cleopatra-第22章

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beware　of　this　Charmion。　She　is　too　wayward；　and；　I　fear　me；　may　be

led　away。　In　truth；　she　is　a　very　woman；　and；　like　a　restive　horse；

will　take　the　path　that　pleases　her。　She　has　brain　and　fire；　and　she

loves　our　cause；　but　I　pray　that　the　cause　come　not　face　to　face　with

her　desires；　for　what　her　heart　is　set　on　that　will　she　do；　at　any

cost　she　will　do　it。　Therefore　I　frightened　her　now　while　I　may：　for

who　can　know　but　that　she　will　pass　beyond　my　power？　I　tell　thee；　that

in　this　one　girl's　hand　lie　all　our　lives：　and　if　she　play　us　false；

what　then？　Alas！　and　alas！　that　we　must　use　such　tools　as　these！　But

it　was　needful：　there　was　no　other　way；　and　yet　I　misdoubted　me。　I

pray　that　it　may　be　well；　still；　at　times；　I　fear　my　niece　Charmion

she　is　too　fair；　and　the　blood　of　youth　runs　too　warm　in　those　blue

veins　of　hers。



〃Ah；　woe　to　the　cause　that　builds　its　strength　upon　a　woman's　faith；

for　women　are　faithful　only　where　they　love；　and　when　they　love　their

faithlessness　becomes　their　faith。　They　are　not　fixed　as　men　are

fixed：　they　rise　more　high　and　sink　more　lowthey　are　strong　and

changeful　as　the　sea。　Harmachis；　beware　of　this　Charmion：　for；　like

the　ocean；　she　may　float　thee　home；　or；　like　the　ocean；　she　may　wreck

thee；　and；　with　thee；　the　hope　of　Egypt！〃







CHAPTER　III



OF　THE　COMING　OF　HARMACHIS　TO　THE　PALACE；　OF　HOW　HE　DREW

PAULUS　THROUGH　THE　GATES；　OF　CLEOPATRA　SLEEPING；　AND　OF　THE

MAGIC　OF　HARMACHIS　WHICH　HE　SHOWED　HER



Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　on　the　next　day　I　arrayed　myself　in　a　long

and　flowing　robe；　after　the　fashion　of　a　magician　or　astrologer。　I

placed　a　cap　on　my　head；　about　which　were　broidered　images　of　the

stars；　and　in　my　belt　a　scribe's　palette　and　a　roll　of　papyrus　written

over　with　magic　spells　and　signs。　In　my　hand　I　held　a　wand　of　ebony；

tipped　with　ivory；　such　as　is　used　by　priests　and　masters　of　magic。

Among　these；　indeed；　I　took　high　rank；　filling　my　knowledge　of　their

secrets　which　I　had　learned　at　Annu　what　I　lacked　in　that　skill　which

comes　from　use。　And　so　with　no　small　shame；　for　I　love　not　such　play

and　hold　this　common　magic　in　contempt；　I　set　forth　through　the

Bruchium　to　the　palace　on　the　Lochias；　being　guided　on　my　way　by　my

uncle　Sepa。　At　length；　passing　up　the　avenue　of　sphinxes；　we　came　to

the　great　marble　gateway　and　the　gates　of　bronze；　within　which　is　the

guard…house。　Here　my　uncle　left　me；　breathing　many　prayers　for　my

safety　and　success。　But　I　advanced　with　an　easy　air　to　the　gate；　where

I　was　roughly　challenged　by　the　Gallic　sentries；　and　asked　of　my　name；

following；　and　business。　I　gave　my　name；　Harmachis；　the　astrologer；

saying　that　my　business　was　with　the　Lady　Charmion；　the　Queen's　lady。

Thereon　the　man　made　as　though　to　let　me　pass　in；　when　a　captain　of

the　guard；　a　Roman　named　Paulus；　came　forward　and　forbade　it。　Now；

this　Paulus　was　a　large　limbed　man；　with　a　woman's　face；　and　a　hand

that　shook　from　wine…bibbing。　Still　he　knew　me　again。



〃Why；〃　he　cried；　in　the　Latin　tongue；　to　one　who　came　with　him；　〃this

is　the　fellow　who　wrestled　yesterday　with　the　Nubian　gladiator；　that

same　who　now　howls　for　his　lost　hand　underneath　my　window。　Curses　on

the　black　brute！　I　had　a　bet　upon　him　for　the　games！　I　have　backed　him

against　Caius；　and　now　he'll　never　fight　again；　and　I　must　lose　my

money；　all　through　this　astrologer。　What　is　it　thou　sayest？thou　hast

business　with　the　Lady　Charmion？　Nay；　then；　that　settles　it。　I　will

not　let　thee　through。　Fellow；　I　worship　the　Lady　Charmionay；　we　all

worship　her；　though　she　gives　us　more　slaps　than　sighs。　And　dost　thou

think　that　we　will　suffer　an　astrologer　with　such　eyes　and　such　a

chest　as　thine　to　cut　in　the　game？by　Bacchus；　no！　She　must　come　out

to　keep　the　tryst；　for　in　thou　shalt　not　go。〃



〃Sir；〃　I　said　humbly　and　yet　with　dignity；　〃I　pray　that　a　message　may

be　sent　to　the　Lady　Charmion；　for　my　business　will　not　brook　delay。〃



〃Ye　Gods！〃　answered　the　fool；　〃whom　have　we　here　that　he　cannot　wait？

A　C？sar　in　disguise？　Nay；　be　offbe　off！　if　thou　wouldst　not　learn

how　a　spear…prick　feels　behind。〃



〃Nay；〃　put　in　the　other　officer；　〃he　is　an　astrologer；　make　him

prophesymake　him　play　tricks。〃



〃Ay；〃　cried　the　others　who　had　sauntered　up；　〃let　the　fellow　show　his

art。　If　he　is　a　magician　he　can　pass　the　gates；　Paulus　or　no　Paulus。〃



〃Right　willingly；　good　Sirs；〃　I　answered；　for　I　saw　no　other　means　of

entering。　〃Wilt　thou；　my　young　and　noble　Lord〃and　I　addressed　him

who　was　with　Paulus〃suffer　that　I　look　thee　in　the　eyes；　perhaps　I

may　read　what　is　written　there？〃



〃Right；〃　answered　the　youth；　〃but　I　wish　that　the　Lady　Charmion　was

the　sorceress。　I　would　stare　her　out　of　countenance；　I　warrant。〃



I　took　him　by　the　hand　and　gazed　deep　into　his　eyes。　〃I　see；〃　I　said；

〃a　field　of　battle　at　night；　and　about　it　bodies　stretchedamong　them

is　/thy/　body；　and　a　hyena　tears　its　throat。　Most　noble　Sir；　thou

shalt　die　by　sword…thrusts　within　a　year。〃



〃By　Bacchus！〃　said　the　youth；　turning　white　to　the　gills；　〃thou　art　an

ill…omened　sorcerer！〃　And　he　slunk　offshortly　afterwards；　as　it

chanced；　to　meet　this　very　fate。　For　he　was　sent　on　service　and　slain

in　Cyprus。



〃Now　for　thee；　great　Captain！〃　I　said；　speaking　to　Paulus。　〃I　will

show　thee　how　I　will　pass　those　gates　without　thy　leaveay；　and　draw

thee　through　them　after　me。　Be　pleased　to　fix　thy　princely　gaze　upon

the　point　of　this　wand　in　my　hand。〃



Being　urged　by　his　comrades　he　did　this；　unwillingly；　and　I　let　him

gaze　till　I　saw　his　eyes　grow　empty　as　an　owl's　eyes　in　the　sun。　Then

I　suddenly　withdrew　the　wand；　and；　shifting　my　countenance　into　the

place　of　it；　I　seized　him　with　my　will　and　stare；　and；　beginning　to

turn　round　and　round；　drew　him　after　me；　his　fierce　face　drawn　fixed；

as　it　were；　almost　to　my　own。　Then　I　moved　slowly　backwards　till　I　had

passed　the　gates；　still　drawing　him　after　me；　and　suddenly　jerked　my

head　away。　He　fell　to　the　ground；　to　rise　wiping　his　brow　and　looking

very　foolish。



〃Art　thou　content；　most　noble　Captain？〃　I　said。　〃Thou　seest　we　have

passed　the　gates。　Would　any　other　noble　Sir　wish　that　I　should　show

more　of　my　skill？〃



〃By　Taranis；　Lord　of　Thunder；　and　all　the　Gods　of　Olympus　thrown　in；

no！〃　growled　an　old　Centurion；　a　Gaul　named　Brennus；　〃I　like　thee　not；

I　say。　The　man　who　could　drag　our　Paulus　through　those　gates　by　the

eye；　as　it　were；　is　not　a　man　to　play　with。　Paulus；　too；　who　always

goes　the　way　you　don't　want　himbackwards；　like　an　assPaulus！　Why；

sirrah；　thou　needst　must　have　a　woman　in　one　eye　and　a　wine…cup　in　the

other　to　draw　our　Paulus　thus。〃



At　this　moment　the　talk　was　broken；　for　Charmion　herself　came　down　the

marble　path；　followed　by　an　armed　slave。　She　walked　calm　and

carelessly；　her　hands　folded　behind　her；　and　her　eyes　gazing　at

nothingness；　as　it　were。　But　it　was　when　Charmion　thus　looked　upon

nothing　that　she　saw　most。　And　as　she　came　the　officers　and　men　of　the

guard　made　way　for　her　bowing；　for；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　this

girl；　next　to　Cleopatra's　self；　wielded　more　power　than　anyone　about

the　palace。



〃What　is　this　tumult；　Brennus？〃　she　said；　speaking　to　the　Centurion；

and　making　as　if　she　saw　me　not；　〃knowest　thou　not　that　the　Queen

sleeps　at　this　hour；　and　if　she　be　awakened　it　is　thou　who　must　answer

for　it；　and　that　dearly？〃



〃Nay；　Lady；〃　said　the　Centurion；　humbly；　〃but　it　is　thus。　We　have

here〃and　he　jerked　his　thumb　towards　me〃a　magician　of　the　most

pestilentum；　I　crave　his　pardonof　the　very　best　sort；　for　he　hath

but　just　now；　only　by　placing　his　eyes　close　to　the　nose　of　the　worthy

Captain　Paulus；　dragged　him；　the　said　Paulus；　through　the　gates　that

Paulus　swore　the　magician　should　not　pass。　By　the　same　token；　lady；

the　magician　says　that　he　has　business　with　youwhich　grieves　me　for

your　sake。〃



Charmion　turned　and　looked　at　me　carelessly。　〃Ay；　I　remember；〃　she

said；　〃and　so　he　hasat　least；