cleopatra-第24部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


then。　To…morrow　night；　at　three　hours　before　midnight　thou　dost　cast

the　final　augury　of　the　issue　of　the　war。　And　then　thou　wilt；　as　is

agreed；　descend　alone　with　me；　having　the　signet；　to　the　outer　chamber

of　the　Queen's　apartment。　For　the　vessel　bearing　orders　to　the　Legions

sails　from　Alexandria　at　the　following　dawn；　and　alone　with　Cleopatra；

since　she　wills　that　the　thing　be　kept　secret　as　the　sea；　thou　wilt

read　the　message　of　the　stars。　And　as　she　pores　over　the　papyrus；　then

must　thou　stab　her　in　the　back；　so　that　she　dies；　and　see　thou　that

thy　will　and　arm　fail　thee　not！　The　deed　being　doneand　indeed　it

will　be　easythou　wilt　take　the　signet　and　pass　out　to　where　the

eunuch　isfor　the　others　will　be　wanting。　If　by　any　chance　there　is

trouble　with　himbut　there　will　be　no　trouble；　for　he　dare　not　enter

the　private　rooms；　and　the　sounds　of　death　cannot　reach　so　farthou

must　cut　him　down。　Then　I　will　meet　thee；　and；　passing　on；　we　will

come　to　Paulus；　and　it　shall　be　my　care　to　see　that　he　is　neither

drunk　nor　backward；　for　I　know　how　to　hold　him　to　the　task。　And　he　and

those　with　him　shall　throw　open　the　side　gate；　when　Sepa　and　the　five

hundred　chosen　men　who　are　in　waiting　shall　pour　in　and　cast

themselves　upon　the　sleeping　legionaries；　putting　them　to　the　sword。

Why；　the　thing　is　easy　so　thou　rest　true　to　thyself；　and　let　no

womanish　fears　creep　into　thy　heart。　What　is　this　dagger's　thrust？　It

is　nothing；　and　yet　upon　it　hang　the　destinies　of　Egypt　and　the

world。〃



〃Hush！〃　I　said。　〃What　is　that？I　hear　a　sound。〃



Charmion　ran　to　the　door；　and；　gazing　down　the　long；　dark　passage；

listened。　In　a　moment　she　came　back；　her　finger　on　her　lips。　〃It　is

the　Queen；〃　she　whispered　hurriedly；　〃the　Queen　who　mounts　the　stair

alone。　I　heard　her　bid　Iras　to　leave　her。　I　may　not　be　found　alone

with　thee　at　this　hour；　it　has　a　strange　look；　and　she　may　suspect。

What　wants　she　here？　Where　can　I　hide？〃



I　glanced　round。　At　the　further　end　of　the　chamber　was　a　heavy　curtain

that　hid　a　little　place　built　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall　which　I

used　for　the　storage　of　rolls　and　instruments。



〃Haste　theethere！〃　I　said；　and　she　glided　behind　the　curtain；　which

swung　back　and　covered　her。　Then　I　thrust　the　fatal　scroll　of　death

into　the　bosom　of　my　robe　and　bent　over　the　mystic　chart。　Presently　I

heard　the　sweep　of　woman's　robes　and　there　came　a　low　knock　upon　the

door。



〃Enter；　whoever　thou　art；〃　I　said。



The　latch　lifted；　and　Cleopatra　swept　in；　royally　arrayed；　her　dark

hair　hanging　about　her　and　the　sacred　snake　of　royalty　glistening　on

her　brow。



〃Of　a　truth；　Harmachis；〃　she　said　with　a　sigh；　as　she　sank　into　a

seat；　〃the　path　to　heaven　is　hard　to　climb！　Ah！　I　am　weary；　for　those

stairs　are　many。　But　I　was　minded；　my　astronomer；　to　see　thee　in　thy

haunts。〃



〃I　am　honoured　overmuch；　O　Queen！〃　I　said　bowing　low　before　her。



〃Art　thou　now？　And　yet　that　dark　face　of　thine　has　a　somewhat　angry

lookthou　art　too　young　and　handsome　for　this　dry　trade；　Harmachis。

Why；　I　vow　thou　hast　cast　my　wreath　of　roses　down　amidst　thy　rusty

tools！　Kings　would　have　cherished　that　wreath　along　with　their

choicest　diadems；　Harmachis！　and　thou　dost　throw　it　away　as　a　thing　of

no　account！　Why；　what　a　man　art　thou！　But　stay；　what　is　this？　A　lady's

kerchief；　by　Isis！　Nay；　now；　my　Harmachis；　how　came　/this/　here？　Are

our　poor　kerchiefs　also　instruments　of　thy　high　art？　Oh；　fie；　fie！

have　I　caught　thee；　then？　Art　thou　indeed　a　fox？〃



〃Nay；　most　royal　Cleopatra；　nay！〃　I　said；　turning；　for　the　kerchief

which　had　fallen　from　Charmion's　neck　had　an　awkward　look。　〃I　know

not；　indeed；　how　the　frippery　came　here。　Perhaps；　some　one　of　the

women　who　keeps　the　chamber　may　have　let　it　fall。〃



〃Ah！　soso！〃　she　said　dryly；　and　still　laughing　like　a　rippling

brook。　〃Yes；　surely；　the　slave…women　who　keep　chambers　own　such　toys

as　this；　of　the　very　finest　silk；　worth　twice　its　weight　in　gold；　and

broidered；　too；　in　many　colours。　Why；　myself　I　should　not　shame　to

wear　it！　Of　a　truth　it　seems　familiar　to　my　sight。〃　And　she　threw　it

round　her　neck　and　smoothed　the　ends　with　her　white　hand。　〃But　there；

doubtless；　it　is　a　thing　unholy　in　thine　eyes　that　the　scarf　of　thy

beloved　should　rest　upon　my　poor　breast。　Take　it；　Harmachis；　take　it；

and　hide　it　in　thy　bosomnigh　thy　heart　indeed！〃



I　took　the　accursed　thing；　and；　muttering　what　I　may　not　write；

stepped　on　to　the　giddy　platform　whence　I　watched　the　stars。　Then；

crushing　it　into　a　ball；　I　threw　it　to　the　winds　of　heaven。



At　this　the　lovely　Queen　laughed　once　more。



〃Nay；　think　now；〃　she　cried；　〃what　would　the　lady　say　could　she　see

her　love…gauge　thus　cast　to　all　the　world？　Mayhap；　Harmachis；　thou

wouldst　deal　thus　with　my　wreath　also？　See；　the　roses　fade；　cast　it

forth；〃　and；　stooping；　she　took　up　the　wreath　and　gave　it　to　me。



For　a　moment；　so　vexed　was　I；　I　had　a　mind　to　take　her　at　her　word　and

send　the　wreath　to　join　the　kerchief。　But　I　thought　better　of　it。



〃Nay；〃　I　said　more　softly；　〃it　is　a　Queen's　gift；　and　I　will　keep　it；〃

and；　as　I　spoke；　I　saw　the　curtain　shake。　Often　since　that　night　I

have　sorrowed　over　those　simple　words。



〃Gracious　thanks　be　to　the　King　of　Love　for　this　small　mercy；〃　she

answered；　looking　at　me　strangely。　〃Now；　enough　of　wit；　come　forth

upon　this　balconytell　me　of　the　mystery　of　those　stars　of　thine。　For

I　always　loved　the　stars；　that　are　so　pure　and　bright　and　cold；　and　so

far　away　from　our　fevered　troubling。　There　I　would　wish　to　dwell；

rocked　on　the　dark　bosom　of　the　night；　and　losing　the　little　sense　of

self　as　I　gazed　for　ever　on　the　countenance　of　yon　sweet…eyed　space。

Naywho　can　tell；　Harmachis？perhaps　those　stars　partake　of　our　very

substance；　and；　linked　to　us　by　Nature's　invisible　chain；　do；　indeed；

draw　our　destiny　with　them　as　they　roll。　What　says　the　Greek　fable　of

him　who　became　a　star？　Perchance　it　has　truth；　for　yonder　tiny　sparks

may　be　the　souls　of　men；　but　grown　more　purely　bright　and　placed　in

happy　rest　to　illume　the　turmoil　of　their　mother…earth。　Or　are　they

lamps　hung　high　in　the　heavenly　vault　that　night　by　night　some

Godhead；　whose　wings　are　Darkness；　touches　with　his　immortal　fire　so

that　they　leap　out　in　answering　flame？　Give　me　of　thy　wisdom　and　open

these　wonders　to　me；　my　servant；　for　I　have　little　knowledge。　Yet　my

heart　is　large；　and　I　would　fill　it；　for　I　have　the　wit；　could　I　but

find　the　teacher。〃



Thereon；　being　glad　to　find　footing　on　a　safer　shore；　and　marvelling

somewhat　to　learn　that　Cleopatra　had　a　place　for　lofty　thoughts；　I

spoke　and　willingly　told　her　such　things　as　are　lawful。　I　told　her　how

the　sky　is　a　liquid　mass　pressing　round　the　earth　and　resting　on　the

elastic　pillars　of　the　air；　and　how　above　is　the　heavenly　ocean　Nout；

in　which　the　planets　float　like　ships　as　they　rush　upon　their　radiant

way。　I　told　her　many　things；　and　amongst　them　how；　through　the　certain

never…ceasing　movement　of　the　orbs　of　light；　the　planet　Venus；　that

was　called　Donaou　when　she　showed　as　the　Morning　Star；　became　the

planet　Bonou　when　she　came　as　the　sweet　Star　of　Eve。　And　while　I　stood

and　spoke　watching　the　stars；　she　sat；　her　hands　clasped　upon　her

knee；　and　watched　my　face。



〃Ah！〃　she　broke　in　at　length；　〃and　so　Venus　is　to　be　seen　both　in　the

morning　and　the　evening　sky。　Well；　of　a　truth；　she　is　everywhere；

though　she　best　loves　the　night。　But　thou　lovest　not　that　I　should　use

these　Latin　names　to　thee。　Come；　we　will　talk　in　the　ancient　tongue　of

Khem；　which　I　know　well；　I　am　the　first；　mark　thou；　of　all　the　Lagid？

who　know　it。　And　now；〃　she　went　on；　speaking　in　my　own　tongue；　but

with　a　little　foreign　accent　that　did　but　make　her　talk　more　sweet；

〃enough　of　stars；　for；　when　all　is　said；　they　are　but　fickle　things；

and　perhaps　may　even　now　be　storing　up　an　evil　hour　for　thee　or　me；　or

for　both　of　us　together。　Not　but　what　I　love　to　hear　thee　speak　of

them；　for　then　thy　face　loses　that　gloomy　cloud　of　thought　which　mars

it　and　grows　quick　and　human。　Harmachis；　thou　art　too　young　for　such　a

solemn　trade；　methinks　that　I　must　find　thee　a　better。　Youth　comes　but

once；　why　waste　it　in　these　musings？　It　is　time　to　think　when　we　can

no　longer　act。　Tell　me　how　old　art　thou；　Harmachis？〃



〃I　have　six…and…twenty　years；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered；　〃for　I　was　born　in

the　first　month　of　Shomou；　in　the　summer　season；　and　on　the　third　day

of　the　month。〃



〃Why；　then；　we　are　of　an　age　even　to　a　day；〃　she　cried；　〃for　I　too

have　six…and…twenty　years；　and　I　too　was　born　on　the　third　day　of　the

first　month　of　Shomou。　Well；　this　may　we　say：　those　who　begot　us　need

have　no　shame。　For　if　I　be　the　fairest　woman　in　Egypt；　methinks；

Harmachis；　that　there　is　in　Egypt　no　man　more　fair　and　strong　than

thou；　ay；　or　more　learned。　Born　of　the　same　day；　why；　'tis　manifest

that　we　were　destined　to　stand　together；　I；　as　the　Queen；　and　thou；

perchance；　Harmach