cleopatra-第44节

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wall；　which　pierced　it；　and　were　hidden　on　the　farther　side　by　carved

work　in　stone。　I　looked　through　the　hole　that　was　in　front　of　me；　and

I　saw　this：　six　cubits　below　was　the　level　of　the　floor　of　another

chamber；　lit　with　fragrant　lamps；　and　most　richly　furnished。　It　was

the　sleeping…place　of　Cleopatra；　and　there；　within　ten　cubits　of　where

we　stood；　sat　Cleopatra　on　a　gilded　couch；　and　by　her　side　sat　Antony。



〃Tell　me；〃　Cleopatra　murmuredfor　this　place　was　so　built　that　every

word　spoken　in　the　room　below　came　to　the　ears　of　the　listener　above

〃tell　me；　noble　Antony；　wast　pleased　with　my　poor　festival？〃



〃Ay；〃　he　answered　in　his　deep　soldier's　voice；　〃ay；　Egypt；　I　have　made

feasts；　and　been　bidden　to　feasts；　but　never　saw　I　aught　like　thine；

and　I　tell　thee　this；　though　I　am　rough　of　tongue　and　unskilled　in

pretty　sayings　such　as　women　love；　thou　wast　the　richest　sight　of　all

that　splendid　board。　The　red　wine　was　not　so　red　as　thy　beauteous

cheek；　the　roses　smelt　not　so　sweet　as　the　odour　of　thy　hair；　and　no

sapphire　there　with　its　changing　light　was　so　lovely　as　thy　eyes　of

ocean　blue。〃



〃What！　Praise　from　Antony！　Sweet　words　from　the　lips　of　him　whose

writings　are　so　harsh！　Why；　it　is　praise　indeed！〃



〃Ay；〃　he　went　on；　〃it　was　a　royal　feast；　though　I　grieve　that　thou

didst　waste　that　great　pearl；　and　what　meant　that　hour…calling

astrologer　of　thine；　with　his　ill…omened　talk　of　the　curse　of

Menkau…ra？〃



A　shadow　fled　across　her　glowing　face。　〃I　know　not；　he　was　lately

wounded　in　a　brawl；　and　methinks　the　blow　has　crazed　him。〃



〃He　seemed　not　crazed；　and　there　was　that　about　his　voice　which　rings

in　my　ears　like　some　oracle　of　fate。　So　wildly；　too；　he　looked　upon

thee；　Egypt；　with　those　piercing　eyes　of　his；　like　one　who　loved　and

yet　hated　through　the　love。〃



〃He　is　a　strange　man；　I　tell　thee；　noble　Antony；　and　a　learned。

Myself；　at　times；　I　almost　fear　him；　for　he　is　deeply　versed　in　the

ancient　arts　of　Egypt。　Knowest　thou　that　the　man　is　of　royal　blood；

and　once　he　plotted　to　slay　me？　But　I　won　him　over；　and　slew　him　not；

for　he　had　the　key　to　secrets　that　I　fain　would　learn；　and；　indeed；　I

loved　his　wisdom；　and　to　listen　to　his　deep　talk　of　all　hidden

things。〃



〃By　Bacchus；　I　grow　jealous　of　the　knave！　And　now；　Egypt？〃



〃And　now　I　have　sucked　his　knowledge　dry；　and　have　no　more　cause　to

fear　him。　Didst　thou　not　see　that　I　have　made　him　stand　these　three

nights　a　slave　amid　my　slaves；　and　call　aloud　the　hours　as　they　fled

in　festival。　No　captive　King　marching　in　thy　Roman　triumphs　can　have

suffered　pangs　so　keen　as　that　proud　Egyptian　Prince　when　he　stood

shamed　behind　my　couch。〃



Here　Charmion　laid　her　hand　on　mine　and　pressed　it；　as　though　in

tenderness。



〃Well；　he　shall　trouble　us　no　more　with　his　words　of　evil　omen；〃

Cleopatra　went　on　slowly；　〃to…morrow　morn　he　diesdies　swiftly　and　in

secret；　leaving　no　trace　of　what　his　fate　has　been。　On　this　is　my　mind

fixed；　of　a　truth；　noble　Antony；　it　is　fixed。　Even　as　I　speak　the　fear

of　this　man　grows　and　gathers　in　my　breast。　Half　am　I　minded　to　give

the　word　even　now；　for　I　breathe　not　freely　till　he　be　dead；〃　and　she

made　as　though　to　rise。



〃Let　it　be　till　morning；〃　he　said；　catching　her　by　the　hand；　〃the

soldiers　drink；　and　the　deed　will　be　ill　done。　'Tis　pity　too。　I　love

not　to　think　of　men　slaughtered　in　their　sleep。〃



〃In　the　morning；　perchance；　the　hawk　may　have　flown；〃　she　answered；

pondering。　〃He　hath　keen　ears；　this　Harmachis；　and　can　summon　things

to　aid　him　that　are　not　of　the　earth。　Perchance；　even　now　he　hears　me

in　the　spirit；　for；　of　a　truth；　I　seem　to　feel　his　presence　breathing

round　me。　I　could　tell　theebut　no；　let　him　be！　Noble　Antony；　be　my

tiring…woman　and　loose　me　this　crown　of　gold；　it　chafes　my　brow。　Be

gentle；　hurt　me　notso。〃



He　lifted　the　ur？us　crown　from　her　brows；　and　she　shook　loose　her

heavy　weight　of　hair　that　fell　about　her　like　a　garment。



〃Take　back　thy　crown；　royal　Egypt；〃　he　said；　speaking　low；　〃take　it

from　my　hand；　I　will　not　rob　thee　of　it；　but　rather　set　it　more　firmly

on　that　beauteous　brow。〃



〃What　means　my　Lord？〃　she　asked；　smiling　and　looking　into　his　eyes。



〃What　mean　I？　Why　then；　this：　thou　camest　hither　at　my　bidding　to　make

answer　of　the　charges　laid　against　thee　as　to　matters　politic。　And

knowest　thou；　Egypt；　that　hadst　thou　been　other　than　thou　art　thou

hadst　not　gone　back　to　queen　it　on　the　Nile；　for　of　this　I　am　sure；

the　charges　against　thee　are　true　in　fact。　But；　being　what　thou　art

and　look　thou！　never　did　Nature　serve　a　woman　better！I　forgive　thee

all。　For　the　sake　of　thy　grace　and　beauty　I　forgive　thee　that　which

had　not　been　forgiven　to　virtue；　or　to　patriotism；　or　to　the　dignity

of　age！　See　now　how　good　a　thing　is　woman's　wit　and　loveliness；　that

can　make　kings　forget　their　duty　and　cozen　even　blindfolded　Justice　to

peep　ere　she　lifts　her　sword！　Take　back　thy　crown；　O　Egypt！　It　is　now

my　care　that；　though　it　be　heavy；　it　shall　not　chafe　thee。〃



〃These　are　royal　words；　most　notable　Antony；〃　she　made　answer；

〃gracious　and　generous　words；　such　as　befit　the　Conqueror　of　the

world！　And　touching　my　misdeeds　in　the　pastif　misdeeds　there　have

beenI　say　this；　and　this　alonethen　I　knew　not　Antony。　For；　knowing

Antony；　who　could　sin　against　him？　What　woman　could　lift　a　sword

against　one　who　must　be　to　all　women　as　a　Godone　who；　seen　and

known；　draws　after　him　the　whole　allegiance　of　the　heart；　as　the　sun

draws　flowers？　And　what　more　can　I　say　and　not　cross　the　bounds　of

woman's　modesty？　Why；　only　thisset　that　crown　upon　my　brow；　great

Antony；　and　I　will　take　it　as　a　gift　from　thee；　by　the　giving　made

doubly　dear；　and　to　thy　uses　I　will　guard　it。



〃There；　now　I　am　thy　vassal　Queen；　and　through　me　all　old　Egypt　that　I

rule　does　homage　to　Antony　the　Triumvir；　who　shall　be　Antony　the

Emperor　of　Rome　and　Khem's　Imperial　Lord！〃



And；　having　set　the　crown　upon　her　locks；　he　stood　gazing　on　her；

grown　passionate　in　the　warm　breath　of　her　living　beauty；　till　at

length　he　caught　her　by　both　hands　and　drawing　her　to　him　kissed　her

thrice；　saying：



〃Cleopatra；　I　love　thee；　SweetI　love　thee　as　I　never　loved　before。〃

She　drew　back　from　his　embrace；　smiling　softly；　and　as　she　did　so　the

golden　circlet　of　the　sacred　snakes　fell；　being　but　loosely　set　upon

her　brow；　and　rolled　away　into　the　darkness　beyond　the　ring　of　light。



I　saw　the　omen；　and　even　in　the　bitter　anguish　of　my　heart　knew　its

evil　import。　But　these　twain　took　no　note。



〃Thou　lovest　me？〃　she　said；　most　sweetly；　〃how　know　I　that　thou　lovest

me？　Perchance　it　is　Fulvia　whom　thou　lovestFulvia；　thy　wedded　wife？〃



〃Nay；　it　is　not　Fulvia；　'tis　thou；　Cleopatra；　and　thou　alone。　Many

women　have　looked　favourably　upon　me　from　my　boyhood　up；　but　to　never

a　one　have　I　known　such　desire　as　to　thee；　O　thou　Wonder　of　the　World；

like　unto　whom　no　woman　ever　was！　Canst　thou　love　me；　Cleopatra；　and

to　me　be　true；　not　for　my　place　or　power；　not　for　that　which　I　can

give　or　can　withhold；　not　for　the　stern　music　of　my　legion's　tramp；　or

for　the　light　that　flows　from　my　bright　Star　of　Fortune；　but　for

myself；　for　the　sake　of　Antony；　the　rough　captain；　grown　old　in　camps？

Ay；　for　the　sake　of　Antony　the　reveller；　the　frail；　the　unfixed　of

purpose；　but　who　yet　never　did　desert　a　friend；　or　rob　a　poor　man；　or

take　an　enemy　unawares？　Say；　canst　thou　love　me；　Egypt？　Oh！　if　thou

wilt；　why；　I　am　more　happy　than　though　I　sat　to…night　in　the　Capitol

at　Rome　crowned　absolute　Monarch　of　the　World！〃



And；　ever　as　he　spoke；　she　gazed　on　him　with　wonderful　eyes；　and　in

them　shone　a　light　of　truth　and　honesty　such　as　was　strange　to　me。



〃Thou　speakest　plainly；〃　she　said；　〃and　thy　words　are　sweet　to　mine

earsthey　would　be　sweet；　even　were　things　otherwise　than　they　are；

for　what　woman　would　not　love　to　see　the　world's　master　at　her　feet？

But　things　being　as　they　are；　why；　Antony；　what　can　be　so　sweet　as　thy

sweet　words？　The　harbour　of　his　rest　to　the　storm…tossed　mariner

surely　that　is　sweet！　The　dream　of　Heaven's　bliss　which　cheers　the

poor　ascetic　priest　on　his　path　of　sacrificesurely　that　is　sweet！

The　sight　of　Dawn；　the　rosy…fingered；　coming　in　his　promise　to　glad

the　watching　Earthsurely　that　is　sweet！　But；　ah！　not　one　of　these；

nor　all　dear　delightful　things　that　are；　can　match　the　honey…sweetness

of　thy　words　to　me；　O　Antony！　For　thou　knowest　notnever　canst　thou

knowhow　drear　my　life　hath　been；　and　empty；　since　thus　it　is

ordained　that　in　love　only　can　woman　lose　her　solitude！　And　I　have

/never/　lovednever　might　I　lovetill　this　happy　night！　Ay；　take　me

in　thy　arms；　and　let　us　swear　a　great　vow　of　lovean　oath　that　may

not　be　broken　while　life　is　in　us！　Behold！　Antony！　now　and　for　ever　I

do　vow　most　strict　fidelity　unto　thee！　Now　and　for　ever　I　am　thine；

and　thine　alone！〃







Then　Charmion　took　me　by　the　hand　and　drew　me　then