cleopatra-第39章

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this　door　swung　wide　of　itself；　and　we　went　through；　to　find　ourselves

face　to　face　with　a　third　door；　yet　more　mighty　than　the　two　through

which　we　had　won　our　way。　Following　the　secret　plan；　I　struck　this

door　with　my　foot　upon　a　certain　spot；　and　it　sank　slowly　as　though　at

a　word　of　magic　till　its　head　was　level　with　the　floor　of　rock。　We

crossed　and　gained　another　passage　which；　descending　gently　for　a

length　of　fourteen　paces；　led　us　into　a　great　chamber；　paved　with

black　marble；　more　than　nine　cubits　high；　by　nine　cubits　broad；　and

thirty　cubits　long。　In　this　marble　floor　was　sunk　a　great　sarcophagus

of　granite；　and　on　its　lid　were　graved　the　name　and　titles　of　the

Queen　of　Menkau…ra。　In　this　chamber；　too；　the　air　was　purer；　though　I

know　not　by　what　means　it　came　thither。



〃Is　the　treasure　here？〃　gasped　Cleopatra。



〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃follow　me；〃　and　I　led　the　way　to　a　gallery；　which

we　entered　through　an　opening　in　the　floor　of　the　great　chamber。　It

had　been　closed　by　a　trap…door　of　stone；　but　the　door　was　open。

Creeping　along　this　shaft；　or　passage；　for　some　ten　paces；　we　came　at

length　to　a　well；　seven　cubits　in　depth。　Making　fast　one　end　of　the

rope　that　I　had　brought　about　my　body　and　the　other　to　a　ring　in　the

rock；　I　was　lowered；　holding　the　lamp　in　my　hand；　till　I　stood　in　the

last　resting…place　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra。　Then　the　rope　was　drawn

up；　and　Cleopatra；　being　made　fast　to　it；　was　let　down　by　the　eunuch；

and　I　received　her　in　my　arms。　But　I　bade　the　eunuch；　sorely　against

his　will；　since　he　feared　to　be　left　alone；　await　our　return　at　the

mouth　of　the　shaft。　For　it　was　not　lawful　that　he　should　enter　whither

we　went。







CHAPTER　XI



OF　THE　TOMB　OF　THE　DIVINE　MENKAU…RA；　OF　THE　WRITING　ON　THE

BREAST　OF　MENKAU…RA；　OF　THE　DRAWING　FORTH　OF　THE　TREASURE；

OF　THE　DWELLER　IN　THE　TOMB；　AND　OF　THE　FLIGHT　OF　CLEOPATRA

AND　HARMACHIS　FROM　THE　HOLY　PLACE



We　stood　within　a　small　arched　chamber；　paved　and　lined　with　great

blocks　of　the　granite　stone　of　Syene。　There　before　ushewn　from　a

single　mass　of　basalt　shaped　like　a　wooden　house　and　resting　on　a

sphinx　with　a　face　of　goldwas　the　sarcophagus　of　the　Divine

Menkau…ra。



We　stood　and　gazed　in　awe；　for　the　weight　of　the　silence　and　the

solemnity　of　that　holy　place　seemed　to　crush　us。　Above　us；　cubit　over

cubit　in　its　mighty　measure；　the　pyramid　towered　up　to　heaven　and　was

kissed　of　the　night　air。　But　we　were　deep　in　the　bowels　of　the　rock

beneath　its　base。　We　were　alone　with　the　dead；　whose　rest　we　were

about　to　break；　and　no　sound　of　the　murmuring　air；　and　no　sight　of

life　came　to　dull　the　awful　edge　of　solitude。　I　gazed　on　the

sarcophagus；　its　heavy　lid　had　been　lifted　and　rested　at　its　side；　and

around　it　the　dust　of　ages　had　gathered　thick。



〃See；〃　I　whispered；　pointing　to　a　writing；　daubed　with　pigment　upon

the　wall　in　the　sacred　symbols　of　ancient　times。



〃Read　it；　Harmachis；〃　answered　Cleopatra；　in　the　same　low　voice；　〃for

I　cannot。〃



Then　I　read：　〃I；　Rameses　Mi…amen；　in　my　day　and　in　my　hour　of　need；

visited　this　sepulchre。　But；　though　great　my　need　and　bold　my　heart；　I

dared　not　face　the　curse　of　Menkau…ra。　Judge；　O　thou　who　shalt　come

after　me；　and；　if　thy　soul　is　pure　and　Khem　be　utterly　distressed；

take　thou　that　which　I　have　left。〃



〃Where；　then；　is　the　treasure？〃　she　whispered。　〃Is　that　Sphinx…face　of

gold？〃



〃Even　there；〃　I　answered；　pointing　to　the　sarcophagus。　〃Draw　near　and

see。〃



And　she　took　my　hand　and　drew　near。



The　cover　was　off；　but　the　painted　coffin　of　the　Pharaoh　lay　in　the

depths　of　the　sarcophagus。　We　climbed　the　Sphinx；　then　I　blew　the　dust

from　the　coffin　with　my　breath　and　read　that　which　was　written　on　its

lid。　And　this　was　written：



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　the　Child　of　Heaven。



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　Royal　Son　of　the　Sun。



　〃Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　who　didst　lie　beneath　the　heart　of　Nout。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　wraps　thee　in　the　spell　of　Her　holy　name。



　〃The　name　of　thy　Mother；　Nout；　is　the　mystery　of　Heaven。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　gathers　thee　to　the　number　of　the　Gods。



　〃Nout；　thy　Mother；　breathes　on　thy　foes　and　utterly　destroys　them。



　〃O　Pharaoh　Menkau…ra；　who　livest　for　ever！〃



〃Where；　then；　is　the　treasure？〃　she　asked　again。　〃Here；　indeed；　is　the

body　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra；　but　the　flesh　even　of　Pharaohs　is　not

gold；　and　if　the　face　of　this　Sphinx　be　gold　how　may　we　move　it？〃



For　answer　I　bade　her　stand　upon　the　Sphinx　and　grasp　the　upper　part

of　the　coffin　while　I　grasped　its　foot。　Then；　at　my　word；　we　lifted；

and　the　lid　of　the　case；　which　was　not　fixed；　came　away；　and　we　set　it

upon　the　floor。　And　there　in　the　case　was　the　mummy　of　Pharaoh；　as　it

had　been　laid　three　thousand　years　before。　It　was　a　large　mummy；　and

somewhat　ungainly。　Nor　was　it　adorned　with　a　gilded　mask；　as　is　the

fashion　of　our　day；　for　the　head　was　wrapped　in　clothes　yellow　with

age；　which　were　made　fast　with　pink　flaxen　bandages；　under　which　were

pushed　the　stems　of　lotus…blooms。　And　on　the　breast；　wreathed　round

with　lotus…flowers；　lay　a　large　plate　of　gold　closely　written　over

with　sacred　writing。　I　lifted　up　the　plate；　and；　holding　it　to　the

light；　I　read：



　〃I；　Menkau…ra；　the　Osirian；　aforetime　Pharaoh　of　the　Land　of　Khem；

　　who　in　my　day　did　live　justly　and　ever　walked　in　the　path　marked

　　for　my　feet　by　the　decree　of　the　Invisible；　who　was　the　beginning

　　and　is　the　end；　speak　from　my　tomb　to　those　who　after　me　shall　for

　　an　hour　sit　upon　my　Throne。　Behold；　I；　Menkau…ra；　the　Osirian；

　　having　in　the　days　of　my　life　been　warned　of　a　dream　that　a　time

　　will　come　when　Khem　shall　fear　to　fall　into　the　hands　of

　　strangers；　and　her　monarch　shall　have　great　need　of　treasure

　　wherewith　to　furnish　armies　to　drive　the　barbarian　back；　have　out

　　of　my　wisdom　done　this　thing。　For　it　having　pleased　the　protecting

　　Gods　to　give　me　wealth　beyond　any　Pharaoh　who　has　been　since　the

　　days　of　Horusthousands　of　cattle　and　geese；　thousands　of　calves

　　and　asses；　thousands　of　measures　of　corn；　and　hundreds　of　measures

　　of　gold　and　gems；　this　wealth　I　have　used　sparingly；　and　that

　　which　remains　I　have　bartered　for　precious　stoneseven　for

　　emeralds；　the　most　beautiful　and　largest　that　are　in　the　world。

　　These　stones；　then；　I　have　stored　up　against　that　day　of　the　need

　　of　Khem。　But　because　as　there　have　been；　so　there　shall　be；　those

　　who　do　wickedly　on　the　earth；　and　who；　in　the　lust　of　gain；　might

　　seize　this　wealth　that　I　have　stored；　and　put　it　to　their　uses；

　　behold；　thou　Unborn　One；　who　in　the　fulness　of　time　shalt　stand

　　above　me　and　read　this　that　I　have　caused　to　be　written；　I　have

　　stored　the　treasure　thuseven　among　my　bones。　Therefore；　O　thou

　　Unborn　One；　sleeping　in　the　womb　of　Nout；　I　say　this　to　thee！　If

　　thou　indeed　hast　need　of　riches　to　save　Khem　from　the　foes　of

　　Khem；　fear　not　and　delay　not；　but　tear　me；　the　Osirian；　from　my

　　tomb；　loose　my　wrappings　and　rip　the　treasure　from　my　breast；　and

　　all　shall　be　well　with　thee；　for　this　only　I　do　command；　that　thou

　　dost　replace　my　bones　within　my　hollow　coffin。　But　if　the　need　be

　　passing　and　not　great；　or　if　there　be　guile　in　thy　heart；　then　the

　　curse　of　Menkau…ra　be　on　thee！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that　shall

　　smite　him　who　breaks　in　upon　the　dead！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that

　　follows　the　traitor！　On　thee　be　the　curse　that　smites　him　who

　　outrages　the　Majesty　of　the　Gods！　Unhappy　shalt　thou　live；　in

　　blood　and　misery　shalt　thou　die；　and　in　misery　shalt　thou　be

　　tormented　for　ever　and　for　ever！　For；　Wicked　One；　there　in　Amenti

　　we　shall　come　face　to　face！



　〃And　to　the　end　of　the　keeping　of　this　secret；　I；　Menkau…ra；　have

　　set　up　a　Temple　of　my　Worship；　which　I　have　built　upon　the

　　eastern　side　of　this　my　House　of　Death。　It　shall　be　made　known

　　from　time　to　time　to　the　Hereditary　High　Priest　of　this　my　Temple。

　　And　if　any　High　Priest　that　sha