cleopatra-第35章

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the　hours　and　dark；　but　ever　through　their　darkness　shone　the　starry

eyes　of　Cleopatra；　and　came　the　echo　of　her　whispered　love。　For　not

yet　was　the　cup　of　sorrow　full。　Hope　still　lingered　in　my　heart；　and　I

could　almost　think　that　I　had　failed　to　some　higher　end；　and　that　in

the　depths　of　ruin　I　should　find　another　and　more　flowery　path　to

triumph。



For　thus　those　who　sin　deceive　themselves；　striving　to　lay　the　burden

of　their　evil　deeds　upon　the　back　of　Fate；　striving　to　believe　their

wickedness　may　compass　good；　and　to　murder　Conscience　with　the　sharp

plea　of　Necessity。　But　it　can　avail　nothing；　for　hand　in　hand　down　the

path　of　sin　rush　Remorse　and　Ruin；　and　woe　to　him　they　follow！　Ay；　and

woe　to　me　who　of　all　sinners　am　the　chief！







CHAPTER　IX



OF　THE　IMPRISONMENT　OF　HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　SCORN　OF　CHARMION；

OF　THE　SETTING　FREE　OF　HARMACHIS；　AND　OF　THE　COMING　OF　QUINTUS　DELLIUS



For　a　space　of　eleven　days　I　was　thus　kept　prisoned　in　my　chamber；　nor

did　I　see　anyone　except　the　sentries　at　my　doors；　the　slaves　who　in

silence　brought　me　food　and　drink；　and　Cleopatra's　self；　who　came

continually。　But；　though　her　words　of　love　were　many；　she　would　tell

me　nothing　of　how　things　went　without。　She　came　in　many　moodsnow　gay

and　laughing；　now　full　of　wise　thoughts　and　speech；　and　now　passionate

only；　and　to　every　mood　she　gave　some　new…found　charm。　She　was　full　of

talk　as　to　how　I　should　help　her　make　Egypt　great；　and　lessen　the

burdens　on　the　people；　and　fright　the　Roman　eagles　back。　And；　though

at　first　I　listened　heavily　when　she　spoke　thus；　by　slow　advance　as

she　wrapped　me　closer　and　yet　more　close　in　her　magic　web；　from　which

there　was　no　escape；　my　mind　fell　in　time　with　hers。　Then　I；　too；

opened　something　of　my　heart；　and　somewhat　also　of　the　plans　that　I

had　formed　for　Egypt。　She　seemed　to　listen　gladly；　weighing　them　all；

and　spoke　of　means　and　methods；　telling　me　how　she　would　purify　the

Faith　and　repair　the　ancient　templesay；　and　build　new　ones　to　the

Gods。　And　ever　she　crept　deeper　into　my　heart；　till　at　length；　now

that　every　other　thing　had　gone　from　me；　I　learned　to　love　her　with

all　the　unspent　passion　of　my　aching　soul。　I　had　naught　left　to　me　but

Cleopatra's　love；　and　I　twined　my　life　about　it；　and　brooded　on　it　as

a　widow　over　her　only　babe。　And　thus　the　very　author　of　my　shame

became　my　all；　my　dearest　dear；　and　I　loved　her　with　a　strong　love

that　grew　and　grew；　till　it　seemed　to　swallow　up　the　past　and　make　the

present　a　dream。　For　she　had　conquered　me；　she　had　robbed　me　of　my

honour；　and　steeped　me　to　the　lips　in　shame；　and　I；　poor　fallen；

blinded　wretch；　I　kissed　the　rod　that　smote　me；　and　was　her　very

slave。



Ay；　even　now；　in　those　dreams　which　still　come　when　Sleep　unlocks　the

secret　heart；　and　sets　its　terrors　free　to　roam　through　the　opened

halls　of　Thought；　I　seem　to　see　her　royal　form；　as　erst　I　saw　it；　come

with　arms　outstretched　and　Love's　own　light　shining　in　her　eyes；　with

lips　apart　and　flowing　locks；　and　stamped　upon　her　face　the　look　of

utter　tenderness　that　she　alone　could　wear。　Ay；　still；　after　all　the

years；　I　seem　to　see　her　come　as　erst　she　came；　and　still　I　wake　to

know　her　an　unutterable　lie！



And　thus　one　day　she　came。　She　had　fled　in　haste；　she　said；　from　some

great　council　summoned　concerning　the　wars　of　Antony　in　Syria；　and　she

came；　as　she　had　left　the　council；　in　all　her　robes　of　state；　the

sceptre　in　her　hand；　and　on　her　brow　the　ur？us　diadem　of　gold。　There

she　sat　before　me；　laughing；　for；　wearying　of　them；　she　had　told　the

envoys　to　whom　she　gave　audience　in　the　council　that　she　was　called

from　their　presence　by　a　sudden　message　come　from　Rome；　and　the　jest

seemed　merry　to　her。　Suddenly　she　rose；　took　the　diadem　from　her　brow；

and　set　it　on　my　hair；　and　on　my　shoulders　her　royal　mantle；　and　in　my

hand　the　sceptre；　and　bowed　the　knee　before　me。　Then；　laughing　again；

she　kissed　me　on　the　lips；　and　said　I　was　indeed　her　King。　But；

remembering　how　I　had　been　crowned　in　the　halls　of　Abouthis；　and

remembering　also　that　wreath　of　roses　of　which　the　odour　haunts　me

yet；　I　rose；　pale　with　wrath；　and　cast　the　trinkets　from　me；　asking

how　she　dared　to　mock　meher　caged　bird。　And　I　think　there　was　that

about　me　which　startled　her；　for　she　fell　back。



〃Nay；　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　〃be　not　wroth！　How　knowest　thou　that　I

mock　thee？　How　knowest　thou　that　thou　shalt　not　be　Pharaoh　in　fact　and

deed？〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　said。　〃Wilt　thou；　then；　wed　me　before　Egypt？

How　else　can　I　be　Pharaoh　now？〃



She　cast　down　her　eyes。　〃Perchance；　love；　it　is　in　my　mind　to　wed

thee；〃　she　said　gently。　〃Listen；〃　she　went　on：　〃Thou　growest　pale；

here；　in　this　prison；　and　thou　dost　eat　little。　Gainsay　me　not！　I　know

it　from　the　slaves。　I　have　kept　thee　here；　Harmachis；　for　thy　own

sake；　that　is　so　dear　to　me；　and　for　thy　own　sake；　and　thy　honour's

sake；　thou　must　still　seem　to　be　my　prisoner。　Else　wouldst　thou　be

shamed　and　slainay；　murdered　secretly。　But　I　can　meet　thee　here　no

more！　therefore　to…morrow　I　shall　free　thee　in　all；　save　in　the　name；

and　thou　shalt　once　more　be　seen　at　Court　as　my　astronomer。　And　I　will

give　this　reasonthat　thou　hast　cleared　thyself；　and；　moreover；　that

thy　auguries　as　regards　the　war　have　been　auguries　of　truthas；

indeed；　they　have；　though　for　this　I　have　no　cause　to　thank　thee；

seeing　that　thou　didst　suit　thy　prophecies　to　fit　thy　cause。　Now；

farewell；　for　I　must　return　to　those　heavy…browed　ambassadors；　and

grow　not　so　sudden　wroth；　Harmachis；　for　who　knows　what　may　come　to

pass　betwixt　thee　and　me？〃



And；　with　a　little　nod；　she　went；　leaving　it　on　my　mind　that　she　had

it　in　her　heart　to　wed　me　openly。　And　of　a　truth；　I　believe　that；　at

this　hour；　such　was　her　thought。　For；　if　she　loved　me　not；　still　she

held　me　dear；　and　as　yet　she　had　not　wearied　of　me。



On　the　morrow　Cleopatra　came　not；　but　Charmion　cameCharmion；　whom　I

had　not　seen　since　that　fatal　night　of　ruin。　She　entered　and　stood

before　me；　with　pale　face　and　downcast　eyes；　and　her　first　words　were

words　of　bitterness。



〃Pardon　me；〃　she　said；　in　her　gentle　voice；　〃in　that　I　dare　to　come　to

thee　in　Cleopatra's　place。　Thy　joy　is　not　delayed　for　long；　for　thou

shalt　see　her　presently。〃



I　shrank　at　her　words；　as　well　I　might；　and；　seeing　her　vantage；　she

seized　it。



〃I　come；　Harmachisroyal　no　more！I　come　to　say　that　thou　art　free！

Thou　art　free　to　face　thine　own　infamy；　and　see　it　thrown　back　from

every　eye　which　trusted　thee；　as　shadows　are　from　water。　I　come　to

tell　thee　that　the　great　plotthe　plot　of　twenty　years　and　moreis

at　its　utter　end。　None　have　been　slain；　indeed；　unless　it　is　Sepa；　who

has　vanished。　But　all　the　leaders　have　been　seized　and　put　in　chains；

or　driven　from　the　land；　and　their　party　is　broken　and　scattered。　The

storm　has　melted　before　it　burst。　Egypt　is　lost；　and　lost　for　ever；

for　her　last　hope　is　gone！　No　longer　may　she　strugglenow　for　all

time　she　must　bow　her　neck　to　the　yoke；　and　bare　her　back　to　the　rod

of　the　oppressor！〃



I　groaned　aloud。　〃Alas；　I　was　betrayed！〃　I　said。　〃Paulus　betrayed　us。〃



〃Thou　wast　betrayed？　Nay；　thou　thyself　wast　the　betrayer！　How　came　it

that　thou　didst　not　slay　Cleopatra　when　thou　wast　alone　with　her？

Speak；　thou　forsworn！〃



〃She　drugged　me；〃　I　said　again。



〃O　Harmachis！〃　answered　the　pitiless　girl；　〃how　low　art　thou　fallen

from　that　Prince　whom　once　I　knew！thou　who　dost　not　scorn　to　be　a

liar！　Yea；　thou　wast　druggeddrugged　with　a　love…philtre！　Yea；　thou

didst　sell　Egypt　and　thy　cause　for　the　price　of　a　wanton's　kiss！　Thou

Sorrow　and　thou　Shame！〃　she　went　on；　pointing　her　finger　at　me　and

lifting　her　eyes　to　my　face；　〃thou　Scorn！thou　Outcast！and　thou

Contempt！　Deny　if　it　thou　canst。　Ay；　shrink　from　meknowing　what　thou

art；　well　mayst　thou　shrink！　Crawl　to　Cleopatra's　feet；　and　kiss　her

sandals　till　such　time　as　it　pleases　her　to　trample　thee　in　thy

kindred