cleopatra-第36章

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

kindred　dirt；　but　from　all　honest　folk　/shrink！//shrink！/〃



My　soul　quivered　beneath　the　lash　of　her　bitter　scorn　and　hate；　but　I

had　no　words　to　answer。



〃How　comes　it；〃　I　said　at　last　in　a　heavy　voice；　〃that　thou；　too；　art

not　betrayed；　but　art　still　here　to　taunt　me；　thou　who　once　didst

swear　that　thou　didst　love　me？　Being　a　woman；　hast　thou　no　pity　for

the　frailty　of　man？〃



〃My　name　was　not　on　the　lists；〃　she　said；　dropping　her　dark　eyes。

〃Here　is　an　opportunity：　betray　me　also；　Harmachis！　Ay；　it　is　because

I　once　loved　theedost　thou；　indeed；　remember　it？that　I　feel　thy

fall　the　more。　The　shame　of　one　whom　we　have　loved　must　in　some　sort

become　our　shame；　and　must　ever　cling　to　us；　because　we　blindly　held　a

thing　so　base　close　to　our　inmost　heart。　Art　thou　also；　then；　a　fool？

Wouldst　thou；　fresh　from　thy　royal　wanton's　arms；　come　to　me　for

comfortto　/me/　of　all　the　world？〃



〃How　know　I；〃　I　said；　〃that　it　was　not　thou　who；　in　thy　jealous　anger；

didst　betray　our　plans？　Charmion；　long　ago　Sepa　warned　me　against

thee；　and　of　a　truth　now　that　I　recall〃



〃It　is　like　a　traitor；〃　she　broke　in；　reddening　to　her　brow；　〃to　think

that　all　are　of　his　family；　and　hold　a　common　mind！　Nay；　I　betrayed

thee　not；　it　was　that　poor　knave；　Paulus；　whose　heart　failed　him　at

the　last；　and　who　is　rightly　served。　Nor　will　I　stay　to　hear　thoughts

so　base。　Harmachisroyal　no　more！Cleopatra；　Queen　of　Egypt；　bids　me

say　that　thou　art　free；　and　that　she　waits　thee　in　the　Alabaster

Hall。〃



And　shooting　one　swift　glance　through　her　long　lashes　she　curtsied　and

was　gone。







So　once　more　I　came　and　went　about　the　Court；　though　but　sparingly；

for　my　heart　was　full　of　shame　and　terror；　and　on　every　face　I　feared

to　see　the　scorn　of　those　who　knew　me　for　what　I　was。　But　I　saw

nothing；　for　all　those　who　had　knowledge　of　the　plot　had　fled；　and

Charmion　had　spoken　no　word；　for　her　own　sake。　Also；　Cleopatra　had　put

it　about　that　I　was　innocent。　But　my　guilt　lay　heavy　on　me；　and　made

me　thin　and　wore　away　the　beauty　of　my　countenance。　And　though　I　was

free　in　name；　yet　I　was　ever　watched；　nor　might　I　stir　beyond　the

palace　grounds。



And　at　length　came　the　day　which　brought　with　it　Quintus　Dellius；　that

false　Roman　knight　who　ever　served　the　rising　star。　He　bore　letters　to

Cleopatra　from　Marcus　Antonius；　the　Triumvir；　who；　fresh　from　the

victory　of　Philippi；　was　now　in　Asia　wringing　gold　from　the　subject

kings　with　which　to　satisfy　the　greed　of　his　legionaries。



Well　I　mind　me　of　the　day。　Cleopatra；　clad　in　her　robes　of　state；

attended　by　the　officers　of　her　Court；　among　whom　I　stood；　sat　in　the

great　hall　on　her　throne　of　gold；　and　bade　the　heralds　admit　the

Ambassador　of　Antony；　the　Triumvir。　The　great　doors　were　thrown　wide；

and　amidst　the　blare　of　trumpets　and　salutes　of　the　Gallic　guards　the

Roman　came　in；　clad　in　glittering　golden　armour　and　a　scarlet　cloak　of

silk；　and　followed　by　his　suite　of　officers。　He　was　smooth…faced　and

fair　to　look　upon；　and　with　a　supple　form；　but　his　mouth　was　cold；　and

false　were　his　shifting　eyes。　And　while　the　heralds　called　out　his

name；　titles；　and　offices；　he　fixed　his　gaze　on　Cleopatrawho　sat

idly　on　her　throne　all　radiant　with　beautyas　a　man　who　is　amazed。

Then　when　the　heralds　had　made　an　end；　and　he　still　stood　thus；　not

stirring；　Cleopatra　spoke　in　the　Latin　tongue：



〃Greeting　to　thee；　noble　Dellius；　envoy　of　the　most　mighty　Antony；

whose　shadow　lies　across　the　world　as　though　Mars　himself　now　towered

up　above　us　petty　Princesgreeting　and　welcome　to　our　poor　city　of

Alexandria。　Unfold；　we　pray　thee；　the　purpose　of　thy　coming。〃



Still　the　crafty　Dellius　made　no　answer；　but　stood　as　a　man　amazed。



〃What　ails　thee；　noble　Dellius；　that　thou　dost　not　speak？〃　asked

Cleopatra。　〃Hast　thou；　then；　wandered　so　long　in　Asia　that　the　doors

of　Roman　speech　are　shut　to　thee？　What　tongue　hast　thou？　Name　it；　and

We　will　speak　in　itfor　all　tongues　are　known　to　Us。〃



Then　at　last　he　spoke　in　a　soft　full　voice：　〃Oh；　pardon　me；　most

lovely　Egypt；　if　I　have　thus　been　stricken　dumb　before　thee：　but　too

great　beauty；　like　Death　himself；　doth　paralyse　the　tongue　and　steal

our　sense　away。　The　eyes　of　him　who　looks　upon　the　fires　of　the　mid…

day　sun　are　blind　to　all　beside；　and　thus　this　sudden　vision　of　thy

glory；　royal　Egypt；　overwhelmed　my　mind；　and　left　me　helpless　and

unwitting　of　all　things　else。〃



〃Of　a　truth；　noble　Dellius；〃　answered　Cleopatra；　〃they　teach　a　pretty

school　of　flattery　yonder　in　Cilicia。〃



〃How　goes　the　saying　here　in　Alexandria？〃　replied　the　courtly　Roman：

〃'The　breath　of　flattery　cannot　waft　a　cloud；'＇*＇　does　it　not？　But　to

my　task。　Here；　royal　Egypt；　are　letters　under　the　hand　and　seal　of　the

noble　Antony　treating　of　certain　matters　of　the　State。　Is　it　thy

pleasure　that　I　should　read　them　openly？〃



＇*＇　In　other　words；　what　is　Divine　is　beyond　the　reach　of　human

　　　　praise。Editor。



〃Break　the　seals　and　read；〃　she　answered。



Then　bowing；　he　broke　the　seals　and　read：



〃The　/Triumviri　Reipublic？　Constituend？/；　by　the　mouth　of　Marcus

Antonius；　the　Triumvir；　to　Cleopatra；　by　grace　of　the　Roman　People

Queen　of　Upper　and　Lower　Egypt；　send　greeting。　Whereas　it　has　come　to

our　knowledge　that　thou；　Cleopatra；　hast；　contrary　to　thy　promise　and

thy　duty；　both　by　thy　servant　Allienus　and　by　thy　servant　Serapion；

the　Governor　of　Cyprus；　aided　the　rebel　murderer　Cassius　against　the

arms　of　the　most　noble　Triumvirate。　And；　whereas　it　has　come　to　our

knowledge　that　thou　thyself　wast　but　lately　making　ready　a　great　fleet

to　this　end。　We　summon　thee　that　thou　dost　without　delay　journey　to

Cilicia；　there　to　meet　the　noble　Antony；　and　in　person　make　answer

concerning　these　charges　which　are　laid　against　thee。　And　we　warn　thee

that　if　thou　dost　disobey　this　our　summons　it　is　at　thy　peril。

Farewell。〃



The　eyes　of　Cleopatra　flashed　as　she　hearkened　to　these　high　words；

and　I　saw　her　hands　tighten　on　the　golden　lions'　heads　whereon　they

rested。



〃We　have　had　the　flattery；〃　she　said；　〃and　now；　lest　we　be　cloyed　with

sweets；　we　have　its　antidote！　Listen　thou；　Dellius：　the　charges　in

that　letter；　or；　rather；　in　that　writ　of　summons；　are　false；　as　all

folk　can　bear　us　witness。　But　it　is　not　now；　and　it　is　not　to　thee；

that　We　will　make　defence　of　our　acts　of　war　and　policy。　Nor　will　We

leave　our　kingdom　to　journey　into　far　Cilicia；　and　there；　like　some

poor　suppliant　at　law；　plead　our　cause　before　the　Court　of　the　Noble

Antony。　If　Antony　would　have　speech　with　us；　and　inquire　concerning

these　high　matters；　the　sea　is　open；　and　his　welcome　shall　be　royal。

Let　him　come　thither！　That　is　our　answer　to　thee　and　to　the

Triumvirate；　O　Dellius！〃



But　Dellius　smiled　as　one　who　would　put　away　the　weight　of　wrath；　and

once　more　spoke：



〃Royal　Egypt；　thou　knowest　not　the　noble　Antony。　He　is　stern　on　paper；

and　ever　he　sets　down　his　thoughts　as　though　his　stylus　were　a　spear

dipped　in　the　blood　of　men。　But　face　to　face　with　him；　thou；　of　all

the　world；　shalt　find　him　the　gentlest　warrior　that　ever　won　a　battle。

Be　advised；　O　Egypt！　and　come。　Send　me　not　hence　with　such　angry

words；　for　if　thou　dost　draw　Antony　to　Alexandria；　then　woe　to

Alexandria；　to　the　people　of　the　Nile；　and　to　thee；　great　Egypt！　For

then　he　will　come　armed　and　breathing　war；　and　it　shall　go　hard　with

thee；　who　dost　defy　the　gathered　might　of　Rome。　I　pray　thee；　then；

obey　this　summons。　Come　to　Cilicia；　come　with　peaceful　gifts　and　not

in　arms。　Come　in　thy　beauty；　and　tricked　in　thy　best　attire；　and　thou

hast　naught　to　fear　from　the　noble　Antony。〃　He　paused　and　looked　at

her　meaningly；　while　I；　taking　his　drift；　felt　the　angry　blood　surge

into　my　face。



Cleopatra；　too；　understood；　for　I　saw　her　rest　her　chin　upon　her　hand

and　the　cloud　of　thought　gathered　in　her　eyes。　For　a　time　she　sat

th