cleopatra-第27节

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〃Yea；　Prince；〃　said　my　uncle；　〃but　his　beak　shows　through。　Not　in　vain

hath　Egypt　brooded　all　these　years；　if　thou　fail　not　with　that　dagger…

stroke　of　thine　to…night；　and　how　canst　thou　fail？　Nothing　can　now

stop　our　course　to　victory！〃



〃It　is　on　the　knees　of　the　Gods；〃　I　answered。



〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃the　Gods　have　placed　the　issue　in　the　hands　of　a

mortalin　thy　hands；　Harmachis！and　there　it　is　safe。　See：　here　are

the　last　lists。　Thirty…one　thousand　men　who　bear　arms　are　sworn　to

rise　when　the　tidings　come　to　them。　Within　five　days　every　citadel　in

Egypt　will　be　in　our　hands；　and　then　what　have　we　to　fear？　From　Rome

but　little；　for　her　hands　are　full；　and；　besides；　we　will　make

alliance　with　the　Triumvirate；　and；　if　need　be；　buy　them　off。　For　of

money　there　is　plenty　in　the　land；　and　if　more　be　wanted　thou；

Harmachis；　knowest　where　it　is　stored　against　the　need　of　Khem；　and

outside　the　Roman's　reach　of　arm。　Who　is　there　to　harm　us？　There　is

none。　Perchance；　in　this　turbulent　city；　there　may　be　struggle；　and　a

counter…plot　to　bring　Arsino？　to　Egypt　and　set　her　on　the　throne。

Therefore　Alexandria　must　be　severely　dealt　withay；　even　to

destruction；　if　need　be。　As　for　Arsino？；　those　go　forth　to…morrow　on

the　news　of　the　Queen's　death　who　shall　slay　her　secretly。〃



〃There　remains　the　lad　C？sarion；〃　I　said。　〃Rome　might　claim　through

C？sar's　son；　and　the　child　of　Cleopatra　inherits　Cleopatra's　rights。

Here　is　a　double　danger。〃



〃Fear　not；〃　said　my　uncle；　〃to…morrow　C？sarion　joins　those　who　begat

him　in　Amenti。　I　have　made　provision。　The　Ptolemies　must　be　stamped

out；　so　that　no　shoot　shall　ever　spring　from　that　root　blasted　by

Heaven's　vengeance。〃



〃Is　there　no　other　means？〃　I　asked　sadly。　〃My　heart　is　sick　at　the

promise　of　this　red　rain　of　blood。　I　know　the　child　well；　he　has

Cleopatra's　fire　and　beauty　and　great　C？sar's　wit。　It　were　shame　to

murder　him。〃



〃Nay；　be　not　so　chicken…hearted；　Harmachis；〃　said　my　uncle；　sternly。

〃What　ails　thee；　then？　If　the　lad　is　thus；　the　more　reason　that　he

should　die。　Wouldst　thou　nurse　up　a　young　lion　to　tear　thee　from　the

throne？〃



〃Be　it　so；〃　I　answered；　sighing。　〃At　least　he　is　spared　much；　and　will

go　hence　innocent　of　evil。　Now　for　the　plans。〃



We　sat　long　taking　counsel；　till　at　length；　in　face　of　the　great

emergency　and　our　high　emprise；　I　felt　something　of　the　spirit　of

former　days　flow　back　into　my　heart。　At　the　last　all　was　ordered；　and

so　ordered　that　it　could　scarce　miscarry；　for　it　was　fixed　that　if　by

any　chance　I　could　not　come　to　slay　Cleopatra　on　this　night；　then　the

plot　should　hang　in　the　scale　till　the　morrow；　when　the　deed　must　be

done　upon　occasion。　For　the　death　of　Cleopatra　was　the　signal。　These

matters　being　finished；　once　more　we　stood　and；　our　hands　upon　the

sacred　symbol；　swore　the　oath　that　may　not　be　written。　And　then　my

uncle　kissed　me　with　tears　of　hope　and　joy　standing　in　his　keen　black

eyes。　He　blessed　me；　saying　that　he　would　gladly　give　his　life；　ay；

and　a　hundred　lives；　if　they　were　his；　if　he　might　but　live　to　see

Egypt　once　more　a　nation；　and　me；　Harmachis；　the　descendant　of　its

royal　and　ancient　blood；　seated　on　the　throne。　For　he　was　a　patriot

indeed；　asking　nothing　for　himself；　and　giving　all　things　to　his

cause。　And　I　kissed　him　in　turn；　and　thus　we　parted。　Nor　did　I　ever

see　him　more　in　the　flesh　who　has　earned　the　rest　that　as　yet　is

denied　to　me。



So　I　went；　and；　there　being　yet　time；　walked　swiftly　from　place　to

place　in　the　great　city；　taking　note　of　the　positions　of　the　gates　and

of　the　places　where　our　forces　must　be　gathered。　At　length　I　came　to

that　quay　where　I　had　landed；　and　saw　a　vessel　sailing　for　the　open

sea。　I　looked；　and　in　my　heaviness　of　heart　longed　that　I　were　aboard

of　her；　to　be　borne　by　her　white　wings　to　some　far　shore　where　I　might

live　obscure　and　die　forgotten。　Also　I　saw　another　vessel　that　had

dropped　down　the　Nile；　from　whose　deck　the　passengers　were　streaming。

For　a　moment　I　stood　watching　them；　idly　wondering　if　they　were　from

Abouthis；　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　familiar　voice　beside　me。



〃/La！　la！/〃　said　the　voice。　〃Why；　what　a　city　is　this　for　an　old　woman

to　seek　her　fortune　in！　And　how　shall　I　find　those　to　whom　I　am　known？

As　well　look　for　the　rush　in　the　papyrus…roll。＇*＇　Begone！　thou　knave！

and　let　my　basket　of　simples　lie；　or；　by　the　Gods；　I'll　doctor　thee

with　them！〃



＇*＇　Papyrus　was　manufactured　from　the　pith　of　rushes。　Hence　Atoua's

　　　　saying。Editor。



I　turned；　wondering；　and　found　myself　face　to　face　with　my　foster…

nurse；　Atoua。　She　knew　me　instantly；　for　I　saw　her　start；　but　in　the

presence　of　the　people　she　checked　her　surprise。



〃Good　Sir；〃　she　whined；　lifting　her　withered　countenance　towards　me；

and　at　the　same　time　making　the　secret　sign。　〃By　thy　dress　thou

shouldst　be　an　astronomer；　and　I　was　specially　told　to　avoid

astronomers　as　a　pack　of　lying　tricksters　who　worship　their　own　star

only；　and；　therefore；　I　speak　to　thee；　acting　on　the　principle　of

contraries；　which　is　law　to　us　women。　For　surely　in　this　Alexandria；

where　all　things　are　upside　down；　the　astronomers　may　be　the　honest

men；　since　the　rest　are　clearly　knaves。〃　And　then；　being　by　now　out　of

earshot　of　the　press；　〃royal　Harmachis；　I　am　come　charged　with　a

message　to　thee　from　thy　father　Amenemhat。〃



〃Is　he　well？〃　I　asked。



〃Yes；　he　is　well；　though　waiting　for　the　moment　tries　him　sorely。〃



〃And　his　message？〃



〃It　is　this。　He　sends　greeting　to　thee　and　with　it　warning　that　a

great　danger　threatens　thee；　though　he　cannot　read　it。　These　are　his

words：　'Be　steadfast　and　prosper。'〃



I　bowed　my　head　and　the　words　struck　a　new　chill　of　fear　into　my　soul。



〃When　is　the　time？〃　she　asked。



〃This　very　night。　Where　goest　thou？〃



〃To　the　house　of　the　honourable　Sepa；　Priest　of　Annu。　Canst　thou　guide

me　thither？〃



〃Nay；　I　may　not　stay；　nor　is　it　wise　that　I　should　be　seen　with　thee。

Hold！〃　and　I　called　a　porter　who　was　idling　on　the　quay；　and；　giving

him　a　piece　of　money；　bade　him　guide　the　old　wife　to　the　house。



〃Farewell；〃　she　whispered；　〃farewell　till　to…morrow。　Be　steadfast　and

prosper。〃



Then　I　turned　and　went　my　way　through　the　crowded　streets；　where　the

people　made　place　for　me；　the　astronomer　of　Cleopatra；　for　my　fame　had

spread　abroad。



And　even　as　I　went　my　footsteps　seemed　to　beat　/Be　steadfast；　Be

steadfast；　Be　steadfast/；　till　at　last　it　was　as　though　the　very

ground　cried　out　its　warning　to　me。







CHAPTER　VII



OF　THE　VEILED　WORDS　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　PASSING　OF　HARMACHIS

INTO　THE　PRESENCE　OF　CLEOPATRA；　AND　OF　THE　OVERTHROW　OF　HARMACHIS



It　was　night；　and　I　sat　alone　in　my　chamber；　waiting　the　moment　when；

as　it　was　agreed；　Charmion　should　summon　me　to　pass　down　to　Cleopatra。

I　sat　alone；　and　there　before　me　lay　the　dagger　that　was　to　pierce

her。　It　was　long　and　keen；　and　the　handle　was　formed　of　a　sphinx　of

solid　gold。　I　sat　alone；　questioning　the　future；　but　no　answer　came。

At　length　I　looked　up；　and　Charmion　stood　before　meCharmion；　no

longer　gay　and　bright；　but　pale　of　face　and　hollow…eyed。



〃Royal　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　〃Cleopatra　summons　thee；　presently　to

declare　to　her　the　voices　of　the　stars。〃



So　the　hour　had　fallen！



〃It　is　well；　Charmion；〃　I　answered。　〃Are　all　things　in　order？〃



〃Yea；　my　Lord；　all　things　are　in　order：　well　primed　with　wine；　Paulus

guards　the　gates；　the　eunuchs　are　withdrawn　save　one；　the　legionaries

sleep；　and　already　Sepa　and　his　force　lie　hid　without。　Nothing　has

been　neglected；　and　no　lamb　skipping　at　the　shamble　doors　can　be　more

innocent　of　its　doom　than　is　Queen　Cleopatra。〃



〃It　is　well；〃　I　said　again；　〃let　us　be　going；〃　and　rising；　I　placed

the　dagger　in　the　bosom　of　my　robe。　Taking　a　cup　of　wine　that　stood

near；　I　drank　deep　of　it；　for　I　had　scarce　tasted　food　all　that　day。



〃One　word；〃　Charmion　said　hurriedly；　〃for　it　is　not　yet　time：　last

nightah；　last　night〃　and　her　bosom　heaved；　〃I　dreamed　a　dream　that

haunts　me　strangely；　and　perchance　thou　also　didst　dream　a　dream。　It

was　all　a　dream　and　'tis　forgotten：　is　it　not　so；　my　Lord？〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　said；　〃why　troublest　thou　me　thus　at　such　an　hour？〃



〃Nay；　I　know　not；　but　to…night；　Harmachis；　Fate　is　in　labour　of　a

great　event；　and　in　her　painful　throes　mayhap　she'll　crush　me　in　her

gripme　or　thee；　or　the　twain　of　us；　Harmachis。　And　if　that　be　so

well；　I　would　hear　from　thee；　before　it　is　done；　that　'twas　naught　but

a　dream；　and　that　dream　forgot〃



〃Yes；　it　is　all　a　dream；〃　I　said　idly；　〃thou　and　I；　and　the　solid

earth；　and　this　heavy　night　of　terror；　ay；　and　this　keen　knifewhat

are　these　but　dreams；　and　with　what　face　shall　the　waking　come？〃



〃So　now；　thou　fallest　in　my　humour；　royal　Harmachis。　As　thou　sayest；

we　dream；　and　while　we　dream　yet　can　the　vision　change。　For　the

phantasies　of　dreams　are　wonderful；　seeing　that　they