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！
I was sworn。 Therein； then； thou hast my sympathy； that ever goes out
to what is great and bold。 It is well also that thou shouldst grieve
over the greatness of thy fall。 Therein； then； as womanas loving
womanthou hast my sympathy。 Nor is all lost。 Thy plan was foolish
for； as I hold； Egypt could never have stood alonefor though thou
hadst won the crown and countryas without a doubt thou must have
doneyet there was the Roman to be reckoned with。 And for thy hope
learn this： I am little known。 There is no heart in this wide land
that beats with a truer love for ancient Khem than does this heart of
minenay； not thine own； Harmachis。 Yet I have been heavily shackled
heretoforefor wars； rebellions； envies； plots； have hemmed me in on
every side； so that I might not serve my people as I would。 But thou；
Harmachis； shalt show me how。 Thou shalt be my counsellor and my love。
Is it a little thing； Harmachis； to have won the heart of Cleopatra；
that heartfie on thee！that thou wouldst have stilled？ Yes； /thou/
shalt unite me to my people and we will reign together； thus linking
in one the new kingdom and the old and the new thought and the old。 So
do all things work for gooday； for the very best： and thus； by
another and a gentler road； thou shalt climb to Pharaoh's throne。
〃See thou this； Harmachis： thy treachery shall be cloaked about as
much as may be。 Was it； then； thy fault that a Roman knave betrayed
thy plans？ that； thereon； thou wast drugged； thy secret papers stolen
and their key guessed？ Will it； then； be a blame to thee； the great
plot being broken and those who built it scattered； that thou； still
faithful to thy trust； didst serve thee of such means as Nature gave
thee； and win the heart of Egypt's Queen； that； through her gentle
love； thou mightest yet attain thy ends and spread thy wings of power
across the land of Nile？ Am I an ill…counsellor； thinkest thou；
Harmachis？〃
I lifted my head； and a ray of hope crept into the darkness of my
heart； for when men fall they grasp at feathers。 Then； I spoke for the
first time：
〃And those with methose who trusted mewhat of them？〃
〃Ay；〃 she answered； 〃Amenemhat； thy father； the aged Priest of
Abouthis； and Sepa； thy uncle； that fiery patriot； whose great heart
is hid beneath so common a shell of form； and〃
I thought she would have said Charmion； but she named her not。
〃And many othersoh； I know them all！〃
〃Ay！〃 I said； 〃what of them？〃
〃Hear now； Harmachis；〃 she answered； rising and placing her hand upon
my arm； 〃for thy sake I will show mercy to them。 I will do no more
than must be done。 I swear by my throne and by all the Gods of Egypt
that not one hair of thy aged father's head shall be harmed by me；
and； if it be not too late； I will also spare thy uncle Sepa； ay； and
the others。 I will not do as did my forefather； Epiphanes； who； when
the Egyptians rose against him； dragged Athinis； Pausiras； Chesuphus；
and Irobasthus； bound to his chariotnot as Achilles dragged Hector；
but yet livinground the city walls。 I will spare them all； save the
Hebrews； if there be any Hebrews； for the Jews I hate。〃
〃There are no Hebrews；〃 I said。
〃It is well；〃 she said； 〃for no Hebrew will I ever spare。 Am I then；
indeed； so cruel a woman as they say？ In thy list； Harmachis； were
many doomed to die； and I have but taken the life of one Roman knave；
a double traitor； for he betrayed both me and thee。 Art thou not
overwhelmed； Harmachis； with the weight of mercy which I give thee；
becausesuch are a woman's reasonsthou pleasest me； Harmachis？ Nay；
by Serapis！〃 she added with a little laugh； 〃I'll change my mind； I
will not give thee so much for nothing。 Thou shalt buy it from me； and
the price shall be a heavy oneit shall be a kiss； Harmachis。〃
〃Nay；〃 I said； turning from that fair temptress； 〃the price is too
heavy； I kiss no more。〃
〃Bethink thee；〃 she answered； with a heavy frown。 〃Bethink thee and
choose。 I am but a woman； Harmachis； and one who is not wont to sue to
men。 Do as thou wilt； but this I say to theeif thou dost put me
away； I will gather up the mercy I have meted out。 Therefore； most
virtuous priest； choose thou between the heavy burden of my love and
the swift death of thy aged father and of all those who plotted with
him。〃
I glanced at her and saw that she was angered； for her eyes shone and
her bosom heaved。 So； I sighed and kissed her； thereby setting the
seal upon my shame and bondage。 Then； smiling like the triumphant
Aphrodité of the Greeks； she went thence； bearing the dagger with her。
I knew not yet how deeply I was betrayed； or why I was still left to
draw the breath of life； or why Cleopatra； the tiger…hearted； had
grown merciful。 I did not know that she feared to slay me； lest； so
strong was the plot and so feeble her hold upon the Double Crown； the
tumult that might tread hard upon the tidings of my murder should
shake her from the throneeven when I was no more。 I did not know
that because of fear and the weight of policy only she showed scant
mercy to those whom I had betrayed； or that because of cunning and not
for the holy sake of woman's lovethough； in truth； she liked me well
enoughshe chose rather to bind me to her by the fibres of my heart。
And yet I will say this in her behalf： even when the danger…cloud had
melted from her sky she kept faith； nor； save Paulus and one other；
did any suffer the utmost penalty of death for their part in the great
plot against Cleopatra's crown and dynasty。 But they suffered many
other things。
And so she went； leaving the vision of her glory to strive with the
shame and sorrow in my heart。 Oh； bitter were the hours that could not
now be made light with prayer。 For the link between me and the Divine
was snapped； and Isis communed with Her Priest no more。 Bitter were
the hours and dark； but ever through their darkness shone the starry
eyes of Cleopatra； and came the echo of her whispered love。 For not
yet was the cup of sorrow full。 Hope still lingered in my heart； and I
could almost think that I had failed to some higher end； and that in
the depths of ruin I should find another and more flowery path to
triumph。
For thus those who sin deceive themselves； striving to lay the burden
of their evil deeds upon the back of Fate； striving to believe their
wickedness may compass good； and to murder Conscience with the sharp
plea of Necessity。 But it can avail nothing； for hand in hand down the
path of sin rush Remorse and Ruin； and woe to him they follow！ Ay； and
woe to me who of all sinners am the chief！
CHAPTER IX
OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF HARMACHIS； OF THE SCORN OF CHARMION；
OF THE SETTING FREE OF HARMACHIS； AND OF THE COMING OF QUINTUS DELLIUS
For a space of eleven days I was thus kept prisoned in my chamber； nor
did I see anyone except the sentries at my doors； the slaves who in
silence brought me food and drink； and Cleopatra's self； who came
co