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！
there will be no holding our men back： the boats will race one
another for the lighthouse。
CAESAR （drawing his sword and trying the edge）。 Is this well set
to…day； Britannicus？ At Pharsalia it was as blunt as a
barrel…hoop。
BRITANNUS。 It will split one of the Egyptian's hairs to…day；
Caesar。 I have set it myself。
CLEOPATRA （suddenly throwing her arms in terror round Caesar）。
Oh； you are not really going into battle to be killed？
CAESAR。 No； Cleopatra。 No man goes to battle to be killed。
CLEOPATRA。 But they DO get killed。 My sister's husband was killed
in battle。 You must not go。 Let HIM go （pointing to Rufio。 They
all laugh at her）。 Oh please； PLEASE don't go。 What will happen
to ME if you never come back？
CAESAR （gravely）。 Are you afraid？
CLEOPATRA （shrinking）。 No。
CAESAR （with quiet authority）。 Go to the balcony； and you shall
see us take the Pharos。 You must learn to look on battles。 Go。
（She goes； downcast； and looks out from the balcony。） That is
well。 Now； Rufio。 March。
CLEOPATRA （suddenly clapping her hands）。 Oh； you will not be able
to go！
CAESAR。 Why？ What now？
CLEOPATRA。 They are drying up the harbor with bucketsa
multitude of soldiersover there （pointing out across the sea to
her left）they are dipping up the water。
RUFIO （hastening to look）。 It is true。 The Egyptian army！
Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts。 （With
sudden anger he strides down to Caesar。） This is your accursed
clemency； Caesar。 Theodotus has brought them。
CAESAR （delighted at his own cleverness）。 I meant him to； Rufio。
They have come to put out the fire。 The library will keep them
busy whilst we seize the lighthouse。 Eh？ （He rushes out buoyantly
through the loggia； followed by Britannus。）
RUFIO （disgustedly）。 More foxing！ Agh！ （He rushes off。 A shout
from the soldiers announces the appearance of Caesar below）。
CENTURION （below）。 All aboard。 Give way there。 （Another shout。）
CLEOPATRA （waving her scarf through the loggia arch）。 Goodbye；
goodbye； dear Caesar。 Come back safe。 Goodbye！
ACT III
The edge of the quay in front of the palace； looking out west
over the east harbor of Alexandria to Pharos island； just
off the end of which； and connected with it by a narrow mole；
is the famous lighthouse； a gigantic square tower of white
marble diminishing in size storey by storey to the top； on which
stands a cresset beacon。 The island is joined to the main land
by the Heptastadium； a great mole or causeway five miles long
bounding the harbor on the south。
In the middle of the quay a Roman sentinel stands on guard； pilum
in hand； looking out to the lighthouse with strained attention；
his left hand shading his eyes。 The pilum is a stout wooden shaft
41 feet long； with an iron spit about three feet long fixed in
it。 The sentinel is so absorbed that he does not notice the
approach from the north end of the quay of four Egyptian market
porters carrying rolls of carpet； preceded by Ftatateeta and
Apollodorus the Sicilian。 Apollodorus is a dashing young man of
about 24； handsome and debonair； dressed with deliberate
astheticism in the most delicate purples and dove greys； with
ornaments of bronze； oxydized silver； and stones of jade and
agate。 His sword； designed as carefully as a medieval cross； has
a blued blade showing through an openwork scabbard of purple
leather and filagree。 The porters； conducted by Ftatateeta； pass
along the quay behind the sentinel to the steps of the palace；
where they put down their bales and squat on the ground。
Apollodorus does not pass along with them： he halts； amused by
the preoccupation of the sentinel。
APOLLODORUS （calling to the sentinel）。 Who goes there； eh？
SENTINEL （starting violently and turning with his pilum at the
charge； revealing himself as a small； wiry； sandy…haired；
conscientious young man with an elderly face）。 What's this？
Stand。 Who are you？
APOLLODORUS。 I am Apollodorus the Sicilian。 Why； man； what are
you dreaming of？ Since I came through the lines beyond the
theatre there； I have brought my caravan past three sentinels；
all so busy staring at the lighthouse that not one of them
challenged me。 Is this Roman discipline？
SENTINEL。 We are not here to watch the land but the water。 Caesar
has just landed on the Pharos。 （Looking at Ftatateeta） What have
you here？ Who is this piece of Egyptian crockery？
FTATATEETA。 Apollodorus： rebuke this Roman dog； and bid him
bridle his tongue in the presence of Ftatateeta； the mistress of
the Queen's household。
APOLLODORUS。 My friend： this is a great lady； who stands high
with Caesar。
SENTINEL （not at all impressed； pointing to the carpets）。 And
what is all this truck？
APOLLODORUS。 Carpets for the furnishing of the Queen's apartments
in the palace。 I have picked them from the best carpets in the
world； and the Queen shall choose the best of my choosing。
SENTINEL。 So you are the carpet merchant？
APOLLODORUS （hurt）。 My friend： I am a patrician。
SENTINEL。 A patrician！ A patrician keeping a shop instead of
following arms！
APOLLODORUS。 I do not keep a shop。 Mine is a temple of the arts。
I am a worshipper of beauty。 My calling is to choose beautiful
things for beautiful Queens。 My motto is Art for Art's sake。
SENTINEL。 That is not the password。
APOLLODORUS。 It is a universal password。
SENTINEL。 I know nothing about universal passwords。 Either give
me the password for the day or get back to your shop。
Ftatateeta； roused by his hostile tone； steals towards the edge
of the quay with the step of a panther； and gets behind him。
APOLLODORUS。 How if I do neither？
SENTINEL。 Then I will drive this pilum through you。
APOLLODORUS。 At your service； my friend。 （He draws his sword； and
springs to his guard with unruffled grace。）
FTATATEETA （suddenly seizing the sentinel's arms from behind）。
Thrust your knife into the dog's throat； Apollodorus。 （The
chivalrous Apollodorus laughingly shakes his head； breaks ground
away from the sentinel towards the palace； and lowers his point。）
SENTINEL （struggling vainly）。 Curse on you！ Let me go。 Help ho！
FTATATEETA （lifting him from the ground）。 Stab the little Roman
reptile。 Spit him on your sword。
A couple of Roman soldiers； with a centurion； come running along
the edge of the quay from the north end。 They rescue their
comrade； and throw off Ftatateeta； who is sent reeling away on
the left hand of the sentinel。
CENTURION （an unattractive man of fifty； short in his speech and
manners； with a vine wood cudgel in his hand）。 How now？ What is
all this？
FTATATEETA （to Apollodorus）。 Why did you not stab him？ There was
time！
APOLLODORUS。 Centurion： I am here by order of the Queen to
CENTURION （interrupting him）。 The Queen！ Yes； yes： （to the
sentinel） pass him in。 Pass all these bazaar people in to the
Queen； with their goods。 But mind you pass no one out that you
have not passed innot even the Queen herself。
SENTINEL。 This old woman is dangerous： she is as strong as three
men。 She wanted the merchant to stab me。
APOLLODORUS。 Centurion： I am not a merchant。 I am a patrician and
a votary of art
CENTURION。 Is the woman your wife？
A