cleopatra-第64章

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is　not　manly；　'tis　most　womanish！　All　men　must　die；　and　death　were

welcome　were　it　not　so　lone。　Should　I　fall；　I　leave　my　children　to

your　tender　careif；　perchance；　it　may　avail　to　save　them　from　the

fate　of　helplessness。　Soldiers；　enough！　to…morrow　at　the　dawn　we

spring　on　C？sar's　throat；　both　by　land　and　sea。　Swear　that　ye　will

cling　to　me；　even　to　the　last　issue！〃



〃We　swear！〃　they　cried。　〃Noble　Antony；　we　swear！〃



〃It　is　well！　Once　more　my　star　grows　bright；　to…morrow；　set　in　the

highest　heaven；　it　yet　may　shine　the　lamp　of　C？sar　down！　Till　then；

farewell！〃



He　turned　to　go。　As　he　went　they　caught　his　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　so

deeply　were　they　moved　that　many　wept　like　children；　nor　could　Antony

master　his　grief；　for；　in　the　moonlight；　I　saw　tears　roll　down　his

furrowed　cheeks　and　fall　upon　that　mighty　breast。



And；　seeing　all　this；　I　was　much　troubled。　For　I　well　knew　that　if

these　men　held　firm　to　Antony　all　might　yet　go　well　for　Cleopatra；　and

though　I　bore　no　ill…will　against　Antony；　yet　he　must　fall；　and　in

that　fall　drag　down　the　woman　who；　like　some　poisonous　plant；　had

twined　herself　about　his　giant　strength　till　it　choked　and　mouldered

in　her　embrace。



Therefore；　when　Antony　went　I　went　not；　but　stood　back　in　the　shadow

watching　the　faces　of　the　lords　and　captains　as　they　spoke　together。



〃Then　it　is　agreed！〃　said　he　who　should　lead　the　fleet。　〃And　this　we

swear　to；　one　and　all；　that　we　will　cling　to　noble　Antony　to　the　last

extremity　of　fortune！〃



〃Ay！　ay！〃　they　answered。



〃Ay！　ay！〃　I　said；　speaking　from　the　shadow；　〃cling；　and　/die！/〃



They　turned　fiercely　and　seized　me。



〃Who　is　he？〃　quoth　one。



〃'Tis　that　dark…faced　dog；　Olympus！〃　cried　another。　〃Olympus；　the

magician！〃



〃Olympus；　the　traitor！〃　growled　another；　〃put　an　end　to　him　and　his

magic！〃　and　he　drew　his　sword。



〃Ay！　slay　him；　he　would　betray　the　Lord　Antony；　whom　he　is　paid　to

doctor。〃



〃Hold　a　while！〃　I　said　in　a　slow　and　solemn　voice；　〃and　beware　how　ye

try　to　murder　the　servant　of　the　Gods。　I　am　no　traitor。　For　myself；　I

abide　the　event　here　in　Alexandria；　but　to　you　I　say；　Flee；　flee　to

C？sar！　I　serve　Antony　and　the　QueenI　serve　them　truly；　but　above　all

I　serve　the　Holy　Gods；　and　what　they　make　known　to　me；　that；　Lords；　I

do　know。　And　I　know　this：　that　Antony　is　doomed；　and　Cleopatra　is

doomed；　for　C？sar　conquers。　Therefore；　because　I　honour　you；　noble

gentlemen；　and　think　with　pity　on　your　wives；　left　widowed；　and　your

little　fatherless　children；　that　shall；　if　ye　hold　to　Antony；　be　sold

as　slavestherefore；　I　say；　cling　to　Antony　if　ye　will　and　die；　or

flee　to　C？sar　and　be　saved！　And　this　I　say　because　it　is　so　ordained

of　the　Gods。〃



〃The　Gods！〃　they　growled；　〃what　Gods？　Slit　the　traitor's　throat；　and

stop　his　ill…omened　talk！〃



〃Let　him　show　us　a　sign　from　his　Gods　or　let　him　die：　I　do　mistrust

this　man；〃　said　another。



〃Stand　back；　ye　fools！〃　I　cried。　〃Stand　backfree　mine　armsand　I

will　show　you　a　sign；〃　and　there　was　that　in　my　face　which　frightened

them；　for　they　freed　me　and　stood　back。　Then　I　lifted　up　my　hands　and

putting　out　all　my　strength　of　soul　searched　the　depths　of　space　till

my　Spirit　communed　with　the　Spirit　of　my　Mother　Isis。　Only　the　Word　of

Power　I　uttered　not；　as　I　had　been　bidden。　And　the　holy　mystery　of　the

Goddess　answered　to　my　Spirit's　cry；　falling　in　awful　silence　upon　the

face　of　the　earth。　Deeper　and　deeper　grew　the　terrible　silence；　even

the　dogs　ceased　to　howl；　and　in　the　city　men　stood　still　afeared。

Then；　from　far　away；　there　came　the　ghostly　music　of　the　sistra。　Faint

it　was　at　first；　but　ever　as　it　came　it　grew　more　loud；　till　the　air

shivered　with　the　unearthly　sound　of　terror。　I　said　naught；　but

pointed　with　my　hand　toward　the　sky。　And　behold！　bosomed　upon　the　air；

floated　a　vast　veiled　Shape　that；　heralded　by　the　swelling　music　of

the　sistra；　drew　slowly　near；　till　its　shadow　lay　upon　us。　It　came；　it

passed；　it　went　toward　the　camp　of　C？sar；　till　at　length　the　music

died　away；　and　the　awful　Shape　was　swallowed　in　the　night。



〃It　is　Bacchus！〃　cried　one。　〃Bacchus；　who　leaves　lost　Antony！〃　and；　as

he　spoke；　there　rose　a　groan　of　terror　from　all　the　camp。



But　I　knew　that　it　was　not　Bacchus；　the　false　God；　but　the　Divine　Isis

who　deserted　Khem；　and；　passing　over　the　edge　of　the　world；　sought　her

home　in　space；　to　be　no　more　known　of　men。　For　though　her　worship　is

still　upheld；　though　still　she　is　here　and　in　all　Earths；　Isis

manifests　herself　no　more　in　Egypt。　I　hid　my　face　and　prayed；　but　when

I　lifted　it　from　my　robe；　lo！　all　had　fled　and　I　was　alone。







CHAPTER　VII



OF　THE　SURRENDER　OF　THE　TROOPS　AND　FLEET　OF　ANTONY　BEFORE

THE　CANOPIC　GATE；　OF　THE　END　OF　ANTONY；　AND　OF　THE　BREWING　OF

THE　DRAUGHT　OF　DEATH



On　the　morrow；　at　dawn；　Antony　came　forth　and　gave　command　that　his

fleet　should　advance　against　the　fleet　of　C？sar；　and　that　his　cavalry

should　open　the　land…battle　with　the　cavalry　of　C？sar。　Accordingly；

the　fleet　advanced　in　a　triple　line；　and　the　fleet　of　C？sar　came　out

to　meet　it。　But　when　they　met；　the　galleys　of　Antony　lifted　their　oars

in　greeting；　and　passed　over　to　the　galleys　of　C？sar；　and　they　sailed

away　together。　And　the　cavalry　of　Antony　rode　forth　beyond　the

Hippodrome　to　charge　the　cavalry　of　C？sar；　but　when　they　met；　they

lowered　their　swords　and　passed　over　to　the　camp　of　C？sar；　deserting

Antony。　Then　Antony　grew　mad　with　rage　and　terrible　to　see。　He　shouted

to　his　legions　to　stand　firm　and　wait　attack；　and　for　a　little　while

they　stood。　One　man；　howeverthat　same　officer　who　would　have　slain

me　on　the　yesternightstrove　to　fly；　but　Antony　seized　him　with　his

own　hand；　threw　him　to　the　earth；　and；　springing　from　his　horse；　drew

his　sword　to　slay　him。　He　held　his　sword　on　high；　while　the　man；

covering　his　face；　awaited　death。　But　Antony　dropped　his　sword　and

bade　him　rise。



〃Go！〃　he　said。　〃Go　to　C？sar；　and　prosper！　I　did　love　thee　once。　Why；

then；　among　so　many　traitors；　should　I　single　thee　out　for　death？〃



The　man　rose　and　looked　upon　him　sorrowfully。　Then；　shame　overwhelming

him；　with　a　great　cry　he　tore　open　his　shirt　of　mail；　plunged　his

sword　into　his　own　heart　and　fell　down　dead。　Antony　stood　and　gazed　at

him；　but　he　said　never　a　word。　Meanwhile　the　ranks　of　C？sar's　legions

drew　near；　and　so　soon　as　they　crossed　spears　the　legions　of　Antony

turned　and　fled。　Then　the　soldiers　of　C？sar　stood　still　mocking　them；

but　scarce　a　man　was　slain；　for　they　pursued　not。



〃Fly；　Lord　Antony！　fly！〃　cried　Eros；　his　servant；　who　alone　with　me

stayed　by　him。　〃Fly　ere　thou　art　dragged　a　prisoner　to　C？sar！〃



So　he　turned　and　fled；　groaning　heavily。　I　went　with　him；　and　as　we

rode　through　the　Canopic　gate；　where　many　folk　stood　wondering；　Antony

spoke　to　me：



〃Go；　thou；　Olympus；　go　to　the　Queen　and　say：　'Antony　sends　greeting　to

Cleopatra；　who　hath　betrayed　him！　To　Cleopatra　he　sends　greeting　and

farewell！'〃



And　so　I　went　to　the　tomb；　but　Antony　fled　to　the　palace。　When　I　came

to　the　tomb　I　knocked　upon　the　door；　and　Charmion　looked　forth　from

the　window。



〃Open；〃　I　cried；　and　she　opened。



〃What　news；　Harmachis？〃　she　whispered。



〃Charmion；〃　I　said；　〃the　end　is　at　hand。　Antony　is　fled！〃



〃It　is　well；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　aweary。〃



And　there　on　her　golden　bed　sat　Cleopatra。



〃Speak；　man！〃　she　cried。



〃Antony　has　fled；　his　forces　are　fled；　C？sar　draws　near。　To　Cleopatra

the　great　Antony　sends　greeting　and　farewell。　Greeting　to　Cleopatra

who　betrayed　him；　and　farewell。〃



〃It　is　a　lie！〃　she　screamed；　〃I　betrayed　him　not！　Thou；　Olympus；　go

swiftly　to　Antony　and　answer　thus：　'To　Antony；　Cleopatra；　who　hath　not

betrayed　him；　sends　greeting　and　farewell。　Cleopatra　is　no　more。'〃



And　so　I　went；　following　out　my　purpose。　In　the　Alabaster　Hall　I　found

Antony　pacing　to　and　fro；　tossing　his　hands　toward　heaven；　and　with

him