cleopatra-第23部分

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

have　faults；　I　know　it；　but　I　am　not　all　unworthy　of　thy　faith；　for

there　is　good　grain　among　the　evil　seed。　Say；　Harmachis；　wilt　thou

take　pity　on　my　loneliness　and　befriend　me；　who　have　lovers；

courtiers；　slaves；　dependents；　more　thick　than　I　can　count；　but　never

one　single　/friend/？〃　and　she　leant　towards　me；　touching　me　lightly；

and　gazed　on　me　with　her　wonderful　blue　eyes。



I　was　overcome；　thinking　of　the　morrow　night；　shame　and　sorrow　smote

me。　/I/；　her　friend！/I/；　whose　assassin　dagger　lay　against　my

breast！　I　bent　my　head；　and　a　sob　or　a　groan；　I　know　not　which；　burst

from　the　agony　of　my　heart。



But　Cleopatra；　thinking　only　that　I　was　moved　beyond　myself　by　the

surprise　of　her　graciousness；　smiled　sweetly；　and　said：



〃It　grows　late；　to…morrow　night　when　thou　bringest　the　auguries　we

will　speak　again；　O　my　friend　Harmachis；　and　thou　shalt　answer　me。〃

And　she　gave　me　her　hand　to　kiss。　Scarce　knowing　what　I　did；　I　kissed

it；　and　in　another　moment　she　was　gone。



But　I　stood　in　the　chamber；　gazing　after　her　like　one　asleep。







CHAPTER　VI



OF　THE　WORDS　AND　JEALOUSY　OF　CHARMION；　OF　THE　LAUGHTER　OF

HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　MAKING　READY　FOR　THE　DEED　OF　BLOOD；　AND　OF　THE



I　stood　still；　plunged　in　thought。　Then　by　hazard　as　it　were　I　took　up

the　wreath　of　roses　and　looked　on　it。　How　long　I　stood　so　I　know　not；

but　when　next　I　lifted　up　my　eyes　they　fell　upon　the　form　of　Charmion；

whom；　indeed；　I　had　altogether　forgotten。　And　though　at　the　moment　I

thought　but　little　of　it；　I　noted　vaguely　that　she　was　flushed　as

though　with　anger；　and　beat　her　foot　upon　the　floor。



〃Oh；　it　is　thou；　Charmion！〃　I　said。　〃What　ails　thee？　Art　thou　cramped

with　standing　so　long　in　thy　hiding…place？　Why　didst　not　thou　slip

hence　when　Cleopatra　led　me　to　the　balcony？〃



〃Where　is　my　kerchief？〃　she　asked；　shooting　an　angry　glance　at　me。　〃I

let　fall　my　broidered　kerchief。〃



〃Thy　kerchief！why；　didst　thou　not　see？　Cleopatra　twitted　me　about

it；　and　I　flung　it　from　the　balcony。〃



〃Yes；　I　saw；〃　answered　the　girl；　〃I　saw　but　too　well。　Thou　didst　fling

away　my　kerchief；　but　the　wreath　of　rosesthat　thou　wouldst　not　fling

away。　It　was　'a　Queen's　gift；'　forsooth；　and　therefore　the　royal

Harmachis；　the　Priest　of　Isis；　the　chosen　of　the　Gods；　the　crowned

Pharaoh　wed　to　the　weal　of　Khem；　cherished　it　and　saved　it。　But　my

kerchief；　stung　by　the　laughter　of　that　light　Queen；　he　cast　away！〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　asked；　astonished　at　her　bitter　tone。　〃I　cannot

read　thy　riddles。〃



〃What　mean　I？〃　she　answered；　tossing　up　her　head　and　showing　the　white

curves　of　her　throat。　〃Nay；　I　mean　naught；　or　all；　take　it　as　thou

wilt。　Wouldst　know　what　I　mean；　Harmachis；　my　cousin　and　my　Lord？〃　she

went　on　in　a　hard；　low　voice。　〃Then　I　will　tell　theethou　art　in

danger　of　the　great　offence。　This　Cleopatra　has　cast　her　fatal　wiles

about　thee；　and　thou　goest　near　to　loving　her；　Harmachisto　loving

her　whom　to…morrow　thou　must　slay！　Ay；　stand　and　stare　at　that　wreath

in　thy　handthe　wreath　thou　couldst　not　send　to　join　my　kerchief

sure　Cleopatra　wore　it　but　to…night！　The　perfume　of　the　hair　of

C？sar's　mistressC？sar's　and　others'yet　mingles　with　the　odour　of

its　roses！　Now；　prithee；　Harmachis；　how　far　didst　thou　carry　the

matter　on　yonder　balcony？　for　in　that　hole　where　I　lay　hid　I　could　not

hear　or　see。　'Tis　a　sweet　spot　for　lovers；　is　it　not？ay；　and　a　sweet

hour；　too？　Venus　surely　rules　the　stars　to…night？〃



All　of　this　she　said　so　quietly　and　in　so　soft　and　modest　a　way；

though　her　words　were　not　modest；　and　yet　so　bitterly；　that　every

syllable　cut　me　to　the　heart；　and　angered　me　till　I　could　find　no

speech。



〃Of　a　truth　thou　hast　a　wise　economy；〃　she　went　on；　seeing　her

advantage：　〃to…night　thou　dost　kiss　the　lips　that　to…morrow　thou　shalt

still　for　ever！　It　is　frugal　dealing　with　the　occasion　of　the　moment；

ay；　worthy　and　honourable　dealing！〃



Then　at　last　I　broke　forth。　〃Girl；〃　I　cried；　〃how　darest　thou　speak

thus　to　me？　Mindest　thou　who　and　what　I　am　that　thou　loosest　thy

peevish　gibes　upon　me？〃



〃I　mind　what　it　behoves　thee　to　be；〃　she　answered　quick。　〃What　thou

art；　that　I　mind　not　now。　Surely　thou　knowest　alonethou　and

Cleopatra！〃



〃What　meanest　thou？〃　I　said。　〃Am　I　to　blame　if　the　Queen〃



〃The　Queen！　What　have　we　here？　Pharaoh　owns　a　Queen！〃



〃If　Cleopatra　wills　to　come　hither　of　a　night　and　talk〃



〃Of　stars；　Harmachissurely　of　stars　and　roses；　and　naught　beside！〃



After　that　I　know　not　what　I　said；　for；　troubled　as　I　was；　the　girl's

bitter　tongue　and　quiet　way　drove　me　wellnigh　to　madness。　But　this　I

know：　I　spoke　so　fiercely　that　she　cowered　before　me　as　she　had

cowered　before　my　uncle　Sepa　when　he　rated　her　because　of　her　Grecian

garb。　And　as　she　wept　then；　so　she　wept　now；　only　more　passionately

and　with　great　sobs。



At　length　I　ceased；　half…shamed　but　still　angry　and　smarting　sorely。

For　even　while　she　wept　she　could　find　a　tongue　to　answer　withand　a

woman's　shafts　are　sharp。



〃Thou　shouldst　not　speak　to　me　thus！〃　she　sobbed；　〃it　is　cruelit　is

unmanly！　But　I　forget　thou　art　but　a　priest；　not　a　manexcept；

mayhap；　for　Cleopatra！〃



〃What　right　hast　thou？〃　I　said。　〃What　canst　thou　mean？〃



〃What　right　have　I？〃　she　asked；　looking　up；　her　dark　eyes　all　aflood

with　tears　that　ran　down　her　sweet　face　like　the　dew　of　morning　down　a

lily's　heart。　〃What　right　have　I？　O　Harmachis！　art　thou　blind？　Didst

thou　not　know　by　what　right　I　speak　thus　to　thee？　Then　I　must　tell

thee。　Well；　it　is　the　fashion　in　Alexandria！　By　that　first　and　holy

right　of　womanby　the　right　of　the　great　love　I　bear　thee；　and　which；

it　seems；　thou　hast　no　eyes　to　seeby　the　right　of　my　glory　and　my

shame。　Oh；　be　not　wroth　with　me；　Harmachis；　nor　set　me　down　as　light；

because　the　truth　at　last　has　burst　from　me；　for　I　am　not　so。　I　am

what　thou　wilt　make　me。　I　am　the　wax　within　the　moulder's　hands；　and

as　thou　dost　fashion　me　so　I　shall　be。　There　breathes　within　me　now　a

breath　of　glory；　blowing　across　the　waters　of　my　soul；　that　can　waft

me　to　ends　more　noble　than　ever　I　have　dreamed　afore；　if　thou　wilt　be

my　pilot　and　my　guide。　But　if　I　lose　thee；　then　I　lose　all　that　holds

me　from　my　worse　selfand　let　shipwreck　come！　Thou　knowest　me　not；

Harmachis！　thou　canst　not　see　how　big　a　spirit　struggles　in　this　frail

form　of　mine！　To　thee　I　am　a　girl；　clever；　wayward；　shallow。　But　I　am

more！　Show　me　thy　loftiest　thought　and　I　will　match　it；　the　deepest

puzzle　of　thy　mind　and　I　will　make　it　clear。　Of　one　blood　we　are；　and

love　can　ravel　up　our　little　difference　and　make　us　grow　one　indeed。

One　end　we　have；　one　land　we　love；　one　vow　binds　us　both。　Take　me　to

thy　heart；　Harmachis；　set　me　by　thee　on　the　Double　Throne；　and　I　swear

that　I　will　lift　thee　higher　than　ever　man　has　climbed。　Reject　me；　and

beware　lest　I　pull　thee　down！　And　now；　putting　aside　the　cold　delicacy

of　custom；　stung　to　it　by　what　I　saw　of　the　arts　of　that　lovely　living

falsehood；　Cleopatra；　which　for　pastime　she　practises　on　thy　folly；　I

have　spoken　out　my　heart；　and　answer　thou！〃　And　she　clasped　her　hands

and；　drawing　one　pace　nearer；　gazed；　all　white　and　trembling；　on　my

face。



For　a　moment　I　stood　struck　dumb；　for　the　magic　of　her　voice　and　the

power　of　her　speech；　despite　myself；　stirred　me　like　the　rush　of

music。　Had　I　loved　the　woman；　doubtless　she　might　have　fired　me　with

her　flame；　but　I　loved　her　not；　and　I　could　not　play　at　passion。　And

so　thought　came；　and　with　thought　that　laughing　mood；　which　is　ever

apt　to　fashion　upon　nerves　strained　to　the　point　of　breaking。　In　a

flash；　as　it　were；　I　bethought　me　of　the　way　in　which　she　had　that

very　night　forced　the　wreath　of　roses　on　my　head；　I　thought　of　the

kerchief　and　how　I　had　flung　it　forth。　I　thought　of　Charmion　in　the

little　chamber　watching　what　she　held　to　be　the　arts　of　Cleopatra；　and

of　her　bitter　speeches。　Lastly；　I　thought　of　what　my　uncle　Sepa　would

say　of　her　could　he　see　her　now；　and　of　the　strange　and　tangled　skein

in　which　I　was　inmeshed。　And　I　laughed　aloudthe　fool's　laughter　that

was　my　knell　of　ruin！



She　turned　whiter　yetwhite　as　the　deadand　a　look　grew　upon　her

face　that　checked　my　foolish　mirth。　〃Thou　findest；　then；　Harmachis；〃

she　said　in　a　low；　choked　voice；　and　dropping　the　level　of　her　eyes；

〃thou　findest　cause　of　merriment　in　what　I　have　said？〃



〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃nay；　Charmion；　forgive　me　if　I　laughed。　It　was

rather　a　laugh　of　despair；　for　what　am　I　to　say　to　thee？　Thou　hast

spoken　high　words　of　all　thou　mightest　be：　is　it　left　for　me　to　tell

thee　what　thou　art？〃



She　shrank；　and　I　paused。



〃Speak；〃　she　said。



〃Thou　knowestnone　so　well！who　I　am　and　what　my　mission　is：　thou

knowestnone　so　well！that　I　am　sworn　to　Isis；　and　may；　by　law

Divine；　have　naught　to　do　with　thee。〃



〃Ay；〃　she　broke　in；　in　her　low　voice；　and　with　her　eyes　still　fixed

upon　the　ground〃ay；　and　I　know　that　thy　vows　are　broken　in　spirit；

if　not　in　formbroken　like　wreaths　of　cloud；　for；　Harmachis/thou

lovest　Cleopatra！/〃



〃It　is　a　lie！〃　I　cried。　〃Thou　wanton　girl；　who　wouldst　seduce　me　from

my　duty　and　put　me　to　an　open　shame！who；　led　by　passion　or　ambition；

or　the　love　of　evil；　hast　not　shamed　to　break　the　barriers　of　thy　sex

and　speak　as　thou　hast　spokenbeware　lest　thou　go　too　far！　And　if

thou　wilt　have　an　answer；　here　it　is；　put　straightly；　as　thy　question。

Charmion；　outside　the　matter　of　my　duty　and　my　vows；　thou　art　/naught/

to　me！nor　for　all　thy　tender　glances　will　my　heart　beat　one　pulse

more　fast！　Hardly　art　thou　now　my　friendfor；　of　a　truth；　I　scarce

can　trust　thee。　But；　once　more：　beware！　To　me　thou　mayest　do　thy

worst；　but　if　thou　dost　dare　to　lift　a　finger　against　our　cause；　that

day　thou　diest！　And　now；　is　this　play　done？〃



And　as；　wild　with　anger；　I　spoke　thus；　she　shrank　back；　a