cleopatra-第6部分

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my　father。　For　till　this　day　I　knew　not　that　he　was　in　truth　my　father

according　to　the　flesh；　having　been　taught　that　his　own　son　was　slain

as　I　have　written；　and　that　he　had　been　pleased；　with　the　sanction　of

the　Divine　ones；　to　take　me　as　an　adopted　son　and　rear　me　up；　that　I

might　in　due　season　fulfil　an　office　about　the　Temple。　Therefore　I　was

much　troubled；　for　I　feared　the　old　man；　who　was　very　terrible　in　his

anger；　and　ever　spoke　with　the　cold　voice　of　Wisdom。　Nevertheless；　I

determined　to　go　in　to　him　and　confess　my　fault　and　bear　such

punishment　as　he　should　be　pleased　to　put　upon　me。　So　with　the　red

spear　in　my　hand；　and　the　red　wounds　on　my　breast；　I　passed　through

the　outer　court　of　the　great　temple　and　came　to　the　door　of　the　place

where　the　High　Priest　dwelt。　It　is　a　great　chamber；　sculptured　round

about　with　the　images　of　the　solemn　Gods；　and　the　sunlight　comes　to　it

in　the　daytime　by　an　opening　cut　through　the　stones　of　the　massy　roof。

But　at　night　it　was　lit　by　a　swinging　lamp　of　bronze。　I　passed　in

without　noise；　for　the　door　was　not　altogether　shut；　and；　pushing　my

way　through　the　heavy　curtains　that　were　beyond；　I　stood　with　a

beating　heart　within　the　chamber。



The　lamp　was　lit；　for　the　darkness　had　fallen；　and　by　its　light　I　saw

the　old　man　seated　in　a　chair　of　ivory　and　ebony　at　a　table　of　stone

on　which　were　spread　mystic　writings　of　the　words　of　Life　and　Death。

But　he　read　no　more；　for　he　slept；　and　his　long　white　beard　rested

upon　the　table　like　the　beard　of　a　dead　man。　The　soft　light　from　the

lamp　fell　on　him；　on　the　papyri　and　the　gold　ring　upon　his　hand；　where

were　graven　the　symbols　of　the　Invisible　One；　but　all　around　was

shadow。　It　fell　on　the　shaven　head；　on　the　white　robe；　on　the　cedar

staff　of　priesthood　at　his　side；　and　on　the　ivory　of　the　lion…footed

chair；　it　showed　the　mighty　brow　of　power；　the　features　cut　in　kingly

mould；　the　white　eyebrows；　and　the　dark　hollows　of　the　deep…set　eyes。

I　looked　and　trembled；　for　there　was　about　him　that　which　was　more

than　the　dignity　of　man。　He　had　lived　so　long　with　the　Gods；　and　so

long　kept　company　with　them　and　with　thoughts　divine；　he　was　so　deeply

versed　in　all　those　mysteries　which　we　do　but　faintly　discern；　here　in

this　upper　air；　that　even　now；　before　his　time；　he　partook　of　the

nature　of　the　Osiris；　and　was　a　thing　to　shake　humanity　with　fear。



I　stood　and　gazed；　and　as　I　stood　he　opened　his　dark　eyes；　but　looked

not　on　me；　nor　turned　his　head；　and　yet　he　saw　me　and　spoke。



〃Why　hast　thou　been　disobedient　to　me；　my　son？〃　he　said。　〃How　came　it

that　thou　wentest　forth　against　the　lion　when　I　bade　thee　not？〃



〃How　knowest　thou；　my　father；　that　I　went　forth？〃　I　asked　in　fear。



〃How　know　I？　Are　there；　then；　no　other　ways　of　knowledge　than　by　the

senses？　Ah；　ignorant　child！　was　not　my　Spirit　with　thee　when　the　lion

sprang　upon　thy　companion？　Did　I　not　pray　Those　set　about　thee　to

protect　thee；　to　make　sure　thy　thrust　when　thou　didst　drive　the　spear

into　the　lion's　throat！　How　came　it　that　thou　wentest　forth；　my　son？〃



〃The　boaster　taunted　me；〃　I　answered；　〃and　I　went。〃



〃Yes；　I　know　it；　and；　because　of　the　hot　blood　of　youth；　I　forgive

thee；　Harmachis。　But　now　listen　to　me；　and　let　my　words　sink　into　thy

heart　like　the　waters　of　Sihor　into　the　thirsty　sand　at　the　rising　of

Sirius。＇*＇　Listen　to　me。　The　boaster　was　sent　to　thee　as　a　temptation；

he　was　sent　as　a　trial　of　thy　strength；　and　see！　it　has　not　been　equal

to　the　burden。　Therefore　thy　hour　is　put　back。　Hadst　thou　been　strong

in　this　matter；　the　path　had　been　made　plain　to　thee　even　now。　But

thou　hast　failed；　and　therefore　thy　hour　is　put　back。〃



＇*＇　The　dog…star；　whose　appearance　marked　the　commencement　of　the

　　　　overflow　of　the　Nile。Editor。



〃I　understand　thee　not；　my　father；〃　I　answered。



〃What　was　it；　then；　my　son；　that　the　old　wife；　Atoua；　said　to　thee

down　by　the　bank　of　the　canal？〃



Then　I　told　him　all　that　the　old　wife　had　said。



〃And　thou　believest；　Harmachis；　my　son？〃



〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃how　should　I　believe　such　tales？　Surely　she　is

mad。　All　the　people　know　her　for　mad。〃



Now　for　the　first　time　he　looked　towards　me；　who　was　standing　in　the

shadow。



〃My　son！　my　son！〃　he　cried；　〃thou　art　wrong。　She　is　not　mad。　The　woman

spoke　the　truth；　she　spoke　not　of　herself；　but　of　the　voice　within　her

that　cannot　lie。　For　this　Atoua　is　a　prophetess　and　holy。　Now　learn

thou　the　destiny　that　the　Gods　of　Egypt　have　given　to　thee　to　fulfil；

and　woe　be　unto　thee　if　by　any　weakness　thou　dost　fail　therein！

Listen：　thou　art　no　stranger　adopted　into　my　house　and　the　worship　of

the　Temple；　thou　art　my　very　son；　saved　to　me　by　this　same　woman。　But；

Harmachis；　thou　art　more　than　this；　for　in　thee　and　me　alone　yet　flows

the　Imperial　blood　of　Egypt。　Thou　and　I　alone　of　men　alive　are

descended；　without　break　or　flaw；　from　that　Pharaoh　Nekt…nebf　whom

Ochus　the　Persian　drove　from　Egypt。　The　Persian　came　and　the　Persian

went；　and　after　the　Persian　came　the　Macedonian；　and　now　for　nigh　upon

three　hundred　years　the　Lagid？　have　usurped　the　double　crown；　defiling

the　land　of　Khem　and　corrupting　the　worship　of　its　Gods。　And　mark　thou

this：　but　now；　two　weeks　since；　Ptolemy　Neus　Dionysus；　Ptolemy　Aulêtes

the　Piper；　who　would　have　slain　thee；　is　dead；　and　but　now　hath　the

Eunuch　Pothinus；　that　very　eunuch　who　came　hither；　years　ago；　to　cut

thee　off；　set　at　naught　the　will　of　his　master；　the　dead　Aulêtes；　and

placed　the　boy　Ptolemy　upon　the　throne。　And　therefore　his　sister

Cleopatra；　that　fierce　and　beautiful　girl；　has　fled　into　Syria；　and

there；　if　I　err　not；　she　will　gather　her　armies　and　make　war　upon　her

brother　Ptolemy：　for　by　her　father's　will　she　was　left　joint…sovereign

with　him。　And；　meanwhile；　mark　thou　this；　my　son：　the　Roman　eagle

hangs　on　high；　waiting　with　ready　talons　till　such　time　as　he　may　fall

upon　the　fat　wether　Egypt　and　rend　him。　And　mark　again：　the　people　of

Egypt　are　weary　of　the　foreign　yoke；　they　hate　the　memory　of　the

Persians；　and　they　are　sick　at　heart　of　being　named　〃Men　of　Macedonia〃

in　the　markets　of　Alexandria。　The　whole　land　mutters　and　murmurs

beneath　the　yoke　of　the　Greek　and　the　shadow　of　the　Roman。



〃Have　we　not　been　oppressed？　Have　not　our　children　been　butchered　and

our　gains　wrung　from　us　to　fill　the　bottomless　greed　and　lust　of　the

Lagid？？　Have　not　the　temples　been　forsaken？ay；　have　not　the

majesties　of　the　Eternal　Gods　been　set　at　naught　by　these　Grecian

babblers；　who　have　dared　to　meddle　with　the　immortal　truths；　and　name

the　Most　High　by　another　nameby　the　name　of　Serapisconfounding　the

substance　of　the　Invisible？　Does　not　Egypt　cry　aloud　for　freedom？and

shall　she　cry　in　vain？　Nay；　nay；　for　thou；　my　son；　art　the　appointed

way　of　deliverance。　To　thee；　being　sunk　in　eld；　I　have　decreed　my

rights。　Already　thy　name　is　whispered　in　many　a　sanctuary；　from　Abu　to

Athu；　already　priests　and　people　swear　allegiance；　even　by　the　sacred

symbols；　unto　him　who　shall　be　declared　to　them。　Still；　the　time　is

not　yet；　thou　art　too　green　a　sapling　to　bear　the　weight　of　such　a

storm。　But　to…day　thou　wast　tried　and　found　wanting。



〃He　who　would　serve　the　Gods；　Harmachis；　must　put　aside　the　failings

of　the　flesh。　Taunts　must　not　move　him；　nor　any　lusts　of　man。　Thine　is

a　high　mission；　but　this　thou　must　learn。　If　thou　learn　it　not；　thou

shalt　fail　therein；　and　then；　my　curse　be　on　thee！　and　the　curse　of

Egypt；　and　the　curse　of　Egypt's　broken　Gods！　For　know　thou　this；　that

even　the　Gods；　who　are　immortal；　may；　in　the　interwoven　scheme　of

things；　lean　upon　the　man　who　is　their　instrument；　as　a　warrior　on　his

sword。　And　woe　be　to　the　sword　that　snaps　in　the　hour　of　battle；　for

it　shall　be　thrown　aside　to　rust　or　perchance　be　melted　with　fire！

Therefore；　make　thy　heart　pure　and　high　and　strong；　for　thine　is　no

common　lot；　and　thine　no　mortal　meed。　Triumph；　Harmachis；　and　in　glory

thou　shalt　goin　glory　here　and　hereafter！　Fail；　and　woewoe　be　on

thee！〃



He　paused　and　bowed　his　head；　and　then　went　on：



〃Of　these　matters　thou　shalt　hear　more　hereafter。　Meanwhile；　thou　hast

much　to　learn。　To…morrow　I　will　give　thee　letters；　and　thou　shalt

journey　down　the　Nile；　past　white…walled　Memphis　to　Annu。　There　thou

shalt　sojourn　certain　years；　and　learn　more　of　our　ancient　wisdom

beneath　the　shadow　of　those　secret　pyramids　of　which　thou；　too；　art

the　Hereditary　High　Priest　that　is　to　be。　And　meanwhile；　I　will　sit

here　and　watch；　for　my　hour　is　not　yet；　and；　by　the　help　of　the　Gods；

spin　the　web　of　Death　wherein　thou　shalt　catch　and　hold　the　wasp　of

Macedonia。



〃Come　hither；　my　son；　come　hither　and　kiss　me　on　the　brow；　for　thou

art　my　hope；　and　all　the　hope　of　Egypt。　Be　but　true；　soar　to　the　eagle

crest　of　destiny；　and　thou　shalt　be　glorious　here　and　hereafter。　Be

false；　fail；　and　I　will　spit　upon　thee；　and　thou　shalt　be　accursed；

and　thy　soul　shall　remain　in　bondage　till　that　hour　when；　in　the　slow

flight　of　time；　the　evil　shall　once　more　grow　to　good　and　Egypt　shall

again　be　free。〃



I　drew　near；　trembling；　and　kissed　him　on　the　brow。　〃May　all　these

things　come　upon　me；　and　more；〃　I　said；　〃if　I　fail　thee；　my　father！〃



〃Nay！〃　he　cried；　〃not　me；　not　me；　but　rather　those　whose　will　I　do。

And　now　go；　my　son；　and　ponder　in　thy　heart；　and　in　thy　secret　heart

digest　my　words；　mark　what　thou　shalt　see；　and　gather　up　the　dew　of

wisdom；　making　thee　ready　for　the　battle。　Fear　not　for　thyself；　thou

art　protected　from　all　ill。　No　harm　may　touch　thee　from　without；

thyself　alone　can　be　thine　own　enemy。　I　have　said。〃



Then　I　went　forth　with　a　full　heart。　The　night　was　very　still；　and

none　were　stirring　in　the　temple　courts。　I　hurried　through　them；　and

reached　the　entrance　to　the　pylon　that　is　at　the　outer　gate。　Then；

seeking　solitude；　and；　as　it　were；　to　draw　near　to　heaven；　I　climbed

the　pylon's　two　hundred　steps；　until　at　length　I　rea