cleopatra-第59部分

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〃/La！　la！/〃　she　sang；　in　her　shrill　voice；　〃a　drink　for　a　Queen！　When

fifty　drops　of　that　water　of　my　brewing　have　passed　those　red　lips　of

hers；　thou　wilt　indeed　be　avenged　of　Cleopatra；　O　Harmachis！　Ah；　that

I　could　be　there　to　see　thy　Ruin　ruined！　/La！　la！/　it　would　be　sweet

to　see！〃



〃Vengeance　is　an　arrow　that　oft…times　falls　upon　the　archer's　head；〃　I

answered；　bethinking　me　of　Charmion's　saying。







CHAPTER　VIII



OF　THE　LAST　SUPPER　OF　CLEOPATRA；　OF　THE　SONG　OF　CHARMION；

OF　THE　DRINKING　OF　THE　DRAUGHT　OF　DEATH；　OF　THE　REVEALING　OF　HARMACHIS；

OF　THE　SUMMONING　OF　THE　SPIRITS　BY　HARMACHIS；

AND　OF　THE　DEATH　OF　CLEOPATRA



On　the　morrow　Cleopatra；　having　sought　leave　of　C？sar；　visited　the

tomb　of　Antony；　crying　that　the　Gods　of　Egypt　had　deserted　her。　And

when　she　had　kissed　the　coffin　and　covered　it　with　lotus…flowers　she

came　back；　bathed；　anointed　herself；　put　on　her　most　splendid　robes；

and；　together　with　Iras；　Charmion；　and　myself；　she　supped。　Now　as　she

supped　her　spirit　flared　up　wildly；　even　as　the　sky　lights　up　at

sunset；　and　once　more　she　laughed　and　sparkled　as　in　bygone　years；

telling　us　tales　of　feasts　which　she　and　Antony　had　eaten　of。　Never；

indeed；　did　I　see　her　look　more　beauteous　than　on　that　last　fatal

night　of　vengeance。　And　thus　her　mind　drew　on　to　that　supper　at　Tarsus

when　she　drank　the　pearl。



〃Strange；〃　she　said；　〃strange　that　at　the　last　the　mind　of　Antony

should　have　turned　back　to　that　night　among　all　the　nights　and　to　the

saying　of　Harmachis。　Charmion；　dost　thou　remember　Harmachis　the

Egyptian？〃



〃Surely；　O　Queen；〃　she　answered　slowly。



〃And　who；　then；　was　Harmachis？〃　I　asked；　for　I　would　learn　if　she

sorrowed　o'er　my　memory。



〃I　will　tell　thee。　It　is　a　strange　tale；　and　now　that　all　is　done　it

may　well　be　told。　This　Harmachis　was　of　the　ancient　race　of　the

Pharaohs；　and；　having；　indeed；　been　crowned　in　secret　at　Abydus；　was

sent　hither　to　Alexandria　to　carry　out　a　great　plot　that　had　been

formed　against　the　rule　of　us　royal　Lagid？。　He　came　and　gained　entry

to　the　palace　as　my　astrologer；　for　he　was　very　learned　in　all　magic

much　as　thou　art；　Olympusand　a　man　beautiful　to　see。　Now　this　was

his　plotthat　he　should　slay　me　and　be　named　Pharaoh。　In　truth　it　was

a　strong　one；　for　he　had　many　friends　in　Egypt；　and　I　had　few。　And　on

that　very　night　when　he　should　carry　out　his　purpose；　yea；　at　the　very

hour；　came　Charmion　yonder；　and　told　the　plot　to　me；　saying　that　she

had　chanced　upon　its　clue。　But；　in　after　daysthough　I　have　said

little　thereon　to　thee；　CharmionI　misdoubted　me　much　of　that　tale　of

thine；　for；　by　the　Gods！　to　this　hour　I　believe　that　thou　didst　love

Harmachis；　and　because　he　scorned　thee　thou　didst　betray　him；　and　for

that　cause　also　hast　all　thy　days　remained　a　maid；　which　is　a　thing

unnatural。　Come；　Charmion；　tell　us；　for　naught　matters　now　at　the

end。〃



Charmion　shivered　and　made　answer：　〃It　is　true；　O　Queen；　I　also　was　of

the　plot；　and　because　Harmachis　scorned　me　I　betrayed　him；　and　because

of　my　great　love　for　him　I　have　remained　unwed。〃　And　she　glanced　up　at

me　and　caught　my　eyes；　then　let　the　modest　lashes　veil　her　own。



〃So！　I　thought　it。　Strange　are　the　ways　of　women！　But　little　cause；

methinks；　had　that　Harmachis　to　thank　thee　for　thy　love。　What　sayest

thou；　Olympus？　Ah；　and　so　thou　also　wast　a　traitor；　Charmion？　How

dangerous　are　the　paths　which　Monarchs　tread！　Well；　I　forgive　thee；

for　thou　hast　served　me　faithfully　since　that　hour。



〃But　to　my　tale。　Harmachis　I　dared　not　slay；　lest　his　great　party

should　rise　in　fury　and　cast　me　from　the　throne。　And　now　mark　the

issue。　Though　he　must　murder　me；　in　secret　this　Harmachis　loved　me；

and　something　thereof　I　guessed。　I　had　striven　a　little　to　draw　him　to

me；　for　the　sake　of　his　beauty　and　his　wit；　and　for　the　love　of　man

Cleopatra　never　strove　in　vain。　Therefore　when；　with　the　dagger　in　his

robe；　he　came　to　slay　me；　I　matched　my　charms　against　his　will；　and

need　I　tell　you；　being　man　and　woman；　how　I　won？　Oh；　never　can　I

forget　the　look　in　the　eyes　of　that　fallen　prince；　that　forsworn

priest；　that　discrowned　Pharaoh；　when；　lost　in　the　poppied　draught；　I

saw　him　sink　into　a　shameful　sleep　whence　he　might　no　more　wake　with

honour！　And；　thereaftertill；　in　the　end；　I　wearied　of　him；　and　his

sad　learned　mind；　for　his　guilty　soul　forbade　him　to　be　gaya　little

I　came　to　care　for　him；　though　not　to　love。　But　hehe　who　loved　me

clung　to　me　as　a　drunkard　to　the　cup　which　ruins　him。　Deeming　that　I

should　wed　him；　he　betrayed　to　me　the　secret　of　the　hidden　wealth　of

the　pyramid　of　/Her/for　at　the　time　I　much　needed　treasureand

together　we　dared　the　terrors　of　the　tomb　and　drew　it　forth；　even　from

dead　Pharaoh's　breast。　See；　this　emerald　was　a　part　thereof！〃and　she

pointed　to　the　great　scarab？us　that　she　had　drawn　from　the　holy　heart

of　Menkau…ra。



〃And　because　of　what　was　written　in　the　tomb；　and　of　that　Thing　which

we　saw　in　the　tombah；　pest　upon　it！　why　does　its　memory　haunt　me

now？and　also　because　of　policy；　for　I　would　fain　have　won　the　love

of　the　Egyptians；　I　was　minded　to　marry　this　Harmachis　and　declare　his

place　and　lineage　to　the　worlday；　and　by　his　aid　hold　Egypt　from　the

Roman。　For　Dellius　had　then　come　to　call　me　to　Antony；　and　after　much

thought　I　determined　to　send　him　back　with　sharp　words。　But　on　that

very　morning；　as　I　tired　me　for　the　Court；　came　Charmion　yonder；　and　I

told　her　this；　for　I　would　see　how　the　matter　fell　upon　her　mind。　Now

mark；　Olympus；　the　power　of　jealousy；　that　little　wedge　which　yet　has

strength　to　rend　the　tree　of　Empire；　that　secret　sword　which　can　carve

the　fate　of　Kings！　This　she　could　in　no　wise　beardeny　it；　Charmion；

if　thou　canst；　for　now　it　is　clear　to　me！that　the　man　she　loved

should　be　given　to　me　as　husbandme；　whom　/he/　loved！　And　therefore；

with　more　skill　and　wit　than　I　can　tell；　she　reasoned　with　me；　showing

that　I　should　by　no　means　do　this　thing；　but　journey　to　Antony；　and

for　that；　Charmion；　I　thank　thee；　now　that　all　is　come　and　gone。　And

by　a　very　little；　her　words　weighed　down　my　scale　of　judgment　against

Harmachis；　and　I　went　to　Antony。　Thus　it　is　through　the　jealous　spleen

of　yonder　fair　Charmion　and　the　passion　of　a　man　on　which　I　played　as

on　a　lyre；　that　all　these　things　have　come　to　pass。　For　this　cause

Octavian　sits　a　King　in　Alexandria；　for　this　cause　Antony　is

discrowned　and　dead；　and　for　this　cause　I；　too；　must　die　to…night！　Ah！

Charmion！　Charmion！　thou　hast　much　to　answer；　for　thou　hast　changed

the　story　of　the　world；　and　yet；　even　nowI　would　not　have　it

otherwise！〃



She　paused　awhile；　covering　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and；　looking；　I

saw　great　tears　upon　the　cheek　of　Charmion。



〃And　of　this　Harmachis；〃　I　asked；　〃where　is　he　now；　O　Queen？〃



〃Where　is　he？　In　Amenti；　forsoothmaking　his　peace　with　Isis；

perchance。　At　Tarsus　I　saw　Antony；　and　loved　him；　and　from　that　moment

I　loathed　the　sight　of　the　Egyptian；　and　swore　to　make　an　end　of　him；

for　a　lover　done　with　should　be　a　lover　dead。　And；　being　jealous；　he

spoke　some　words　of　evil　omen；　even　at　that　Feast　of　the　Pearl；　and　on

the　same　night　I　would　have　slain　him；　but　before　the　deed　was　done；

he　was　gone。〃



〃And　whither　was　he　gone？〃



〃Nay；　that　know　not　I。　Brennushe　who　led　my　guard；　and　last　year

sailed　North　to　join　his　own　peopleBrennus　swore　he　saw　him　float　to

the　skies；　but　in　this　matter　I　misdoubted　me　of　Brennus；　for　methinks

he　loved　the　man。　Nay；　he　sank　off　Cyprus；　and　was　drowned；　perchance

Charmion　can　tell　us　how？〃



〃I　can　tell　thee　nothing；　O　Queen；　Harmachis　is　lost。〃



〃And　well　lost；　Charmion；　for　he　was　an　evil　man　to　play　withay；

although　I　bettered　him　I　say　it！　Well　he　served　my　purpose；　but　I

loved　him　not；　and　even　now　I　fear　him；　for　it　seemed　to　me　that　I

heard　his　voice　summoning　me　to　fly；　through　the　din　of　the　fight　at

Actium。　Thanks　be　to　the　Gods；　as　thou　sayest；　he　is　lost；　and　can　no

more　be　found。〃







But　I；　listening；　put　forth　my　strength；　and；　by　the　arts　I　have；　cast

the　shadow　of　my　Spirit　upon　the　Spirit　of　Cleopatra　so　that　she　felt

the　presence　of　the　lost　Harmachis。



〃Nay；　what　is　it？〃　she　said。　〃By　Serapis！　I　grow　afraid！　It　seems　to

me　that　I　feel　Harmachis　here！　His　memory　overwhelms　me　like　a　flood

of　waters；　and　he　these　ten　years　dead！　Oh！　at　such　a　time　it　is

unholy！〃



〃Nay；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered；　〃if　he　be　dead　then　he　is　everywhere；　and

well　at　such　a　timethe　time　of　thy　own　deathmay　his　Spirit　draw

near　to　welcome　thine　at　its　going。〃



〃Speak　not　thus；　Olympus。　I　would　see　Harmachis　no　more；　the　count

between　us　is　too　heavy；　and　in　another　world　than　this　more　evenly；

perchance　should　we　be　matched。　Ah；　the　terror　passes！　I　was　but

unnerved。　Well　the　fool's　story　hath　served　to　wile　away　the　heaviest

of　our　hours；　the　hour　which　ends　in　death。　Sing　to　me；　Charmion；

sing；　for　thy　v