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！
（They rush to the door and form a cordon before it with their
spears。 A mob of women…servants and nurses surges out。 Those in
front recoil from the spears； screaming to those behind to keep
back。 Belzanor's voice dominates the disturbance as he shouts）
Back there。 In again； unprofitable cattle。
THE GUARDSMEN。 Back； unprofitable cattle。
BELZANOR。 Send us out Ftatateeta； the Queen's chief nurse。
THE WOMEN （calling into the palace）。 Ftatateeta； Ftatateeta。
Come； come。 Speak to Belzanor。
A WOMAN。 Oh； keep back。 You are thrusting me on the spearheads。
A huge grim woman； her face covered with a network of tiny
wrinkles； and her eyes old； large； and wise； sinewy handed； very
tall； very strong； with the mouth of a bloodhound and the jaws of
a bulldog； appears on the threshold。 She is dressed like a person
of consequence in the palace； and confronts the guardsmen
insolently。
FTATATEETA。 Make way for the Queen's chief nurse。
BELZANOR。 （with solemn arrogance）。 Ftatateeta： I am Belzanor； the
captain of the Queen's guard； descended from the gods。
FTATATEETA。 （retorting his arrogance with interest）。 Belzanor： I
am Ftatateeta； the Queen's chief nurse； and your divine ancestors
were proud to be painted on the wall in the pyramids of the kings
whom my fathers served。
The women laugh triumphantly。
BELZANOR （with grim humor） Ftatateeta： daughter of a
long…tongued； swivel…eyed chameleon； the Romans are at hand。 （A
cry of terror from the women： they would fly but for the spears。）
Not even the descendants of the gods can resist them； for they
have each man seven arms； each carrying seven spears。 The blood
in their veins is boiling quicksilver； and their wives become
mothers in three hours； and are slain and eaten the next day。
A shudder of horror from the women。 Ftatateeta； despising them
and scorning the soldiers； pushes her way through the crowd and
confronts the spear points undismayed。
FTATATEETA。 Then fly and save yourselves； O cowardly sons of the
cheap clay gods that are sold to fish porters； and leave us to
shift for ourselves。
BELZANOR。 Not until you have first done our bidding； O terror of
manhood。 Bring out Cleopatra the Queen to us and then go whither
you will。
FTATATEETA （with a derisive laugh）。 Now I know why the gods have
taken her out of our hands。 （The guardsmen start and look at one
another）。 Know； thou foolish soldier； that the Queen has been
missing since an hour past sun down。
BELZANOR （furiously）。 Hag： you have hidden her to sell to Caesar
or her brother。 （He grasps her by the left wrist； and drags her；
helped by a few of the guard； to the middle of the courtyard；
where； as they fling her on her knees； he draws a murderous
looking knife。） Where is she？ Where is she？ or （He threatens to
cut her throat。）
FTATATEETA （savagely）。 Touch me； dog； and the Nile will not rise
on your fields for seven times seven years of famine。
BELZANOR （frightened； but desperate）。 I will sacrifice： I will
pay。 Or stay。 （To the Persian） You； O subtle one： your father's
lands lie far from the Nile。 Slay her。
PERSIAN （threatening her with his knife）。 Persia has but one god；
yet he loves the blood of old women。 Where is Cleopatra？
FTATATEETA。 Persian： as Osiris lives； I do not know。 I chide her
for bringing evil days upon us by talking to the sacred cats of
the priests； and carrying them in her arms。 I told her she would
be left alone here when the Romans came as a punishment for her
disobedience。 And now she is gonerun awayhidden。 I speak the
truth。 I call Osiris to witness。
THE WOMEN （protesting officiously）。 She speaks the truth；
Belzanor。
BELZANOR。 You have frightened the child： she is hiding。 Search
quickinto the palacesearch every corner。
The guards； led by Belzanor； shoulder their way into the palace
through the flying crowd of women； who escape through the
courtyard gate。
FTATATEETA （screaming）。 Sacrilege！ Men in the Queen's chambers！
Sa （Her voice dies away as the Persian puts his knife to her
throat。）
BEL AFFRIS （laying a hand on Ftatateeta's left shoulder）。 Forbear
her yet a moment； Persian。 （To Ftatateeta； very significantly）
Mother： your gods are asleep or away hunting； and the sword is at
your throat。 Bring us to where the Queen is hid； and you shall
live。
FTATATEETA （contemptuously）。 Who shall stay the sword in the hand
of a fool； if the high gods put it there？ Listen to me； ye young
men without understanding。 Cleopatra fears me； but she fears the
Romans more。 There is but one power greater in her eyes than the
wrath of the Queen's nurse and the cruelty of Caesar； and that is
the power of the Sphinx that sits in the desert watching the way
to the sea。 What she would have it know； she tells into the ears
of the sacred cats； and on her birthday she sacrifices to it and
decks it with poppies。 Go ye therefore into the desert and seek
Cleopatra in the shadow of the Sphinx； and on your heads see to
it that no harm comes to her。
BEL AFFRIS （to the Persian）。 May we believe this； O subtle one？
PERSIAN。 Which way come the Romans？
BEL AFFRIS。 Over the desert； from the sea； by this very Sphinx。
PERSIAN （to Ftatateeta）。 O mother of guile！ O aspic's tongue！ You
have made up this tale so that we two may go into the desert and
perish on the spears of the Romans。 （Lifting his knife） Taste
death。
FTATATEETA。 Not from thee； baby。 （She snatches his ankle from
under him and flies stooping along the palace wall vanishing in
the darkness within its precinct。 Bel Affris roars with laughter
as the Persian tumbles。 The guardsmen rush out of the palace with
Belzanor and a mob of fugitives； mostly carrying bundles。）
PERSIAN。 Have you found Cleopatra？
BELZANOR。 She is gone。 We have searched every corner。
THE NUBIAN SENTINEL （appearing at the door of the palace）。 Woe！
Alas！ Fly； fly！
BELZANOR。 What is the matter now？
THE NUBIAN SENTINEL。 The sacred white cat has been stolen。 Woe！
Woe！ （General panic。 They all fly with cries of consternation。
The torch is thrown down and extinguished in the rush。 Darkness。
The noise of the fugitives dies away。 Dead silence。 Suspense。
Then the blackness and stillness breaks softly into silver mist
and strange airs as the windswept harp of Memnon plays at the
dawning of the moon。 It rises full over the desert； and a vast
horizon comes into relief； broken by a huge shape which soon
reveals itself in the spreading radiance as a Sphinx pedestalled
on the sands。 The light still clears； until the upraised eyes of
the image are distinguished looking straight forward and upward
in infinite fearless vigil； and a mass of color between its great
paws defines itself as a heap of red poppies on which a girl
lies motionless； her silken vest heaving gently and regularly
with the breathing of a dreamless sleeper； and her braided hair
glittering in a shaft of moonlight like a bird's wing。
Suddenly there comes from afar a vaguely fearful sound （it
might be the bellow of a Minotaur softened by great distance） and
Memnon's music stops。 Silence： then a few faint high…ringing
trumpet notes。 Then silence again。 Then a man comes from
the south with stealing steps； ravishe