cleopatra-第45节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　thine　alone！〃







Then　Charmion　took　me　by　the　hand　and　drew　me　thence。



〃Hast　seen　enough？〃　she　asked；　when　we　were　once　more　within　the

chamber　and　the　lamp　was　lit。



〃Yea；〃　I　answered；　〃my　eyes　are　opened。〃







CHAPTER　XVI



OF　THE　PLAN　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　CONFESSION　OF　CHARMION；　AND

OF　THE　ANSWER　OF　HARMACHIS



For　some　while　I　sat　with　bowed　head；　and　the　last　bitterness　of　shame

sank　into　my　soul。　This；　then；　was　the　end。　For　this　I　had　betrayed　my

oaths；　for　this　I　had　told　the　secret　of　the　pyramid；　for　this　I　had

lost　my　Crown；　my　Honour；　and；　perchance；　my　hope　of　Heaven！　Could

there　be　another　man　in　the　wide　world　so　steeped　in　sorrow　as　I　was

that　night？　Surely　not　one！　Where　should　I　turn？　What　could　I　do？　And

even　through　the　tempest　of　my　torn　heart　the　bitter　voice　of　jealousy

called　aloud。　For　I　loved　this　woman；　to　whom　I　had　given　all；　and　she

at　this　momentshe　was　Ah！　I　could　not　bear　to　think　of　it；　and

in　my　utter　agony；　my　heart　burst　in　a　river　of　tears　such　as　are

terrible　to　weep！



Then　Charmion　drew　near　me；　and　I　saw　that　she；　too；　was　weeping。



〃Weep　not；　Harmachis！〃　she　sobbed；　kneeling　at　my　side。　〃I　cannot

endure　to　see　thee　weep。　Oh！　why　wouldst　thou　not　be　warned？　Then

hadst　thou　been　great　and　happy；　and　not　as　now。　Listen；　Harmachis！

Thou　didst　hear　what　that　false　and　tigerish　woman　saidto…morrow　she

hands　thee　over　to　the　murderers！〃



〃It　is　well；〃　I　gasped。



〃Nay：　it　is　not　well。　Harmachis；　give　her　not　this　last　triumph　over

thee。　Thou　hast　lost　all　save　life：　but　while　life　remains；　hope

remains　also；　and　with　hope　the　chance　of　vengeance。〃



〃Ah！〃　I　said；　starting　from　my　seat。　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that。　Ay

the　chance　of　vengeance！　It　would　be　sweet　to　be　avenged！〃



〃It　would　be　sweet；　Harmachis；　and　yet　thisVengeance　is　an　arrow

that　in　falling　oft　pierces　him　who　shot　it。　MyselfI　know　it；〃　and

she　sighed。　〃But　a　truce　to　talk　and　grief。　There　will　be　time　for　us

twain　to　grieve；　if　not　to　talk；　in　all　the　heavy　coming　years。　Thou

must　flybefore　the　coming　of　the　light　must　thou　fly。　Here　is　a

plan。　To…morrow；　ere　the　dawn；　a　galley　that　but　yesterday　came　from

Alexandria；　bearing　fruit　and　stores；　sails　thither　again；　and　its

captain　is　known　to　me；　but　to　thee　he　is　not　known。　Now；　I　will　find

thee　the　garb　of　a　Syrian　merchant；　and　cloak　thee；　as　I　know　how；　and

furnish　thee　with　a　letter　to　the　captain　of　the　galley。　He　shall　give

thee　passage　to　Alexandria；　for　to　him　thou　wilt　seem　but　as　a

merchant　going　on　the　business　of　thy　trade。　Brennus　is　officer　of　the

guard　to…night；　and　Brennus　is　a　friend　to　me　and　thee。　Perhaps　he

will　guess　somewhat；　or；　perhaps；　he　will　not　guess；　at　the　least；　the

Syrian　merchant　shall　safely　pass　the　lines。　What　sayest　thou？〃



〃It　is　well；〃　I　answered　wearily；　〃little　do　I　reck　the　issue。〃



〃Rest　thou；　then；　here；　Harmachis；　while　I　make　these　matters　ready；

and；　Harmachis；　grieve　not　overmuch；　there　are　others　who　should

grieve　more　heavily　than　thou。〃　And　she　went；　leaving　me　alone　with　my

agony　which　rent　me　like　a　torture…bed。　Had　it　not　been　for　that

fierce　desire　of　vengeance　which　from　time　to　time　flashed　across　my

tormented　mind　as　the　lightning　over　a　midnight　sea；　methinks　my

reason　had　left　me　in　that　dark　hour。　At　length　I　heard　her　footstep

at　the　door；　and　she　entered；　breathing　heavily；　for　she　bore　a　sack

of　clothing　in　her　arms。



〃It　is　well；〃　she　said：　〃here　is　the　garb　with　spare　linen；　and

writing…tablets；　and　all　things　needful。　I　have　seen　Brennus　also；　and

told　him　that　a　Syrian　merchant　would　pass　the　guard　an　hour　before

the　dawn。　And　though　he　made　pretence　of　sleep；　I　think　he　understood；

for　he　answered；　yawning；　that　if　they　but　had　the　pass…word；

'Antony；'　fifty　Syrian　merchants　might　go　through　about　their　lawful

business。　And　here　is　the　letter　to　the　captainthou　canst　not

mistake　the　galley；　for　she　is　moored　along　to　the　righta　small

galley；　painted　black；　as　thou　dost　enter　on　the　great　quay；　and；

moreover；　the　sailors　make　ready　for　sailing。　Now　I　will　wait　here

without；　while　thou　dost　put　off　the　livery　of　thy　service　and　array

thyself。〃



When　she　was　gone　I　tore　off　my　gorgeous　garments　and　spat　upon　them

and　trod　them　on　the　ground。　Then　I　put　on　the　modest　robe　of　a

merchant；　and　bound　the　tablets　round　me；　on　my　feet　the　sandals　of

untanned　hide；　and　at　my　waist　the　knife。　When　it　was　done　Charmion

entered　once　again　and　looked　on　me。



〃Too　much　art　thou　still　the　royal　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　〃see；　it　must

be　changed。〃



Then　she　took　scissors　from　her　tiring…table；　and；　bidding　me　be

seated；　she　cut　off　my　locks；　clipping　the　hair　close　to　the　head。

Next　she　found　stains　of　such　sort　as　women　use　to　make　dark　the　eyes；

and　mixed　them　cunningly；　rubbing　the　stuff　on　my　face　and　hands　and

on　the　white　mark　in　my　hair　where　the　sword　of　Brennus　had　bitten　to

the　bone。



〃Now　thou　art　changedsomewhat　for　the　worse；　Harmachis；〃　she　said；

with　a　dreary　laugh；　〃scarce　myself　should　I　know　thee。　Stay；　there　is

one　more　thing；〃　and；　going　to　a　chest　of　garments；　she　drew　thence　a

heavy　bag　of　gold。



〃Take　thou　this；〃　she　said；　〃thou　wilt　have　need　of　money。〃



〃I　cannot　take　thy　gold；　Charmion。〃



〃Yes；　take　it。　It　was　Sepa　who　gave　it　to　me　for　the　furtherance　of

our　cause；　and　therefore　it　is　fitting　that　thou　shouldst　spend　it。

Moreover；　if　I　want　money；　doubtless　Antony；　who　is　henceforth　my

master；　will　give　me　more；　he　is　much　beholden　to　me；　and　this　he

knows　well。　There；　waste　not　the　precious　time　in　haggling　o'er　the

pelfnot　yet　art　thou　all　a　merchant；　Harmachis；〃　and；　without　more

words；　she　thrust　the　pieces　into　the　leather　bag　that　hung　across　my

shoulders。　Then　she　made　fast　the　sack　containing　the　spare　garments；

and；　so　womanly　thoughtful　was　she；　placed　in　it　an　alabaster　jar　of

pigment；　with　which　I　might　stain　my　countenance　afresh；　and；　taking

the　broidered　robes　of　my　office　that　I　had　cast　off；　hid　them　in　the

secret　passage。　And　so　at　last　all　was　made　ready。



〃Is　it　time　that　I　should　go；〃　I　asked。



〃Not　yet　a　while。　Be　patient；　Harmachis；　for　but　one　little　hour　more

must　thou　endure　my　presence；　and　then；　perchance；　farewell　for　ever。〃



I　made　a　gesture　signifying　that　this　was　no　time　for　sharp　words。



〃Forgive　me　my　quick　tongue；〃　she　said；　〃but　from　a　salt　spring　bitter

waters　well。　Be　seated；　Harmachis；　I　have　heavier　words　to　speak　to

thee　before　thou　goest。〃



〃Say　on；〃　I　answered；　〃words；　however　heavy；　can　move　me　no　more。〃



She　stood　before　me　with　folded　hands；　and　the　lamp…light　shone　upon

her　beauteous　face。　I　noticed　idly　how　great　was　its　pallor　and　how

wide　and　dark　were　the　rings　about　the　deep　black　eyes。　Twice　she

lifted　her　white　face　and　strove　to　speak；　twice　her　voice　failed　her；

and　when　at　last　it　came　it　was　in　a　hoarse　whisper。



〃I　cannot　let　thee　go；〃　she　said〃I　cannot　let　thee　go　unwitting　of

the　truth。



〃/Harmachis；　'twas　I　who　did　betray　thee！/〃



I　sprang　to　my　feet；　an　oath　upon　my　lips；　but　she　caught　me　by　the

hand。



〃Oh；　be　seated；〃　she　said〃be　seated　and　hear　me；　then；　when　thou

hast　heart；　do　to　me　as　thou　wilt。　Listen。　From　that　evil　moment　when；

in　the　presence　of　thy　uncle　Sepa；　for　the　second　time　I　set　eyes　upon

thy　face；　I　loved　theehow　much；　thou　canst　little　guess。　Think　upon

thine　own　love　for　Cleopatra；　and　double　it；　and　double　it　again；　and

perchance　thou　mayst　come　near　to　my　love's　mighty　sum。　I　loved　thee；

day　by　day　I　loved　thee　more；　till　in　thee　and　for　thee　alone　I　seemed

to　live。　But　thou　wast　coldthou　wast　worse　than　cold！　thou　didst

deal　with　me　not　as　a　breathing　woman；　but　rather　as　the　instrument　to

an　endas　a　tool　with　which　to　grave　thy　fortunes。　And　then　I　saw

yes；　long　before　thou　knewest　it　thyselfthy　heart's　tide　was　setting

strong　towards　that　ruinous　shore　whereon　to…day　thy　life　is　broken。

And　at　last　that　night　came；　that　dreadful　night　when；　hid　within　the

chamber；　I　saw　thee　cast　my　kerchief　to　the　winds；　and　with　sweet

words　cherish　my　royal　Rival's　gift。　Thenoh；　thou　knowestin　my

pain　I　betrayed　the　secret　that　thou　wouldst　not　see；　and　thou　didst

make　a　mock　of　me；　Harmachis！　Oh！　the　shame　of　itthou　in　thy

foolishness　didst　make　a　mock　of　me！　I　went　thence；　and　within　me　were

rising　all　the　torments　which　can　tear　a　woman's　heart；　for　now　I　was

sure　that　thou　didst　love　Cleopatra！　Ay；　and　so　mad　was　I；　even　that

night　I　was　minded　to　betray　thee：　but　I　thoughtnot　yet；　not　yet；

to…morrow　he　may　soften。　Then　came　the　morrow；　and　all　was　ready　for

the　bursting　of　the　great　plot　that　should　make　thee　Pharaoh。　And　I

too　camethou　dost　rememberand　again　thou　didst　put　me　away　when　I

spake　to　thee　in　parables；　as　something　of　little　worthas　a　thing

too　small　to　claim　a　moment's　weighty　thought。　And；　knowing　t