure　the

weight　of　the　great　temptation。　Come　hither；　Royal　One！〃　and　she　led

me　to　the　edge　of　the　canal；　where　the　water　was　deep；　and　still　and

blue。　〃Now　gaze　upon　that　face　as　the　water　throws　it　back。　Is　not

that　brow　fitted　to　bear　the　double　crown？　Do　not　those　gentle　eyes

mirror　the　majesty　of　kings？　Hath　not　the　Ptah；　the　Creator；　fashioned

that　form　to　fit　the　Imperial　garb；　and　awe　the　glance　of　multitudes

looking　through　thee　to　God？



〃Nay；　nay！〃　she　went　on　in　another　voicea　shrill　old　wife's　voice

〃I　willbe　not　so　foolish；　boythe　scratch　of　a　lion　is　a　venomous

thing；　a　terrible　thing；　yea；　as　bad　as　the　bite　of　an　aspit　must　be

treated；　else　it　will　fester；　and　all　thy　days　thou　shalt　dream　of

lions；　ay；　and　snakes；　and；　also；　it　will　break　out　in　sores。　But　I

know　of　itI　know。　I　am　not　crazed　for　nothing。　For　mark！　everything

has　its　balancein　madness　is　much　wisdom；　and　in　wisdom　much

madness。　/La！　la！　la！/　Pharaoh　himself　can't　say　where　the　one　begins

and　the　other　ends。　Now；　don't　stand　gazing　there；　looking　as　silly　as

a　cat　in　a　crocus…coloured　robe；　as　they　say　in　Alexandria；　but　just

let　me　stick　these　green　things　on　the　place；　and　in　six　days　you'll

heal　up　as　white　as　a　three…year…child。　Never　mind　the　smart　of　it；

lad。　By　Him　who　sleeps　at　Phil？；　or　at　Abouthis；　or　at　Abydusas　our

divine　masters　have　it　nowor　wherever　He　does　sleep；　which　is　a

thing　we　shall　all　find　out　before　we　want　toby　Osiris；　I　say；

you'll　live　to　be　as　clean　from　scars　as　a　sacrifice　to　Isis　at　the

new　moon；　if　you'll　but　let　me　put　it　on。



〃Is　it　not　so；　good　folk？〃and　she　turned　to　address　some　people　who；

while　she　prophesied；　had　assembled　unseen　by　me〃I've　been　speaking

a　spell　over　him；　just　to　make　a　way　for　the　virtue　of　my　medicine

/la！　la！/　there's　nothing　like　a　spell。　If　you　don't　believe　it；　just

you　come　to　me　next　time　your　wives　are　barren；　it's　better　than

scraping　every　pillar　in　the　Temple　of　Osiris；　I'll　warrant。　I'll　make

'em　bear　like　a　twenty…year…old　palm。　But　then；　you　see；　you　must　know

what　to　saythat's　the　pointeverything　comes　to　a　point　at　last。

/La！　la！/〃



Now；　when　I　heard　all　this；　I；　Harmachis；　put　my　hand　to　my　head；　not

knowing　if　I　dreamed。　But　presently　looking　up；　I　saw　a　grey…haired

man　among　those　who　were　gathered　together；　who　watched　us　sharply；

and　afterwards　I　learned　that　this　man　was　the　spy　of　Ptolemy；　the

very　man；　indeed；　who　had　wellnigh　caused　me　to　be　slain　of　Pharaoh

when　I　was　in　my　cradle。　Then　I　understood　why　Atoua　spoke　so

foolishly。



〃Thine　are　strange　spells；　old　wife；〃　the　spy　said。　〃Thou　didst　speak

of　Pharaoh　and　the　double　crown　and　of　the　form　fashioned　by　Ptah　to

bear　it；　is　it　not　so？〃



〃Yea；　yeapart　of　the　spell；　thou　fool；　and　what　can　one　swear　by

better　nowadays　than　by　the　Divine　Pharaoh　the　Piper；　whom；　and　whose

music；　may　the　Gods　preserve　to　charm　this　happy　land？what　better

than　by　the　double　crown　he　wearsgrace　to　great　Alexander　of

Macedonia？　By　the　way；　you　know　about　everything：　have　they　got　back

his　chlamys　yet；　which　Mithridates　took　to　Cos？　Pompey　wore　it　last；

didn't　he？in　his　triumph；　toojust　fancy　Pompey　in　the　cloak　of

Alexander！a　puppy…dog　in　a　lion's　skin！　And　talking　of　lionslook

what　this　lad　hath　doneslain　a　lion　with　his　own　spear；　and　right

glad　you　village　folks　should　be　to　see　it；　for　it　was　a　very　fierce

lionjust　see　his　teeth　and　his　clawshis　claws！they　are　enough　to

make　a　poor　silly　old　woman　like　me　shriek　to　look　at　them！　And　the

body　there；　the　dead　bodythe　lion　slew　it。　Alack！　he's　an　Osiris＇*＇

now；　the　bodyand　to　think　of　it；　but　an　hour　ago　he　was　an　everyday

mortal　like　you　or　me！　Well；　away　with　him