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！
stair； and a swift； light step that I knew well。 It was that of
Cleopatra！
She entered and drew near。 I felt her come！ Every pulse of my poor
frame beat an answer to her footfall； and all my mighty love and hate
rose from the darkness of my death…like sleep； and rent me in their
struggle！ She leaned over me； her ambrosial breath played upon my
face： I could hear the beating of her heart！ Lower she leaned； till at
last her lips touched me softly on the brow。
〃Poor man！〃 I heard her murmur。 〃Poor； weak； dying Man！ Fate hath been
hard to thee！ Thou wert too good to be the sport of such a one as I
the pawn that I must move in my play of policy！ Ah； Harmachis！ thou
shouldst have ruled the game！ Those plotting priests could give thee
learning； but they could not give thee knowledge of mankind； nor fence
thee against the march of Nature's law。 And thou didst love me with
all thy heartah！ well I know it！ Manlike； thou didst love the eyes
that； as a pirate's lights； beckoned thee to shipwrecked ruin； and
didst hang doting on the lips which lied thy heart away and called
thee 'slave'！ Well； the game was fair； for thou wouldst have slain me；
and yet I grieve。 So thou dost die？ and this is my farewell to thee！
Never may we meet again on earth； and； perchance； it is well； for who
knows； when my hour of tenderness is past； how I might deal with thee；
didst thou live？ Thou dost die； they saythose learned long…faced
fools； who； if they let thee die； shall pay the price。 And where；
then； shall we meet again when my last throw is thrown？ We shall be
equal there； in the kingdom that Osiris rules。 A little time； a few
yearsperhaps to…morrowand we shall meet； then； knowing all I am；
how wilt thou greet me？ Nay； here； as there； still must thou worship
me！ for injuries cannot touch the immortality of such a love as thine。
Contempt alone； like acid； can eat away the love of noble hearts； and
reveal the truth in its pitiful nakedness。 Thou must still cling to
thee； Harmachis； for； whatever my sins； yet I am great and set above
thy scorn。 Would that I could have loved thee as thou lovest me！
Almost I did so when thou slewest those guards； and yetnot quite。
〃What a fenced city is my heart； that none can take it； and； even when
I throw the gates wide； no man may win its citadel！ Oh； to put away
this loneliness and lose me in another's soul！ Oh； for a year； a
month； an hour to quite forget policy； peoples； and my pomp of place；
and be but a loving woman！ Harmachis； fare thee well！ Go join great
Julius whom thy art called up from death before me； and take Egypt's
greetings to him。 Ah well！ I fooled thee； and I fooled C？sar
perchance before all is done Fate will find me； and myself I shall be
fooled。 Harmachis； fare thee well！〃
She turned to go； and as she turned I heard the sweep of another dress
and the light fall of another woman's foot。
〃Ah！ it is thou； Charmion。 Well； for all thy watching the man dies。〃
〃Ay；〃 she answered； in a voice thick with grief。 〃Ay； O Queen； so the
physicians say。 Forty hours has he lain in stupor so deep that at
times his breath could barely lift this tiny feather's weight； and
hardly could my ear； placed against his breast； take notice of the
rising of his heart。 I have watched him now for ten long days； watched
him day and night； till my eyes stare wide with want of sleep； and for
faintness I can scarce keep myself from falling。 And this is the end
of all my labour！ The coward blow of that accursed Brennus has done
its work； and Harmachis dies！〃
〃Love counts not its labour； Charmion； nor can it weight its
tenderness on the scale of purchase。 That which it has it gives； and
craves for more to give and give； till the soul's infinity be drained。
Dear to thy heart are these heavy nights of watching； sweet to thy
weary eyes is that sad sight of strength brought so low that it hangs
upon thy weakness like a babe to its mother's breast！ For； Charmion；
thou dost love this man who loves thee not； and now that he is
helpless thou canst pour thy passion forth over the unanswering
darkness of his soul； and cheat thyself with dreams of what yet might
be。〃
〃I love him not； as thou hast proof； O Queen！ How can I love one who
would have slain thee； who art as my heart's sister？ It is for pity
that I nurse him。〃
She laughed a little as she answered； 〃Pity is love's own twin；
Charmion。 Wondrous wayward are the paths of woman's love； and thou
hast shown thine strangely； that I know。 But the more high the love；
the deeper the gulf whereinto it can fallay； and thence soar again
to heaven； once more to fall！ Poor woman！ thou art thy passion's
plaything： now tender as the morning sky； and now； when jealousy grips
thy heart； more cruel than the sea。 Well； thus are we made。 Soon；
after all this troubling； nothing will be left thee but tears；
remorse； andmemory。〃
And she went forth。
CHAPTER XIV
OF THE TENDER CARE OF CHARMION； OF THE HEALING OF HARMACHIS；
OF THE SAILING OF THE FLEET OF CLEOPATRA FOR CILICIA； AND OF THE
SPEECH OF BRENNUS TO HARMACHIS
Cleopatra went； and for a while I lay silent； gathering up my strength
to speak。 But Charmion came and stood over me； and I felt a great tear
fall from her dark eyes upon my face； as the first heavy drop of rain
falls from a thunder cloud。
〃Thou goest；〃 she whispered； 〃thou goest fast whither I may not
follow！ O Harmachis； how gladly would I give my life for thine！〃
Then at length I opened my eyes； and spoke as best I could：
〃Restrain thy grief； dear friend；〃 I said； 〃I live yet； and； in truth；
I feel as though new life gathered in my breast！〃
She gave a little cry of joy； and I never saw aught more beautiful
than the change that came upon her weeping face！ It was as when the
first lights of the day run up the pallor of that sad sky which veils
the night from dawn。 All rosy grew her lovely countenance； her dim
eyes shone out like stars； and a smile of wonderment； more sweet than
the sudden smile of the sea as its ripples wake to brightness beneath
the kiss of the risen moon； broke through her rain of tears。
〃Thou livest！〃 she cried； throwing herself on her knees beside my
couch。 〃Thou livestand I thought thee gone！ Thou art come back to
me！ Oh！ what say I？ How foolish is a woman's heart！ 'Tis this long
watching！ Nay； sleep and rest thee； Harmachis！why dost thou talk？
Not one more word； I command thee straitly！ Where is the draught left
by that long…bearded fool？ Nay thou shalt have no draught！ There；
sleep； Harmachis； sleep！〃 and she crouched down at my side and laid
her cool hand upon my brow； murmuring； 〃/Sleep！ sleep！/〃
And when I woke there she was still； but the lights of dawn were
peeping through the casement。 There she knelt； one hand upon my
forehead； and her head； in all its disarray of curls； resting upon her
outstretched arm。
〃Charmion；〃 I whispered； 〃have I slept？〃
Instantly she was