cleopatra-第69章

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all　was　done　I　was　weary。　Together；　then；　we　lifted　up　the　body　and

laid　it　on　the　golden　bed。　Charmion　placed　the　ur？us　crown　upon　the

ivory　brow；　and　combed　the　night…dark　hair　that　showed　never　a　thread

of　silver；　and；　for　the　last　time；　shut　those　eyes　wherein　had　shone

all　the　changing　glories　of　the　sea。　She　folded　the　chill　hands　upon

the　breast　whence　Passion's　breath　had　fled；　and　straightened　the　bent

knees　beneath　the　broidered　robe；　and　by　the　head　set　flowers。　And

there　at　length　Cleopatra　lay；　more　splendid　now　in　her　cold　majesty

of　death　than　in　her　richest　hour　of　breathing　beauty！



We　drew　back　and　looked　on　her；　and　on　dead　Iras　at　her　feet。



〃It　is　done！〃　quoth　Charmion；　〃we　are　avenged；　and　now；　Harmachis；

dost　follow　by　this　same　road？〃　And　she　nodded　towards　the　phial　on

the　board。



〃Nay；　Charmion。　I　flyI　fly　to　a　heavier　death！　Not　thus　easily　may　I

end　my　space　of　earthly　penance。〃



〃So　be　it；　Harmachis！　And　I；　HarmachisI　fly　also；　but　with　swifter

wings。　My　game　is　played。　I；　too；　have　made　atonement。　Oh！　what　a

bitter　fate　is　mine；　to　have　brought　misery　on　all　I　love；　and；　in　the

end；　to　die　unloved！　To　thee　I　have　atoned；　to　my　angered　Gods　I　have

atoned；　and　now　I　go　to　find　a　way　whereby　I　may　atone　to　Cleopatra　in

that　Hell　where　she　is；　and　which　I　must　share！　For　she　loved　me　well；

Harmachis；　and；　now　that　she　is　dead；　methinks　that；　after　thee；　I

loved　her　best　of　all。　So　of　her　cup　and　the　cup　of　Iras　I　will　surely

drink！〃　And　she　took　the　phial；　and　with　a　steady　hand　poured　what　was

left　of　the　poison　into　the　goblet。



〃Bethink　thee；　Charmion；〃　I　said；　〃yet　mayst　thou　live　for　many　years；

hiding　these　sorrows　beneath　the　withered　days。〃



〃Yet　I　may；　but　I　will　not！　To　live　the　prey　of　so　many　memories；　the

fount　of　an　undying　shame　that　night　by　night；　as　I　lie　sleepless；

shall　well　afresh　from　my　sorrow…stricken　heart！to　live　torn　by　a

love　I　cannot　lose！to　stand　alone　like　some　storm…twisted　tree；　and；

sighing　day　by　day　to　the　winds　of　heaven；　gaze　upon　the　desert　of　my

life；　while　I　wait　the　lingering　lightning's　strokenay；　that　will

not　I；　Harmachis！　I　had　died　long　since；　but　I　lived　on　to　serve　thee；

now　no　more　thou　needest　me；　and　I　go。　Oh；　fare　thee　well！for　ever

fare　thee　well！　For　not　again　shall　I　look　again　upon　thy　face；　and

there　I　go　thou　goest　not！　For　thou　dost　not　love　me　who　still　dost

love　that　queenly　woman　thou　hast　hounded　to　the　death！　Her　thou　shalt

never　win；　and　I　thee　shall　never　win；　and　this　is　the　bitter　end　of

Fate！　See；　Harmachis：　I　ask　one　boon　before　I　go　and　for　all　time

become　naught　to　thee　but　a　memory　of　shame。　Tell　me　that　thou　dost

forgive　me　so　far　as　thine　is　to　forgive；　and　in　token　thereof　kiss　me

with　no　lover's　kiss；　but　kiss　me　on　the　brow；　and　bid　me　pass　in

peace。〃



And　she　drew　near　to　me　with　arms　outstretched　and　pitiful　trembling

lips　and　gazed　upon　my　face。



〃Charmion；〃　I　answered；　〃we　are　free　to　act　for　good　or　evil；　and　yet

methinks　there　is　a　Fate　above　our　fate；　that；　blowing　from　some

strange　shore；　compels　our　little　sails　of　purpose；　set　them　as　we

will；　and　drives　us　to　destruction。　I　forgive　thee；　Charmion；　as　I

trust　in　turn　to　be　forgiven；　and　by　this　kiss；　the　first　and　the

last；　I　seal　our　peace。〃　And　with　my　lips　I　touched　her　brow。



She　spoke　no　more；　only　for　a　little　while　she　stood　gazing　on　me　with

sad　eyes。　Then　she　lifted　the　goblet；　and　said：



〃Royal　Harmachis；　in　this　deadly　cup　I　pledge　thee！　Would　that　I　had

drunk　of　it　ere　ever　I　looked　upon　thy　face！　Pharaoh；　who；　thy　sins

outworn；　yet　shalt　rule　in　perfect　peace　o'er　worlds　I　may　not　tread；

who　yet　shalt　sway　a　kinglier　sceptre　than　that　I　robbed　thee　of；　for

ever；　fare　thee　well！〃



She　drank；　cast　down　the　cup；　and　for　a　moment　stood　with　the　wide

eyes　of　one　who　looks　for　Death。　Then　He　came；　and　Charmion　the

Egyptian　fell　prone　upon　the　floor；　dead。　And　for　a　moment　more　I

stood　alone　with　the　dead。



I　crept　to　the　side　of　Cleopatra；　and；　now　that　none　were　left　to　see；

I　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　laid　her　head　upon　my　knee；　as　once　before

it　had　been　laid　in　that　night　of　sacrilege　beneath　the　shadow　of　the

everlasting　pyramid。　Then　I　kissed　her　chill　brow　and　went　from　the

House　of　Deathavenged；　but　sorely　smitten　with　despair！







〃Physician；〃　said　the　officer　of　the　Guard　as　I　went　through　the

gates；　〃what　passes　yonder　in　the　Monument？　Methought　I　heard　the

sounds　of　death。〃



〃Naught　passesall　hath　passed；〃　I　made　reply；　and　went。



And　as　I　went　in　the　darkness　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices　and　the

running　of　the　feet　of　C？sar's　messengers。



Flying　swiftly　to　my　house　I　found　Atoua　waiting　at　the　gates。　She

drew　me　into　a　quiet　chamber　and　closed　the　doors。



〃Is　it　done？〃　she　asked；　and　turned　her　wrinkled　face　to　mine；　while

the　lamplight　streamed　white　upon　her　snowy　hair。　〃Nay；　why　ask　II

know　that　it　is　done！〃



〃Ay；　it　is　done；　and　well　done；　old　wife！　All　are　dead！　Cleopatra；

Iras；　Charmionall　save　myself！〃



The　aged　woman　drew　up　her　bent　form　and　cried：　〃Now　let　me　go　in

peace；　for　I　have　seen　my　desire　upon　thy　foes　and　the　foes　of　Khem。

/La！　la！/not　in　vain　have　I　lived　on　beyond　the　years　of　man！　I　have

seen　my　desire　upon　thy　enemies…I　have　gathered　the　dews　of　Death；

and　thy　foe　hath　drunk　thereof！　Fallen　is　the　brow　of　Pride！　the　Shame

of　Khem　is　level　with　the　dust！　Ah；　would　that　I　might　have　seen　that

wanton　die！〃



〃Cease；　woman！　cease！　The　Dead　are　gathered　to　the　Dead！　Osiris　holds

them　fast；　and　everlasting　silence　seals　their　lips！　Pursue　not　the

fallen　great　with　insults！　Up！let　us　fly　to　Abouthis；　that　all　may

be　accomplished！〃



〃Fly　thou；　Harmachis！Harmachis；　flybut　I　fly　not！　To　this　end　only

I　have　lingered　on　the　earth。　Now　I　untie　the　knot　of　life　and　let　my

spirit　free！　Fare　thee　well；　Prince；　the　pilgrimage　is　done！

Harmachis；　from　a　babe　have　I　loved　thee；　and　love　thee　yet！but　no

more　in　this　world　may　I　share　thy　griefsI　am　spent。　Osiris；　take

thou　my　Spirit！〃　and　her　trembling　knees　gave　way　and　she　sank　to　the

ground。



I　ran　to　her　side　and　looked　upon　her。　She　was　already　dead；　and　I　was

alone　upon　the　earth　without　a　friend　to　comfort　me！



Then　I　turned　and　went；　no　man　hindering　me；　for　all　was　confusion　in

the　city；　and　departed　from　Alexandria　in　a　vessel　I　had　made　ready。

On　the　eighth　day；　I　landed；　and；　in　the　carrying　out　of　my　purpose；

travelled　on　foot　across　the　fields　to　the　Holy　Shrine　of　Abouthis。

And　here；　as　I　knew；　the　worship　of　the　Gods　had　been　lately　set　up

again　in　the　Temple　of　the　Divine　Sethi：　for　Charmion　had　caused

Cleopatra　to　repent　of　her　decree　of　vengeance　and　to　restore　the

lands　that　she　had　seized；　though　the　treasure　she　restored　not。　And

the　temple　having　been　purified；　now；　at　the　season　of　the　Feast　of

Isis；　all　the　High　Priests　of　the　ancient　Temples　of　Egypt　were

gathered　together　to　celebrate　the　coming　home　of　the　Gods　into　their

holy　place。



I　gained　the　city。　It　was　on　the　seventh　day　of　the　Feast　of　Isis。

Even　as　I　came　the　long　array　wended　through　the　well…remembered

streets。　I　joined　in　the　multitude　that　followed；　and　with　my　voice

swelled　the　chorus　of　the　solemn　chant　as　we　passed　through　the　pylons

into　the　imperishable　halls。　How　well　known　were　the　holy　words：



　〃Softly　we　tread；　our　measured　footsteps　falling

　　　　　　Within　the　Sanctuary　Sevenfold；

　　Soft　on　the　Dead　that　liveth　are　we　calling：

　　　　　'Return；　Osiris；　from　thy　Kingdom　cold！

　　　　　　Return　to　them　that　worship　thee　of　old！'〃



And　then；　when　the　sacred　music　ceased；　as　aforetime　on　the　setting　of

the　majesty　of　Ra；　the　High　Priest　raised　the　statue　of　the　living　God

and　held　it　on　high　before　the　multitude。



With　a　joyful　shout　of



　〃Osiris！　our　hope；　Osiris！　Osiris！〃



the　people　tore　the　black　wrappings　from　their　dress；　showing　the

whit