caesar and cleopatra-第15节

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hands　and　feet。　Iras　is　a　plump；　goodnatured　creature；　rather
fatuous；　with　a　profusion　of　red　hair；　and　a　tendency　to　giggle
on　the　slightest　provocation。

CLEOPATRA。　Can　I

FTATATEETA　（insolently；　to　the　player）。　Peace；　thou！　The　Queen
speaks。　（The　player　stops。）

CLEOPATRA　（to　the　old　musician）。　I　want　to　learn　to　play　the　harp
with　my　own　hands。　Caesar　loves　music。　Can　you　teach　me？

MUSICIAN。　Assuredly　I　and　no　one　else　can　teach　the　Queen。　Have
I　not　discovered　the　lost　method　of　the　ancient　Egyptians；　who
could　make　a　pyramid　tremble　by　touching　a　bass　string？　All　the
other　teachers　are　quacks：　I　have　exposed　them　repeatedly。

CLEOPATRA。　Good：　you　shall　teach　me。　How　long　will　it　take？

MUSICIAN。　Not　very　long：　only　four　years。　Your　Majesty　must　first
become　proficient　in　the　philosophy　of　Pythagoras。

CLEOPATRA。　Has　she　（indicating　the　slave）　become　proficient　in
the　philosophy　of　Pythagoras？

MUSICIAN。　Oh；　she　is　but　a　slave。　She　learns　as　a　dog　learns。

CLEOPATRA。　Well；　then；　I　will　learn　as　a　dog　learns；　for　she
plays　better　than　you。　You　shall　give　me　a　lesson　every　day　for　a
fortnight。　（The　musician　hastily　scrambles　to　his　feet　and　bows
profoundly。）　After　that；　whenever　I　strike　a　false　note　you　shall
be　flogged；　and　if　I　strike　so　many　that　there　is　not　time　to
flog　you；　you　shall　be　thrown　into　the　Nile　to　feed　the
crocodiles。
Give　the　girl　a　piece　of　gold；　and　send　them　away。

MUSICIAN　（much　taken　aback）。　But　true　art　will　not　be　thus
forced。

FTATATEETA　（pushing　him　out）。　What　is　this？　Answering　the　Queen；
forsooth。　Out　with　you。

He　is　pushed　out　by　Ftatateeta；　the　girl　following　with　her　harp；
amid　the　laughter　of　the　ladies　and　slaves。

CLEOPATRA。　Now；　can　any　of　you　amuse　me？　Have　you　any　stories　or
any　news？

IRAS。　Ftatateeta

CLEOPATRA。　Oh；　Ftatateeta；　Ftatateeta；　always　Ftatateeta。　Some
new　tale　to　set　me　against　her。

IRAS。　No：　this　time　Ftatateeta　has　been　virtuous。　（All　the　ladies
laughnot　the　slaves。）　Pothinus　has　been　trying　to　bribe　her　to
let　him　speak　with　you。

CLEOPATRA　（wrathfully）。　Ha！　You　all　sell　audiences　with　me；　as　if
I　saw　whom　you　please；　and　not　whom　I　please。　I　should　like　to
know　how　much　of　her　gold　piece　that　harp　girl　will　have　to　give
up　before　she　leaves　the　palace。

IRAS。　We　can　easily　find　out　that　for　you。

The　ladies　laugh。

CLEOPATRA　（frowning）。　You　laugh；　but　take　care；　take　care。　I　will
find　out　some　day　how　to　make　myself　served　as　Caesar　is　served。

CHARMIAN。　Old　hooknose！　（They　laugh　again。）

CLEOPATRA　（revolted）。　Silence。　Charmian：　do　not　you　be　a　silly
little　Egyptian　fool。　Do　you　know　why　I　allow　you　all　to　chatter
impertinently　just　as　you　please；　instead　of　treating　you　as
Ftatateeta　would　treat　you　if　she　were　Queen？

CHARMIAN。　Because　you　try　to　imitate　Caesar　in　everything；　and　he
lets　everybody　say　what　they　please　to　him。

CLEOPATRA。　No；　but　because　I　asked　him　one　day　why　he　did　so；　and
he　said　〃Let　your　women　talk；　and　you　will　learn　something　from
them。〃　What　have　I　to　learn　from　them？　I　said。　〃What　they　ARE；〃
said　he；　and　oh！　you　should　have　seen　his　eye　as　he　said　it。　You
would　have　curled　up；　you　shallow　things。　（They　laugh。　She　turns
fiercely　on　Iras）　At　whom　are　you　laughingat　me　or　at　Caesar？

IRAS。　At　Caesar。

CLEOPATRA。　If　you　were　not　a　fool；　you　would　laugh　at　me；　and　if
you　were　not　a　coward　you　would　not　be　afraid　to　tell　me　so。
（Ftatateeta　returns。）　Ftatateeta：　they　tell　me　that　Pothinus　has
offered　you　a　bribe　to　admit　him　to　my　presence。

FTATATEETA　（protesting）。　Now　by　my　father's　gods

CLEOPATRA　（cutting　her　short　despotically）。　Have　I　not　told　you
not　to　deny　things？　You　would　spend　the　day　calling　your　father's
gods　to　witness　to　your　virtues　if　I　let　you。　Go　take　the　bribe；
and　bring　in　Pothinus。　（Ftatateeta　is　about　to　reply。）　Don't
answer　me。　Go。

Ftatateeta　goes　out；　and　Cleopatra　rises　and　begins　to　prowl　to
and　fro　between　her　chair　and　the　door；　meditating。　All　rise　and
stand。

IRAS　（as　she　reluctantly　rises）。　Heigho！　I　wish　Caesar　were　back
in　Rome。

CLEOPATRA　（threateningly）。　It　will　be　a　bad　day　for　you　all　when
he　goes。　Oh；　if　I　were　not　ashamed　to　let　him　see　that　I　am　as
cruel　at　heart　as　my　father；　I　would　make　you　repent　that　speech！
Why　do　you　wish　him　away？

CHARMIAN。　He　makes　you　so　terribly　prosy　and　serious　and　learned
and　philosophical。　It　is　worse　than　being　religious；　at　OUR　ages。
（The　ladies　laugh。）

CLEOPATRA。　Cease　that　endless　cackling；　will　you。　Hold　your
tongues。

CHARMIAN　（with　mock　resignation）。　Well；　well：　we　must　try　to　live
up　to　Caesar。

They　laugh　again。　Cleopatra　rages　silently　as　she　continues　to
prowl　to　and　fro。　Ftatateeta　comes　back　with　Pothinus；　who　halts
on　the　threshold。

FTATATEETA　（at　the　door）。　Pothinus　craves　the　ear　of　the

CLEOPATRA。　There；　there：　that　will　do：　let　him　come　in。

（She　resumes　her　seat。　All　sit　down　except　Pothinus；　who　advances
to　the　middle　of　the　room。　Ftatateeta　takes　her　former　place。）
Well；　Pothinus：　what　is　the　latest　news　from　your　rebel　friends？

POTHINUS　（haughtily）。　I　am　no　friend　of　rebellion。　And　a　prisoner
does　not　receive　news。

CLEOPATRA。　You　are　no　more　a　prisoner　than　I　amthan　Caesar　is。
These　six　months　we　have　been　besieged　in　this　palace　by　my
subjects。　You　are　allowed　to　walk　on　the　beach　among　the
soldiers。　Can　I　go　further　myself；　or　can　Caesar？

POTHINUS。　You　are　but　a　child；　Cleopatra；　and　do　not　understand
these　matters。

The　ladies　laugh。　Cleopatra　looks　inscrutably　at　him。

CHARMIAN。　I　see　you　do　not　know　the　latest　news；　Pothinus。

POTHINUS。　What　is　that？

CHARMIAN。　That　Cleopatra　is　no　longer　a　child。　Shall　I　tell　you
how　to　grow　much　older；　and　much；　MUCH　wiser　in　one　day？

POTHINUS。　I　should　prefer　to　grow　wiser　without　growing　older。

CHARMIAN。　Well；　go　up　to　the　top　of　the　lighthouse；　and　get
somebody　to　take　you　by　the　hair　and　throw　you　into　the　sea。　（The
ladies　laugh。）

CLEOPATRA。　She　is　right；　Pothinus：　you　will　come　to　the　shore
with　much　conceit　washed　out　of　you。　（The　ladies　laugh。　Cleopatra
rises　impatiently。）　Begone；　all　of　you。　I　will　speak　with
Pothinus　alone。　Drive　them　out；　Ftatateeta。　（They　run　out
laughing。　Ftatateeta　shuts　the　door　on　them。）　What　are　YOU
waiting　for？

FTATATEETA。　It　is　not　meet　that　the　Queen　remain　alone　with

CLEOPATRA　（interrupting　her）。　Ftatateeta：　must　I　sacrifice　you　to
your　father's　gods　to　teach　you　that　I　am　Queen　of　Egypt；　and　not
you？

FTATATEETA　（indignantly）。　You　are　like　the　rest　of　them。　You　want
to　be　what　these　Romans　call　a　New　Woman。　（She　goes　out；　banging
the　door。）

CLEOPATRA　（sitting　down　again）。　Now；　Pothinus：　why　did　you　bribe
Ftatateeta　to　bring　you　hither？

POTHINUS　（studying　her　gravely）。　Cleopatra：　what　they　tell　me　is
true。　You　are　changed。

CLEOPATRA。　Do　you　speak　with　Caesar　every　day　for　six　months：　and
YOU　will　be　changed。

POTHINUS。　It　is　the　common　talk　that　you　are　infatuated　with　this
old　man。

CLEOPATRA。　Infatuated？　What　does　that　mean？　Made　foolish；　is　it
not？　Oh　no：　I　wish　I　were。

POTHINUS。　You　wish　you　were　made　foolish！　How　so？

CLEOPATRA。　When　I　was　foolish；　I　did　what　I　liked；　except　when
Ftatateeta　beat　me；　and　even　then　I　cheated　her　and　did　it　by
stealth。　Now　that　Caesar　has　made　me　wise；　it　is　no　use　my　liking
or　disliking；　I　do　what　must　be　done；　and　have　no　time　to　attend
to　myself。　That　is　not　happiness；　but　it　is　greatness。　If　Caesar
were　gone；　I　think　I　could　govern　the　Egyptians；　for　what　Caesar
is　to　me；　I　am　to　the　fools　around　me。

POTHINUS　（looking　hard　at　her）。　Cleopatra：　this　may　be　the　vanity
of　youth。

CLEOPATRA。　No；　no：　it　is　not　that　I　am　so　clever；　but　that　the
others　are　so　stupid。

POTHINUS　（musingly）。　Truly；　that　is　the　great　secret。

CLEOPATRA。　Well；　now　tell　me　what　you　came　to　say？

POTHINUS　（embarrassed）。　I！　Nothing。

CLEOPATRA。　Nothing！

POTHINUS。　At　leastto　beg　for　my　liberty：　that　is　all。

CLEOPATRA。　For　that　you　would　have　knelt　to　Caesar。　No；　Pothinus：
you　came　with　some　plan　that　depended　on　Cleopatra　being　a　little
nursery　kitten。　Now　that　Cleopatra　is　a　Queen；　the　plan　is　upset。

POTHINUS　（bowing　his　head　submissively）。　It　is　so。

CLEOPATRA　（exultant）。　Aha！

POTHINUS　（raising　his　eyes　keenly　to　hers）。　Is　Cleopatra　then
indeed　a　Queen；　and　no　longer　Caesar's　prisoner　and　slave？

CLEOPATRA。　Pothinus：　we　are　all　Caesar's　slavesall　we　in　this
land　of　Egyptwhether　we　will　or　no。　And　she　who　is　wise　enough
to　know　this　will　reign　when　Caesar　departs。

POTHINUS。　You　harp　on　Caesar's　departure。

CLEOPATRA。　What　if　I　do？

POTHINUS。　Does　he　not　love　you？

CLEOPATRA。　Love　me！　Pothinus：　Caesar　loves　no　one。　Who　are　those
we　love？　Only　those　whom　we　do　not　hate：　all　people　are　strangers
and　enemies　to　us　except　those　we　love。　But　it　is　not　so　with
Caesar。　He　has　no　hatred　in　him：　he　makes　friends　with　everyone
as　he　does　with　dogs　and　children。　His　kindness　to　me　is　a
wonder：　neither　mother；　father；　nor　nurse　have　ever　taken　so　much
care　for　me；　or　thrown　open　their　thoughts　to　me　so　freely。

POTHINUS。　Well：　is　not　this　love？

CLEOPATRA。　What！　When　he　will　do　as　much　for　the　first　girl　he
meets　on　his