cleopatra-第70章

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With　a　joyful　shout　of



　〃Osiris！　our　hope；　Osiris！　Osiris！〃



the　people　tore　the　black　wrappings　from　their　dress；　showing　the

white　robes　beneath；　and；　as　one　man；　bowed　before　the　God。



Then　they　went　to　feast　each　at　his　home；　but　I　stayed　in　the　court　of

the　temple。



Presently　a　priest　of　the　temple　drew　near；　and　asked　me　of　my

business。　And　I　answered　him　that　I　came　from　Alexandria；　and　would　be

led　before　the　council　of　the　High　Priests；　for　I　knew　that　the　Holy

Priests　were　gathered　together　debating　the　tidings　from　Alexandria。



Thereon　the　man　left；　and　the　High　Priests；　hearing　that　I　was　from

Alexandria；　ordered　that　I　should　be　led　into　their　presence　in　the

Hall　of　Columnsand　so　I　was　led　in。　It　was　already　dark；　and　between

the　great　pillars　lights　were　set；　as　on　that　night　when　I　was　crowned

Pharaoh　of　the　Upper　and　the　Lower　Land。　There；　too；　was　the　long　line

of　Dignitaries　seated　in　their　carven　chairs；　and　taking　counsel

together。　All　was　the　same；　the　same　cold　images　of　Kings　and　Gods

gazed　with　the　same　empty　eyes　from　the　everlasting　walls。　Ay；　more；

among　those　gathered　there　were　five　of　the　very　men　who；　as　leaders

of　the　great　plot；　had　sat　here　to　see　me　crowned；　being　the　only

conspirators　who　had　escaped　the　vengeance　of　Cleopatra　and　the

clutching　hand　of　Time。



I　took　my　stand　on　the　spot　where　once　I　had　been　crowned　and　made　me

ready　for　the　last　act　of　shame　with　such　bitterness　of　heart　as

cannot　be　written。



〃Why；　it　is　the　physician　Olympus；〃　said　one。　〃He　who　lived　a　hermit

in　the　Tombs　of　Tápé；　and　who　but　lately　was　of　the　household　of

Cleopatra。　Is　it；　then；　true　that　the　Queen　is　dead　by　her　own　hand；

Physician？〃



〃Yea；　holy　Sirs；　I　am　that　physician；　also　Cleopatra　is　dead　by　/my/

hand。〃



〃By　thy　hand？　Why；　how　comes　this？though　well　is　she　dead；　forsooth；

the　wicked　wanton！〃



〃Your　pardon；　Sirs；　and　I　will　tell　you　all；　for　I　am　come　hither　to

that　end。　Perchance　among　you　there　may　be　somemethinks　I　see　some

who；　nigh　eleven　years　ago；　were　gathered　in　this　hall　to　secretly

crown　one　Harmachis；　Pharaoh　of　Khem？〃



〃It　is　true！〃　they　said；　〃but　how　knowest　thou　these　things；　thou

Olympus？〃



〃Of　the　rest　of　those　seven…and…thirty　nobles；〃　I　went　on；　making　no

answer；　〃are　two…and…thirty　missing。　Some　are　dead；　as　Amenemhat　is

dead；　some　are　slain；　as　Sepa　is　slain；　and　some；　perchance；　yet

labour　as　slaves　within　the　mines；　or　live　afar；　fearing　vengeance。〃



〃It　is　so；〃　they　said：　〃alas！　it　is　so。　Harmachis　the　accursed

betrayed　the　plot；　and　sold　himself　to　the　wanton　Cleopatra！〃



〃It　is　so；〃　I　went　on；　lifting　up　my　head。　〃Harmachis　betrayed　the

plot　and　sold　himself　to　Cleopatra；　and；　holy　Sirs/I　am　that

Harmachis！/〃



The　Priests　and　Dignitaries　gazed　astonished。　Some　rose　and　spoke；

some　said　naught。



〃I　am　that　Harmachis！　I　am　that　traitor；　trebly　steeped　in　crime！a

traitor　to　my　Gods；　a　traitor　to　my　Country；　a　traitor　to　my　Oath！　I

come　hither　to　say　that　I　have　done　this。　I　have　executed　the　Divine

vengeance　on　her　who　ruined　me　and　gave　Egypt　to　the　Roman。　And　now

that；　after　years　of　toil　and　patient　waiting；　this　is　accomplished　by

my　wisdom　and　the　help　of　the　angry　Gods；　behold　I　come　with　all　my

shame　upon　my　head　to　declare　the　thing　I　am；　and　take　the　traitor's

guerdon！〃



〃Mindest　thou　of　the　doom　of　him　who　hath　broke　the　oath　that　may　not

be　broke？〃　asked　he　who　first　had　spoken；　in　heavy　tones。



〃I　know　it　well；〃　I　answered；　〃I　court　that　awful　doom。〃



〃Tell　us　more　of　this　matter；　thou　who　wast　Harmachis。〃



So；　in　cold　clear　words；　I　laid　bare　all　my　shame；　keeping　back

nothing。　And　ever　as　I　spoke　I　saw　their　faces　grow　more　hard；　and

knew　that　for　me　there　was　no　mercy；　nor　did　I　ask　it；　nor；　had　I

asked；　could　it　have　been　granted。



When；　at　last；　I　had　done；　they　put　me　aside　while　they　took　counsel。

Then　they　drew　me　forth　again；　and　the　eldest　among　them；　a　man　very

old　and　venerable；　the　Priest　of　the　Temple　of　the　Divine　Hatshepu　at

Tápé；　spoke；　in　icy　accents：



〃Thou　Harmachis；　we　have　considered　this　matter。　Thou　hast　sinned　the

threefold　deadly　sin。　On　thy　head　lies　the　burden　of　the　woe　of　Khem；

this　day　enthralled　of　Rome。　To　Isis；　the　Mother　Mystery；　thou　hast

offered　the　deadly　insult；　and　thou　hast　broken　thy　holy　oath。　For　all

of　these　sins　there　is；　as　well　thou　knowest；　but　one　reward；　and　that

reward　is　thine。　Naught　can　it　weigh　in　the　balance　of　our　justice

that　thou　hast　slain　her　who　was　thy　cause　of　stumbling；　naught　that

thou　comest　to　name　thyself　the　vilest　thing　who　ever　stood　within

these　walls。　On　thee　also　must　fall　the　curse　of　Menkau…ra；　thou　false

priest！　thou　forsworn　patriot！　thou　Pharaoh　shameful　and　discrowned！

Here；　where　we　set　the　Double　Crown　upon　thy　head；　we　doom　thee　to　the

doom！　Go　to　thy　dungeon　and　await　the　falling　of　its　stroke！　Go；

remembering　what　thou　mightest　have　been　and　what　thou　art；　and　may

those　Gods　who　through　thy　evil　doing　shall　perchance　ere　long　cease

to　be　worshipped　within　these　holy　temples；　give　to　thee　that　mercy

which　we　deny！　Lead　him　forth！〃







So　they　took　me　and　led　me　forth。　With　bowed　head　I　went；　looking　not

up；　and　yet　I　felt　their　eyes　burn　upon　my　face。



Oh！　surely　of　all　my　shames　this　is　the　heaviest！







CHAPTER　X



OF　THE　LAST　WRITING　OF　HARMACHIS；　THE　ROYAL　EGYPTIAN



They　led　me　to　the　prison　chamber　that　is　high　in　the　pylon　tower　and

here　I　wait　my　doom。　I　know　not　when　the　sword　of　Fate　shall　fall。

Week　grows　to　week；　and　month　to　month；　and　still　it　is　delayed。　Still

it　quivers　unseen　above　my　head。　I　know　that　it　will　fall；　but　when　I

know　not。　Perchance；　I　shall　wake　in　some　dead　hour　of　midnight　to

hear　the　stealthy　steps　of　the　slayers　and　be　hurried　forth。

Perchance；　they　are　now　at　hand。　Then　will　come　the　secret　cell！　the

horror！　the　nameless　coffin！　and　at　last　it　will　be　done！　Oh；　let　it

come！　let　it　come　swiftly！







All　is　written；　I　have　held　back　nothingmy　sin　is　sinnedmy

vengeance　is　finished。　Now　all　things　end　in　darkness　and　in　ashes；

and　I　prepare　to　face　the　terrors　that　are　to　come　in　other　worlds

than　this。　I　go；　but　not　without　hope　I　go：　for；　though　I　see　Her　not；

though　no　more　She　answers　to　my　prayers；　still　I　am　aware　of　the　Holy

Isis；　who　is　with　me　for　evermore；　and　whom　I　shall　yet　again　behold

face　to　face。　And　then　at　last　in　that　far　day　I　shall　find

forgiveness；　then　the　burden　of　my　guilt　will　roll　from　me　and

innocency　come　back　and　wrap　me　round；　bringing　me　holy　Peace。







Oh！　dear　land　of　Khem；　as　in　a　dream　I　see　thee！　I　see　Nation　after

Nation　set　its　standard　on　thy　shores；　and　its　yoke　upon　thy　neck！　I

see　new　Religions　without　end　calling　out　their　truths　upon　the　banks

of　Sihor；　and　summoning　thy　people　to　their　worship！　I　see　thy　temples

thy　holy　templescrumbling　in　the　dust：　a　wonder　to　the　sight　of

men　unborn；　who　shall　peer　into　thy　tombs　and　desecrate　the　great　ones

of　thy　glory！　I　see　thy　mysteries　a　mockery　to　the　unlearned；　and　thy

wisdom　wasted　like　waters　on　the　desert　sands！　I　see　the　Roman　Eagles

stoop　and　perish；　their　beaks　yet　red　with　the　blood　of　men；　and　the

long　lights　dancing　down　the　barbarian　spears　that　follow　in　their

wake！　And　then；　at　last；　I　see　Thee　once　more　great；　once　more　free；

and　having　once　more　a　knowledge　of　thy　Godsay；　thy　Gods　with　a

changed　countenance；　and　called　by　other　names；　but　still　thy　Gods！







The　sun　sinks　over　Abouthis。　The　red　rays　of　Ra　flame　on　temple　roofs；

upon　green　fields；　and　the　wide　waters　of　father　Sihor。　So　as　a　child

I　watched　him　sink；　just　so　his　last　kiss　touched　the　further　pylon's

frowning　brow；　just　that　same　shadow　lay　upon　the　tombs。　All　is

unchanged！　II　only　am　changedso　changed；　and　yet　the　same！







Oh；　Cleopatra！　Cleopatra！　thou　Destroyer！　if　I　might　but