cleopatra-第19节

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She　ceased　weeping；　wiping　her　eyes　with　her　chiton；　and　I　saw　that

they　seemed　but　the　softer　for　her　tears。



〃Methinks；　most　royal　Harmachis；　and　beloved　Cousin；〃　she　said；　as　she

bent　before　me；　〃that　we　are　already　made　acquainted。〃



〃Yea；　Cousin；〃　I　answered；　not　without　shamefacedness；　for　I　had　never

before　spoken　to　so　fair　a　maid；　〃thou　wert　in　the　chariot　with

Cleopatra　this　day　when　I　struggled　with　the　Nubian？〃



〃Assuredly；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　and　a　sudden　lighting　of　the　eyes；

〃it　was　a　gallant　fight　and　gallantly　didst　thou　overthrow　that　black

brute。　I　saw　the　fray　and；　though　I　knew　thee　not；　I　greatly　feared

for　one　so　brave。　But　I　paid　him　for　my　fright；　for　it　was　I　who　put

it　into　the　mind　of　Cleopatra　to　bid　the　guards　strike　off　his　hand

now；　knowing　who　thou　art；　I　would　I　had　said　his　head。〃　And　she

looked　up　shooting　a　glance　at　me　and　then　smiled。



〃Enough；〃　put　in　my　uncle　Sepa；　〃the　time　draws　on。　Tell　thou　thy

mission；　Charmion；　and　be　gone。〃



Then　her　manner　changed；　she　folded　her　hands　meekly　before　her　and

spoke：



〃Let　Pharaoh　hearken　to　his　handmaiden。　I　am　the　daughter　of　Pharaoh's

uncle；　the　brother　of　his　father；　who　is　now　long　dead；　and　therefore

in　my　veins　also　flows　the　Royal　blood　of　Egypt。　Also　I　am　of　the

ancient　Faith；　and　hate　these　Greeks；　and　to　see　thee　set　upon　the

throne　has　been　my　dearest　hope　now　for　many　years。　To　this　end　I；

Charmion；　have　put　aside　my　rank　and　become　serving…woman　to

Cleopatra；　that　I　might　cut　a　notch　in　which　thou　couldst　set　thy　foot

when　the　hour　came　for　thee　to　climb　the　throne。　And；　Pharaoh；　the

notch　is　cut。



〃This　then　is　our　plot；　royal　Cousin。　Thou　must　gain　an　entrance　to

the　Household　and　learn　its　ways　and　secrets；　and；　so　far　as　may　be；

suborn　the　eunuchs　and　captains；　some　of　whom　I　have　already　tempted。

This　done；　and　all　things　being　prepared　without；　thou　must　slay

Cleopatra；　and；　aided　by　me　with　those　whom　I　control；　in　the

confusion　that　shall　ensue；　throw　wide　the　gates；　and；　admitting　those

of　our　party　who　are　in　waiting；　put　such　of　the　troops　as　remain

faithful　to　the　sword　and　seize　the　Bruchium。　Which　being　finished；

within　two　days　thou　shalt　hold　this　fickle　Alexandria。　At　the　same

time　those　who　are　sworn　to　thee　in　every　city　of　Egypt　shall　rise　in

arms；　and　in　ten　days　from　the　death　of　Cleopatra　thou　shalt　indeed　be

Pharaoh。　This　is　the　counsel　which　has　been　taken；　and　thou　seest；

royal　Cousin；　that；　though　our　uncle　yonder　thinks　so　ill　of　me；　I

have　learned　my　partay；　and　played　it。〃



〃I　hear　thee；　Cousin；〃　I　answered；　marvelling　that　so　young　a　woman

she　had　but　twenty　yearscould　weave　so　bold　a　plot；　for　in　its

origin　the　scheme　was　hers。　But　in　those　days　I　little　knew　Charmion。

〃Go　on；　how　then　shall　I　gain　entrance　to　the　palace　of　Cleopatra？〃



〃Nay；　Cousin；　as　things　are　it　is　easy。　Thus：　Cleopatra　loves　to　look

upon　a　man；　andgive　me　pardonthy　face　and　form　are　fair。　To…day

she　noted　them；　and　twice　she　said　she　would　she　had　asked　where　that

astrologer　might　be　found；　for　she　held　that　an　astrologer　who　could

wellnigh　slay　a　Nubian　gladiator　with　his　bare　hands；　must　indeed　be　a

master　of　the　fortunate　stars。　I　answered　her　that　I　would　cause

inquiry　to　be　made。　So　hearken；　royal　Harmachis。　At　midday　Cleopatra

sleeps　in　her　inner　hall　which　looks　over　the　gardens　to　the　harbour。

At　that　hour　to…morrow；　then；　I　will　meet　thee　at　the　gates　of　the

palace；　whither　thou　shalt　come　boldly　asking　for　the　Lady　Charmion。　I

will　make　appointment　for　thee　with　Cleopatra；　so　that　she　shall　see

thee　alone　when　she　wakes；　and　the　rest　shall　be　for　thee；　Harmachis。

For　much　she　loves　to　play　with　the　mysteries　of　magic；　and　I　have

known　her　stand　whole　nights　watching　the　stars　and　making　a　pretence

to　read　them。　And　but　lately　she　has　sent　away　Dioscorides　the

physician；　because；　poor　fool！　he　ventured　on　a　prophecy　from　the

conjunction　of　the　stars；　that　Cassius　would　defeat　Mark　Antony。

Thereon　Cleopatra　sent　orders　to　the　General　Allienus；　bidding　him　add

the　legions　she　had　sent　to　Syria　to　help　Antony　to　the　army　of

Cassius；　whose　victory；　forsooth；　wasaccording　to　Dioscorides

written　on　the　stars。　But；　as　it　chanced；　Antony　beat　Cassius　first

and　Brutus　afterwards；　and　so　Dioscorides　has　departed；　and　now　he

lectures　on　herbs　in　the　museum　for　his　bread；　and　hates　the　name　of

stars。　But　his　place　is　empty；　and　thou　shalt　fill　it；　and　then　we

will　work　in　secret　and　in　the　shadow　of　the　sceptre。　Ay；　we　will　work

like　the　worm　at　the　heart　of　a　fruit；　till　the　time　of　plucking

comes；　and　at　thy　dagger's　touch；　royal　Cousin；　the　fabric　of　this

Grecian　throne　crumbles　to　nothingness；　and　the　worm　that　rotted　it

bursts　his　servile　covering；　and；　in　the　sight　of　empires；　spreads　his

royal　wings　o'er　Egypt。〃



I　gazed　at　this　strange　girl　once　more　astonished；　and　saw　that　her

face　was　lit　up　with　such　a　light　as　I　had　never　seen　in　the　eyes　of

woman。



〃Ah；〃　broke　in　my　uncle；　who　was　watching　her；　〃ah；　I　love　to　see　thee

so；　girl；　there　is　the　Charmion　that　I　knew　and　I　bred　upnot　the

Court　girl　whom　I　like　not；　draped　in　silks　of　Cos　and　fragrant　with

essences。　Let　thy　heart　harden　in　this　moulday；　stamp　it　with　the

fervid　zeal　of　patriot　faith；　and　thy　reward　shall　find　thee。　And　now

cover　up　that　shameless　dress　of　thine　and　leave　us；　for　it　grows

late。　To…morrow　Harmachis　shall　come；　as　thou　hast　said；　and　so

farewell。〃



Charmion　bowed　her　head；　and；　turning；　wrapped　her　dark…hued　peplos

round　her。　Then；　taking　my　hand；　she　touched　it　with　her　lips　and　went

without　any　further　word。



〃A　strange　woman！〃　said　Sepa；　when　she　had　gone；　〃a　most　strange

woman；　and　an　uncertain！〃



〃Methought；　my　uncle；〃　I　said；　〃that　thou　wast　somewhat　harsh　with

her。〃



〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　〃but　not　without　a　cause。　Look　thou；　Harmachis；

beware　of　this　Charmion。　She　is　too　wayward；　and；　I　fear　me；　may　be

led　away。　In　truth；　she　is　a　very　woman；　and；　like　a　restive　horse；

will　take　the　path　that　pleases　her。　She　has　brain　and　fire；　and　she

loves　our　cause；　but　I　pray　that　the　cause　come　not　face　to　face　with

her　desires；　for　what　her　heart　is　set　on　that　will　she　do；　at　any

cost　she　will　do　it。　Therefore　I　frightened　her　now　while　I　may：　for

who　can　know　but　that　she　will　pass　beyond　my　power？　I　tell　thee；　that

in　this　one　girl's　hand　lie　all　our　lives：　and　if　she　play　us　false；

what　then？　Alas！　and　alas！　that　we　must　use　such　tools　as　these！　But

it　was　needful：　there　was　no　other　way；　and　yet　I　misdoubted　me。　I

pray　that　it　may　be　well；　still；　at　times；　I　fear　my　niece　Charmion

she　is　too　fair；　and　the　blood　of　youth　runs　too　warm　in　those　blue

veins　of　hers。



〃Ah；　woe　to　the　cause　that　builds　its　strength　upon　a　woman's　faith；

for　women　are　faithful　only　where　they　love；　and　when　they　love　their

faithlessness　becomes　their　faith。　They　are　not　fixed　as　men　are

fixed：　they　rise　more　high　and　sink　more　lowthey　are　strong　and

changeful　as　the　sea。　Harmachis；　beware　of　this　Charmion：　for；　like

the　ocean；　she　may　float　thee　home；　or；　like　the　ocean；　she　may　wreck

thee；　and；　with　thee；　the　hope　of　Egypt！〃







CHAPTER　III



OF　THE　COMING　OF　HARMACHIS　TO　THE　PALACE；　OF　HOW　HE　DREW

PAULUS　THROUGH　THE　GATES；　OF　CLEOPATRA　SLEEPING；　AND　OF　THE

MAGIC　OF　HARMACHIS　WHICH　HE　SHOWED　HER



Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　on　the　next　day　I　arrayed　myself　in　a　long

and　flowing　robe；　after　the　fashion　of　a　magician　or　astrologer。　I

placed　a　cap　on　my　head；　about　which　were　broidered　images　of　the

stars；　and　in　my　belt　a　scribe's　palette　and　a　roll　of　papyrus　written

over　with　magic　spells　and　signs。　In　my　hand　I　held　a　wand　of　ebony；

tipped　with　ivory；　such　as　is　used　by　priests　and　masters　of　magic。

Among　these；　indeed；　I　took　high　rank；　filling　my　knowledge　of　their

secrets　which　I　had　learned　at　Annu　what　I　lacked　in　that　skill　which

comes　from　use。　And　so　with　no　small　shame；　for　I　love　not　such　play

and　hold　this　common　magic　in　contempt；　I　set　forth　through　the

Bruchium　to　the　palace　on　the　Lochias；　being　guided　on　my　way　by　my

uncle　Sepa。　At　length；　passing　up　the　avenue　of　sphinxes；　we　came　to

the　great　marble　gateway　and　the　gates　of　bronze；　within　which　is　the

guard…house。　Here　my　uncle　left　me；　breathing　many　prayers　for　my

safety　and　success。　But　I　advanced　with　an　easy　air　to　the　gate；　where

I　was　roughly　challenged　by　the　Gallic　sentries；　and　asked　of　my　name；

following；　and　business。　I　gave　my　name；　Harmachis；　the　astrologer；

saying　that　my　business　was　with　the　Lady　Charmion；　the　Queen's　lady。

Thereon　the　man　made　as　though　to　let　me　pass　in；　when　a　captain　of

the　guard；　a　Roman　named　Paulus；　came　forward　and　forbade　it。　Now；

this　Paulus　was　a　large　limbed　man；　with　a　woman's　face；　and　a　hand

that　shook　from　wine…bibbing。　Still　he　knew　me　again。



〃Why；〃　he　cried；　in　the　Latin　tongue；