cleopatra-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



lookthou　art　too　young　and　handsome　for　this　dry　trade；　Harmachis。

Why；　I　vow　thou　hast　cast　my　wreath　of　roses　down　amidst　thy　rusty

tools！　Kings　would　have　cherished　that　wreath　along　with　their

choicest　diadems；　Harmachis！　and　thou　dost　throw　it　away　as　a　thing　of

no　account！　Why；　what　a　man　art　thou！　But　stay；　what　is　this？　A　lady's

kerchief；　by　Isis！　Nay；　now；　my　Harmachis；　how　came　/this/　here？　Are

our　poor　kerchiefs　also　instruments　of　thy　high　art？　Oh；　fie；　fie！

have　I　caught　thee；　then？　Art　thou　indeed　a　fox？〃



〃Nay；　most　royal　Cleopatra；　nay！〃　I　said；　turning；　for　the　kerchief

which　had　fallen　from　Charmion's　neck　had　an　awkward　look。　〃I　know

not；　indeed；　how　the　frippery　came　here。　Perhaps；　some　one　of　the

women　who　keeps　the　chamber　may　have　let　it　fall。〃



〃Ah！　soso！〃　she　said　dryly；　and　still　laughing　like　a　rippling

brook。　〃Yes；　surely；　the　slave…women　who　keep　chambers　own　such　toys

as　this；　of　the　very　finest　silk；　worth　twice　its　weight　in　gold；　and

broidered；　too；　in　many　colours。　Why；　myself　I　should　not　shame　to

wear　it！　Of　a　truth　it　seems　familiar　to　my　sight。〃　And　she　threw　it

round　her　neck　and　smoothed　the　ends　with　her　white　hand。　〃But　there；

doubtless；　it　is　a　thing　unholy　in　thine　eyes　that　the　scarf　of　thy

beloved　should　rest　upon　my　poor　breast。　Take　it；　Harmachis；　take　it；

and　hide　it　in　thy　bosomnigh　thy　heart　indeed！〃



I　took　the　accursed　thing；　and；　muttering　what　I　may　not　write；

stepped　on　to　the　giddy　platform　whence　I　watched　the　stars。　Then；

crushing　it　into　a　ball；　I　threw　it　to　the　winds　of　heaven。



At　this　the　lovely　Queen　laughed　once　more。



〃Nay；　think　now；〃　she　cried；　〃what　would　the　lady　say　could　she　see

her　love…gauge　thus　cast　to　all　the　world？　Mayhap；　Harmachis；　thou

wouldst　deal　thus　with　my　wreath　also？　See；　the　roses　fade；　cast　it

forth；〃　and；　stooping；　she　took　up　the　wreath　and　gave　it　to　me。



For　a　moment；　so　vexed　was　I；　I　had　a　mind　to　take　her　at　her　word　and

send　the　wreath　to　join　the　kerchief。　But　I　thought　better　of　it。



〃Nay；〃　I　said　more　softly；　〃it　is　a　Queen's　gift；　and　I　will　keep　it；〃

and；　as　I　spoke；　I　saw　the　curtain　shake。　Often　since　that　night　I

have　sorrowed　over　those　simple　words。



〃Gracious　thanks　be　to　the　King　of　Love　for　this　small　mercy；〃　she

answered；　looking　at　me　strangely。　〃Now；　enough　of　wit；　come　forth

upon　this　balconytell　me　of　the　mystery　of　those　stars　of　thine。　For

I　always　loved　the　stars；　that　are　so　pure　and　bright　and　cold；　and　so

far　away　from　our　fevered　troubling。　There　I　would　wish　to　dwell；

rocked　on　the　dark　bosom　of　the　night；　and　losing　the　little　sense　of

self　as　I　gazed　for　ever　on　the　countenance　of　yon　sweet…eyed　space。

Naywho　can　tell；　Harmachis？perhaps　those　stars　partake　of　our　very

substance；　and；　linked　to　us　by　Nature's　invisible　chain；　do；　indeed；

draw　our　destiny　with　them　as　they　roll。　What　says　the　Greek　fable　of

him　who　became　a　star？　Perchance　it　has　truth；　for　yonder　tiny　sparks

may　be　the　souls　of　men；　but　grown　more　purely　bright　and　placed　in

happy　rest　to　illume　the　turmoil　of　their　mother…earth。　Or　are　they

lamps　hung　high　in　the　heavenly　vault　that　night　by　night　some

Godhead；　whose　wings　are　Darkness；　touches　with　his　immortal　fire　so

that　they　leap　out　in　answering　flame？　Give　me　of　thy　wisdom　and　open

these　wonders　to　me；　my　servant；　for　I　have　little　knowledge。　Yet　my

heart　is　large；　and　I　would　fill　it；　for　I　have　the　wit；　could　I　but

find　the　teacher。〃



Thereon；　being　glad　to　find　footing　on　a　safer　shore；　and　marvelling

somewhat　to　learn　that　Cleopatra　had　a　place　for　lofty　thoughts；　I

spoke　and　willingly　told　her　such　things　as　are　lawful。　I　told　her　how

the　sky　is　a　liquid　mass　pressing　round　the　earth　and　resting　on　the

elastic　pillars　of　the　air；　and　how　above　is　the　heavenly　ocean　Nout；

in　which　the　planets　float　like　ships　as　they　rush　upon　their　radiant

way。　I　told　her　many　things；　and　amongst　them　how；　through　the　certain

never…ceasing　movement　of　the　orbs　of　light；　the　planet　Venus；　that

was　called　Donaou　when　she　showed　as　the　Morning　Star；　became　the

planet　Bonou　when　she　came　as　the　sweet　Star　of　Eve。　And　while　I　stood

and　spoke　watching　the　stars；　she　sat；　her　hands　clasped　upon　her

knee；　and　watched　my　face。



〃Ah！〃　she　broke　in　at　length；　〃and　so　Venus　is　to　be　seen　both　in　the

morning　and　the　evening　sky。　Well；　of　a　truth；　she　is　everywhere；

though　she　best　loves　the　night。　But　thou　lovest　not　that　I　should　use

these　Latin　names　to　thee。　Come；　we　will　talk　in　the　ancient　tongue　of

Khem；　which　I　know　well；　I　am　the　first；　mark　thou；　of　all　the　Lagid？

who　know　it。　And　now；〃　she　went　on；　speaking　in　my　own　tongue；　but

with　a　little　foreign　accent　that　did　but　make　her　talk　more　sweet；

〃enough　of　stars；　for；　when　all　is　said；　they　are　but　fickle　things；

and　perhaps　may　even　now　be　storing　up　an　evil　hour　for　thee　or　me；　or

for　both　of　us　together。　Not　but　what　I　love　to　hear　thee　speak　of

them；　for　then　thy　face　loses　that　gloomy　cloud　of　thought　which　mars

it　and　grows　quick　and　human。　Harmachis；　thou　art　too　young　for　such　a

solemn　trade；　methinks　that　I　must　find　thee　a　better。　Youth　comes　but

once；　why　waste　it　in　these　musings？　It　is　time　to　think　when　we　can

no　longer　act。　Tell　me　how　old　art　thou；　Harmachis？〃



〃I　have　six…and…twenty　years；　O　Queen；〃　I　answered；　〃for　I　was　born　in

the　first　month　of　Shomou；　in　the　summer　season；　and　on　the　third　day

of　the　month。〃



〃Why；　then；　we　are　of　an　age　even　to　a　day；〃　she　cried；　〃for　I　too

have　six…and…twenty　years；　and　I　too　was　born　on　the　third　day　of　the

first　month　of　Shomou。　Well；　this　may　we　say：　those　who　begot　us　need

have　no　shame。　For　if　I　be　the　fairest　woman　in　Egypt；　methinks；

Harmachis；　that　there　is　in　Egypt　no　man　more　fair　and　strong　than

thou；　ay；　or　more　learned。　Born　of　the　same　day；　why；　'tis　manifest

that　we　were　destined　to　stand　together；　I；　as　the　Queen；　and　thou；

perchance；　Harmachis；　as　one　of　the　chief　pillars　of　my　throne；　and

thus　to　work　each　other's　weal。〃



〃Or　maybe　each　other's　woe；〃　I　answered；　looking　up；　for　her　sweet

speeches　stung　my　ears　and　brought　more　colour　to　my　face　than　I　loved

that　she　should　see　there。



〃Nay；　never　talk　of　woe。　Be　seated　here　by　me；　Harmachis；　and　let　us

talk；　not　as　Queen　and　subject；　but　as　friend　to　friend。　Thou　wast

angered　with　me　at　the　feast　to…night　because　I　mocked　thee　with

yonder　wreathwas　it　not　so？　Nay；　it　was　but　a　jest。　Didst　thou　know

how　heavy　is　the　task　of　monarchs　and　how　wearisome　are　their　hours；

thou　wouldst　not　be　wroth　because　I　lit　my　dulness　with　a　jest。　Oh；

they　weary　me；　those　princes　and　those　nobles；　and　those　stiff…necked

pompous　Romans。　To　my　face　they　vow　themselves　my　slaves；　and　behind

my　back　they　mock　me　and　proclaim　me　the　servant　of　their　Triumvirate；

or　their　Empire；　or　their　Republic；　as　the　wheel　of　Fortune　turns；　and

each　rises　on　its　round！　There　is　never　a　man　among　themnothing　but

fools；　parasites；　and　puppetsnever　a　man　since　with　their　coward

daggers　they　slew　that　C？sar　whom　all　the　world　in　arms　was　not　strong

enough　to　tame。　And　I　must　play　off　one　against　the　other；　if　maybe；

by　so　doing；　I　can　keep　Egypt　from　their　grip。　And　for　reward；　what？

Why；　this　is　my　rewardthat　all　men　speak　ill　of　meand；　I　know　it；

my　subjects　hate　me！　Yes；　I　believe　that；　woman　though　I　am；　they

would　murder　me　could　they　find　a　means！〃



She　paused；　covering　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　it　was　well；　for　her

words　pierced　me　so　that　I　shrank　upon　the　seat　beside　her。



〃They　think　ill　of　me；　I　know　it；　and　call　me　wanton；　who　have　never

stepped　aside　save　once；　when　I　loved　the　greatest　man　of　all　the

world；　and　at　the　touch　of　love　my　passion　flamed　indeed；　but　burnt　a

hallowed　flame。　These　ribald　Alexandrians　swear　that　I　poisoned

Ptolemy；　my　brotherwhom　the　Roman　Senate　would；　most　unnaturally；

have　forced　on　me；　his　sister；　as　a　husband！　But　it　is　false：　he

sickened　and　died　of　fever。　And　even　so　they　say　that　I　would　slay

Arsino？；　my　sisterwho；　indeed；　would　slay　me！but　that；　too；　is

false！　Though　she　will　have　none　of　me；　I　love　my　sister。　Yes；　they

all　think　ill　of　me　without　a　cause；　even　thou　dost　think　ill　of　me；

Harmachis。



〃O　Harmachis；　before　thou　judgest；　remember　what　a　thing　is　envy！

that　foul　sickness　of　the　mind　which　makes　the　jaundiced　eye　of

pettiness　to　see　all　things　distraughtto　read　Evil　written　on　the

open　face　of　Good；　and　find　impurity　in　the　whitest　virgin's　soul！

Think　what　a　thing　it　is；　Harmachis；　to　be　set　on　high　above　the

gaping　crowd　of　knaves　who　hate　thee　for　thy　fortune　and　thy　wit；　who

gnash　their　teeth　and　shoot　the　arrows　of　their　lies　from　the　cover　of

their　own　obscureness；　whence　they　have　no　wings　to　soar；　and　whose

hearts'　quest　it　is　to　drag　down　thy　nobility　to　the　level　of　the

groundling　and　the　fool！



〃Be　not；　then；　swift　to　think　evil　of　the　Great；　whose　every　word　and

act　is　searched　for　error　by　a　million　angry　eyes；　and　whose　most　tiny

fault　is　trumpeted　by　a　thousand　throats；　till　the　world　shakes　with

echoes　of　their　sin！　Say　not：　'It　is　thus；　'tis　certainly　thus'say；

rather：　'May　it　not　be　otherwise？　Have　we　heard　aright？　Did　she　this

thing　of　her　own　will？'　Judge　gently；　Harmachis；　as　wert　thou　I　thou

wouldst　be　judged。　Remember　that　a　Queen　is　never　free。　She　is；

indeed；　but　the　point　and　instrument　of　those　forces　politic　with

which　the　iron　books　of　history　are　graved。　O　Harmachis！　be　thou　my

friendmy　friend　and　counsellor！my　friend　whom　I　can　trust　indeed！

for　here；　in　this　crowded　Court；　I　am　more　utterly　alone　than　any

soul　that　breathes　about　its　corridors。　But　/thee/　I　trust；　there　is

faith　written　in　those　quiet　eyes；　and　I　am　minded　to　lift　thee　high；

Harmachis。　I　can　no　longer　bear　my　solitude　of　mindI　must　find　one

with　whom　I　may　commune　and　speak　that　which　lies　within　my　heart。　I

have　fau