cleopatra-第29节

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　　　　Now　passion　filled　my　soul　and　led　my　feet；

　　Then　silent　didst　thou　rise　thy　love　to　meet；

　　　　Who；　sinking　on　thy　breast；　knew　naught　but　thee；

　　And　in　the　happy　night　I　kissed　thee；　Sweet；

　　　　Ah；　Sweet！　between　the　starlight　and　the　sea。〃



The　last　echoes　of　her　rich　notes　floated　down　the　chamber；　and　slowly

died　away；　but　in　my　heart　they　rolled　on　and　on。　I　have　heard　among

the　women…singers　at　Abouthis　voices　more　perfect　than　the　voice　of

Cleopatra；　but　never　have　I　heard　one　so　thrilling　or　so　sweet　with

passion's　honey…notes。　And　indeed　it　was　not　the　voice　alone；　it　was

the　perfumed　chamber　in　which　was　set　all　that　could　move　the　sense；

it　was　the　passion　of　the　thought　and　words；　and　the　surpassing　grace

and　loveliness　of　that　most　royal　woman　who　sang　them。　For；　as　she

sang；　I　seemed　to　think　that　we　twain　were　indeed　floating　alone　with

the　night；　upon　the　starlit　summer　sea。　And　when　she　ceased　to　touch

the　harp；　and；　rising；　suddenly　stretched　out　her　arms　towards　me；　and

with　the　last　low　notes　of　song　yet　quivering　upon　her　lips；　let　fall

the　wonder　of　her　eyes　upon　my　eyes；　she　almost　drew　me　to　her。　But　I

remembered；　and　would　not。



〃Hast　thou；　then；　no　word　of　thanks　for　my　poor　singing；　Harmachis？〃

she　said　at　length。



〃Yea；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered；　speaking　very　low；　for　my　voice　was

choked；　〃but　thy　songs　are　not　good　for　the　sons　of　men　to　hearof　a

truth　they　overwhelm　me！〃



〃Nay；　Harmachis；　there　is　no　fear　for　thee；〃　she　said　laughing　softly；

〃seeing　that　I　know　how　far　thy　thoughts　are　set　from　woman's　beauty

and　the　common　weakness　of　thy　sex。　With　cold　iron　we　may　safely　toy。〃



I　thought　within　myself　that　coldest　iron　can　be　brought　to　whitest

heat　if　the　fire　be　fierce　enough。　But　I　said　nothing；　and；　though　my

hand　trembled；　I　once　more　grasped　the　dagger's　hilt；　and；　wild　with

fear　at　my　own　weakness；　set　myself　to　find　a　means　to　slay　her　while

yet　my　sense　remained。



〃Come　hither；　Harmachis；〃　she　went　on；　in　her　softest　voice。　〃Come；

sit　by　me；　and　we　will　talk　together；　for　I　have　much　to　tell　thee；〃

and　she　made　place　for　me　at　her　side　upon　the　silken　seat。



And　I；　thinking　that　I　might　so　more　swiftly　strike；　rose　and　seated

myself　some　little　way　from　her　on　the　couch；　while；　flinging　back　her

head；　she　gazed　on　me　with　her　slumbrous　eyes。



Now　was　my　occasion；　for　her　throat　and　breast　were　bare；　and；　with　a

mighty　effort；　once　again　I　lifted　my　hand　to　clutch　the　dagger…hilt。

But；　more　quick　than　thought；　she　caught　my　fingers　with　her　own　and

gently　held　them。



〃Why　lookest　thou　so　wildly；　Harmachis？〃　she　said。　〃Art　sick？〃



〃Ay；　sick　indeed！〃　I　gasped。



〃Then　lean　thou　on　the　cushions　and　rest　thee；〃　she　answered；　still

holding　my　hand；　from　which　the　strength　had　fled。　〃The　fit　will

surely　pass。　Too　long　hast　thou　laboured　with　thy　stars。　How　soft　is

the　night　air　that　flows　from　yonder　casement　heavy　with　the　breath　of

lilies！　Hark　to　the　whisper　of　the　sea　lapping　against　the　rocks；

that；　though　it　is　faint；　yet；　being　so　strong；　doth　almost　drown　the

quick　cool　fall　of　yonder　fountain。　List　to　Philomel；　how　sweet　from　a

full　heart　of　love　she　sings　her　message　to　her　dear！　Indeed　it　is　a

lovely　night；　and　most　beautiful　is　Nature's　music；　sung　with　a

hundred　voices　from　wind　and　trees　and　birds　and　ocean's　wrinkled

lips；　and　yet　sung　all　to　tune。　Listen；　Harmachis：　I　have　guessed

something　concerning　thee。　Thou；　too；　art　of　a　royal　race；　no　humble

blood　pours　in　those　veins　of　thine。　Surely　such　a　shoot　could　spring

but　from　the　stock　of　Princes？　What！　gazest　thou　at　the　leafmark　on　my

breast？　It　was　pricked　there　in　honour　of　great　Osiris；　whom　with　thee

I　worship。　See！〃



〃Let　me　hence；〃　I　groaned；　striving　to　rise；　but　all　my　strength　had

gone。



〃Nay；　not　yet　awhile。　Thou　wouldst　not　leave　me　yet？　thou　/canst/　not

leave　me　yet。　Harmachis；　hast　thou　never　loved？〃



〃Nay；　nay；　O　Queen！　What　have　I　to　do　with　love？　Let　me　hence！I　am

faintI　am　fordone！〃



〃Never　to　have　loved'tis　strange！　Never　to　have　known　some　woman…

heart　beat　all　in　tune　to　thinenever　to　have　seen　the　eyes　of　thy

adored　aswim　with　passion's　tears；　as　she　sighed　her　vows　upon　thy

breast！Never　to　have　loved！never　to　have　lost　thyself　in　the

mystery　of　another's　soul；　nor　to　have　learned　how　Nature　can　overcome

our　naked　loneliness；　and　with　the　golden　web　of　love　of　twain　weave

one　identity！　Why；　it　is　never　to　have　lived；　Harmachis！〃



And　ever　as　she　murmured　she　drew　nearer　to　me；　till　at　last；　with　a

long；　sweet　sigh；　she　flung　one　arm　about　my　neck；　and　gazed　upon　me

with　blue；　unfathomable　eyes；　and　smiled　her　dark；　slow　smile；　that；

like　an　opening　flower；　revealed　beauty　within　beauty　hidden。　Nearer

she　bent　her　queenly　form；　and　still　more　nearnow　her　perfumed

breath　played　upon　my　hair；　and　now　her　lips　met　mine。



And　woe　is　me！　In　that　kiss；　more　deadly　and　more　strong　than　the

embrace　of　Death；　were　forgotten　Isis；　my　heavenly　Hope；　Oaths；

Honour；　Country；　Friends；　all　thingsall　things　save　that　Cleopatra

clasped　me　in　her　arms；　and　called　me　Love　and　Lord。



〃Now　pledge　me；〃　she　sighed；　〃pledge　me　one　cup　of　wine　in　token　of

thy　love。〃



I　took　the　draught；　and　I　drank　deep；　then　too　late　I　knew　that　it　was

drugged。



I　fell　upon　the　couch；　and；　though　my　senses　still　were　with　me；　I

could　neither　speak　nor　rise。



But　Cleopatra；　bending　over　me；　drew　the　dagger　from　my　robe。



〃/I've　won！/〃　she　cried；　shaking　back　her　long　hair。　〃I've　won；　and

for　the　stake　of　Egypt；　why；　'twas　a　game　worth　playing！　With　this

dagger；　then；　thou　wouldst　have　slain　me；　O　my　royal　Rival；　whose

myrmidons　even　now　are　gathered　at　my　palace　gate？　Art　still　awake？

Now　what　hinders　me　that　I　should　not　plunge　it　to　/thy/　heart？〃



I　heard　and　feebly　pointed　to　my　breast；　for　I　was　fain　to　die。　She

drew　herself　to　the　full　of　her　imperial　height；　and　the　great　knife

glittered　in　her　hand。　Down　it　came　till　its　edge　pricked　my　flesh。



〃Nay；〃　she　cried　again；　and　cast　it　from　her；　〃too　well　I　like　thee。

It　were　pity　to　slay　such　a　man！　I　give　thee　thy　life。　Live　on；　lost

Pharaoh！　Live　on；　poor　fallen　Prince；　blasted　by　a　woman's　wit！　Live

on；　Harmachisto　adorn　my　triumph！〃







Then　sight　left　me；　and　in　my　ears　I　only　heard　the　song　of　the

nightingale；　the　murmur　of　the　sea；　and　the　music　of　Cleopatra's　laugh

of　victory。　And　as　I　sank　away；　the　sound　of　that　low　laugh　still

followed　me　into　the　land　of　sleep；　and　still　it　follows　me　through

life　to　death。







CHAPTER　VIII



OF　THE　AWAKING　OF　HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　SIGHT　OF　DEATH；　OF　THE

COMING　OF　CLEOPATRA；　AND　OF　HER　COMFORTABLE　WORDS



Once　more　I　woke；　it　was　to　find　myself　in　my　own　chamber。　I　started

up。　Surely；　I；　too；　had　dreamed　a　dream？　It　could　be　nothing　but　a

dream？　It　could　not　be　that　I　woke　to　know　myself　a　/traitor！/　That

the　opportunity　had　gone　for　ever！　That　I　had　betrayed　the　cause；　and

that　last　night　those　brave　men；　headed　by　my　uncle；　had　waited　in

vain　at　the　outer　gate！　That　Egypt　from　Abu　to　Athu　was　even　now

waitingwaiting　in　vain！　Nay；　whatever　else　might　be；　this　could　not

be！　Oh；　it　was　an　awful　dream　which　I　had　dreamed！　a　second　such　would

slay　a　man。　It　were　better　to　die　than　face　such　another　vision　sent

from　hell。　But；　though　the　thing　was　naught　but　a　hateful　phantasy　of

a　mind　o'er…strained；　where　was　I　now？　Where　was　I　now？　I　should　be　in

the　Alabaster　Hall；　waiting　till　Charmion　came　forth。



Where　was　I？　and　O　ye　Gods！　what　was　that　dreadful　thing；　whose　shape

was　the　shape　of　a　man？that　thing　draped　in　bloodstained　white　and

huddled　in　a　hideous　heap　at　the　foot　of　the　couch　on　which　I　seemed

to　lie？



I　sprang　at　it　with　a　shriek；　as　a　lion　springs；　and　struck　with　all

my　strength。　The　blow　fell　heavily；　and　beneath　its　weight　the　thing

rolled　over　upon　its　side。　Half　mad　with　terror；　I　rent　away　the　white

covering；　and　there；　his　knees　bound　beneath　his　hanging　jaw；　was　the

naked　body　of　a　manand　that　man　the　Roman　Captain　Paulus！　There　he

lay；　through　his　heart　a　daggermy　dagger；　handled　with　the　sphinx　of

gold！and　pinned　by　its　blade　to　his　broad　breast　a　scroll；　and　on

the　scroll；　writing　in　the　Roman　character。　I　drew　near　and　read；　and

this　was　the　writing：



　　HARMACHIDI。SALVERE。EGO。SUM。QUEM。SUBDERE。NORAS

　　PAULUS。ROMANUS。DISCE。HINC。QUID。PRODERE。PROSIT。



　〃Greeting；　Harmachis！　I　was　that　Roman　Paulus　whom　thou　didst

　　suborn。　Learn　now　how　blessed　are　traitors！〃



Sick　and　faint　I　staggered　back　from　the　sight　of　that　white　corpse

stained　with　its　own　blood。　Sick　and　faint　I　staggered　back；　till　the

wall　stayed　me；　while　without　the　birds　sang　a　merry　greeting　to　the

day。　So　it　was　no　dream；　and　I　was　lost！　lost！



I　thought　of　my　aged　father；　Amenemhat。　Yes；　the　vision　of　him　flashed

into　my　mind；　as　he　would　be；　when