cleopatra-第14节

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brows。



Now　suddenly　a　Voice　called　aloud　the　awful　Word；　then　the　vapours

burst　and　melted；　and　with　my　eyes　I　saw　that　Glory；　at　the　very

thought　of　which　my　spirit　faints。　But　what　I　saw　it　is　not　lawful　to

utter。　For；　though　I　have　been　bidden　to　write　what　I　have　written　of

this　matter；　perchance　that　a　record　may　remain；　thereon　I　have　been

warneday；　even　now；　after　these　many　years。　I　saw；　and　what　I　saw

cannot　be　imagined；　for　there　are　Glories　and　there　are　Shapes　which

are　beyond　the　reach　of　man's　imagination。　I　sawthen；　with　the　echo

of　that　Word；　and　the　memory　of　that　sight　stamped　for　ever　on　my

heart；　my　spirit　failed　me；　and　I　sank　down　before　the　Glory。



And；　as　I　fell；　it　seemed　that　the　great　hall　burst　open　and　crumbled

into　flakes　of　fire　round　me。　Then　a　great　wind　blew：　there　was　a

sound　as　the　sound　of　Worlds　rushing　down　the　flood　of　Timeand　I

knew　no　more！







CHAPTER　VII



OF　THE　AWAKING　OF　HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　CEREMONY　OF　HIS　CROWNING

AS　PHARAOH　OF　THE　UPPER　AND　THE　LOWER　LAND；　AND　OF　THE

OFFERINGS　MADE　TO　PHARAOH



Once　again　I　woketo　find　myself　stretched　at　length　upon　the　stone

flooring　of　the　Holy　Place　of　Isis　that　is　at　Abouthis。　By　me　stood

the　old　Priest　of　the　Mysteries；　and　in　his　hand　was　a　lamp。　He　bent

over　me；　and　gazed　earnestly　upon　my　face。



〃It　is　daythe　day　of　thy　new　birth；　and　thou　hast　lived　to　see　it；

Harmachis！〃　he　said　at　length。　〃I　give　thanks。　Arise；　royal　Harmachis

nay；　tell　me　naught　of　that　which　has　befallen　thee。　Arise；　beloved

of　the　Holy　Mother。　Come　forth；　thou　who　hast　passed　the　fire　and

learned　what　lies　behind　the　darknesscome　forth；　O　newly…born！〃



I　rose　and；　walking　faintly；　went　with　him；　and；　passing　out　of　the

darkness　of　the　Shrines　filled　with　thought　and　wonder；　came　once　more

into　the　pure　light　of　the　morning。　And　then　I　went　to　my　own　chamber

and　slept；　nor　did　any　dreams　come　to　trouble　me。　But　no　mannot　even

my　fatherasked　me　aught　of　what　I　saw　upon　that　dread　night；　or

after　what　fashion　I　had　communed　with　the　Goddess。



After　these　things　which　have　been　written；　I　applied　myself　for　a

space　to　the　worship　of　the　Mother　Isis；　and　to　the　further　study　of

the　outward　forms　of　those　mysteries　to　which　I　now　held　the　key。

Moreover；　I　was　instructed　in　matters　politic；　for　many　great　men　of

our　following　came　secretly　to　see　me　from　all　quarters　of　Egypt；　and

told　me　much　of　the　hatred　of　the　people　towards　Cleopatra；　the　Queen；

and　of　other　things。　At　last　the　hour　drew　nigh；　it　was　three　months

and　ten　days　from　the　night　when；　for　a　while；　I　left　the　flesh；　and

yet　living　with　our　life；　was　gathered　to　the　breast　of　Isis；　on　which

it　was　agreed　that　with　due　and　customary　rites；　although　in　utter

secrecy；　I　should　be　called　to　the　throne　of　the　Upper　and　the　Lower

Land。　So　it　came　about　that；　as　the　solemn　time　drew　nigh；　great　men

of　the　party　of　Egypt　gathered　to　the　number　of　thirty…seven　from

every　nome；　and　each　great　city　of　their　nome；　meeting　together　at

Abouthis。　They　came　in　every　guisesome　as　priests；　some　as　pilgrims

to　the　Shrine；　and　some　as　beggars。　Among　them　was　my　uncle；　Sepa；

who；　though　he　clad　himself　as　a　travelling　doctor；　had　much　ado　to

keep　his　loud　voice　from　betraying　him。　Indeed；　I　myself　knew　him　by

it；　meeting　him　as　I　walked　in　thought　upon　the　banks　of　the　canal；

although　it　was　then　dusk　and　the　great　cape；　which；　after　the　fashion

of　such　doctors；　he　had　thrown　about　his　head；　half　hid　his　face。



〃A　pest　on　thee！〃　he　cried；　when　I　greeted　him　by　his　name。　〃Cannot　a

man　cease　to　be　himself　for　a　single　hour？　Didst　thou　but　know　the

pains　that　it　has　cost　me　to　learn　to　play　this　partand　now　thou

readest　who　I　am　even　in　the　dark！〃



And　then；　still　talking　in　his　loud　voice；　he　told　me　how　he　had

travelled　hither　on　foot；　the　better　to　escape　the　spies　who　ply　to

and　fro　upon　the　river。　But　he　said　he　should　return　by　the　water；　or

take　another　guise；　for　since　he　had　come　as　a　doctor　he　had　been

forced　to　play　a　doctor's　part；　knowing　but　little　of　the　arts　of

medicine；　and；　as　he　greatly　feared；　there　were　many　between　Annu　and

Abouthis　who　had　suffered　from　it。＇*＇　And　he　laughed　loudly　and

embraced　me；　forgetting　his　part。　For　he　was　too　whole　at　heart　to　be

an　actor　and　other　than　himself；　and　would　have　entered　Abouthis　with

me　holding　my　hand；　had　I　not　chid　him　for　his　folly。



＇*＇　In　Ancient　Egypt　an　unskilful　or　negligent　physician　was　liable　to

　　　　very　heavy　penalties。Editor。



At　length　all　were　gathered。



It　was　night；　and　the　gates　of　the　temple　were　shut。　None　were　left

within　them；　except　the　thirty…seven；　my　father；　the　High　Priest

Amenemhat；　that　aged　priest　who　had　led　me　to　the　Shrine　of　Isis；　the

old　wife；　Atoua；　who；　according　to　ancient　custom；　was　to　prepare　me

for　the　anointing；　and　some　five　other　priests；　sworn　to　secrecy　by

that　oath　which　none　may　break。　They　gathered　in　the　second　hall　of

the　great　temple；　but　I　remained　alone；　clad　in　my　white　robe；　in　the

passage　where　are　the　names　of　six…and…seventy　ancient　Kings；　who　were

before　the　day　of　the　divine　Sethi。　There　I　rested　in　darkness；　till

at　length　my　father；　Amenemhat；　came；　bearing　a　lamp；　and；　bowing　low

before　me；　led　me　by　the　hand　forth　into　the　great　hall。　Here　and

there；　between　its　mighty　pillars；　lights　were　burning　that　dimly

showed　the　sculptured　images　upon　the　walls；　and　dimly　fell　upon　the

long　line　of　the　seven…and…thirty　Lords；　Priests；　and　Princes；　who；

seated　upon　carven　chairs；　awaited　my　coming　in　silence。　Before　them；

facing　away　from　the　seven　Sanctuaries；　a　throne　was　set；　around　which

stood　the　priests　holding　the　sacred　images　and　banners。　As　I　came

into　the　dim　and　holy　place；　the　Dignitaries　rose；　and　bowed　before

me；　speaking　no　word；　while　my　father　led　me　to　the　steps　of　the

throne；　and　in　a　low　voice　bade　me　stand　before　it。



Then　he　spoke：



〃Lords；　Priests；　and　Princes　of　the　ancient　orders　of　the　land　of　Khem

Nobles　from　the　Upper　and　the　Lower　Country；　have　gathered　in　answer

to　my　summons；　hear　me：　I　present　to　you；　with　such　scant　formality　as

the　occasion　can　afford；　the　Prince　Harmachis；　by　right　and　true

descent　of　blood　the　descendant　and　heir　of　the　ancient　Pharaohs　of

our　most　unhappy　land。　He　is　priest　of　the　inmost　circle　of　the

Mysteries　of　the　Divine　Isis；　Master　of　the　MysteriesHereditary

Priest　of　the　Pyramids；　which　are　by　Memphis；　Instructed　in　the　Solemn

Rites　of　the　Holy　Osiris。　Is　there　any　among　you　who　has　aught　to　urge

against　the　true　line　of　his　blood？〃



He　paused；　and　my　uncle　Sepa；　rising　from　his　chair；　spoke：　〃We　have

made　examination　of　the　records　and　there　is　none；　O　Amenemhat。　He　is

of　the　Royal　blood；　his　descent　is　true。〃



〃Is　there　any　among　you；〃　went　on　my　father；　〃who　can　deny　that　this

royal　Harmachis；　by　sanction　of　the　very　Gods；　has　been　gathered　to

Isis；　been　shown　the　way　of　the　Osiris；　been　admitted　to　be　the

Hereditary　High　Priest　of　the　Pyramids　which　are　by　Memphis；　and　of

the　Temples　of　the　Pyramids？〃



Then　that　old　priest　rose　who　had　been　my　guide　in　the　Sanctuary　of

the　Mother　and　made　answer：　〃There　is　none；　O　Amenemhat；　I　know　these

things　of　my　own　knowledge。〃



Once　more　my　father　spoke：　〃Is　there　any　among　you　who　has　aught　to

urge　against　this　royal　Harmachis；　in　that　by　wickedness　of　heart　or

life；　by　uncleanliness　or　falsity；　it　is　not　fit　or　meet　that　we

should　crown　him　Lord　of　all　the　Lands？〃



Then　an　aged　Prince　of　Memphis　arose　and　made　answer：



〃We　have　inquired　of　these　matters：　there　is　none；　O　Amenemhat。〃



〃It　is　well；〃　said　my　father；　〃then　naught　is　wanting　in　the　Prince

Harmachis；　seed　of　Nekt…nebf；　the　Osirian。　Let　the　woman　Atoua　stand

forth　and　tell　this　company　those　things　that　came　to　pass　when；　at

the　hour　of　her　death；　she　who　was　my　wife　prophesied　over　this

Prince；　being　filled　with　the　Spirit　of　the　Hathors。〃



Thereon　old　Atoua　crept　forward　from　the　shadow　of　the　columns；　and

earnestly　told　those　things　that　have　been　written。



〃Ye　have　heard；〃　said　my　father：　〃do　you　believe　that　the　woman　who

was　my　wife　spake　with　the　Divine　voice？〃



〃We　do；〃　they　answered。



Now　my　uncle　Sepa　rose　and　spoke：



〃Royal　Harmachis；　thou　hast　heard。　Know　now　that　we　are　gathered　here

to　crown　thee　King　of　the　Upper　and　the　Lower　Landsthy　holy　father；

Amenemhat；　renouncing　all　his　right　on　thy　behalf。　We　are　met；　not；

indeed；　in　that　pomp　and　ceremony　which　is　due　to　the　occasionfor

what　we　do　must　be　done　in　secret；　lest　our　lives；　and　the　cause　that

is　more　dear　to　us　than　life；　should　pay　the　forfeitbut　yet　with

such　dignity　and　observance　of　the　ancient　rites　as　our　circumstance

may　command。　Learn；　now；　how　this　matter　hangs；　and　if；　after

learning；　thy　mind　consents　thereto；　then　mount　thy　throne；　O　Pharaoh

and　swear　the　oath！



〃Long　has　Khe