cleopatra-第20节

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



〃Why；〃　he　cried；　in　the　Latin　tongue；　to　one　who　came　with　him；　〃this

is　the　fellow　who　wrestled　yesterday　with　the　Nubian　gladiator；　that

same　who　now　howls　for　his　lost　hand　underneath　my　window。　Curses　on

the　black　brute！　I　had　a　bet　upon　him　for　the　games！　I　have　backed　him

against　Caius；　and　now　he'll　never　fight　again；　and　I　must　lose　my

money；　all　through　this　astrologer。　What　is　it　thou　sayest？thou　hast

business　with　the　Lady　Charmion？　Nay；　then；　that　settles　it。　I　will

not　let　thee　through。　Fellow；　I　worship　the　Lady　Charmionay；　we　all

worship　her；　though　she　gives　us　more　slaps　than　sighs。　And　dost　thou

think　that　we　will　suffer　an　astrologer　with　such　eyes　and　such　a

chest　as　thine　to　cut　in　the　game？by　Bacchus；　no！　She　must　come　out

to　keep　the　tryst；　for　in　thou　shalt　not　go。〃



〃Sir；〃　I　said　humbly　and　yet　with　dignity；　〃I　pray　that　a　message　may

be　sent　to　the　Lady　Charmion；　for　my　business　will　not　brook　delay。〃



〃Ye　Gods！〃　answered　the　fool；　〃whom　have　we　here　that　he　cannot　wait？

A　C？sar　in　disguise？　Nay；　be　offbe　off！　if　thou　wouldst　not　learn

how　a　spear…prick　feels　behind。〃



〃Nay；〃　put　in　the　other　officer；　〃he　is　an　astrologer；　make　him

prophesymake　him　play　tricks。〃



〃Ay；〃　cried　the　others　who　had　sauntered　up；　〃let　the　fellow　show　his

art。　If　he　is　a　magician　he　can　pass　the　gates；　Paulus　or　no　Paulus。〃



〃Right　willingly；　good　Sirs；〃　I　answered；　for　I　saw　no　other　means　of

entering。　〃Wilt　thou；　my　young　and　noble　Lord〃and　I　addressed　him

who　was　with　Paulus〃suffer　that　I　look　thee　in　the　eyes；　perhaps　I

may　read　what　is　written　there？〃



〃Right；〃　answered　the　youth；　〃but　I　wish　that　the　Lady　Charmion　was

the　sorceress。　I　would　stare　her　out　of　countenance；　I　warrant。〃



I　took　him　by　the　hand　and　gazed　deep　into　his　eyes。　〃I　see；〃　I　said；

〃a　field　of　battle　at　night；　and　about　it　bodies　stretchedamong　them

is　/thy/　body；　and　a　hyena　tears　its　throat。　Most　noble　Sir；　thou

shalt　die　by　sword…thrusts　within　a　year。〃



〃By　Bacchus！〃　said　the　youth；　turning　white　to　the　gills；　〃thou　art　an

ill…omened　sorcerer！〃　And　he　slunk　offshortly　afterwards；　as　it

chanced；　to　meet　this　very　fate。　For　he　was　sent　on　service　and　slain

in　Cyprus。



〃Now　for　thee；　great　Captain！〃　I　said；　speaking　to　Paulus。　〃I　will

show　thee　how　I　will　pass　those　gates　without　thy　leaveay；　and　draw

thee　through　them　after　me。　Be　pleased　to　fix　thy　princely　gaze　upon

the　point　of　this　wand　in　my　hand。〃



Being　urged　by　his　comrades　he　did　this；　unwillingly；　and　I　let　him

gaze　till　I　saw　his　eyes　grow　empty　as　an　owl's　eyes　in　the　sun。　Then

I　suddenly　withdrew　the　wand；　and；　shifting　my　countenance　into　the

place　of　it；　I　seized　him　with　my　will　and　stare；　and；　beginning　to

turn　round　and　round；　drew　him　after　me；　his　fierce　face　drawn　fixed；

as　it　were；　almost　to　my　own。　Then　I　moved　slowly　backwards　till　I　had

passed　the　gates；　still　drawing　him　after　me；　and　suddenly　jerked　my

head　away。　He　fell　to　the　ground；　to　rise　wiping　his　brow　and　looking

very　foolish。



〃Art　thou　content；　most　noble　Captain？〃　I　said。　〃Thou　seest　we　have

passed　the　gates。　Would　any　other　noble　Sir　wish　that　I　should　show

more　of　my　skill？〃



〃By　Taranis；　Lord　of　Thunder；　and　all　the　Gods　of　Olympus　thrown　in；

no！〃　growled　an　old　Centurion；　a　Gaul　named　Brennus；　〃I　like　thee　not；

I　say。　The　man　who　could　drag　our　Paulus　through　those　gates　by　the

eye；　as　it　were；　is　not　a　man　to　play　with。　Paulus；　too；　who　always

goes　the　way　you　don't　want　himbackwards；　like　an　assPaulus！　Why；

sirrah；　thou　needst　must　have　a　woman　in　one　eye　and　a　wine…cup　in　the

other　to　draw　our　Paulus　thus。〃



At　this　moment　the　talk　was　broken；　for　Charmion　herself　came　down　the

marble　path；　followed　by　an　armed　slave。　She　walked　calm　and

carelessly；　her　hands　folded　behind　her；　and　her　eyes　gazing　at

nothingness；　as　it　were。　But　it　was　when　Charmion　thus　looked　upon

nothing　that　she　saw　most。　And　as　she　came　the　officers　and　men　of　the

guard　made　way　for　her　bowing；　for；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　this

girl；　next　to　Cleopatra's　self；　wielded　more　power　than　anyone　about

the　palace。



〃What　is　this　tumult；　Brennus？〃　she　said；　speaking　to　the　Centurion；

and　making　as　if　she　saw　me　not；　〃knowest　thou　not　that　the　Queen

sleeps　at　this　hour；　and　if　she　be　awakened　it　is　thou　who　must　answer

for　it；　and　that　dearly？〃



〃Nay；　Lady；〃　said　the　Centurion；　humbly；　〃but　it　is　thus。　We　have

here〃and　he　jerked　his　thumb　towards　me〃a　magician　of　the　most

pestilentum；　I　crave　his　pardonof　the　very　best　sort；　for　he　hath

but　just　now；　only　by　placing　his　eyes　close　to　the　nose　of　the　worthy

Captain　Paulus；　dragged　him；　the　said　Paulus；　through　the　gates　that

Paulus　swore　the　magician　should　not　pass。　By　the　same　token；　lady；

the　magician　says　that　he　has　business　with　youwhich　grieves　me　for

your　sake。〃



Charmion　turned　and　looked　at　me　carelessly。　〃Ay；　I　remember；〃　she

said；　〃and　so　he　hasat　least；　the　Queen　would　see　his　tricks；　but　if

he　can　do　none　better　than　cause　a　sot〃here　she　cast　a　glance　of

scorn　at　the　wondering　Paulus〃to　follow　his　nose　through　the　gates

he　guards；　he　had　better　go　whence　he　came。　Follow　me；　Sir　Magician；

and　for　thee；　Brennus；　I　say；　keep　thy　riotous　crew　more　quiet。　For

thee；　most　honourable　Paulus；　get　thee　sober；　and　next　time　I　am　asked

for　at　the　gates　give　him　who　asks　a　hearing。〃　And；　with　a　queenly　nod

of　her　small　head；　she　turned　and　led　the　way；　followed　at　a　distance

by　myself　and　the　armed　slave。



We　passed　up　the　marble　walk　which　runs　through　the　garden　grounds；

and　is　set　on　either　side　with　marble　statues；　for　the　most　part　of

heathen　Gods　and　Goddesses；　with　which　these　Lagid？　were　not　ashamed

to　defile　their　royal　dwellings。　At　length　we　came　to　a　beautiful

portico　with　fluted　columns　of　the　Grecian　style　of　art；　where　we

found　more　guards；　who　made　way　for　the　Lady　Charmion。　Crossing　the

portico　we　reached　a　marble　vestibule　where　a　fountain　splashed

softly；　and　thence　by　a　low　doorway　a　second　chamber；　known　as　the

Alabaster　Hall；　most　beautiful　to　see。　Its　roof　was　upheld　by　light

columns　of　black　marble；　but　all　its　walls　were　panelled　with

alabaster；　on　which　Grecian　legends　were　engraved。　Its　floor　was　of

rich　and　many…hued　mosaic　that　told　the　tale　of　the　passion　of　Psyche

for　the　Grecian　God　of　Love；　and　about　it　were　set　chairs　of　ivory　and

gold。　Charmion　bade　the　armed　slave　stay　at　the　doorway　of　this

chamber；　so　that　we　passed　in　alone；　for　the　place　was　empty　except

for　two　eunuchs　who　stood　with　drawn　swords　before　the　curtain　at　the

further　end。



〃I　am　vexed；　my　Lord；〃　she　said；　speaking　very　low　and　shyly；　〃that

thou　shouldst　have　met　with　such　affronts　at　the　gate；　but　the　guard

there　served　a　double　watch；　and　I　had　given　my　commands　to　the

officer　of　the　company　that　should　have　relieved　it。　Those　Roman

officers　are　ever　insolent；　who；　though　they　seem　to　serve；　know　well

that　Egypt　is　their　plaything。　But　it　is　not　amiss；　for　these　rough

soldiers　are　superstitious；　and　will　fear　thee。　Now　bide　thou　here

while　I　go　into　Cleopatra's　chamber；　where　she　sleeps。　I　have　but　just

sung　her　to　sleep；　and　if　she　be　awake　I　will　call　thee；　for　she　waits

thy　coming。〃　And　without　more　words　she　glided　from　my　side。



In　a　little　time　she　returned；　and　coming　to　me　spoke：



〃Wouldst　see　the　fairest　woman　in　all　the　world；　asleep？〃　she

whispered；　〃if　so；　follow　me。　Nay；　fear　not；　when　she　awakes　she　will

but　laugh；　for　she　bade　me　be　sure　to　bring　thee　instantly；　whether

she　slept　or　woke。　See；　I　have　her　signet。〃



So　we　passed　up　the　beautiful　chamber　till　we　came　to　where　the

eunuchs　stood　with　drawn　swords；　and　these　would　have　barred　my　entry。

But　Charmion　frowned；　and　drawing　the　signet　from　her　bosom　held　it

before　their　eyes。　Having　examined　the　writing　that　was　on　the　ring；

they　bowed；　dropping　their　sword　points　and　we　passed　through　the

heavy　curtains　broidered　with　gold　into　the　resting…place　of

Cleopatra。　It　was　beautiful　beyond　imaginingbeautiful　with　many

coloured　marbles；　with　gold　and　ivory；　gems　and　flowersall　art　can

furnish　and　all　luxury　can　dream　of　were　here。　Here　were　pictures　so

real　that　birds　might　have　pecked　the　painted　fruits；　here　were

statues　of　woman's　loveliness　frozen　into　stone；　here　were　draperies

fine　as　softest　silk；　but　woven　of　a　web　of　gold；　here　were　couches

and　carpets　such　as　I　never　saw。　The　air；　too；　was　sweet　with　perfume；

while　through　the　open　window　places　came　the　far　murmur　of　the　sea。

And　at　the　further　end　of　the　chamber；　on　a　couch　of　gleaming　silk　and

sheltered　by　a　net　of　finest　gauze；　Cleopatra　lay　asleep。　There　she

laythe　fairest　thing　that　man　ever　sawfairer　than　a　dream；　and　the

web　of　her　dark　hair　flowed　all　about　her。　One　white；　rounded　arm　made

a　pillow　for　her　head；　and　one　hung　down　towar