cleopatra-第52节

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went　as　secretly　as　I　had　come；　and　the　tomb　of　the　Divine　Rameses

knew　me　no　more。　And　with　me　I　took　all　the　treasures　of　my　father；

Amenemhat；　for　I　was　not　minded　to　go　to　Alexandria　empty…handed　and

as　a　suppliant；　but　rather　as　a　man　of　much　wealth　and　condition。　Now；

as　I　went；　I　learned　that　Antony；　following　Cleopatra；　had；　indeed；

fled　from　Actium；　and　knew　that　the　end　drew　nigh。　For　this　and　many

other　things　had　I　foreseen　in　the　darkness　of　the　tomb　of　Tápé；　and

planned　to　bring　about。







Thus；　then；　I　came　to　Alexandria；　and　entered　into　a　house　which　had

been　made　ready　for　me　at　the　palace　gates。



And　that　very　night　Charmion　came　to　meCharmion　whom　I　had　not　seen

for　nine　long　years。







CHAPTER　IV



OF　THE　MEETING　OF　CHARMION　WITH　THE　LEARNED　OLYMPUS；　OF　HER

SPEECH　WITH　HIM；　OF　THE　COMING　OF　OLYMPUS　INTO　THE

PRESENCE　OF　CLEOPATRA；　AND　OF　THE　COMMANDS　OF　CLEOPATRA。



Clad　in　my　plain　black　robe；　I　sat　in　the　guest…chamber　of　the　house

that　had　been　made　ready　for　me。　I　sat　in　a　carven　lion…footed　chair；

and　looked　upon　the　swinging　lamps　of　scented　oil；　the　pictured

tapestries；　the　rich　Syrian　rugsand；　amidst　all　this　luxury；

bethought　me　of　that　tomb　of　the　Harpers　which　is　at　Tápé；　and　of　the

nine　long　years　of　dark　loneliness　and　preparation。　I　sat；　and

crouched　upon　a　rug　near　to　the　door；　lay　the　aged　Atoua。　Her　hair　was

white　as　snow；　and　shrivelled　with　age　was　the　wrinkled　countenance　of

the　woman　who；　when　all　deserted　me；　had　yet　clung　to　me；　in　her　great

love　forgetting　my　great　sins。　Nine　years！　nine　long　years！　and　now；

once　again；　I　set　my　foot　in　Alexandria！　Once　again　in　the　appointed

circle　of　things　I　came　forth　from　the　solitude　of　preparation　to　be　a

fate　to　Cleopatra；　and　this　second　time　I　came　not　forth　to　fail。



And　yet　how　changed　the　circumstance！　I　was　out　of　the　story：　my　part

now　was　but　the　part　of　the　sword　in　the　hands　of　Justice；　I　might　no

more　hope　to　make　Egypt　free　and　great　and　sit　upon　my　lawful　throne。

Khem　was　lost；　and　lost　was　I；　Harmachis。　In　the　rush　and　turmoil　of

events；　the　great　plot　of　which　I　had　been　the　pivot　was　covered　up

and　forgotten；　scarce　a　memory　of　it　remained。　The　curtain　of　dark

night　was　closing　in　upon　the　history　of　my　ancient　Race；　its　very

Gods　were　tottering　to　their　fall；　I　could　already；　in　the　spirit；

hear　the　shriek　of　the　Roman　eagles　as　they　flapped　their　wings　above

the　furthest　banks　of　Sihor。



Presently　I　roused　myself　and　bade　Atoua　go　seek　a　mirror　and　bring　it

to　me；　that　I　might　look　therein。



And　I　saw　this：　a　face　shrunken　and　pallid；　on　which　no　smile　came；

great　eyes　grown　wan　with　gazing　into　darkness　looking　out　beneath　the

shaven　head；　emptily；　as　the　hollow　eye…pits　of　a　skull；　a　wizened

halting　form　wasted　by　abstinence；　sorrow；　and　prayer；　a　long　wild

beard　of　iron　grey；　thin　blue…veined　hands　that　ever　trembled　like　a

leaf；　bowed　shoulders　and　lessened　limbs。　Time　and　grief　had　done

their　work　indeed；　scarce　could　I　think　myself　the　same　as　when；　the

royal　Harmachisin　all　the　splendour　of　my　strength　and　youthful

beautyI　first　had　looked　upon　the　woman's　loveliness　that　did

destroy　me。　And　yet　within　me　burned　the　same　fire　as　of　yore；　yet　I

was　not　changed；　for　time　and　grief　have　no　power　to　alter　the

immortal　spirit　of　man。　Seasons　may　come　and　go；　Hope；　like　a　bird；

may　fly　away；　Passion　may　break　its　wings　against　the　iron　bars　of

Fate；　Illusions　may　crumble　as　the　cloudy　towers　of　sunset　flame；

Faith；　as　running　water；　may　slip　from　beneath　our　feet；　Solitude　may

stretch　itself　around　us　like　the　measureless　desert　sand；　Old　Age　may

creep　as　the　gathering　night　over　our　bowed　heads　grown　hoary　in　their

shameyea；　bound　to　Fortune's　wheel；　we　may　taste　of　every　turn　of

chancenow　rule　as　Kings；　now　serve　as　Slaves；　now　love；　now　hate；

now　prosper；　and　now　perish。　But　still；　through　all；　we　are　the　same；

for　this　is　the　marvel　of　Identity。







And　as　I　sat　and　thought　these　things　in　bitterness　of　heart；　there

came　a　knocking　at　the　door。



〃Open；　Atoua！〃　I　said。



She　rose　and　did　my　bidding；　and　a　woman　entered；　clad　in　Grecian

robes。　It　was　Charmion；　still　beautiful　as　of　old；　but　sad　faced　now

and　very　sweet　to　see；　with　a　patient　fire　slumbering　in　her　downcast

eyes。



She　entered　unattended；　and；　speaking　no　word；　the　old　wife　pointed　to

where　I　sat；　and　went。



〃Old　man；〃　she　said；　addressing　me；　〃lead　me　to　the　learned　Olympus。　I

come　upon　the　Queen's　business。〃



I　rose；　and；　lifting　my　head；　looked　upon　her。



She　gazed；　and　gave　a　little　cry。



〃Surely；〃　she　whispered；　glancing　round；　〃surely　thou　art　not

that〃　And　she　paused。



〃That　Harmachis　whom　once　thy　foolish　heart　did　love；　O　Charmion？　Yes；

I　am　he　and　what　thou　seest；　most　fair　lady。　Yet　is　Harmachis　dead

whom　thou　didst　love；　but　Olympus；　the　skilled　Egyptian；　waits　upon

thy　words！〃



〃Cease！〃　she　said；　〃and　of　the　past　but　one　word；　and　thenwhy；　let

it　lie。　Not　well；　with　all　thy　wisdom；　canst　thou　know　a　true　woman's

heart；　if　thou　dost　believe；　Harmachis；　that　it　can　change　with　the

changes　of　the　outer　form；　for　then　assuredly　could　no　love　follow　its

beloved　to　that　last　place　of　changethe　Grave。　Know　thou；　learned

Physician；　I　am　of　that　sort　who；　loving　once；　love　always；　and　being

not　beloved　again；　go　virgin　to　the　death。〃



She　ceased；　and　having　naught　to　say；　I　bowed　my　head　in　answer。　Yet

though　I　said　nothing　and　though　this　woman's　passionate　folly　had

been　the　cause　of　all　our　ruin；　to　speak　truth；　in　secret　I　was

thankful　to　her　who；　wooed　of　all　and　living　in　this　shameless　Court；

had　still　through　the　long　years　poured　out　her　unreturned　love　upon

an　outcast；　and　who；　when　that　poor　broken　slave　of　Fortune　came　back

in　such　unlovely　guise；　held　him　yet　dear　at　heart。　For　what　man　is

there　who　does　not　prize　that　gift　most　rare　and　beautiful；　that　one

perfect　thing　which　no　gold　can　buya　woman's　unfeigned　love？



〃I　thank　thee　that　thou　dost　not　answer；〃　she　said；　〃for　the　bitter

words　which　thou　didst　pour　upon　me　in　those　days　that　long　are　dead；

and　far　away　in　Tarsus；　have　not　lost　their　poisonous　sting；　and　in　my

heart　is　no　more　place　for　the　arrows　of　thy　scorn；　new　venomed

through　thy　solitary　years。　So　let　it　be。　Behold！　I　put　it　from　me；

that　wild　passion　of　my　soul；〃　and　she　looked　up　and　stretched　out　her

hands　as　though　to　press　some　unseen　presence　back；　〃I　put　it　from　me

though　forget　it　I　may　not！　There；　'tis　done；　Harmachis；　no　more

shall　my　love　trouble　thee。　Enough　for　me　that　once　more　my　eyes

behold　thee；　before　sleep　seals　thee　from　their　sight。　Dost　remember

how；　when　I　would　have　died　by　thy　dear　hand；　thou　wouldst　not　slay；

but　didst　bid　me　live　to　pluck　the　bitter　fruit　of　crime；　and　be

accursed　by　visions　of　the　evil　I　had　wrought　and　memories　of　thee

whom　I　have　ruined？〃



〃Ay；　Charmion；　I　remember　well。〃



〃Surely　the　cup　of　punishment　has　been　filled。　Oh！　couldst　thou　see

into　the　record　of　my　heart；　and　read　in　it　the　suffering　that　I　have

borneborne　with　a　smiling　facethy　justice　would　be　satisfied

indeed！〃



〃And　yet；　if　report　be　true；　Charmion；　thou　art　the　first　of　all　the

Court；　and　therein　the　most　powerful　and　beloved。　Does　not　Octavianus

give　it　out　that　he　makes　war；　not　on　Antony；　nor　even　on　his

mistress；　Cleopatra；　but　on　Charmion　and　Iras？〃



〃Yes；　Harmachis；　and　think　that　it　has　been　to　me　thus；　because　of　my

oath　to　thee；　to　be　forced　to　eat　the　bread　and　do　the　tasks　of　one

whom　so　bitterly　I　hate！one　who　robbed　me　of　thee；　and　who；　through

the　workings　of　my　jealousy；　brought　me　to　be　that　which　I　am；　brought

thee　to　shame；　and　all　Egypt　to　its　ruin！　Can　jewels　and　riches　and

the　flattery　of　princes　and　nobles　bring　happiness　to　such　a　one　as　I；

who　am　more　wretched　than　the　meanest　scullion　wench？　Oh；　I　have　often

wept　till　I　was　blind；　and　then；　when　the　hour　came；　I　must　arise　and

tire　me；　and；　with　a　smile；　go　do　the　bidding　of　the　Queen　and　that

heavy　Antony。　May　the　Gods　grant　me　to　see　them　deaday；　the　twain　of

them！then　myself　I　shall　be　content　to　die！　Thy　lot　has　been　hard；

Harmachis；　but　at　least　thou　have　been　free；　and　many　is　the　time　that

I　have　envied　thee　the　quiet　of　thy　haunted　cave。〃



〃I　do　perceive；　O　Charmion；　that　thou　art　mindful　of　thy　oaths；　and

it　is　well；　for　the　hour　of　vengeance　is　at　hand。〃



〃I　am　mindful；　and　in　all　things　I　have　worked　for　thee　in　secretfor

thee；　and　for　the　utter　ruin　of　Cleopatra　and　the　Roman。　I　have　fanned

his　passion　and　her　jealousy；　I　have　egged　her　on　to　wickedness　and

him　to　folly；　and　of　all　have　I　caused　report　to　be　brought　to　C？sar。

Listen！　thus　stands　the　matter。　Thou　knowest　how　went　the　fight　at

Actium。　Thither　went　Cleopatra　with　her　fleet；　sorely　against　the　will

of　Antony。　But；　as　thou　sentest　me　word；　I　entreated　him　for　the