cleopatra-第48章

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took　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



〃Behold；　noble　Antony！〃　she　said　at　last　in　her　voice　of　music；　〃thou

hast　called　me；　and　I　am　come。〃



〃Venus　has　come；〃　he　answered　in　his　deep　notes；　and　still　holding　his

eyes　fixed　upon　her　face。　〃I　called　a　womana　Goddess　hath　risen　from

the　deep！〃



〃To　find　a　God　to　greet　her　on　the　land；〃　she　laughed　with　ready　wit。

〃Well；　a　truce　to　compliments；　for　being　on　the　earth　even　Venus　is

ahungered。　Noble　Antony；　thy　hand。〃



The　trumpets　blared；　and　through　the　bowing　crowd　Cleopatra；　followed

by　her　train；　passed　hand　in　hand　with　Antony　to　the　feast。



＇Here　there　is　another　break　in　the　papyrus。＇







CHAPTER　XV



OF　THE　FEAST　OF　CLEOPATRA；　OF　THE　MELTING　OF　THE　PEARL；

OF　THE　SAYING　OF　HARMACHIS；　AND　OF　CLEOPATRA'S　VOW　OF　LOVE



On　the　third　night　the　feast　was　once　more　prepared　in　the　hall　of　the

great　house　that　had　been　set　aside　to　the　use　of　Cleopatra；　and　on

this　night　its　splendour　was　greater　even　than　on　the　nights　before。

For　the　twelve　couches　that　were　set　about　the　table　were　embossed

with　gold；　and　those　of　Cleopatra　and　Antony　were　of　gold　set　with

jewels。　The　dishes　also　were　all　of　gold　set　with　jewels；　the　walls

were　hung　with　purple　cloths　sewn　with　gold；　and　on　the　floor；　covered

with　a　net　of　gold；　fresh　roses　were　strewn　ankle…deep；　that　as　the

slaves　trod　them　sent　up　their　perfume。　Once　again　I　was　bidden　to

stand；　with　Charmion　and　Iras　and　Merira；　behind　the　couch　of

Cleopatra；　and；　like　a　slave；　from　time　to　time　call　out　the　hours　as

they　flew。　And　there　being　no　help；　I　went　wild　at　heart；　but　this　I

sworeit　should　be　for　the　last　time；　since　I　could　not　bear　that

shame。　For　though　I　would　not　yet　believe　what　Charmion　told　methat

Cleopatra　was　about　to　become　the　Love　of　Antonyyet　I　could　no　more

endure　this　ignominy　and　torture。　For　from　Cleopatra　now　I　had　no

words　save　such　as　a　Queen　speaks　to　her　slave；　and　methinks　it　gave

her　dark　heart　pleasure　to　torment　me。



Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　I；　the　Pharaoh；　crowned　of　Khem；　stood　among

eunuchs　and　waiting…women　behind　the　couch　of　Egypt's　Queen　while　the

feast　went　merrily　and　the　wine…cup　passed。　And　ever　Antony　sat；　his

eyes　fixed　upon　the　face　of　Cleopatra；　who　from　time　to　time　let　her

deep　glance　lose　itself　in　his；　and　then　for　a　little　while　their　talk

died　away。　For　he　told　her　tales　of　war　and　of　deeds　that　he　had　done

ay；　and　love…jests　such　as　are　not　meet　for　the　ears　of　women。　But

she　took　offence　at　nothing；　rather；　falling　into　his　humour；　she

would　cap　his　stories　with　others　of　a　finer　wit；　but　not　less

shameless。



At　length；　the　rich　meal　being　finished；　Antony　gazed　at　the　splendour

around　him。



〃Tell　me；　then；　most　lovely　Egypt；〃　he　said；　〃are　the　sands　of　Nile

compact　of　gold；　that　thou　canst；　night　by　night；　thus　squander　the

ransom　of　a　King　upon　a　single　feast？　Whence　comes　this　untold

wealth？〃



I　bethought　me　of　the　tomb　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra；　whose　holy

treasure　was　thus　wickedly　wasted；　and　looked　up　so　that　Cleopatra's

eye　caught　mine；　but；　reading　my　thoughts；　she　frowned　heavily。



〃Why；　noble　Antony；〃　she　said；　〃surely　it　is　nothing！　In　Egypt　we　have

our　secrets；　and　know　whence　to　conjure　riches　at　our　need。　Say；　what

is　the　value　of　this　golden　service；　and　of　the　meats　and　drinks　that

have　been　set　before　us？〃



He　cast　his　eyes　about；　and　hazarded　a　guess。



〃Maybe　a　thousand　sestertia。〃＇*＇



＇*＇　About　eight　thousand　pounds　of　English　money。Editor。



〃Thou　hast　understated　it　by　half；　noble　Antony！　But　such　as　it　is　I

will　give　it　thee　and　those　with　thee　as　a　free　token　of　my

friendship。　And　more　will　I　show　thee　now：　I　myself　will　eat　and　drink

ten　thousand　sestertia　at　a　draught。〃



〃That　cannot　be；　fair　Egypt！〃



She　laughed；　and　bade　a　slave　bring　her　white　vinegar　in　a　glass。　When

it　was　brought　she　set　it　before　her　and　laughed　again；　while　Antony；

rising　from　his　couch；　drew　near　and　set　himself　at　her　side；　and　all

the　company　leant　forward　to　see　what　she　would　do。　And　this　she　did。

She　took　from　her　ear　one　of　those　great　pearls　which　last　of　all　had

been　drawn　from　the　body　of　the　Divine　Pharaoh；　and　before　any　could

guess　her　purpose　she　let　it　fall　into　the　vinegar。　Then　came　silence；

the　silence　of　wonder；　and　slowly　the　priceless　pearl　melted　in　the

strong　acid。　When　it　was　melted　she　lifted　the　glass　and　shook　it；

then　drank　the　vinegar；　to　the　last　drop。



〃More　vinegar；　slave！〃　she　cried；　〃my　meal　is　but　half　finished！〃　and

she　drew　forth　the　second　pearl。



〃By　Bacchus；　no！　that　shalt　thou　not！〃　cried　Antony；　snatching　at　her

hands；　〃I　have　seen　enough；〃　and　at　that　moment；　moved　to　it　by　I　know

not　what；　I　called　aloud：



〃The　hour　falls；　O　Queen！/the　hour　of　the　coming　of　the　curse　of

Menkau…ra！/〃



An　ashy　whiteness　grew　upon　Cleopatra's　face；　and　she　turned　upon　me

furiously；　while　all　the　company　gazed　wondering；　not　knowing　what　the

words　might　mean。



〃Thou　ill…omened　slave！〃　she　cried。　〃Speak　thus　once　more　and　thou

shalt　be　scourged　with　rods！ay；　scourged　like　an　evildoerthat　I

promise　thee；　Harmachis！〃



〃What　means　the　knave　of　an　astrologer？〃　asked　Antony。　〃Speak；　sirrah！

and　make　clear　thy　meaning；　for　those　who　deal　in　curses　must　warrant

their　wares。〃



〃I　am　a　servant　of　the　Gods；　noble　Antony。　That　which　the　Gods　put　in

my　mind　that　must　I　say；　nor　can　I　read　their　meaning；〃　I　answered

humbly。



〃Oh；　oh！　thou　servest　the　Gods；　dost　thou；　thou　many…coloured

mystery？〃　This　he　said　having　reference　to　my　splendid　robes。　〃Well；　I

serve　the　Goddesses；　which　is　a　softer　cult。　And　there's　this　between

us：　that　though　what　they　put　in　my　mind　I　say；　neither　can　I　read

their　meaning；〃　and　he　glanced　at　Cleopatra　as　one　who　questions。



〃Let　the　knave　be；〃　she　said　impatiently；　〃to…morrow　we'll　be　rid　of

him。　Sirrah；　begone！〃



I　bowed　and　went；　and；　as　I　went；　I　heard　Antony　say：　〃Well；　he　may　be

a　knavefor　that　all　men　arebut　this　for　thy　astrologer：　he　hath　a

royal　air　and　the　eye　of　a　Kingay；　and　wit　in　it。〃



Without　the　door　I　paused；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　for　I　was

bewildered　with　misery。　And；　as　I　stood；　someone　touched　me　on　the

hand。　I　glanced　upit　was　Charmion；　who　in　the　confusion　of　the

rising　of　the　guests；　had　slipped　away　and　followed　me。



For　in　trouble　Charmion　was　ever　at　my　side。



〃Follow　me；〃　she　whispered；　〃thou　art　in　danger。〃



I　turned　and　followed　her。　Why　should　I　not？



〃Whither　go　we？〃　I　asked　at　length。



〃To　my　chamber；〃　she　said。　〃Fear　not；　we　ladies　of　Cleopatra's　Court

have　small　good　fame　to　lose；　if　anyone　by　chance　should　see　us；

they'll　think　that　it　is　a　love…tryst；　and　such　are　all　the　fashion。〃



I　followed；　and；　presently；　skirting　the　crowd；　we　came　unseen　to　a

little　side　entrance　that　led　to　a　stair；　up　which　we　passed。　The

stair　ended　in　a　passage；　we　turned　down　it　till　we　found　a　door　on

the　left　hand。　Charmion　entered　silently；　and　I　followed　her　into　a

dark　chamber。　Being　in；　she　barred　the　door　and；　kindling　tinder　to　a

flame；　lit　a　hanging　lamp。　As　the　light　grew　strong　I　gazed　around。

The　chamber　was　not　large；　and　had　but　one　casement；　closely

shuttered。　For　the　rest；　it　was　simply　furnished；　having　white　walls；

some　chests　for　garments；　an　ancient　chair；　what　I　took　to　be　a　tiring

table；　on　which　were　combs；　perfumes；　and　all　the　frippery　that

pertains　to　woman；　and　a　white　bed　with　a　broidered　coverlid；　over

which　was　hung　a　gnat…gauze。



〃Be　seated；　Harmachis；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　chair。　I　took　the

chair；　and　Charmion；　throwing　back　the　gnat…gauze；　sat　herself　upon

the　bed　before　me。



〃Knowest　thou　what　I　heard　Cleopatra　say　as　thou　didst　leave　the

banqueting…hall？〃　she　asked　presently。



〃Nay；　I　know　not。〃



〃She　gazed　after　thee；　and；　as　I　went　over　to　her　to　do　some　service；

she　murmured　to　herself：　'B