cleopatra-第61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！


shall　be　softly　cradled；　will　yet　seem　thy　bosom；　Antony！　Oh；　I　die！

come；　Antonyand　give　me　peace！〃



Even　in　my　fury　I　had　quailed　beneath　her　scorn；　for　home　flew　the

arrows　of　her　winged　words。　Alas！　and　alas！　it　was　/true/the　shaft

of　my　vengeance　fell　upon　my　own　head；　never　had　I　loved　her　as　I

loved　her　now。　My　soul　was　rent　with　jealous　torture；　and　thus　I　swore

she　should　not　die。



〃Peace！〃　I　cried；　〃what　peace　is　there　for　thee？　Oh！　ye　Holy　Three；

hear　now　my　prayer。　Osiris；　loosen　Thou　the　bonds　of　Hell　and　send

forth　those　whom　I　shall　summon！　Come　Ptolemy；　poisoned　of　thy　sister

Cleopatra；　come　Arsino？；　murdered　in　the　sanctuary　by　thy　sister

Cleopatra；　come　Sepa；　tortured　to　death　of　Cleopatra；　come　Divine

Menkau…ra；　whose　body　Cleopatra　tore　and　whose　curse　she　braved　for

greed；　come　one；　come　all　who　have　died　at　the　hands　of　Cleopatra！

Rush　from　the　breast　of　Nout　and　greet　her　who　murdered　you！　By　the

link　of　mystic　union；　by　the　symbol　of　the　Life；　Spirits；　I　summon

you！〃



Thus　I　spoke　the　spell；　while　Charmion；　affrighted；　clung　to　my　robe；

and　the　dying　Cleopatra；　resting　on　her　hands；　swung　slowly　to　and

fro；　gazing　with　vacant　eyes。



Then　the　answer　came。　The　casement　burst　asunder；　and　on　flittering

wings　that　great　bat　entered　which　last　I　had　seen　hanging　to　the

eunuch's　chin　in　the　womb　of　the　pyramid　of　/Her/。　Thrice　it　circled

round；　once　it　hovered　o'er　dead　Iras；　then　flew　to　where　the　dying

woman　stood。　To　her　it　flew；　on　her　breast　it　settled；　clinging　to

that　emerald　which　was　dragged　from　the　dead　heart　of　Menkau…ra。

Thrice　the　grey　Horror　screamed　aloud；　thrice　it　beat　its　bony　wings；

and　lo！　it　was　gone。



Then　suddenly　within　that　chamber　sprang　up　the　Shapes　of　Death。　There

was　Arsino？；　the　beautiful；　even　as　she　had　shrunk　beneath　the

butcher's　knife。　There　was　young　Ptolemy；　his　features　twisted　by　the

poisoned　cup。　There　was　the　majesty　of　Menkau…ra；　crowned　with　the

ur？us　crown；　there　was　grave　Sepa；　his　flesh　all　torn　by　the

torturer's　hooks；　there　were　those　poisoned　slaves；　and　there　were

others　without　number；　shadowy　and　dreadful　to　behold！　who；　thronging

that　narrow　chamber；　stood　silently　fixing　their　glassy　eyes　upon　the

face　of　her　who　slew　them！







〃Behold！　Cleopatra！〃　I　said。　〃/Behold　thy　peace；　and　die！/〃



〃Ay！〃　said　Charmion。　〃Behold　and　die！　thou　who　didst　rob　me　of　my

honour；　and　Egypt　of　her　King！〃







She　looked；　she　saw　the　awful　Shapesher　Spirit；　hurrying　from　the

flesh；　mayhap　could　hear　words　to　which　my　ears　were　deaf。　Then　her

face　sank　in　with　terror；　her　great　eyes　grew　pale；　and；　shrieking；

Cleopatra　fell　and　died：　passing；　with　that　dread　company；　to　her

appointed　place。







Thus；　then；　I；　Harmachis；　fed　my　soul　with　vengeance；　fulfilling　the

justice　of　the　Gods；　and　yet　knew　myself　empty　of　all　joy　therein。　For

though　that　thing　we　worship　doth　bring　us　ruin；　and　Love　being　more

pitiless　than　Death；　we　in　turn　do　pay　all　our　sorrow　back；　yet　we

must　worship　on；　yet　stretch　out　our　arms　towards　our　lost　Desire；　and

pour　our　heart's　blood　upon　the　shrine　of　our　discrowned　God。



For　Love　is　of　the　Spirit；　and　knows　not　Death。







CHAPTER　IX



OF　THE　FAREWELL　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　DEATH　OF　CHARMION；　OF

THE　DEATH　OF　THE　OLD　WIFE；　ATOUA；　OF　THE　COMING　OF　HARMACHIS

TO　ABOUTHIS；　OF　HIS　CONFESSION　IN　THE　HALL　OF　SIX…AND…THIRTY

PILLARS；　AND　OF　THE　DECLARING　OF　THE　DOOM　OF　HARMACHIS



Charmion　unclasped　my　arm；　to　which　she　had　clung　in　terror。



〃Thy　vengeance；　thou　dark　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　in　a　hoarse　voice；　〃is

a　thing　hideous　to　behold！　O　lost　Egypt；　with　all　thy　sins　thou　wast

indeed　a　Queen！



〃Come；　aid　me；　Prince；　let　us　stretch　this　poor　clay　upon　the　bed　and

deck　it　royally；　so　that　it　may　give　its　dumb　audience　to　the

messengers　of　C？sar　as　becomes　the　last　of　Egypt's　Queens。〃



I　spoke　no　word　in　answer；　for　my　heart　was　very　heavy；　and　now　that

all　was　done　I　was　weary。　Together；　then；　we　lifted　up　the　body　and

laid　it　on　the　golden　bed。　Charmion　placed　the　ur？us　crown　upon　the

ivory　brow；　and　combed　the　night…dark　hair　that　showed　never　a　thread

of　silver；　and；　for　the　last　time；　shut　those　eyes　wherein　had　shone

all　the　changing　glories　of　the　sea。　She　folded　the　chill　hands　upon

the　breast　whence　Passion's　breath　had　fled；　and　straightened　the　bent

knees　beneath　the　broidered　robe；　and　by　the　head　set　flowers。　And

there　at　length　Cleopatra　lay；　more　splendid　now　in　her　cold　majesty

of　death　than　in　her　richest　hour　of　breathing　beauty！



We　drew　back　and　looked　on　her；　and　on　dead　Iras　at　her　feet。



〃It　is　done！〃　quoth　Charmion；　〃we　are　avenged；　and　now；　Harmachis；

dost　follow　by　this　same　road？〃　And　she　nodded　towards　the　phial　on

the　board。



〃Nay；　Charmion。　I　flyI　fly　to　a　heavier　death！　Not　thus　easily　may　I

end　my　space　of　earthly　penance。〃



〃So　be　it；　Harmachis！　And　I；　HarmachisI　fly　also；　but　with　swifter

wings。　My　game　is　played。　I；　too；　have　made　atonement。　Oh！　what　a

bitter　fate　is　mine；　to　have　brought　misery　on　all　I　love；　and；　in　the

end；　to　die　unloved！　To　thee　I　have　atoned；　to　my　angered　Gods　I　have

atoned；　and　now　I　go　to　find　a　way　whereby　I　may　atone　to　Cleopatra　in

that　Hell　where　she　is；　and　which　I　must　share！　For　she　loved　me　well；

Harmachis；　and；　now　that　she　is　dead；　methinks　that；　after　thee；　I

loved　her　best　of　all。　So　of　her　cup　and　the　cup　of　Iras　I　will　surely

drink！〃　And　she　took　the　phial；　and　with　a　steady　hand　poured　what　was

left　of　the　poison　into　the　goblet。



〃Bethink　thee；　Charmion；〃　I　said；　〃yet　mayst　thou　live　for　many　years；

hiding　these　sorrows　beneath　the　withered　days。〃



〃Yet　I　may；　but　I　will　not！　To　live　the　prey　of　so　many　memories；　the

fount　of　an　undying　shame　that　night　by　night；　as　I　lie　sleepless；

shall　well　afresh　from　my　sorrow…stricken　heart！to　live　torn　by　a

love　I　cannot　lose！to　stand　alone　like　some　storm…twisted　tree；　and；

sighing　day　by　day　to　the　winds　of　heaven；　gaze　upon　the　desert　of　my

life；　while　I　wait　the　lingering　lightning's　strokenay；　that　will

not　I；　Harmachis！　I　had　died　long　since；　but　I　lived　on　to　serve　thee；

now　no　more　thou　needest　me；　and　I　go。　Oh；　fare　thee　well！for　ever

fare　thee　well！　For　not　again　shall　I　look　again　upon　thy　face；　and

there　I　go　thou　goest　not！　For　thou　dost　not　love　me　who　still　dost

love　that　queenly　woman　thou　hast　hounded　to　the　death！　Her　thou　shalt

never　win；　and　I　thee　shall　never　win；　and　this　is　the　bitter　end　of

Fate！　See；　Harmachis：　I　ask　one　boon　before　I　go　and　for　all　time

become　naught　to　thee　but　a　memory　of　shame。　Tell　me　that　thou　dost

forgive　me　so　far　as　thine　is　to　forgive；　and　in　token　thereof　kiss　me

with　no　lover's　kiss；　but　kiss　me　on　the　brow；　and　bid　me　pass　in

peace。〃



And　she　drew　near　to　me　with　arms　outstretched　and　pitiful　trembling

lips　and　gazed　upon　my　face。



〃Charmion；〃　I　answered；　〃we　are　free　to　act　for　good　or　evil；　and　yet

methinks　there　is　a　Fate　above　our　fate；　that；　blowing　from　some

strange　shore；　compels　our　little　sails　of　purpose；　set　them　as　we

will；　and　drives　us　to　destruction。　I　forgive　thee；　Charmion；　as　I

trust　in　turn　to　be　forgiven；　and　by　this　kiss；　the　first　and　the

last；　I　seal　our　peace。〃　And　with　my　lips　I　touched　her　brow。



She　spoke　no　more；　only　for　a　little　while　she　stood　gazing　on　me　with

sad　eyes。　Then　she　lifted　the　goblet；　and　said：



〃Royal　Harmachis；　in　this　deadly　cup　I　pledge　thee！　Would　that　I　had

drunk　of　it　ere　ever　I　looked　upon　thy　face！　Pharaoh；　who；　thy　sins

outworn；　yet　shalt　rule　in　perfect　peace　o'er　worlds　I　may　not　tread；

who　yet　shalt　sway　a　kinglier　sceptre　than　that　I　robbed　thee　of；　for

ever；　fare　thee　well！〃



She　drank；　cast　down　the　cup；　and　for　a　moment　stood　with　the　wide

eyes　of　one　who　looks　for　Death。　Then　He　came；　and　Charmion　the

Egyptian　fell　prone　upon　the　floor；　dead。　And　for　a　moment　more　I

stood　alone　with　the　dead。



I　crept　to　the　side　of　Cleopatra；　and；　now　that　none　were　left　to　see；

I　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　laid　her　head　upon　my　knee；　as　once　before

it　had　been　laid　in　that　night　of　sacrilege　beneath　the　shadow　of　the

everlasting　pyramid。　Then　I　kissed　her　chill　brow　and　went　from　the

House　of　Deathavenged；　but　sorely　smitten　with　despair！







〃Physician；〃　said　the　officer　of　the　Guard　as　I　went　through　the

gates；　〃what　passes　yonder　in　the　Monument？　Methought　I　heard　the

sounds　of　death。〃



〃Naught　passesall　hath　passed；〃　I　made　reply；　and　went。



And　as　I　went　in　the　darkness　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices　and　the

running　of　the　feet　of　C？sar's　messengers。



Flying　swiftly　to　my　house　I　found　Atoua　waiting　at　the　gates。　She

drew　me　into　a　quiet　chamber　and　closed　the　doors。



〃Is　it　done？〃　she　asked；　and　turned　her　wrinkled　face　to　mine；　while

the　lamplight　streamed　white　upon　her　snowy　hair。　〃Nay；　why　ask　II

know　that　it　is　don