cleopatra-第28章

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

perchance；　Harmachis；　as　one　of　the　chief　pillars　of　my　throne；　and

thus　to　work　each　other's　weal。〃



〃Or　maybe　each　other's　woe；〃　I　answered；　looking　up；　for　her　sweet

speeches　stung　my　ears　and　brought　more　colour　to　my　face　than　I　loved

that　she　should　see　there。



〃Nay；　never　talk　of　woe。　Be　seated　here　by　me；　Harmachis；　and　let　us

talk；　not　as　Queen　and　subject；　but　as　friend　to　friend。　Thou　wast

angered　with　me　at　the　feast　to…night　because　I　mocked　thee　with

yonder　wreathwas　it　not　so？　Nay；　it　was　but　a　jest。　Didst　thou　know

how　heavy　is　the　task　of　monarchs　and　how　wearisome　are　their　hours；

thou　wouldst　not　be　wroth　because　I　lit　my　dulness　with　a　jest。　Oh；

they　weary　me；　those　princes　and　those　nobles；　and　those　stiff…necked

pompous　Romans。　To　my　face　they　vow　themselves　my　slaves；　and　behind

my　back　they　mock　me　and　proclaim　me　the　servant　of　their　Triumvirate；

or　their　Empire；　or　their　Republic；　as　the　wheel　of　Fortune　turns；　and

each　rises　on　its　round！　There　is　never　a　man　among　themnothing　but

fools；　parasites；　and　puppetsnever　a　man　since　with　their　coward

daggers　they　slew　that　C？sar　whom　all　the　world　in　arms　was　not　strong

enough　to　tame。　And　I　must　play　off　one　against　the　other；　if　maybe；

by　so　doing；　I　can　keep　Egypt　from　their　grip。　And　for　reward；　what？

Why；　this　is　my　rewardthat　all　men　speak　ill　of　meand；　I　know　it；

my　subjects　hate　me！　Yes；　I　believe　that；　woman　though　I　am；　they

would　murder　me　could　they　find　a　means！〃



She　paused；　covering　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　it　was　well；　for　her

words　pierced　me　so　that　I　shrank　upon　the　seat　beside　her。



〃They　think　ill　of　me；　I　know　it；　and　call　me　wanton；　who　have　never

stepped　aside　save　once；　when　I　loved　the　greatest　man　of　all　the

world；　and　at　the　touch　of　love　my　passion　flamed　indeed；　but　burnt　a

hallowed　flame。　These　ribald　Alexandrians　swear　that　I　poisoned

Ptolemy；　my　brotherwhom　the　Roman　Senate　would；　most　unnaturally；

have　forced　on　me；　his　sister；　as　a　husband！　But　it　is　false：　he

sickened　and　died　of　fever。　And　even　so　they　say　that　I　would　slay

Arsino？；　my　sisterwho；　indeed；　would　slay　me！but　that；　too；　is

false！　Though　she　will　have　none　of　me；　I　love　my　sister。　Yes；　they

all　think　ill　of　me　without　a　cause；　even　thou　dost　think　ill　of　me；

Harmachis。



〃O　Harmachis；　before　thou　judgest；　remember　what　a　thing　is　envy！

that　foul　sickness　of　the　mind　which　makes　the　jaundiced　eye　of

pettiness　to　see　all　things　distraughtto　read　Evil　written　on　the

open　face　of　Good；　and　find　impurity　in　the　whitest　virgin's　soul！

Think　what　a　thing　it　is；　Harmachis；　to　be　set　on　high　above　the

gaping　crowd　of　knaves　who　hate　thee　for　thy　fortune　and　thy　wit；　who

gnash　their　teeth　and　shoot　the　arrows　of　their　lies　from　the　cover　of

their　own　obscureness；　whence　they　have　no　wings　to　soar；　and　whose

hearts'　quest　it　is　to　drag　down　thy　nobility　to　the　level　of　the

groundling　and　the　fool！



〃Be　not；　then；　swift　to　think　evil　of　the　Great；　whose　every　word　and

act　is　searched　for　error　by　a　million　angry　eyes；　and　whose　most　tiny

fault　is　trumpeted　by　a　thousand　throats；　till　the　world　shakes　with

echoes　of　their　sin！　Say　not：　'It　is　thus；　'tis　certainly　thus'say；

rather：　'May　it　not　be　otherwise？　Have　we　heard　aright？　Did　she　this

thing　of　her　own　will？'　Judge　gently；　Harmachis；　as　wert　thou　I　thou

wouldst　be　judged。　Remember　that　a　Queen　is　never　free。　She　is；

indeed；　but　the　point　and　instrument　of　those　forces　politic　with

which　the　iron　books　of　history　are　graved。　O　Harmachis！　be　thou　my

friendmy　friend　and　counsellor！my　friend　whom　I　can　trust　indeed！

for　here；　in　this　crowded　Court；　I　am　more　utterly　alone　than　any

soul　that　breathes　about　its　corridors。　But　/thee/　I　trust；　there　is

faith　written　in　those　quiet　eyes；　and　I　am　minded　to　lift　thee　high；

Harmachis。　I　can　no　longer　bear　my　solitude　of　mindI　must　find　one

with　whom　I　may　commune　and　speak　that　which　lies　within　my　heart。　I

have　faults；　I　know　it；　but　I　am　not　all　unworthy　of　thy　faith；　for

there　is　good　grain　among　the　evil　seed。　Say；　Harmachis；　wilt　thou

take　pity　on　my　loneliness　and　befriend　me；　who　have　lovers；

courtiers；　slaves；　dependents；　more　thick　than　I　can　count；　but　never

one　single　/friend/？〃　and　she　leant　towards　me；　touching　me　lightly；

and　gazed　on　me　with　her　wonderful　blue　eyes。



I　was　overcome；　thinking　of　the　morrow　night；　shame　and　sorrow　smote

me。　/I/；　her　friend！/I/；　whose　assassin　dagger　lay　against　my

breast！　I　bent　my　head；　and　a　sob　or　a　groan；　I　know　not　which；　burst

from　the　agony　of　my　heart。



But　Cleopatra；　thinking　only　that　I　was　moved　beyond　myself　by　the

surprise　of　her　graciousness；　smiled　sweetly；　and　said：



〃It　grows　late；　to…morrow　night　when　thou　bringest　the　auguries　we

will　speak　again；　O　my　friend　Harmachis；　and　thou　shalt　answer　me。〃

And　she　gave　me　her　hand　to　kiss。　Scarce　knowing　what　I　did；　I　kissed

it；　and　in　another　moment　she　was　gone。



But　I　stood　in　the　chamber；　gazing　after　her　like　one　asleep。







CHAPTER　VI



OF　THE　WORDS　AND　JEALOUSY　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　LAUGHTER　OF

HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　MAKING　READY　FOR　THE　DEED　OF　BLOOD；　AND　OF　THE



I　stood　still；　plunged　in　thought。　Then　by　hazard　as　it　were　I　took　up

the　wreath　of　roses　and　looked　on　it。　How　long　I　stood　so　I　know　not；

but　when　next　I　lifted　up　my　eyes　they　fell　upon　the　form　of　Charmion；

whom；　indeed；　I　had　altogether　forgotten。　And　though　at　the　moment　I

thought　but　little　of　it；　I　noted　vaguely　that　she　was　flushed　as

though　with　anger；　and　beat　her　foot　upon　the　floor。



〃Oh；　it　is　thou；　Charmion！〃　I　said。　〃What　ails　thee？　Art　thou　cramped

with　standing　so　long　in　thy　hiding…place？　Why　didst　not　thou　slip

hence　when　Cleopatra　led　me　to　the　balcony？〃



〃Where　is　my　kerchief？〃　she　asked；　shooting　an　angry　glance　at　me。　〃I

let　fall　my　broidered　kerchief。〃



〃Thy　kerchief！why；　didst　thou　not　see？　Cleopatra　twitted　me　about

it；　and　I　flung　it　from　the　balcony。〃



〃Yes；　I　saw；〃　answered　the　girl；　〃I　saw　but　too　well。　Thou　didst　fling

away　my　kerchief；　but　the　wreath　of　rosesthat　thou　wouldst　not　fling

away。　It　was　'a　Queen's　gift；'　forsooth；　and　therefore　the　royal

Harmachis；　the　Priest　of　Isis；　the　chosen　of　the　Gods；　the　crowned

Pharaoh　wed　to　the　weal　of　Khem；　cherished　it　and　saved　it。　But　my

kerchief；　stung　by　the　laughter　of　that　light　Queen；　he　cast　away！〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　asked；　astonished　at　her　bitter　tone。　〃I　cannot

read　thy　riddles。〃



〃What　mean　I？〃　she　answered；　tossing　up　her　head　and　showing　the　white

curves　of　her　throat。　〃Nay；　I　mean　naught；　or　all；　take　it　as　thou

wilt。　Wouldst　know　what　I　mean；　Harmachis；　my　cousin　and　my　Lord？〃　she

went　on　in　a　hard；　low　voice。　〃Then　I　will　tell　theethou　art　in

danger　of　the　great　offence。　This　Cleopatra　has　cast　her　fatal　wiles

about　thee；　and　thou　goest　near　to　loving　her；　Harmachisto　loving

her　whom　to…morrow　thou　must　slay！　Ay；　stand　and　stare　at　that　wreath

in　thy　handthe　wreath　thou　couldst　not　send　to　join　my　kerchief

sure　Cleopatra　wore　it　but　to…night！　The　perfume　of　the　hair　of

C？sar's　mistressC？sar's　and　others'yet　mingles　with　the　odour　of

its　roses！　Now；　prithee；　Harmachis；　how　far　didst　thou　carry　the

matter　on　yonder　balcony？　for　in　that　hole　where　I　lay　hid　I　could　not

hear　or　see。　'Tis　a　sweet　spot　for　lovers；　is　it　not？ay；　and　a　sweet

hour；　too？　Venus　surely　rules　the　stars　to…night？〃



All　of　this　she　said　so　quietly　and　in　so　soft　and　modest　a　way；

though　her　words　were　not　modest；　and　yet　so　bitterly；　that　every

syllable　cut　me　to　the　heart；　and　angered　me　till　I　could　find　no

speech。



〃Of　a　truth　thou　hast　a　wise　economy；〃　she　went　on；　seeing　her

advantage：　〃to…night　thou　dost　kiss　the　lips　that　to…morrow　thou　shalt

still　for　ever！　It　is　frugal　dealing　with　the　occasion　of　the　moment；

ay；　worthy　and　honourable　dealing！〃