cleopatra-第35节

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We　stood　within　a　small　arched　chamber；　paved　and　lined　with　great

blocks　of　the　granite　stone　of　Syene。　There　before　ushewn　from　a

single　mass　of　basalt　shaped　like　a　wooden　house　and　resting　on　a

sphinx　with　a　face　of　goldwas　the　sarcophagus　of　the　Divine

Menkau…ra。



We　stood　and　gazed　in　awe；　for　the　weight　of　the　silence　and　the

solemnity　of　that　holy　place　seemed　to　crush　us。　Above　us；　cubit　over

cubit　in　its　mighty　measure；　the　pyramid　towered　up　to　heaven　and　was

kissed　of　the　night　air。　But　we　were　deep　in　the　bowels　of　the　rock

beneath　its　base。　We　were　alone　with　the　dead；　whose　rest　we　were

about　to　break；　and　no　sound　of　the　murmuring　air；　and　no　sight　of

life　came　to　dull　the　awful　edge　of　solitude。　I　gazed　on　the

sarcophagus；　its　heavy　lid　had　been　lifted　and　rested　at　its　side；　and

around　it　the　dust　of　ages　had　gathered　thick。



〃See；〃　I　whispered；　pointing　to　a　writing；　daubed　with　pigment　upon

the　wall　in　the　sacred　symbols　of　ancient　times。



〃Read　it；　Harmachis；〃　answered　Cleopatra；　in　the　same　low　voice；　〃for

I　cannot。〃



Then　I　read：　〃I；　Rameses　Mi…amen；　in　my　day　and　in　my　hour　of　need；

visited　this　sepulchre。　But；　though　great　my　need　and　bold　my　heart；　I

dared　not　face　the　curse　of　Menkau…ra。　Judge；　O　thou　who　shalt　come

after　me；　and；　if　thy　soul　is　pure　and　Khem　be　utterly　distressed；

take　thou　that　which　I　have　left。〃



〃Where；　then；　is　the　treasure？〃　she　whispered。　〃Is　that　Sphinx…face　of

gold？〃



〃Even　there；〃　I　answered；　pointing　to　the　sarcophagus。　〃Draw　near　and

see。〃



And　she　took　my　hand　and　drew　near。



The　cover　was　off；　but　the　painted　coffin　of　the　Pharaoh　lay　in　the

depths　of　the　sarcophagus。　We　climbed　the　Sphinx；　then　I　blew　the　dust

from　the　coffin　with　my　breath　and　read　that　which　was　written　on　its

lid。　And　this　was　written：



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　the　Child　of　Heaven。



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　Royal　Son　of　the　Sun。



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　who　didst　lie　beneath　the　heart　of　Nout。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　wraps　thee　in　the　spell　of　Her　holy　name。



　〃The　name　of　thy　Mother；　Nout；　is　the　mystery　of　Heaven。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　gathers　thee　to　the　number　of　the　Gods。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　breathes　on　thy　foes　and　utterly　destroys　them。



　〃O　Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　who　livest　for　ever！〃



〃Where；　then；　is　the　treasure？〃　she　asked　again。　〃Here；　indeed；　is　the

body　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra；　but　the　flesh　even　of　Pharaohs　is　not

gold；　and　if　the　face　of　this　Sphinx　be　gold　how　may　we　move　it？〃



For　answer　I　bade　her　stand　upon　the　Sphinx　and　grasp　the　upper　part

of　the　coffin　while　I　grasped　its　foot。　Then；　at　my　word；　we　lifted；

and　the　lid　of　the　case；　which　was　not　fixed；　came　away；　and　we　set　it

upon　the　floor。　And　there　in　the　case　was　the　mummy　of　Pharaoh；　as　it

had　been　laid　three　thousand　years　before。　It　was　a　large　mummy；　and

somewhat　ungainly。　Nor　was　it　adorned　with　a　gilded　mask；　as　is　the

fashion　of　our　day；　for　the　head　was　wrapped　in　clothes　yellow　with

age；　which　were　made　fast　with　pink　flaxen　bandages；　under　which　were

pushed　the　stems　of　lotus…blooms。　And　on　the　breast；　wreathed　round

with　lotus…flowers；　lay　a　large　plate　of　gold　closely　written　over

with　sacred　writing。　I　lifted　up　the　plate；　and；　holding　it　to　the

light；　I　read：



　〃I；　Menkau…ra；　the　Osirian；　aforetime　Pharaoh　of　the　Land　of　Khem；

　　who　in　my　day　did　live　justly　and　ever　walked　in　the　path　marked

　　for　my　feet　by　the　decree　of　the　Invisible；　who　was　the　beginning

　　and　is　the　end；　speak　from　my　tomb　to　those　who　after　me　shall　for

　　an　hour　sit　upon　my　Throne。　Behold；　I；　Menkau…ra；　the　Osirian；

　　having　in　the　days　of　my　life　been　warned　of　a　dream　that　a　time

　　will　come　when　Khem　shall　fear　to　fall　into　the　hands　of

　　strangers；　and　her　monarch　shall　have　great　need　of　treasure

　　wherewith　to　furnish　armies　to　drive　the　barbarian　back；　have　out

　　of　my　wisdom　done　this　thing。　For　it　having　pleased　the　protecting

　　Gods　to　give　me　wealth　beyond　any　Pharaoh　who　has　been　since　the

　　days　of　Horusthousands　of　cattle　and　geese；　thousands　of　calves

　　and　asses；　thousands　of　measures　of　corn；　and　hundreds　of　measures

　　of　gold　and　gems；　this　wealth　I　have　used　sparingly；　and　that

　　which　remains　I　have　bartered　for　precious　stoneseven　for

　　emeralds；　the　most　beautiful　and　largest　that　are　in　the　world。

　　These　stones；　then；　I　have　stored　up　against　that　day　of　the　need

　　of　Khem。　But　because　as　there　have　been；　so　there　shall　be；　those

　　who　do　wickedly　on　the　earth；　and　who；　in　the　lust　of　gain；　might

　　seize　this　wealth　that　I　have　stored；　and　put　it　to　their　uses；

　　behold；　thou　Unborn　One；　who　in　the　fulness　of　time　shalt　stand

　　above　me　and　read　this　that　I　have　caused　to　be　written；　I　have

　　stored　the　treasure　thuseven　among　my　bones。　Therefore；　O　thou

　　Unborn　One；　sleeping　in　the　womb　of　Nout；　I　say　this　to　thee！　If

　　thou　indeed　hast　need　of　riches　to　save　Khem　from　the　foes　of

　　Khem；　fear　not　and　delay　not；　but　tear　me；　the　Osirian；　from　my

　　tomb；　loose　my　wrappings　and　rip　the　treasure　from　my　breast；　and

　　all　shall　be　well　with　thee；　for　this　only　I　do　command；　that　thou

　　dost　replace　my　bones　within　my　hollow　coffin。　But　if　the　need　be

　　passing　and　not　great；　or　if　there　be　guile　in　thy　heart；　then　the

　　curse　of　Menkau…ra　be　on　thee！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that　shall

　　smite　him　who　breaks　in　upon　the　dead！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that

　　follows　the　traitor！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that　smites　him　who

　　outrages　the　Majesty　of　the　Gods！　Unhappy　shalt　thou　live；　in

　　blood　and　misery　shalt　thou　die；　and　in　misery　shalt　thou　be

　　tormented　for　ever　and　for　ever！　For；　Wicked　One；　there　in　Amenti

　　we　shall　come　face　to　face！



　〃And　to　the　end　of　the　keeping　of　this　secret；　I；　Menkau…ra；　have

　　set　up　a　Temple　of　my　Worship；　which　I　have　built　upon　the

　　eastern　side　of　this　my　House　of　Death。　It　shall　be　made　known

　　from　time　to　time　to　the　Hereditary　High　Priest　of　this　my　Temple。

　　And　if　any　High　Priest　that　shall　be　do　reveal　this　secret　to

　　another　than　the　Pharaoh；　or　Her　who　wears　the　Pharaoh's　crown　and

　　is　seated　upon　the　throne　of　Khem；　accursed　be　he　also。　Thus　have

　　I；　Menkau…ra；　the　Osirian；　written。　Now　to　thee；　who；　sleeping　in

　　the　womb　of　Nout；　yet　shall　upon　a　time　stand　over　me　and　read；　I

　　say；　judge　thou！　and　if　thou　judgest　evilly；　on　thee　shall　fall

　　this　the　curse　of　Menkau…ra　from　which　there　is　no　escape。

　　Greeting　and　farewell。〃



〃Thou　hast　heard；　O　Cleopatra；〃　I　said　solemnly；　〃now　search　thy

heart；　judge　thou；　and　for　thine　own　sake　judge　justly。〃



She　bent　her　head　in　thought。



〃I　fear　to　do　this　thing；〃　she　said　presently。　〃Let　us　hence。〃



〃It　is　well；〃　I　said；　with　a　lightening　of　the　heart；　and　bent　down　to

lift　the　wooden　lid。　For　I；　too；　feared。



〃And　yet；　what　said　the　writing　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra？it　was

emeralds；　was　it　not？　And　emeralds　are　now　so　rare　and　hard　to　come

by。　Ever　did　I　love　emeralds；　and　I　can　never　find　them　without　a

flaw。〃



〃It　is　not　a　matter　of　what　thou　dost　love；　Cleopatra；〃　I　said；　〃it　is

a　matter　of　the　need　of　Khem　and　of　the　secret　meaning　of　thy　heart；

which　thou　alone　canst　know。〃



〃Ay；　surely；　Harmachis；　surely！　And　is　not　the　need　of　Egypt　great？

There　is　no　gold　in　the　treasury；　and　how　can　I　defy　the　Roman　if　I

have　no　gold？　And　have　I　not　sworn　to　thee　that　I　will　wed　thee　and

defy　the　Roman；　and　do　I　not　swear　it　againyes；　even　in　this　solemn

hour；　with　my　hand　upon　dead　Pharaoh's　heart？　Why；　here　is　that

occasion　of　which　the　Divine　Menkau…ra　dreamed。　Thou　seest　it　is　so；

for　else　Hat…shepsu　or　Rameses　or　some　other　Pharaoh　had　drawn　forth

the　gems。　But　no；　they　left　them　to　come　to　this　hour　because　the　time

was　not　yet　come。　Now　it　must　be　come；　for　if　I　take　not　the　gems　the

Roman　will　surely　seize　on　Egypt；　and　then　there　will　be　no　Pharaoh　to

whom　the　secret　may　be　told。　Nay；　let　us　away　with　fears　and　to　the

work。　Why　dost　look　so　frightened？　Having　pure　hearts；　there　is　naught

to　fear；　Harmachis。〃



〃Even　as　thou　wilt；〃　I　said　again；　〃it　is　for　thee　to　judge；　since　if

thou　judgest　falsely　on　thee　will　surely　fall　the　curse　from　which

there　is　no　escape。〃



〃So；　Harmachis；　take　Pharaoh's　head　and　I　will　take　his　Oh；　what

an　awful　place　is　this！〃　and　suddenly　she　clung　to　me。　〃Methought　I

saw　a　shadow　yonder　in　the　darkness！　Methought　that　it　moved　toward　us

and　then　straightway　vanished！　Let　us　be　going！　Didst　thou　see

naught？〃



〃I　saw　nothing；　Cleopatra；　but　mayhap　it　was　the　Spirit　of　the　Divine

Menkau…ra；　for　the　spirit　ever　hovers　round　its　mortal　tenement。　Let

us；　then；　be　going；　I　shall　be　right　glad　to　go。〃



She　made　as　though　to　start；　then　turned　back　again　and　spoke　once

more。



〃It　was　naughtnaught　but　the　mind　that；　in　such　a　house　of　Horror；

bodies　forth　those　shadowy　forms　of　fear　it　dreads　to　see。　Nay；　I　must