cleopatra-第11节

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breath　of　her　glad　music　ringing　up　the　everlasting　walls　till　the

silence　quivered　with　her　round　notes　of　melody；　and　the　hearts　of

those　who　hearkened　stirred　strangely　in　the　breast。　And　thus；　as　we

walked；　she　sang　the　song　of　Osiris　risen；　the　song　of　Hope；　the　song

of　Victory：



　　　　　〃Sing　we　the　Trinity；

　　　　　　Sing　we　the　Holy　Three；

　　Sing　we；　and　praise　we　and　worship　the　Throne；

　　　　　　Throne　that　our　Lord　hath　set

　　　　　　There　peace　and　truth　are　met

　　There　in　the　Halls　of　the　Holy　alone！

　　　　　　There　in　the　shadowings

　　　　　　Faint　of　the　folded　wings；

　　There　shall　we　dwell　and　rejoice　in　our　rest；

　　　　　　We　that　thy　servants　are！

　　　　　　Horus　drive　ill　afar！

　　Far　in　the　folds　of　the　dark　of　the　West！〃



Again；　as　her　notes　died　away；　thundered　forth　the　chorus　of　all　the

voices：



　〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling

　　　　　　Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；

　　Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：

　　　　　'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！

　　　　　　Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃



The　chanting　ceased；　and　as　the　sun　sank　the　High　Priest　raised　the

statue　of　the　living　God　and　held　it　before　the　multitude　that　was　now

gathered　in　the　court　of　the　temple。　Then；　with　a　mighty　and　joyful

shout　of：



　　〃/Osiris　our　hope！　Osiris！　Osiris！/〃



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

white　robes　they　wore　beneath；　and；　as　one　man；　they　bowed　before　the

God；　and　the　feast　was　ended。







But　for　me　the　ceremony　was　only　begun；　for　to…night　was　the　night　of

my　initiation。　Leaving　the　inner　court　I　bathed　myself；　and；　clad　in

pure　linen；　passed；　as　it　is　ordained；　into　an　inner；　but　not　the

inmost；　sanctuary；　and　laid　the　accustomed　offerings　on　the　altar。

Then；　lifting　my　hands　to　heaven；　I　remained　for　many　hours　in

contemplation；　striving；　by　holy　thoughts　and　prayer；　to　gather　up　my

strength　against　the　mighty　moment　of　my　trial。



The　hours　sped　slowly　in　the　silence　of　the　temple；　till　at　length　the

door　opened　and　my　father　Amenemhat；　the　High　Priest；　came　in；　clad　in

white；　and　leading　by　the　hand　the　Priest　of　Isis。　For；　having　been

married；　he　did　not　himself　enter　into　the　mysteries　of　the　Holy

Mother。



I　rose　to　my　feet　and　stood　humbly　before　them。



〃Art　thou　ready？〃　said　the　priest；　lifting　the　lamp　he　held　so　that

its　light　fell　upon　my　face。　〃O　thou　chosen　one；　art　thou　ready　to　see

the　glory　of　the　Goddess　face　to　face？〃



〃I　am　ready；〃　I　answered。



〃Behold　thee；〃　he　said　again；　in　solemn　tones；　〃it　is　no　small　thing。

If　thou　wilt　carry　out　this　thy　last　desire；　understand；　royal

Harmachis；　that　now　this　very　night　thou　must　die　for　a　while　in　the

flesh；　what　time　thy　soul　shall　look　on　spiritual　things。　And　if　thou

diest　and　any　evil　shall　be　found　within　thy　heart；　when　thou　comest

at　last　into　that　awful　presence；　woe　unto　thee；　Harmachis；　for　the

breath　of　life　shall　no　more　enter　in　at　the　gateway　of　thy　mouth；　thy

body　shall　utterly　perish；　and　what　shall　befall　thy　other　parts；　if　I

know；　I　may　not　say。＇*＇　Art　thou　prepared　to　be　taken　to　the　breast　of

Her　who　Was　and　Is　and　Shall　Be；　and　in　all　things　to　do　Her　holy

will；　for　Her；　while　she　shall　so　command；　to　put　away　the　thought　of

earthly　woman；　and　to　labour　always　for　Her　glory　till　at　the　end　thy

life　is　gathered　to　Her　eternal　life？〃



＇*＇　According　to　the　Egyptian　religion　the　being　Man　is　composed　of

　　　　four　parts：　the　body；　the　double　or　astral　shape　（/ka/）；　the　soul

　　　　（/bi/）；　and　the　spark　of　life　sprung　from　the　Godhead　（/khou/）。

　　　　Editor。



〃I　am；〃　I　answered；　〃lead　on。〃



〃It　is　well；〃　said　the　priest。　〃Noble　Amenemhat；　we　go　hence　alone。〃



〃Farewell；　my　son；〃　said　my　father；　〃be　firm　and　triumph　over　things

spiritual　as　thou　shalt　triumph　over　things　earthly。　He　who　would

truly　rule　the　world　must　first　be　lifted　up　above　the　world。　He　must

be　at　one　with　God；　for　thus　only　shall　he　learn　the　secrets　of　the

Divine。　But　beware！　The　Gods　demand　much　of　those　who　dare　to　enter

the　circle　of　their　Divinity。　If　they　go　back　therefrom；　they　shall　be

judged　of　a　sharper　law；　and　scourged　with　a　heavier　rod；　for　as　their

glory　is；　so　shall　their　shame　be。　Therefore；　make　thy　heart　strong；

royal　Harmachis！　And　when　thou　speedest　down　the　ways　of　Night　and

enterest　the　Holies；　remember　that　from　him　to　whom　great　gifts　have

been　given　shall　gifts　be　required　again。　And　nowif；　indeed；　thy

mind　be　fixedgo　whither　it　is　not　as　yet　given　me　to　follow　thee。

Farewell！〃



For　a　moment　as　my　heart　weighed　these　heavy　words；　I　wavered；　as　well

as　I　might。　But　I　was　filled　with　longing　to　be　gathered　to　the

company　of　the　Divine　ones；　and　I　knew　that　I　had　no　evil　in　me；　and

desired　to　do　only　the　thing　that　is　just。　Therefore；　having　with　so

much　labour　drawn　the　bowstring　to　my　ear；　I　was　fain　to　let　fly　the

shaft。　〃Lead　on；〃　I　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　〃lead　on；　thou　holy

Priest！　I　follow　thee！〃



And　we　went　forth。







CHAPTER　VI



OF　THE　INITIATION　OF　HARMACHIS；　OF　HIS　VISIONS；　OF　HIS　PASSING

TO　THE　CITY　THAT　IS　IN　THE　PLACE　OF　DEATH；　AND　OF　THE　DECLARATIONS

OF　ISIS；　THE　MESSENGER



In　silence　we　passed　into　the　Shrine　of　Isis。　It　was　dark　and　bare

only　the　feeble　light　from　the　lamp　gleamed　faintly　upon　the

sculptured　walls；　where；　in　a　hundred　effigies；　the　Holy　Mother

suckled　the　Holy　Child。



The　priest　closed　the　doors　and　bolted　them。　〃Once　again；〃　he　said；

〃art　thou　ready；　Harmachis？〃



〃Once　again；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　ready。〃



He　spoke　no　more；　but；　having　lifted　up　his　hands　in　prayer；　led　me　to

the　centre　of　the　Holy；　and　with　a　swift　motion　put　out　the　lamp。



〃Look　before　thee；　Harmachis！〃　he　cried；　and　his　voice　sounded　hollow

in　the　solemn　place。



I　gazed　and　saw　nothing。　But　from　the　niche　that　is　high　in　the　wall；

where　is　hid　that　sacred　symbol　of　the　Goddess　on　which　few　may　look；

there　came　a　sound　as　of　the　rattling　rods　of　the　sistrum。＇*＇　And　as　I

listened；　awestruck；　behold！　I　saw　the　outline　of　the　symbol　drawn　as

with　fire　upon　the　blackness　of　the　air。　It　hung　above　my　head；　and

rattled　while　it　hung。　And；　as　it　turned；　I　clearly　saw　the　face　of

the　Mother　Isis　that　is　graven　on　the　one　side；　and　signifies　unending

Birth；　and　the　face　of　her　holy　sister；　Nephthys；　that　is　graven　on

the　other；　and　signifies　the　ending　of　all　birth　in　Death。



＇*＇　A　musical　instrument　peculiarly　sacred　to　Isis　of　which　the　shape

　　　　and　rods　had　a　mystic　significance。Editor。



Slowly　it　turned　and　swung　as　though　some　mystic　dancer　trod　the　air

above　me；　and　shook　it　in　her　hand。　But　at　length　the　light　went　out；

and　the　rattling　ceased。



Then　of　a　sudden　the　end　of　the　chamber　became　luminous；　and　in　that

white　light　I　beheld　picture　after　picture。　I　saw　the　ancient　Nile

rolling　through　deserts　to　the　sea。　There　were　no　men　upon　its　banks；

nor　any　signs　of　man；　nor　any　temples　to　the　Gods。　Only　wild　birds

moved　on　Sihor's　lonely　face；　and　monstrous　brutes　plunged　and

wallowed　in　his　waters。　The　sun　sank　in　majesty　behind　the　Libyan

Desert　and　stained　the　waters　red；　the　mountains　towered　up　towards

the　silent　sky；　but　in　mountain；　desert；　and　river　there　was　no　sign

of　human　life。　Then　I　knew　that　I　saw　the　world　as　it　had　been　before

man　was；　and　a　terror　of　its　loneliness　entered　my　soul。



The　picture　passed　and　another　rose　up　in　its　place。　Once　again　I　saw

the　banks　of　Sihor；　and　on　them　crowded　wild…faced　creatures；

partaking　of　the　nature　of　the　ape　more　than　of　the　nature　of　mankind。

They　fought　and　slew　each　other。　The　wild　birds　sprang　up　in　affright

as　the　fire　leapt　from　reed　huts　given　by　foemen's　hands　to　flame　and

pillage。　They　stole　and　rent　and　murdered；　dashing　out　the　brains　of

children　with　axes　of　stone。　And；　though　no　voice　told　me；　I　knew　that

I　saw　man　as　he　was　tens　of　thousands　of　years　ago；　when　first　he

marched　across　the　earth。



Yet　another　picture。　Again　I　beheld　the　banks　of　Sihor；　but　on　them

fair　cities　bloomed　like　flowers。　In　and　out　their　gates　went　men　and

women；　passing　to　and　fro　from　wide；　well…tilled　lands。　But　I　saw　no

guards　or　armies；　and　no　weapons　of　war。　All　was　wisdom；　prosperity；

and　peace。　And　while　I　wondered；　a　glorious　Figure；　clad　in　raiment

that　shone　as　flame；　came　from　the　gates　of　a　shrine；　and　the　sound　of

music　went　before　and　followed　after　him。　He　mounted　an　ivory　throne

which　was　set　in　a　market…place　facing　the　water：　and　as　the　sun　sank

called　in　all　the　multitudes　to　prayer。　With　one　voice　they　prayed；

bending　in　adoration。　And　I　understood　that　herein　was　shown　the　reign

of　the　Gods　on　earth；　which　was　long　before　the　days　of　Menes。



A　change　came　over　the　dream。　Still　the　same　fair　city；　but　other　men

men　with　greed　and　evil　on　their　faceswho　hated　the　bonds　of

righteous　doing；　and　set　their　hearts　on　sin。