cleopatra-第21节

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a　pillow　for　her　head；　and　one　hung　down　towards　the　ground。　Her　rich

lips　were　parted　in　a　smile；　showing　the　ivory　lines　of　teeth；　and　her

rosy　limbs　were　draped　in　so　thin　a　robe　of　the　silk　of　Cos；　held

about　her　by　a　jewelled　girdle；　that　the　white　gleam　of　flesh　shone

through　it。　I　stood　astonished；　and　though　my　thoughts　had　little　bent

that　way；　the　sight　of　her　beauty　struck　me　like　a　blow；　so　that　for　a

moment　I　lost　myself　as　it　were　in　the　vision　of　its　power；　and　was

grieved　at　heart　because　I　must　slay　so　fair　a　thing。



Turning　suddenly　from　the　sight；　I　found　Charmion　watching　me　with　her

quick　eyeswatching　as　though　she　would　search　my　heart。　And；　indeed；

something　of　my　thought　must　have　been　written　on　my　face　in　a

language　that　she　could　read；　for　she　whispered　in　my　ear：



〃Ay；　it　is　pity；　is　it　not？　Harmachis；　being　but　a　man；　methinks　that

thou　wilt　need　all　thy　ghostly　strength　to　nerve　thee　to　the　deed！〃



I　frowned；　but　before　I　could　frame　an　answer　she　touched　me　lightly

on　the　arm　and　pointed　to　the　Queen。　A　change　had　come　upon　her：　her

hands　were　clenched；　and　about　her　face；　all　rosy　with　the　hue　of

sleep；　gathered　a　cloud　of　fear。　Her　breath　came　quick；　she　raised　her

arms　as　though　to　ward　away　a　blow；　then　with　a　stifled　moan　sat　up

and　opened　the　windows　of　her　eyes。　They　were　dark；　dark　as　night；　but

when　the　light　found　them　they　grew　blue　as　the　sky　grows　blue　before

the　blushing　of　the　dawn。



〃C？sarion？〃　she　said；　〃where　is　my　son　C？sarion？Was　it　then　a　dream？

I　dreamed　that　JuliusJulius　who　is　deadcame　to　me；　a　bloody　toga

wrapped　about　his　face；　and　having　thrown　his　arms　about　his　child　led

him　away。　Then　I　dreamed　I　dieddied　in　blood　and　agony；　and　one　I

might　not　see　mocked　me　as　I　died。　/Ah！/　who　is　that　man？〃



〃Peace；　Madam！　peace！〃　said　Charmion。　〃It　is　but　the　magician

Harmachis；　whom　thou　didst　bid　me　bring　to　thee　at　this　hour。〃



〃Ah！　the　magicianthat　Harmachis　who　overthrew　the　giant？　I　remember

now。　He　is　welcome。　Tell　me；　Sir　Magician；　can　thy　magic　mirror　call

forth　an　answer　to　this　dream？　Nay；　how　strange　a　thing　is　Sleep；　that

wrapping　the　mind　in　a　web　of　darkness；　straightly　compels　it　to　its

will！　Whence；　then；　come　those　images　of　fear　rising　on　the　horizon　of

the　soul　like　some　untimely　moon　upon　a　midday　sky？　Who　grants　them

power　to　stalk　so　lifelike　from　Memory's　halls；　and；　pointing　to　their

wounds；　thus　confront　the　Present　with　the　Past？　Are　they；　then；

messengers？　Does　the　half…death　of　sleep　give　them　foothold　in　our

brains；　and　thus　upknit　the　cut　thread　of　human　kinship？　That　was

C？sar's　self；　I　tell　thee；　who　but　now　stood　at　my　side　and　murmured

through　his　muffled　robe　warning　words　of　which　the　memory　is　lost　to

me。　Read　me　this　riddle；　thou　Egyptian　Sphinx；＇*＇　and　I'll　show　thee　a

rosier　path　to　fortune　than　all　thy　stars　can　point。　Thou　hast　brought

the　omen；　solve　thou　its　problem。〃



＇*＇　Alluding　to　his　name。　Harmachis　was　the　Grecian　title　of　the

　　　　divinity　of　the　Sphinx；　as　Horemkhu　was　the　Egyptian。Editor。



〃I　come　in　a　good　hour；　most　mighty　Queen；〃　I　answered；　〃for　I　have

some　skill　in　the　mysteries　of　Sleep；　that　is；　as　thou　hast　rightly

guessed；　a　stair　by　which　those　who　are　gathered　to　Osiris　may　from

time　to　time　enter　at　the　gateways　of　our　living　sense；　and；　by　signs

and　words　that　can　be　read　of　instructed　mortals；　repeat　the　echoes　of

that　Hall　of　Truth　which　is　their　habitation。　Yes；　Sleep　is　a　stair　by

which　the　messengers　of　the　guardian　Gods　may　descend　in　many　shapes

upon　the　spirit　of　their　choice。　For；　O　Queen；　to　those　who　hold　the

key；　the　madness　of　our　dreams　can　show　a　clearer　purpose　and　speak

more　certainly　than　all　the　acted　wisdom　of　our　waking　life；　which　is

a　dream　indeed。　Thou　didst　see　great　C？sar　in　his　bloody　robe；　and　he

threw　his　arms　about　the　Prince　C？sarion　and　led　him　hence。　Hearken

now　to　the　secret　of　thy　vision。　It　was　C？sar's　self　thou　sawest

coming　to　thy　side　from　Amenti　in　such　a　guise　as　might　not　be

mistaken。　When　he　embraced　the　child　C？sarion　he　did　it　for　a　sign

that　to　him；　and　him　alone；　had　passed　his　greatness　and　his　love。

When　he　seemed　to　lead　him　hence　he　led　him　forth　from　Egypt　to　be

crowned　in　the　Capitol；　crowned　the　Emperor　of　Rome　and　Lord　of　all

the　Lands。　For　the　rest；　I　know　not。　It　is　hid　from　me。〃



Thus；　then；　I　read　the　vision；　though　to　my　sense　it　had　a　darker

meaning。　But　it　is　not　well　to　prophesy　evil　unto　Kings。



Meanwhile　Cleopatra　had　risen；　and；　having　thrown　back　the　gnat　gauze；

was　seated　upon　the　edge　of　her　couch；　her　eyes　fixed　upon　my　face；

while　her　fingers　played　with　her　girdle's　jewelled　ends。



〃Of　a　truth；〃　she　cried；　〃thou　art　the　best　of　all　magicians；　for　thou

readest　my　heart；　and　drawest　a　hidden　sweet　out　of　the　rough　shell　of

evil　omen！〃



〃Ay；　O　Queen；〃　said　Charmion；　who　stood　by　with　downcast　eyes；　and　I

thought　that　there　was　bitter　meaning　in　her　soft　tones；　〃may　no

rougher　words　ever　affront　thy　ears；　and　no　evil　presage　tread　less

closely　upon　its　happy　sense。〃



Cleopatra　placed　her　hands　behind　her　head　and；　leaning　back；　looked

at　me　with　half…shut　eyes。



〃Come；　show　us　of　thy　magic；　Egyptian；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　yet　hot

abroad；　and　I　am　weary　of　those　Hebrew　Ambassadors　and　their　talk　of

Herod　and　Jerusalem。　I　hate　that　Herod；　as　he　shall　findand　will

have　none　of　the　Ambassadors　to…day；　though　I　yearn　a　little　to　try　my

Hebrew　on　them。　What　canst　thou　do？　Hast　thou　no　new　trick？　By

Serapis！　if　thou　canst　conjure　as　well　as　thou　canst　prophesy；　thou

shalt　have　a　place　at　Court；　with　pay　and　perquisites　to　boot；　if　thy

lofty　soul　does　not　scorn　perquisites。〃



〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃all　tricks　are　old；　but　there　are　some　forms　of

magic　to　be　rarely　used；　and　with　discretion；　that　may　be　new　to　thee；

O　Queen！　Art　thou　afraid　to　venture　on　the　charm？〃



〃I　fear　nothing；　go　on　and　do　thy　worst。　Come；　Charmion；　and　sit　by

me。　But；　stay；　where　are　all　the　girls？Iras　and　Merira？they；　too；

love　magic。〃



〃Not　so；〃　I　said；　〃the　charms　work　ill　before　so　many。　Now　behold！〃

and；　gazing　at　the　twain；　I　cast　my　wand　upon　the　marble　and　murmured

a　spell。　For　a　moment　it　was　still；　and　then；　as　I　muttered；　the　rod

slowly　began　to　writhe。　It　bent　itself；　it　stood　on　end；　and　moved　of

its　own　motion。　Next　it　put　on　scales；　and　behold　it　was　a　serpent

that　crawled　and　fiercely　hissed。



〃Fie　on　thee！〃　cried　Cleopatra；　clapping　her　hands；　〃callest　thou　that

magic？　Why；　it　is　an　old　trick　that　any　wayside　conjurer　can　do。　I

have　seen　it　a　score　of　times。〃



〃Wait；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered；　〃thou　hast　not　seen　all。〃　And；　as　I

spoke；　the　serpent　seemed　to　break　in　fragments；　and　from　each

fragment　grew　a　new　serpent。　And　these；　too；　broke　in　fragments　and

bred　others；　till　in　a　little　while　the　place；　to　their　glamoured

sight；　was　a　seething　sea　of　snakes；　that　crawled；　hissed；　and　knotted

themselves　in　knots。　Then　I　made　a　sign；　and　the　serpents　gathered

themselves　round　me；　and　seemed　slowly　to　twine　themselves　about　my

body　and　my　limbs；　till；　save　my　face；　I　was　wreathed　thick　with

hissing　snakes。



〃Oh；　horrible！　horrible！〃　cried　Charmion；　hiding　her　countenance　in

the　skirt　of　the　Queen's　garment。



〃Nay；　enough；　Magician；　enough！〃　said　the　Queen：　〃thy　magic　overwhelms

us。〃



I　waved　my　snake…wrapped　arms；　and　all　was　gone。　There　at　my　feet　lay

the　black　wand　tipped　with　ivory；　and　naught　beside。



The　two　women　looked　upon　each　other　and　gasped　with　wonder。　But　I

took　up　the　wand　and　stood　with　folded　arms　before　them。



〃Is　the　Queen　content　with　my　poor　art？〃　I　asked　most　humbly。



〃Ay；　that　I　am；　Egyptian；　never　did　I　see　its　like！　Thou　art　Court

astronomer　from　this　day　forward；　with　right　of　access　to　the　Queen's

presence。　Hast　thou　more　of　such　magic　at　thy　call？〃



〃Yea；　royal　Egypt；　suffer　that　the　chamber　be　a　little　darkened；　and　I

will　show　thee　one　more　thing。〃



〃Half　am　I　afraid；〃　she　answered；　〃nevertheless　do　thou　as　this

Harmachis　says；　Charmion。〃



So　the　curtains　were　drawn　and　the　chamber　made　as　though　the　twilight

were　at　hand。　I　came　forward；　and　stood　beside　Cleopatra。　〃Gaze　thou

there！〃　I　said　sternly；　pointing　with　my　wand　to　the　empty　space　where

I　had　been；　〃and　thou　shalt　behold　that　which　is　in　thy　mind。〃



Then　for　a　little　space　was　silence；　while　the　two　women　gazed　fixedly

and　half　fearful　at　the　spot。



And　as　they　gazed　a　cloud　gathered　before　them。　Very　slowly　it　took

shape　and　form；　and　the　form　it　took　was　the　form　of　a　man；　though　as

yet　he　was　but　vaguely　mapped　upon　the　twilight；　and　seemed　now　to

grow　and　now　to　melt　away。



Then　I　cried　with　a　loud　voice：



〃Spirit；　I　conjure　thee；　/appear！/〃



And　as　I　cried　the　Thing；　perfect　in　every　part；　leapt　into　form

before　us；　suddenly　as　the　flash　of　day。　His　shape　was　the　shape　of

royal　C？sar；