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diff --git a/2769.txt b/2769.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c64b5f --- /dev/null +++ b/2769.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10665 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cleopatra, by H. Rider Haggard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cleopatra + +Author: H. Rider Haggard + +Release Date: March 28, 2006 [EBook #2769] +[Last updated: November 19, 2020] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CLEOPATRA *** + + + + +Produced by John Bickers; Dagny; Emma Dudding + + + + + +CLEOPATRA + +by H. Rider Haggard + + + + +DEDICATION + +My dear Mother, + +I have for a long while hoped to be allowed to dedicate some book +of mine to you, and now I bring you this work, because whatever its +shortcomings, and whatever judgment may be passed upon it by yourself +and others, it is yet the one I should wish you to accept. + +I trust that you will receive from my romance of "Cleopatra" some such +pleasure as lightened the labour of its building up; and that it +may convey to your mind a picture, however imperfect, of the old and +mysterious Egypt in whose lost glories you are so deeply interested. + +Your affectionate and dutiful Son, + +H. Rider Haggard. + +January 21, 1889. + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE + +The history of the ruin of Antony and Cleopatra must have struck many +students of the records of their age as one of the most inexplicable +of tragic tales. What malign influence and secret hates were at work, +continually sapping their prosperity and blinding their judgment? Why +did Cleopatra fly at Actium, and why did Antony follow her, leaving his +fleet and army to destruction? An attempt is made in this romance to +suggest a possible answer to these and some other questions. + +The reader is asked to bear in mind, however, that the story is told, +not from the modern point of view, but as from the broken heart and +with the lips of an Egyptian patriot of royal blood; no mere +beast-worshipper, but a priest instructed in the inmost mysteries, who +believed firmly in the personal existence of the gods of Khem, in the +possibility of communion with them, and in the certainty of immortal +life with its rewards and punishments; to whom also the bewildering and +often gross symbolism of the Osirian Faith was nothing but a veil woven +to obscure secrets of the Sanctuary. Whatever proportion of truth there +may have been in their spiritual claims and imaginings, if indeed there +was any, such men as the Prince Harmachis have been told of in the +annals of every great religion, and, as is shown by the testimony of +monumental and sacred inscriptions, they were not unknown among the +worshippers of the Egyptian Gods, and more especially of Isis. + +Unfortunately it is scarcely possible to write a book of this nature and +period without introducing a certain amount of illustrative matter, for +by no other means can the long dead past be made to live again before +the reader's eyes with all its accessories of faded pomp and forgotten +mystery. To such students as seek a story only, and are not interested +in the faith, ceremonies, or customs of the Mother of Religion and +Civilisation, ancient Egypt, it is, however, respectfully suggested +that they should exercise the art of skipping, and open this tale at its +Second Book. + +That version of the death of Cleopatra has been preferred which +attributes her end to poison. According to Plutarch its actual manner is +very uncertain, though popular rumour ascribed it to the bite of an asp. +She seems, however, to have carried out her design under the advice +of that shadowy personage, her physician, Olympus, and it is more than +doubtful if he would have resorted to such a fantastic and uncertain +method of destroying life. + +It may be mentioned that so late as the reign of Ptolemy Epiphanes, +pretenders of native blood, one of whom was named Harmachis, are known +to have advanced their claims to the throne of Egypt. Moreover, there +was a book of prophecy current among the priesthood which declared that +after the nations of the Greeks the God Harsefi would create the "chief +who is to come." It will therefore be seen that, although it lacks +historical confirmation, the story of the great plot formed to stamp out +the dynasty of the Macedonian Lagidae and place Harmachis on the throne +is not in itself improbable. Indeed, it is possible that many such plots +were entered into by Egyptian patriots during the long ages of their +country's bondage. But ancient history tells us little of the abortive +struggles of a fallen race. + +The Chant of Isis and the Song of Cleopatra, which appear in these +pages, are done into verse from the writer's prose by Mr. Andrew Lang, +and the dirge sung by Charmion is translated by the same hand from the +Greek of the Syrian Meleager. + + + + + +CLEOPATRA + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +In the recesses of the desolate Libyan mountains that lie behind the +temple and city of Abydus, the supposed burying place of the holy +Osiris, a tomb was recently discovered, among the contents of which were +the papyrus rolls whereupon this history is written. The tomb itself is +spacious, but otherwise remarkable only for the depth of the shaft which +descends vertically from the rock-hewn cave, that once served as the +mortuary chapel for the friends and relatives of the departed, to the +coffin-chamber beneath. This shaft is no less than eighty-nine feet in +depth. The chamber at its foot was found to contain three coffins only, +though it is large enough for many more. Two of these, which in all +probability inclosed the bodies of the High Priest, Amenemhat, and of +his wife, father and mother of Harmachis, the hero of this history, the +shameless Arabs who discovered them there and then broke up. + +The Arabs broke the bodies up. With unhallowed hands they tore the holy +Amenemhat and the frame of her who had, as it is written, been filled +with the spirit of the Hathors--tore them limb from limb, searching for +treasure amidst their bones--perhaps, as is their custom, selling the +very bones for a few piastres to the last ignorant tourist who came +their way, seeking what he might destroy. For in Egypt the unhappy, the +living find their bread in the tombs of the great men who were before +them. + +But as it chanced, some little while afterwards, one who is known to +this writer, and a doctor by profession, passed up the Nile to Abydus, +and became acquainted with the men who had done this thing. They +revealed to him the secret of the place, telling him that one coffin +yet remained entombed. It seemed to be the coffin of a poor person, +they said, and therefore, being pressed for time, they had left it +unviolated. Moved by curiosity to explore the recesses of a tomb as yet +unprofaned by tourists, my friend bribed the Arabs to show it to him. +What ensued I will give in his own words, exactly as he wrote it to me: + +"I slept that night near the Temple of Seti, and started before daybreak +on the following morning. With me were a cross-eyed rascal named +Ali--Ali Baba I named him--the man from whom I got the ring which I am +sending you, and a small but choice assortment of his fellow thieves. +Within an hour after sunrise we reached the valley where the tomb is. It +is a desolate place, into which the sun pours his scorching heat all +the long day through, till the huge brown rocks which are strewn about +become so hot that one can scarcely bear to touch them, and the sand +scorches the feet. It was already too hot to walk, so we rode on +donkeys, some way up the valley--where a vulture floating far in the +blue overhead was the only other visitor--till we came to an enormous +boulder polished by centuries of action of sun and sand. Here Ali +halted, saying that the tomb was under the stone. Accordingly, we +dismounted, and, leaving the donkeys in charge of a fellah boy, went up +to the rock. Beneath it was a small hole, barely large enough for a man +to creep through. Indeed it had been dug by jackals, for the doorway and +some part of the cave were entirely silted up, and it was by means of +this jackal hole that the tomb had been discovered. Ali crept in on his +hands and knees, and I followed, to find myself in a place cold after +the hot outside air, and, in contrast with the light, filled with a +dazzling darkness. We lit our candles, and, the select body of thieves +having arrived, I made an examination. We were in a cave the size of +a large room, and hollowed by hand, the further part of the cave being +almost free from drift-dust. On the walls are religious paintings of the +usual Ptolemaic character, and among them one of a majestic old man with +a long white beard, who is seated in a carved chair holding a wand in +his hand.[*] Before him passes a procession of priests bearing sacred +images. In the right hand corner of the tomb is the shaft of the +mummy-pit, a square-mouthed well cut in the black rock. We had brought a +beam of thorn-wood, and this was now laid across the pit and a rope +made fast to it. Then Ali--who, to do him justice, is a courageous +thief--took hold of the rope, and, putting some candles into the breast +of his robe, placed his bare feet against the smooth sides of the well +and began to descent with great rapidity. Very soon he had vanished into +blackness, and the agitation of the cord alone told us that anything was +going on below. At last the rope ceased shaking and a faint shout came +rumbling up the well, announcing Ali's safe arrival. Then, far below, a +tiny star of light appeared. He had lit the candle, thereby disturbing +hundreds of bats that flitted up in an endless stream and as silently as +spirits. The rope was hauled up again, and now it was my turn; but, as +I declined to trust my neck to the hand-over-hand method of descent, the +end of the cord was made fast round my middle and I was lowered bodily +into those sacred depths. Nor was it a pleasant journey, for, if the +masters of the situation above had made any mistake, I should have been +dashed to pieces. Also, the bats continually flew into my face and clung +to my hair, and I have a great dislike of bats. At last, after some +minutes of jerking and dangling, I found myself standing in a +narrow passage by the side of the worthy Ali, covered with bats and +perspiration, and with the skin rubbed off my knees and knuckles. Then +another man came down, hand over hand like a sailor, and as the rest +were told to stop above we were ready to go on. Ali went first with +his candle--of course we each had a candle--leading the way down a long +passage about five feet high. At length the passage widened out, and we +were in the tomb-chamber: I think the hottest and most silent place that +I ever entered. It was simply stifling. This chamber is a square room +cut in the rock and totally devoid of paintings or sculpture. I held +up the candles and looked round. About the place were strewn the coffin +lids and the mummied remains of the two bodies that the Arabs had +previously violated. The paintings on the former were, I noticed, of +great beauty, though, having no knowledge of hieroglyphics, I could not +decipher them. Beads and spicy wrappings lay around the remains, which, +I saw, were those of a man and a woman.[+] The head had been broken off +the body of the man. I took it up and looked at it. It had been closely +shaved--after death, I should say, from the general indications--and the +features were disfigured with gold leaf. But notwithstanding this, +and the shrinkage of the flesh, I think the face was one of the most +imposing and beautiful that I ever saw. It was that of a very old man, +and his dead countenance still wore so calm and solemn, indeed, so awful +a look, that I grew quite superstitious (though as you know, I am pretty +well accustomed to dead people), and put the head down in a hurry. There +were still some wrappings left upon the face of the second body, and I +did not remove them; but she must have been a fine large woman in her +day. + + [*] This, I take it, is a portrait of Amenemhat himself.-- + Editor. + + [+] Doubtless Amenemhat and his wife.--Editor. + +"'There the other mummy,' said Ali, pointing to a large and solid case +that seemed to have been carelessly thrown down in a corner, for it was +lying on its side. + +"I went up to it and carefully examined it. It was well made, but of +perfectly plain cedar-wood--not an inscription, not a solitary God on +it. + +"'Never see one like him before,' said Ali. 'Bury great hurry, he no +"mafish," no "fineesh." Throw him down here on side.' + +"I looked at the plain case till at last my interest was thoroughly +aroused. I was so shocked by the sight of the scattered dust of +the departed that I had made up my mind not to touch the remaining +coffin--but now my curiosity overcame me, and we set to work. + +"Ali had brought a mallet and a cold chisel with him, and, having +set the coffin straight, he began upon it with all the zeal of an +experienced tomb-breaker. And then he pointed out another thing. Most +mummy-cases are fastened by four little tongues of wood, two on either +side, which are fixed in the upper half, and, passing into mortices cut +to receive them in the thickness of the lower half, are there held +fast by pegs of hard wood. But this mummy case had eight such tongues. +Evidently it had been thought well to secure it firmly. At last, with +great difficulty, we raised the massive lid, which was nearly three +inches thick, and there, covered over with a deep layer of loose spices +(a very unusual thing), was the body. + +"Ali looked at it with open eyes--and no wonder. For this mummy was not +as other mummies are. Mummies in general lie upon their backs, as stiff +and calm as though they were cut from wood; but this mummy lay upon its +side, and, the wrappings notwithstanding, its knees were slightly bent. +More than that, indeed, the gold mask, which, after the fashion of the +Ptolemaic period, had been set upon the face, had worked down, and was +literally pounded up beneath the hooded head. + +"It was impossible, seeing these things, to avoid the conclusion that +the mummy before us had moved with violence _since it was put in the +coffin_. + +"'Him very funny mummy. Him not "mafish" when him go in there,' said +Ali. + +"'Nonsense!' I said. 'Who ever heard of a live mummy?' + +"We lifted the body out of the coffin, nearly choking ourselves with +mummy dust in the process, and there beneath it half hidden among the +spices, we made our first find. It was a roll of papyrus, carelessly +fastened and wrapped in a piece of mummy cloth, having to all appearance +been thrown into the coffin at the moment of closing.[*] + + [*] This roll contained the third unfinished book of the + history. The other two rolls were neatly fastened in the + usual fashion. All three are written by one hand in the + Demotic character.--Editor. + +"Ali eyed the papyrus greedily, but I seized it and put it in my pocket, +for it was agreed that I was to have all that might be discovered. +Then we began to unwrap the body. It was covered with very broad strong +bandages, thickly wound and roughly tied, sometimes by means of simple +knots, the whole working the appearance of having been executed in +great haste and with difficulty. Just over the head was a large lump. +Presently, the bandages covering it were off, and there, on the face, +lay a second roll of papyrus. I put down my hand to lift it, but it +would not come away. It appeared to be fixed to the stout seamless +shroud which was drawn over the whole body, and tied beneath the +feet--as a farmer ties sacks. This shroud, which was also thickly waxed, +was in one piece, being made to fit the form like a garment. I took a +candle and examined the roll and then I saw why it was fast. The spices +had congealed and glued it to the sack-like shroud. It was impossible to +get it away without tearing the outer sheets of papyrus.[*] + + [*] This accounts for the gaps in the last sheets of the + second roll. --Editor. + +"At last, however, I wrenched it loose and put it with the other in my +pocket. + +"Then we went on with our dreadful task in silence. With much care we +ripped loose the sack-like garment, and at last the body of a man lay +before us. Between his knees was a third roll of papyrus. I secured it, +then held down the light and looked at him. One glance at his face was +enough to tell a doctor how he had died. + +"This body was not much dried up. Evidently it had not passed the +allotted seventy days in natron, and therefore the expression and +likeness were better preserved than is usual. Without entering into +particulars, I will only say that I hope I shall never see such another +look as that which was frozen on this dead man's face. Even the Arabs +recoiled from it in horror and began to mutter prayers. + +"For the rest, the usual opening on the left side through which the +embalmers did their work was absent; the finely-cut features were those +of a person of middle age, although the hair was already grey, and +the frame was that of a very powerful man, the shoulders being of an +extraordinary width. I had not time to examine very closely, however, +for within a few seconds from its uncovering, the unembalmed body began +to crumble now that it was exposed to the action of the air. In five or +six minutes there was literally nothing left of it but a wisp of hair, +the skull, and a few of the larger bones. I noticed that one of the +tibiae--I forget if it was the right or the left--had been fractured and +very badly set. It must have been quite an inch shorter than the other. + +"Well, there was nothing more to find, and now that the excitement was +over, what between the heat, the exertion, and the smell of mummy dust +and spices, I felt more dead than alive. + +"I am tired of writing, and this ship rolls. This letter, of course, +goes overland, and I am coming by 'long sea,' but I hope to be in London +within ten days after you get it. Then I will tell you of my pleasing +experiences in the course of the ascent from the tomb-chamber, and of +how that prince of rascals, Ali Baba, and his thieves tried to frighten +me into handing over the papyri, and how I worsted them. Then, too, we +will get the rolls deciphered. I expect that they only contain the usual +thing, copies of the 'Book of the Dead,' but there _may_ be something +else in them. Needless to say, I did not narrate this little adventure +in Egypt, or I should have had the Boulac Museum people on my track. +Good-bye, 'Mafish Fineesh,' as Ali Baba always said." + + +In due course, my friend, the writer of the letter from which I have +quoted, arrived in London, and on the very next day we paid a visit to +a learned acquaintance well versed in Hieroglyphics and Demotic writing. +The anxiety with which we watched him skilfully damping and unfolding +one of the rolls and peering through his gold-rimmed glasses at the +mysterious characters may well be imagined. + +"Hum," he said, "whatever it is, this is _not_ a copy of the 'Book of +the Dead.' By George, what's this? Cle--Cleo--Cleopatra----Why, my dear +Sirs, as I am a living man, this is the history of somebody who lived +in the days of Cleopatra, _the_ Cleopatra, for here's Antony's name with +hers! Well, there's six months' work before me here--six months, at +the very least!" And in that joyful prospect he fairly lost control of +himself, and skipped about the room, shaking hands with us at intervals, +and saying "I'll translate--I'll translate it if it kills me, and +we will publish it; and, by the living Osiris, it shall drive every +Egyptologist in Europe mad with envy! Oh, what a find! what a most +glorious find!" + + +And O you whose eyes fall upon these pages, see, they have been +translated, and they have been printed, and here they lie before you--an +undiscovered land wherein you are free to travel! + +Harmachis speaks to you from his forgotten tomb. The walls of Time fall +down, and, as at the lightning's leap, a picture from the past starts +upon your view, framed in the darkness of the ages. + +He shows you those two Egypts which the silent pyramids looked down upon +long centuries ago--the Egypt of the Greek, the Roman, and the Ptolemy, +and that other outworn Egypt of the Hierophant, hoary with years, heavy +with the legends of antiquity and the memory of long-lost honours. + +He tells you how the smouldering loyalty of the land of Khem blazed +up before it died, and how fiercely the old Time-consecrated Faith +struggled against the conquering tide of Change that rose, like Nile at +flood, and drowned the ancient Gods of Egypt. + +Here, in his pages, you shall learn the glory of Isis the Many-shaped, +the Executrix of Decrees. Here you shall make acquaintance with the +shade of Cleopatra, that "Thing of Flame," whose passion-breathing +beauty shaped the destiny of Empires. Here you shall read how the soul +of Charmion was slain of the sword her vengeance smithied. + +Here Harmachis, the doomed Egyptian, being about to die, salutes you who +follow on the path he trod. In the story of his broken years he shows to +you what may in its degree be the story of your own. Crying aloud from +that dim Amenti[*] where to-day he wears out his long atoning time, he +tells, in the history of his fall, the fate of him who, however sorely +tried, forgets his God, his Honour, and his Country. + + [*] The Egyptian Hades or Purgatory.--Editor. + + + + + +BOOK I--THE PREPARATION OF HARMACHIS + + + +CHAPTER I + +OF THE BIRTH OF HARMACHIS; THE PROPHECY OF THE HATHORS; AND THE SLAYING +OF THE INNOCENT CHILD + +By Osiris who sleeps at Abouthis, I write the truth. + +I, Harmachis, Hereditary Priest of the Temple, reared by the divine +Sethi, aforetime a Pharaoh of Egypt, and now justified in Osiris and +ruling in Amenti. I, Harmachis, by right Divine and by true descent of +blood King of the Double Crown, and Pharaoh of the Upper and Lower Land. +I, Harmachis, who cast aside the opening flower of our hope, who turned +from the glorious path, who forgot the voice of God in hearkening to the +voice of woman. I, Harmachis, the fallen, in whom are gathered up all +woes as waters are gathered in a desert well, who have tasted of every +shame, who through betrayal have betrayed, who in losing the glory that +is here have lost the glory which is to be, who am utterly undone--I +write, and, by Him who sleeps at Abouthis, I write the truth. + +O Egypt!--dear land of Khem, whose black soil nourished up my mortal +part--land that I have betrayed--O Osiris!--Isis!--Horus!--ye Gods of +Egypt whom I have betrayed!--O ye temples whose pylons strike the sky, +whose faith I have betrayed!--O Royal blood of the Pharaohs of eld, that +yet runs within these withered veins--whose virtue I have betrayed!--O +Invisible Essence of all Good! and O Fate, whose balance rested on my +hand--hear me; and, to the day of utter doom, bear me witness that I +write the truth. + + + +Even while I write, beyond the fertile fields, the Nile is running red, +as though with blood. Before me the sunlight beats upon the far Arabian +hills, and falls upon the piles of Abouthis. Still the priests make +orison within the temples at Abouthis that know me no more; still +the sacrifice is offered, and the stony roofs echo back the people's +prayers. Still from this lone cell within my prison-tower, I, the Word +of Shame, watch thy fluttering banners, Abouthis, flaunting from thy +pylon walls, and hear the chants as the long procession winds from +sanctuary to sanctuary. + +Abouthis, lost Abouthis! my heart goes out toward thee! For the day +comes when the desert sands shall fill thy secret places! Thy Gods are +doomed, O Abouthis! New Faiths shall make a mock of all thy Holies, and +Centurion shall call upon Centurion across thy fortress-walls. I weep--I +weep tears of blood: for mine is the sin that brought about these evils +and mine for ever is their shame. + +Behold, it is written hereafter. + + + +Here in Abouthis I was born, I, Harmachis, and my father, the justified +in Osiris, was High Priest of the Temple of Sethi. And on that same day +of my birth Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, was born also. I passed my +youth in yonder fields watching the baser people at their labours and +going in and out at will among the great courts of the temples. Of my +mother I knew naught, for she died when I yet hung at the breast. But +before she died in the reign of Ptolemy Auletes, who is named the Piper, +so did the old wife, Atoua, told me, my mother took a golden uraeus, the +snake symbol of our Royalty of Egypt, from a coffer of ivory and laid +it on my brow. And those who saw her do this believed that she was +distraught of the Divinity, and in her madness foreshadowed that the day +of the Macedonian Lagidae was ended, and that Egypt's sceptre should pass +again to the hand of Egypt's true and Royal race. But when my father, +the old High Priest Amenemhat, whose only child I was, she who was his +wife before my mother having been, for what crime I know not, cursed +with barrenness by Sekhet: I say when my father came in and saw what the +dying woman had done, he lifted up his hands towards the vault of heaven +and adored the Invisible, because of the sign that had been sent. And +as he adored, the Hathors[*] filled my dying mother with the Spirit of +Prophecy, and she rose in strength from the couch and prostrated herself +thrice before the cradle where I lay asleep, the Royal asp upon my brow, +crying aloud: + + [*] The Egyptian _Parcae_ or _Fates_.--Editor. + +"Hail to thee, fruit of my womb! Hail to thee, Royal child! Hail to +thee, Pharaoh that shalt be! Hail to thee, God that shalt purge the +land, Divine seed of Nekt-nebf, the descended from Isis. Keep thee pure, +and thou shalt rule and deliver Egypt and not be broken. But if thou +dost fail in thy hour of trial, then may the curse of all the Gods +of Egypt rest upon thee, and the curse of thy Royal forefathers, the +justified, who ruled the land before thee from the age of Horus. Then in +life mayst thou be wretched, and after death may Osiris refuse thee, +and the judges of Amenti give judgment against thee, and Set and Sekhet +torment thee, till such time as thy sin is purged, and the Gods of +Egypt, called by strange names, are once more worshipped in the Temples +of Egypt, and the staff of the Oppressor is broken, and the footsteps of +the Foreigner are swept clean, and the thing is accomplished as thou in +thy weakness shalt cause it to be done." + +When she had spoken thus, the Spirit of Prophecy went out of her, and +she fell dead across the cradle where I slept, so that I awoke with a +cry. + +But my father, Amenemhat, the High Priest, trembled, and was very +fearful, both because of the words which had been said by the Spirit of +the Hathors through the mouth of my mother, and because what had been +uttered was treason against Ptolemy. For he knew that, if the matter +should come to the ears of Ptolemy, Pharaoh would send his guards +to destroy the life of the child concerning whom such things were +prophesied. Therefore, my father shut the doors, and caused all those +who stood by to swear upon the holy symbol of his office, and by the +name of the Divine Three, and by the Soul of her who lay dead upon the +stones beside them, that nothing of what they had seen and heard should +pass their lips. + +Now among the company was the old wife, Atoua, who had been the nurse of +my mother, and loved her well; and in these days, though I know not how +it had been in the past, nor how it shall be in the future, there is +no oath that can bind a woman's tongue. And so it came about that +by-and-by, when the matter had become homely in her mind, and her fear +had fallen from her, she spoke of the prophecy to her daughter, who +nursed me at the breast now that my mother was dead. She did this as +they walked together in the desert carrying food to the husband of the +daughter, who was a sculptor, and shaped effigies of the holy Gods +in the tombs that are fashioned in the rock--telling the daughter, my +nurse, how great must be her care and love toward the child that +should one day be Pharaoh, and drive the Ptolemies from Egypt. But the +daughter, my nurse, was so filled with wonder at what she heard that she +could not keep the tale locked within her breast, and in the night she +awoke her husband, and, in her turn, whispered it to him, and thereby +compassed her own destruction, and the destruction of her child, my +foster-brother. For the man told his friend, and the friend was a spy of +Ptolemy's, and thus the tale came to Pharaoh's ears. + +Now, Pharaoh was much troubled thereat, for though when he was full of +wine he would make a mock of the God of the Egyptians, and swear that +the Roman Senate was the only God to whom he bowed the knee, yet in his +heart he was terribly afraid, as I have learned from one who was his +physician. For when he was alone at night he would scream and cry aloud +to the great Serapis, who indeed is no true God, and to other Gods, +fearing lest he should be murdered and his soul handed over to the +tormentors. Also, when he felt his throne tremble under him, he would +send large presents to the temples, asking a message from the oracles, +and more especially from the oracle that is at Philae. Therefore, when +it came to his ears that the wife of the High Priest of the great and +ancient Temple of Abouthis had been filled with the Spirit of Prophecy +before she died, and foretold that her son should be Pharaoh, he was +much afraid, and summoning some trusty guards--who, being Greeks, did +not fear to do sacrilege--he despatched them by boat up the Nile, with +orders to come to Abouthis and cut off the head of the child of the High +Priest and bring it to him in a basket. + +But, as it chanced, the boat in which the guards came was of deep +draught, and, the time of their coming being at the lowest ebb of the +river, it struck and remained fast upon a bank of mud that is opposite +the mouth of the road running across the plains to Abouthis, and, as the +north wind was blowing very fiercely, it was like to sink. Thereon +the guards of Pharaoh called out to the common people, who laboured at +lifting water along the banks of the river, to come with boats and take +them off; but, seeing that they were Greeks of Alexandria, the people +would not, for the Egyptians do not love the Greeks. Then the guards +cried that they were on Pharaoh's business, and still the people would +not, asking what was their business. Whereon a eunuch among them who +had made himself drunk in his fear, told them that they came to slay the +child of Amenemhat, the High Priest, of whom it was prophesied that he +should be Pharaoh and sweep the Greeks from Egypt. And then the people +feared to stand longer in doubt, but brought boats, not knowing what +might be meant by the man's words. But there was one amongst them--a +farmer and an overseer of canals--who was a kinsman of my mother's and +had been present when she prophesied; and he turned and ran swiftly for +three parts of an hour, till he came to where I lay in the house that +is without the north wall of the great Temple. Now, as it chanced, my +father was away in that part of the Place of Tombs which is to the left +of the large fortress, and Pharaoh's guards, mounted on asses, were hard +upon us. Then the messenger cried to the old wife, Atoua, whose tongue +had brought about the evil, and told how the soldiers drew near to slay +me. And they looked at each other, not knowing what to do; for, had they +hid me, the guards would not have stayed their search till I was found. +But the man, gazing through the doorway, saw a little child at play: + +"Woman," he said, "whose is that child?" + +"It is my grandchild," she answered, "the foster-brother of the Prince +Harmachis; the child to whose mother we owe this evil case." + +"Woman," he said, "thou knowest thy duty, do it!" and he again pointed +at the child. "I command thee, by the Holy Name!" + +Atoua trembled exceedingly, because the child was of her own blood; but, +nevertheless, she took the boy and washed him and set a robe of silk +upon him, and laid him on my cradle. And me she took and smeared with +mud to make my fair skin darker, and, drawing my garment from me, set me +to play in the dirt of the yard, which I did right gladly. + +Then the man hid himself, and presently the soldiers rode up and asked +of the old wife if this were the dwelling of the High Priest Amenemhat? +And she told them yea, and, bidding them enter, offered them honey and +milk, for they were thirsty. + +When they had drunk, the eunuch who was with them asked if that were +the son of Amenemhat who lay in the cradle; and she said "Yea--yea," +and began to tell the guards how he would be great, for it had been +prophesied of him that he should one day rule them all. + +But the Greek guards laughed, and one of them, seizing the child, smote +off his head with a sword; and the eunuch drew forth the signet of +Pharaoh as warrant for the deed and showed it to the old wife, Atoua, +bidding her tell the High Priest that his son should be King without a +head. + +And as they went one of their number saw me playing in the dirt and +called out that there was more breeding in yonder brat than in the +Prince Harmachis; and for a moment they wavered, thinking to slay +me also, but in the end they passed on, bearing the head of my +foster-brother, for they loved not to murder little children. + +After a while, the mother of the dead child returned from the +market-place, and when she found what had been done, she and her husband +would have killed Atoua the old wife, her mother, and given me up to the +soldiers of Pharaoh. But my father came in also and learned the truth, +and he caused the man and his wife to be seized by night and hidden away +in the dark places of the temple, so that none saw them more. + +But I would to-day that it had been the will of the Gods that I had been +slain of the soldiers and not the innocent child. + + + +Thereafter it was given out that the High Priest Amenemhat had taken me +to be as a son to him in the place of that Harmachis who was slain of +Pharaoh. + + + +CHAPTER II + +OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE +SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA + +And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he +again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that +he should be Pharaoh. For the head of the child, my foster-brother, +was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at +Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before +his women. And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair +for him to look on. Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his +sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers. And he +bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child. But the girl, +who was sharp of tongue--for all of this I heard in after years--said +to him that "he did well to bow the knee, for this child was indeed +Pharaoh, the greatest of Pharaohs, and his name was the _Osiris_ and his +throne was _Death_." + +Auletes was much troubled at these words, and trembled, for, being a +wicked man, he greatly feared entering into Amenti. So he caused the +girl to be slain because of the evil omen of her saying; crying that he +would send her to worship that Pharaoh whom she had named. And the other +women he sent away, and played no more upon the flute till he was once +again drunk on the morrow. But the Alexandrians made a song on the +matter, which is still sung about the streets. And this is the beginning +of it-- + + Ptolemy the Piper played + Over dead and dying; + Piped and played he well. + Sure that flute of his was made + Of the dank reed sighing + O'er the streams of Hell. + There beneath the shadows grey, + With the sisters three, + Shall he pipe for many a day. + May the Frog his butler be! + And his wine the water of that countrie-- + Ptolemy the Piper! + +After this the years passed on, nor did I, being very little, know +anything of the great things that came to pass in Egypt; nor is it my +purpose to set them out here. For I, Harmachis, having little time left +to me, will only speak of those things with which I have been concerned. + +And as the time went on, my father and the teachers instructed me in the +ancient learning of our people, and in such matters appertaining to +the Gods as it is meet that children should know. So I grew strong and +comely, for my hair was black as the hair of the divine Nout, and my +eyes were blue as the blue lotus, and my skin was like the alabaster +within the sanctuaries. For now that these glories have passed from me +I may speak of them without shame. I was strong also. There was no youth +of my years in Abouthis who could stand against me to wrestle with me, +nor could any throw so far with the sling or spear. And I much yearned +to hunt the lion; but he whom I called my father forbade me, telling me +that my life was of too great worth to be so lightly hazarded. But when +I bowed before him and prayed he would make his meaning clear to me, +the old man frowned and answered that the Gods made all things clear in +their own season. For my part, however, I went away in wroth, for there +was a youth in Abouthis who with others had slain a lion which fell upon +his father's herds, and, being envious of my strength and beauty, he set +it about that I was cowardly at heart, in that when I went out to hunt +I only slew jackals and gazelles. Now, this was when I had reached my +seventeenth year and was a man grown. + +It chanced, therefore, that as I went sore at heart from the presence +of the High Priest, I met this youth, who called to me and mocked me, +bidding me know the country people had told him that a great lion was +down among the rushes by the banks of the canal which runs past the +Temple, lying at a distance of thirty stadia from Abouthis. And, still +mocking me, he asked me if I would come and help him slay this lion, or +would I go and sit among the old women and bid them comb my side lock? +This bitter word so angered me that I was near to falling on him; but +in place therefore, forgetting my father's saying, I answered that if he +would come alone, I would go with him and seek this lion, and he should +learn if I were indeed a coward. And at first he would not, for, as men +know, it is our custom to hunt the lion in companies; so it was my hour +to mock. Then he went and fetched his bow and arrows and a sharp knife. +And I brought forth my heavy spear, which had a shaft of thorn-wood, and +at its end a pomegranate in silver, to hold the hand from slipping; and, +in silence, we went, side by side, to where the lion lay. When we +came to the place, it was near sundown; and there, upon the mud of the +canal-bank, we found the lion's slot, which ran into a thick clump of +reeds. + +"Now, thou boaster," I said, "wilt thou lead the way into yonder reeds, +or shall I?" And I made as though I would lead the way. + +"Nay, nay," he answered, "be not so mad! The brute will spring upon +thee and rend thee. See! I will shoot among the reeds. Perchance, if he +sleeps, it will arouse him." And he drew his bow at a venture. + +How it chanced I know not, but the arrow struck the sleeping lion, and, +like a flash of light from the belly of a cloud, he bounded from the +shelter of the reeds, and stood before us with bristling mane and yellow +eyes, the arrow quivering in his flank. He roared aloud in fury, and the +earth shook. + +"Shoot with the bow," I cried, "shoot swiftly ere he spring!" + +But courage had left the breast of the boaster, his jaw dropped down and +his fingers unloosed their hold so that the bow fell from them; then, +with a loud cry he turned and fled behind me, leaving the lion in my +path. But while I stood waiting my doom, for though I was sore afraid +I would not fly, the lion crouched himself, and turning not aside, with +one great bound swept over me, touching me not. He lit, and again he +bounded full upon the boaster's back, striking him such a blow with his +great paw that his head was crushed as an egg thrown against a stone. He +fell down dead, and the lion stood and roared over him. Then I was mad +with horror, and, scarce knowing what I did, I grasped my spear and with +a shout I charged. As I charged the lion lifted himself up above me. +He smote at me with his paw; but with all my strength I drove the broad +spear into his throat, and, shrinking from the agony of the steel, his +blow fell short and did no more than rip my skin. Back he fell, the +great spear far in his throat; then rising, he roared in pain and leapt +twice the height of a man straight into the air, smiting at the spear +with his forepaws. Twice he leapt thus, horrible to see, and twice he +fell upon his back. Then his strength spent itself with his rushing +blood, and, groaning like a bull, he died; while I, being but a lad, +stood and trembled with fear now that all cause of fear had passed. + +But as I stood and gazed at the body of him who had taunted me, and at +the carcass of the lion, a woman came running towards me, even the same +old wife, Atoua, who, though I knew it not as yet, had offered up her +flesh and blood that I might be saved alive. For she had been gathering +simples, in which she had great skill, by the water's edge, not knowing +that there was a lion near (and, indeed, the lions, for the most part, +are not found in the tilled land, but rather in the desert and the +Libyan mountains), and had seen from a distance that which I have set +down. Now, when she was come, she knew me for Harmachis, and, bending +herself, she made obeisance to me, and saluted me, calling me Royal, and +worthy of all honour, and beloved, and chosen of the Holy Three, ay, and +by the name of the Pharaoh! the Deliverer! + +But I, thinking that terror had made her sick of mind, asked her of what +she would speak. + +"Is it a great thing," I asked, "that I should slay a lion? Is it a +matter worthy of such talk as thine? There live, and have lived, men who +have slain many lions. Did not the Divine Amen-hetep the Osirian slay +with his own hand more than a hundred lions? Is it not written on the +scarabaeus that hangs within my father's chamber, that he slew lions +aforetime? And have not others done likewise? Why then, speakest thou +thus, O foolish woman?" + +All of which I said, because, having now slain the lion, I was minded, +after the manner of youth, to hold it as a thing of no account. But she +did not cease to make obeisance, and to call me by names that are too +high to be written. + +"O Royal One," she cried, "wisely did thy mother prophecy. Surely the +Holy Spirit, the Knepth, was in her, O thou conceived by a God! See the +omen. The lion there--he growls within the Capitol at Rome--and the dead +man, he is the Ptolemy--the Macedonian spawn that, like a foreign weed, +hath overgrown the land of Nile; with the Macedonian Lagidae thou shalt +go to smite the lion of Rome. But the Macedonian cur shall fly, and the +Roman lion shall strike him down, and thou shalt strike down the lion, +and the land of Khem shall once more be free! free! Keep thyself but +pure, according to the commandment of the Gods, O son of the Royal +House; O hope of Khemi! be but ware of Woman the Destroyer, and as I +have said, so shall it be. I am poor and wretched; yea, stricken with +sorrow. I have sinned in speaking of what should be hid, and for my sin +I have paid in the coin of that which was born of my womb; willingly +have I paid for thee. But I have still of the wisdom of our people, nor +do the Gods, in whose eyes all are equal, turn their countenance from +the poor; the Divine Mother Isis hath spoken to me--but last night she +spake--bidding me come hither to gather herbs, and read to thee the +signs that I should see. And as I have said, so it shall come to pass, +if thou canst but endure the weight of the great temptation. Come +hither, Royal One!" and she led me to the edge of the canal, where the +water was deep, and still and blue. "Now gaze upon that face as the +water throws it back. Is not that brow fitted to bear the double crown? +Do not those gentle eyes mirror the majesty of kings? Hath not the Ptah, +the Creator, fashioned that form to fit the Imperial garb, and awe the +glance of multitudes looking through thee to God? + +"Nay, nay!" she went on in another voice--a shrill old wife's voice--"I +will--be not so foolish, boy--the scratch of a lion is a venomous thing, +a terrible thing; yea, as bad as the bite of an asp--it must be treated, +else it will fester, and all thy days thou shalt dream of lions; ay, and +snakes; and, also, it will break out in sores. But I know of it--I know. +I am not crazed for nothing. For mark! everything has its balance--in +madness is much wisdom, and in wisdom much madness. _La! la! la!_ +Pharaoh himself can't say where the one begins and the other ends. Now, +don't stand gazing there, looking as silly as a cat in a crocus-coloured +robe, as they say in Alexandria; but just let me stick these green +things on the place, and in six days you'll heal up as white as a +three-year-child. Never mind the smart of it, lad. By Him who sleeps +at Philae, or at Abouthis, or at Abydus--as our divine masters have it +now--or wherever He does sleep, which is a thing we shall all find out +before we want to--by Osiris, I say, you'll live to be as clean from +scars as a sacrifice to Isis at the new moon, if you'll but let me put +it on. + +"Is it not so, good folk?"--and she turned to address some people who, +while she prophesied, had assembled unseen by me--"I've been speaking a +spell over him, just to make a way for the virtue of my medicine--_la! +la!_ there's nothing like a spell. If you don't believe it, just you +come to me next time your wives are barren; it's better than scraping +every pillar in the Temple of Osiris, I'll warrant. I'll make 'em bear +like a twenty-year-old palm. But then, you see, you must know what to +say--that's the point--everything comes to a point at last. _La! la!_" + +Now, when I heard all this, I, Harmachis, put my hand to my head, not +knowing if I dreamed. But presently looking up, I saw a grey-haired +man among those who were gathered together, who watched us sharply, and +afterwards I learned that this man was the spy of Ptolemy, the very man, +indeed, who had wellnigh caused me to be slain of Pharaoh when I was in +my cradle. Then I understood why Atoua spoke so foolishly. + +"Thine are strange spells, old wife," the spy said. "Thou didst speak of +Pharaoh and the double crown and of the form fashioned by Ptah to bear +it; is it not so?" + +"Yea, yea--part of the spell, thou fool; and what can one swear by +better nowadays than by the Divine Pharaoh the Piper, whom, and whose +music, may the Gods preserve to charm this happy land?--what better than +by the double crown he wears--grace to great Alexander of Macedonia? By +the way, you know about everything: have they got back his chlamys yet, +which Mithridates took to Cos? Pompey wore it last, didn't he?--in his +triumph, too--just fancy Pompey in the cloak of Alexander!--a puppy-dog +in a lion's skin! And talking of lions--look what this lad hath +done--slain a lion with his own spear; and right glad you village folks +should be to see it, for it was a very fierce lion--just see his teeth +and his claws--his claws!--they are enough to make a poor silly old +woman like me shriek to look at them! And the body there, the dead +body--the lion slew it. Alack! he's an Osiris[*] now, the body--and to +think of it, but an hour ago he was an everyday mortal like you or me! +Well, away with him to the embalmers. He'll soon swell in the sun and +burst, and that will save them the trouble of cutting him open. Not +that they will spend a talent of silver over him anyway. Seventy days in +natron--that's all he's likely to get. _La! la!_ how my tongue does run, +and it's getting dark. Come, aren't you going to take away the body of +that poor lad, and the lion, too? There, my boy, you keep those herbs +on, and you'll never feel your scratches. I know a thing or two for all +I'm crazy, and you, my own grandson! Dear, dear, I'm glad his Holiness +the High Priest adopted you when Pharaoh--Osiris bless his holy +name--made an end of his son; you look so bonny. I warrant the real +Harmachis could not have killed a lion like that. Give me the common +blood, I say--it's so lusty." + + [*] The soul when it has been absorbed in the Godhead.-- + Editor. + +"You know too much and talk too fast," grumbled the spy, now quite +deceived. "Well, he is a brave youth. Here, you men, bear this body back +to Abouthis, and some of you stop and help me skin the lion. We'll send +the skin to you, young man," he went on; "not that you deserve it: to +attack a lion like that was the act of a fool, and a fool deserves what +he gets--destruction. Never attack the strong until you are stronger." + +But for my part I went home wondering. + + + +CHAPTER III + +OF THE REBUKE OF AMENEMHAT; OF THE PRAYER OF HARMACHIS; AND OF THE SIGN +GIVEN BY THE HOLY GODS + +For a while as I, Harmachis, went, the juice of the green herbs which +the old wife, Atoua, had placed upon my wounds caused me much smart, +but presently the pain ceased. And, of a truth, I believe that there was +virtue in them, for within two days my flesh healed up, so that after a +time no marks remained. But I bethought me that I had disobeyed the word +of the old High Priest, Amenemhat, who was called 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 +Lagidae 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 Auletes 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 Auletes, 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 +Lagidae? 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 name--by the name of Serapis--confounding 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 go--in glory +here and hereafter! Fail, and woe--woe 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 reached the massive roof. Here I +leaned my breast against the parapet, and looked forth. As I looked, +the red edge of the full moon floated up over the Arabian hills, and +her rays fell upon the pylon where I stood and the temple walls beyond, +lighting the visages of the carven Gods. Then the cold light struck the +stretch of well-tilled lands, now whitening to the harvest, and as the +heavenly lamp of Isis passed up to the sky, her rays crept slowly down +to the valley, where Sihor, father of the land of Khem, rolls on toward +the sea. + +Now the bright beams kissed the water that smiled an answer back, and +now mountain and valley, river, temple, town, and plain were flooded +with white light, for Mother Isis was arisen, and threw her gleaming +robe across the bosom of the earth. It was beautiful, with the beauty +of a dream, and solemn as the hour after death. Mightily, indeed, the +temples towered up against the face of night. Never had they seemed so +grand to me as in that hour--those eternal shrines, before whose walls +Time himself shall wither. And it was to be mine to rule this moonlit +land; mine to preserve those sacred shrines, and cherish the honour of +their Gods; mine to cast out the Ptolemy and free Egypt from the foreign +yoke! In my veins ran the blood of those great Kings who await the +day of Resurrection, sleeping in the tombs of the valley of Thebes. +My spirit swelled within me as I dreamed upon this glorious destiny, +I closed my hands, and there, upon the pylon, I prayed as I had never +prayed before to the Godhead, who is called by many names, and in many +forms made manifest. + +"O Amen," I prayed, "God of Gods, who hast been from the beginning; Lord +of Truth, who art, and of whom all are, who givest out thy Godhead and +gatherest it up again; in the circle of whom the Divine ones move +and are, who wast from all time the Self-begot, and who shalt be till +time--hearken unto me.[*] + + [*] For a somewhat similar definition of the Godhead see the + funeral papyrus of Nesikhonsu, a Princess of the Twenty- + first Dynasty.--Editor. + +"O Amen--Osiris, the sacrifice by whom we are justified, Lord of the +Region of the Winds, Ruler of the Ages, Dweller in the West, the Supreme +in Amenti, hearken unto me. + +"O Isis, great Mother Goddess, mother of the Horus--mysterious Mother, +Sister, Spouse, hearken unto me. If, indeed, I am the chosen of the Gods +to carry out the purpose of the Gods, let a sign be given me, even now, +to seal my life to the life above. Stretch out your arms towards me, O +ye Gods, and uncover the glory of your countenance. Hear! ah, hear me!" +And I cast myself upon my knees and lifted up my eyes to heaven. + +And as I knelt, a cloud grew upon the face of the moon covering it up, +so that the night became dark, and the silence deepened all around--even +the dogs far below in the city ceased to howl, while the silence grew +and grew till it was heavy as death. I felt my spirit lifted up within +me, and my hair rose upon my head. Then of a sudden the mighty pylon +seemed to rock beneath my feet, a great wind beat about my brows and a +voice spoke within my heart: + +"Behold a sign! Possess thyself in patience, O Harmachis!" + +And as the voice spoke, a cold hand touched my hand, and left somewhat +within it. Then the cloud rolled from the face of the moon, the wind +passed, the pylon ceased to tremble, and the night was as the night had +been. + +As the light came back, I gazed upon that which had been left within my +hand. It was a bud of the holy lotus new breaking into bloom, and from +it came a most sweet scent. + +And while I gazed behold! the lotus passed from my grasp and was gone, +leaving me astonished. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +OF THE DEPARTURE OF HARMACHIS AND OF HIS MEETING WITH HIS UNCLE SEPA, +THE HIGH PRIEST OF ANNU EL RA; OF HIS LIFE AT ANNU, AND OF THE WORDS OF +SEPA + +At the dawning of the next day I was awakened by a priest of the temple, +who brought word to me to make ready for the journey of which my father +had spoken, inasmuch as there was an occasion for me to pass down the +river to Annu el Ra. Now this is the Heliopolis of the Greeks, whither I +should go in the company of some priests of Ptah at Memphis who had come +hither to Abouthis to lay the body of one of their great men in the tomb +that had been prepared near the resting place of the blessed Osiris. + +So I made ready, and the same evening, having received letters and +embraced my father and those about the temple who were dear to me, I +passed down the banks of Sihor, and we sailed with the south wind. +As the pilot stood upon the prow and with a rod in his hand bade the +sailor-men loosen the stakes by which the vessel was moored to the +banks, the old wife, Atoua, hobbled up, her basket of simples in her +hand, and, calling out farewell, threw a sandal after me for good +chance, which sandal I kept for many years. + +So we sailed, and for six days passed down the wonderful river, making +fast each night at some convenient spot. But when I lost sight of the +familiar things that I had seen day by day since I had eyes to see, and +found myself alone among strange faces, I felt very sore at heart, and +would have wept had I not been ashamed. And of all the wonderful things +I saw I will not write here, for, though they were new to me, have they +not been known to men since such time as the Gods ruled in Egypt? But +the priests who were with me showed me no little honour and expounded to +me what were the things I saw. + +On the morning of the seventh day we came to Memphis, the city of +the White Hall. Here, for three days I rested from my journey and was +entertained of the priests of the wonderful Temple of Ptah the Creator, +and shown the beauties of the great and marvellous city. Also I was led +in secret by the High Priest and two others into the holy presence of +the God Apis, the Ptah who deigns to dwell among men in the form of a +bull. The God was black, and on his forehead there was a white square, +on his back was a white mark shaped like an eagle, beneath his tongue +was the likeness of a scarabaeus, in his tail were double hairs, and a +plate of pure gold hung between his horns. I entered the place of the +God and worshipped, while the High Priest and those with him stood +aside, watching earnestly. And when I had worshipped, saying the words +which had been told me, the God knelt, and lay down before me. Then +the High Priest and those with him, who, as I heard in after time, were +great men of Upper Egypt, approached wondering, and, saying no word, +made obeisance to me because of the omen. And many other things I saw in +Memphis that are too long to write of here. + +On the fourth day some priests of Annu came to lead me to Sepa, my +uncle, the High Priest of Annu. So, having bidden farewell to those of +Memphis, we crossed the river and rode on asses two parts of a day's +journey through many villages, which we found in great poverty because +of the oppression of the tax-gatherers. Also, as we went, I saw for +the first time the great pyramids that are beyond the image of the God +Horemkhu, that Sphinx whom the Greeks name Harmachis, and the Temples of +the Divine Mother Isis, Queen of the Memnonia, and the God Osiris, Lord +of Rosatou, of which temples, together with the Temple of the worship +of the Divine Menkau-ra, I, Harmachis, am by right Divine the Hereditary +High Priest. I saw them and marvelled at their greatness and the white +carven limestone, and red granite of Syene, that flashed the sun's rays +back to heaven. But at this time I knew nothing of the treasure that was +hid in _Her_, which is the third among the pyramids--would I had never +known of it! + +And so at last we came within sight of Annu, which after Memphis has +been seen is no large town, but stands on raised ground, before which +are lakes fed by a canal. Behind the town is the inclosed field of the +Temple of the God Ra. + +We dismounted at the pylon, and were met beneath the portico by a man +not great of stature, but of noble aspect, having his head shaven, and +with dark eyes that twinkled like the further stars. + +"Hold!" he cried, in a great voice which fitted his weak body but ill. +"Hold! I am Sepa, who opens the mouth of the Gods!" + +"And I," I said, "am Harmachis, son of Amenemhat, Hereditary High Priest +and Ruler of the Holy City Abouthis; and I bear letters to thee, O +Sepa!" + +"Enter," he said. "Enter!" scanning me all the while with his twinkling +eyes. "Enter, my son!" And he took me and led me to a chamber in the +inner hall, closed to the door, and then, having glanced at the letters +that I brought, of a sudden he fell upon my neck and embraced me. + +"Welcome," he cried, "welcome, son of my own sister, and hope of Khem! +Not in vain have I prayed the Gods that I might live to look upon thy +face and impart to thee the wisdom which perchance I alone have mastered +of those who are left alive in Egypt. There are few whom it is lawful +that I should teach. But thine is the great destiny, and thine shall be +the ears to hear the lessons of the Gods." + +And he embraced me once more and bade me go bathe and eat, saying that +on the morrow he would speak with me further. + +This of a truth he did, and at such length that I will forbear to set +down all he said both then and afterwards, for if I did so there would +be no papyrus left in Egypt when the task was ended. Therefore, having +much to tell and but little time to tell it, I will pass over the events +of the years that followed. + +For this was the manner of my life. I rose early, I attended the worship +of the Temple, and I gave my days to study. I learnt of the rites of +religion and their meaning, and of the beginning of the Gods and the +beginning of the Upper World. I learnt of the mystery of the movements +of the stars, and of how the earth rolls on among them. I was instructed +in that ancient knowledge which is called magic, and in the way of +interpretation of dreams, and of the drawing nigh to God. I was taught +the language of symbols and their outer and inner secrets. I became +acquainted with the eternal laws of Good and Evil, and with the mystery +of that trust which is held of man; also I learnt the secrets of the +pyramids--which I would that I had never known. Further, I read the +records of the past, and of the acts and words of the ancient kings who +were before me since the rule of Horus upon earth; and I was made to +know all craft of state, the lore of earth, and with it the history of +Greece and Rome. Also I learnt the Grecian and Roman tongues, of which +indeed I already had some knowledge--and all this while, for five long +years, I kept my hands clean and my heart pure, and did no evil in the +sight of God or man; but laboured heavily to acquire all things, and to +prepare myself for the destiny that awaited me. + +Twice every year greetings and letters came from my father Amenemhat, +and twice every year I sent back my answers asking if the time had come +to cease from labour. And so the days of my probation sped away till I +grew faint and weary at heart, for being now a man, ay and learned, I +longed to make a beginning of the life of men. And often I wondered if +this talk and prophecy of the things that were to be was but a dream +born of the brains of men whose wish ran before their thought. I was, +indeed, of the Royal blood, that I knew: for my uncle, Sepa the Priest, +showed me a secret record of the descent, traced without break from +father to son, and graven in mystic symbols on a tablet of the stone +of Syene. But of what avail was it to be Royal by right when Egypt, my +heritage, was a slave--a slave to do the pleasure and minister to the +luxury of the Macedonian Lagidae--ay, and when she had been so long a +serf that, perchance, she had forgotten how to put off the servile smile +of Bondage and once more to look across the world with Freedom's happy +eyes? + +Then I bethought me of my prayer upon the pylon tower of Abouthis and of +the answer given to my prayer, and wondered if that, too, were a dream. + +And one night, as, weary with study, I walked within the sacred grove +that is in the garden of the temple, and mused thus, I met my uncle +Sepa, who also was walking and thinking. + +"Hold!" he cried in his great voice; "why is thy face so sad, Harmachis? +Has the last problem that we studied overwhelmed thee?" + +"Nay, my uncle," I answered, "I am overwhelmed indeed, but not of the +problem; it was a light one. My heart is heavy, for I am weary of life +within these cloisters, and the piled-up weight of knowledge crushes me. +It is of no avail to store up force which cannot be used." + +"Ah, thou art impatient, Harmachis," he answered; "it is ever the way +of foolish youth. Thou wouldst taste of the battle; thou dost tire of +watching the breakers fall upon the beach, thou wouldst plunge into +them and venture the desperate hazard of the war. And so thou wouldst be +going, Harmachis? The bird would fly the nest as, when they are grown, +the swallows fly from the eaves of the Temple. Well, it shall be as +thou desirest; the hour is at hand. I have taught thee all that I have +learned, and methinks that the pupil has outrun his master," and he +paused and wiped his bright black eyes, for he was very sad at the +thought of my departure. + +"And whither shall I go, my uncle?" I asked rejoicing; "back to Abouthis +to be initiated into the mysteries of the Gods?" + +"Ay, back to Abouthis, and from Abouthis to Alexandria, and from +Alexandria to the Throne of thy fathers, Harmachis! Listen, now; things +are thus: Thou knowest how Cleopatra, the Queen, fled into Syria when +that false eunuch Pothinus set the will of her father Auletes at naught +and raised her brother Ptolemy to the sole lordship of Egypt. Thou +knowest also how she came back, like a Queen indeed, with a great army +in her train, and lay at Pelusium, and how at this juncture the mighty +Caesar, that great man, that greatest of all men, sailed with a weak +company hither to Alexandria from Pharsalia's bloody field in hot +pursuit of Pompey. But he found Pompey already dead, having been basely +murdered by Achillas, the General, and Lucius Septimius, the chief of +the Roman legions in Egypt, and thou knowest how the Alexandrians were +troubled at his coming and would have slain his lictors. Then, as +thou hast heard, Caesar seized Ptolemy, the young King, and his sister +Arsinoe, and bade the army of Cleopatra and the army of Ptolemy, under +Achillas, which lay facing each other at Pelusium, disband and go +their ways. And for answer Achillas marched on Caesar, and besieged him +straitly in the Bruchium at Alexandria, and so, for a while, things +were, and none knew who should reign in Egypt. But then Cleopatra took +up the dice, and threw them, and this was the throw she made--in truth, +it was a bold one. For, leaving the army at Pelusium, she came at dusk +to the harbour of Alexandria, and alone with the Sicilian Apollodorus +entered and landed. Then Apollodorus bound her in a bale of rich rugs, +such as are made in Syria, and sent the rugs as a present to Caesar. And +when the rugs were unbound in the palace, behold! within them was the +fairest girl on all the earth--ay, and the most witty and the most +learned. And she seduced the great Caesar--even his weight of years did +not avail to protect him from her charms--so that, as a fruit of his +folly, he wellnigh lost his life, and all the glory he had gained in a +hundred wars." + +"The fool!" I broke in--"the fool! Thou callest him great; but how can +the man be truly great who has no strength to stand against a woman's +wiles? Caesar, with the world hanging on his word! Caesar, at whose breath +forty legions marched and changed the fate of peoples! Caesar the cold! +the far-seeing! the hero!--Caesar to fall like a ripe fruit into a false +girl's lap! Why, in the issue, of what common clay was this Roman Caesar, +and how poor a thing!" + +But Sepa looked at me and shook his head. "Be not so rash, Harmachis, +and talk not with so proud a voice. Knowest thou not that in every suit +of mail there is a joint, and woe to him who wears the harness if the +sword should search it out! For Woman, in her weakness, is yet the +strongest force upon the earth. She is the helm of all things human; she +comes in many shapes and knocks at many doors; she is quick and patient, +and her passion is not ungovernable like that of man, but as a gentle +steed that she can guide e'en where she will, and as occasion offers can +now bit up and now give rein. She has a captain's eye, and stout must be +that fortress of the heart in which she finds no place of vantage. Does +thy blood beat fast in youth? She will outrun it, nor will her kisses +tire. Art thou set toward ambition? She will unlock thy inner heart, +and show thee roads that lead to glory. Art thou worn and weary? She has +comfort in her breast. Art thou fallen? She can lift thee up, and to the +illusion of thy sense gild defeat with triumph. Ay, Harmachis, she can +do these things, for Nature ever fights upon her side; and while she +does them she can deceive and shape a secret end in which thou hast +no part. And thus Woman rules the world. For her are wars; for her men +spend their strength in gathering gains; for her they do well and ill, +and seek for greatness, to find oblivion. But still she sits like yonder +Sphinx, and smiles; and no man has ever read all the riddle of her +smile, or known all the mystery of her heart. Mock not! mock not! +Harmachis; for he must be great indeed who can defy the power of Woman, +which, pressing round him like the invisible air, is often strongest +when the senses least discover it." + +I laughed aloud. "Thou speakest earnestly, my uncle Sepa," I said; +"one might almost think that thou hadst not come unscathed through this +fierce fire of temptation. Well, for myself, I fear not woman and her +wiles; I know naught of them, and naught do I wish to know; and I still +hold that this Caesar was a fool. Had I stood where Caesar stood, to cool +its wantonness that bale of rugs should have been rolled down the palace +steps, into the harbour mud." + +"Nay, cease! cease!" he cried aloud. "It is evil to speak thus; may the +Gods avert the omen and preserve to thee this cold strength of which +thou boastest. Oh! man, thou knowest not!--thou in thy strength and +beauty that is without compare, in the power of thy learning and the +sweetness of thy tongue--thou knowest not! The world where thou must mix +is not a sanctuary as that of the Divine Isis. But there--it may be so! +Pray that thy heart's ice may never melt, so thou shalt be great and +happy and Egypt shall be delivered. And now let me take up my tale--thou +seest, Harmachis, even in so grave a story woman claims her place. The +young Ptolemy, Cleopatra's brother, being loosed of Caesar, treacherously +turned on him. Then Caesar and Mithridates stormed the camp of Ptolemy, +who took to flight across the river. But his boat was sunk by the +fugitives who pressed upon it, and such was the miserable end of +Ptolemy. + +"Thereon, the war being ended, though she had but then borne him a son, +Caesarion, Caesar appointed the younger Ptolemy to rule with Cleopatra, +and be her husband in name, and he himself departed for Rome, bearing +with him the beautiful Princess Arsinoe to follow his triumph in her +chains. But the great Caesar is no more. He died as he had lived, in +blood, and right royally. And but now Cleopatra, the Queen, if my +tidings may be trusted, has slain Ptolemy, her brother and husband, by +poison, and taken the child Caesarion to be her fellow on the throne, +which she holds by the help of the Roman legions, and, as they say, +of young Sextus Pompeius, who has succeeded Caesar in her love. But, +Harmachis, the whole land boils and seethes against her. In every city +the children of Khem talk of the deliverer who is to come--and thou art +he, Harmachis. The time is almost ripe. The hour is nigh at hand. Go +thou back to Abouthis and learn the last secrets of the Gods, and +meet those who shall direct the bursting of the storm. Then act, +Harmachis--act, I say, and strike home for Khem, rid the land of the +Roman and the Greek, and take thy place upon the throne of thy divine +fathers and be a King of men. For to this end thou wast born, O Prince!" + + + +CHAPTER V + +OF THE RETURN OF HARMACHIS TO ABOUTHIS; OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE +MYSTERIES; OF THE CHANT OF ISIS; AND OF THE WARNING OF AMENEMHAT + +On the next day I embraced my uncle Sepa, and with an eager heart +departed from Annu back to Abouthis. To be short, I came thither in +safety, having been absent five years and a month, being now no more +a boy but a man full grown and having my mind well stocked with the +knowledge of men and the ancient wisdom of Egypt. So once again I +saw the old lands, and the known faces, though of these some few were +wanting, having been gathered to Osiris. Now, as, riding across the +fields, I came nigh to the enclosure of the Temple, the priests and +people issued forth to bid me welcome, and with them the old wife, +Atoua, who, but for a few added wrinkles that Time had cut upon her +forehead, was just as she had been when she threw the sandal after me +five long years before. + +"_La! la! la!_" she cried; "and there thou art, my bonny lad; more bonny +even than thou wert! _La!_ what a man! what shoulders! and what a face +and form! Ah, it does an old woman credit to have dandled thee! But +thou art over-pale; those priests down there at Annu have starved thee, +surely? Starve not thyself: the Gods love not a skeleton. 'Empty stomach +makes empty head' as they say at Alexandria. But this is a glad hour; +ay, a joyous hour. Come in--come in!" and as I lighted down she embraced +me. + +But I thrust her aside. "My father! where is my father?" I cried; "I see +him not!" + +"Nay, nay, have no fear," she answered; "his Holiness is well; he waits +thee in his chamber. There, pass on. O happy day! O happy Abouthis!" + +So I went, or rather ran, and reached the chamber of which I have +written, and there at the table sat my father, Amenemhat, the same as he +had been, but very old. I came to him and, kneeling before him, kissed +his hand, and he blessed me. + +"Look up, my son," he said, "let my old eyes gaze upon thy face, that I +may read thy heart." + +So I lifted up my head, and he looked upon me long and earnestly. + +"I read thee," he said at length; "thou art pure and strong in wisdom; +I have not been deceived in thee. Oh, the years have been lonely; but I +did well to send thee hence. Now, tell me of thy life; for thy letters +have told me little, and thou canst not know, my son, how hungry is a +father's heart." + +And so I told him; we sat far into the night and talked together. And +in the end he bade me know that I must now prepare to be initiated into +those last mysteries that are learned of the chosen of the Gods. + +And so it came about that for a space of three months I prepared myself +according to the holy customs. I ate no meat. I was constant in the +sanctuaries, in the study of the secrets of the Great Sacrifice and of +the woe of the Holy Mother. I watched and prayed before the altars. I +lifted up my soul to God; ay, in dreams I communed with the Invisible, +till at length earth and earth's desires seemed to pass from me. I +longed no more for the glory of this world, my heart hung above it as +an eagle on his outstretched wings, and the voice of the world's blame +could not stir it, and the vision of its beauty brought no delight. For +above me was the vast vault of heaven, where in unalterable procession +the stars pass on, drawing after them the destinies of men; where the +Holy Ones sit upon their burning thrones, and watch the chariot-wheels +of Fate as they roll from sphere to sphere. O hours of holy +contemplation! who, having once tasted of your joy could wish again to +grovel on the earth? O vile flesh to drag us down! I would that thou +hadst then altogether fallen from me, and left my spirit free to seek +Osiris! + +The months of probation passed but too swiftly, and now the holy day +drew near when I was in truth to be united to the universal Mother. +Never hath Night so longed for the promise of the Dawn; never hath the +heart of a lover so passionately desired the sweet coming of his bride, +as I longed to see Thy glorious face, O Isis! Even now that I have been +faithless to Thee, and Thou art far from me, O Divine! my soul goes out +to Thee, and once more I know----But as it is bidden that I should +draw the veil, and speak of things which have not been told since the +beginning of this world, let me pass on and reverently set down the +history of that holy morn. + +For seven days the great festival had been celebrated, the suffering of +the Lord Osiris had been commemorated, the grief of the Mother Isis had +been sung and glory had been done to the memory of the coming of the +Divine Child Horus, the Son, the Avenger, the God-begot. All these +things had been carried out according to the ancient rites. The boats +had floated on the sacred lake, the priests had scourged themselves +before the sanctuaries, and the images had been borne through the +streets at night. + +And now, as the sun sank on the seventh day, once more the great +procession gathered to chant the woes of Isis and tell how the evil was +avenged. We went in silence from the temple, and passed through the city +ways. First came those who clear the path, then my father Amenemhat in +all his priestly robes, and the wand of cedar in his hand. Then, clad +in pure linen, I, the neophyte, followed alone; and after me the +white-robed priests, holding aloft banners and emblems of the Gods. Next +came those who bear the sacred boat, and after them the singers and +the mourners; while, stretching as far as the eye could reach, all the +people marched, clad in melancholy black because Osiris was no more. We +went in silence through the city streets till at length we came to the +wall of the temple and passed in. And as my father, the High Priest, +entered beneath the gateway of the outer pylon, a sweet-voiced woman +singer began to sing the Holy Chant, and thus she sang: + + "Sing we Osiris dead, + Lament the fallen head: + The light has left the world, the world is grey. + Athwart the starry skies + The web of Darkness flies, + And Isis weeps Osiris passed away. + Your tears, ye stars, ye fires, ye rivers, shed, + Weep, children of the Nile, weep for your Lord is dead!" + +She paused in her most sweet song, and the whole multitude took up the +melancholy dirge: + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" + +The chorus ceased, and once again she sang: + + "Within the court divine + The Sevenfold sacred shrine + We pass, while echoes of the Temple walls + Repeat the long lament + The sound of sorrow sent + Far up within the imperishable halls, + Where, each in the other's arms, the Sisters weep, + Isis and Nephthys, o'er His unawaking sleep." + +And then again rolled forth the solemn chorus of a thousand voices: + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" +It ceased, and sweetly she took up the song: + + "O dweller in the West, + Lover and Lordliest, + Thy love, thy Sister Isis, calls thee home! + Come from thy chamber dun + Thou Master of the Sun, + Thy shadowy chamber far below the foam! + With weary wings and spent + Through all the firmament, + Through all the horror-haunted ways of Hell, + I seek thee near and far, + From star to wandering star, + Free with the dead that in Amenti dwell. + I search the height, the deep, the lands, the skies, + Rise from the dead and live, our Lord Osiris, rise!" + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" + +Now in a strain more high and glad the singer sang: + + "He wakes--from forth the prison + We sing Osiris risen, + We sing the child that Nout conceived and bare. + Thine own love, Isis, waits + The Warden of the Gates, + She breathes the breath of Life on breast and hair, + And in her breast and breath + Behold! he waketh, + Behold! at length he riseth out of rest; + Touched with her holy hands, + The Lord of all the Lands, + He stirs, he rises from her breath, her breast! + But thou, fell Typhon, fly, + The judgment day drawn nigh, + Fleet on thy track as flame speeds Horus from the sky." + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" + +Once more, as we bowed before the Holy, she sang, and sent the full +breath of her glad music ringing up the everlasting walls till the +silence quivered with her round notes of melody, and the hearts of those +who hearkened stirred strangely in the breast. And thus, as we walked, +she sang the song of Osiris risen, the song of Hope, the song of +Victory: + + "Sing we the Trinity, + Sing we the Holy Three, + Sing we, and praise we and worship the Throne, + Throne that our Lord hath set-- + There peace and truth are met + There in the Halls of the Holy alone! + There in the shadowings + Faint of the folded wings, + There shall we dwell and rejoice in our rest, + We that thy servants are! + Horus drive ill afar! + Far in the folds of the dark of the West!" + +Again, as her notes died away, thundered forth the chorus of all the +voices: + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" + +The chanting ceased, and as the sun sank the High Priest raised the +statue of the living God and held it before the multitude that was now +gathered in the court of the temple. Then, with a mighty and joyful +shout of: + +"_Osiris our hope! Osiris! Osiris!_" + +the people tore their black wrappings from their dress, revealing the +white robes they wore beneath, and, as one man, they bowed before the +God, and the feast was ended. + + +But for me the ceremony was only begun, for to-night was the night of my +initiation. Leaving the inner court I bathed myself, and, clad in pure +linen, passed, as it is ordained, into an inner, but not the inmost, +sanctuary, and laid the accustomed offerings on the altar. Then, +lifting my hands to heaven, I remained for many hours in contemplation, +striving, by holy thoughts and prayer, to gather up my strength against +the mighty moment of my trial. + +The hours sped slowly in the silence of the temple, till at length the +door opened and my father Amenemhat, the High Priest, came in, clad +in white, and leading by the hand the Priest of Isis. For, having been +married, he did not himself enter into the mysteries of the Holy Mother. + +I rose to my feet and stood humbly before them. + +"Art thou ready?" said the priest, lifting the lamp he held so that its +light fell upon my face. "O thou chosen one, art thou ready to see the +glory of the Goddess face to face?" + +"I am ready," I answered. + +"Behold thee," he said again, in solemn tones, "it is no small thing. If +thou wilt carry out this thy last desire, understand, royal Harmachis, +that now this very night thou must die for a while in the flesh, what +time thy soul shall look on spiritual things. And if thou diest and any +evil shall be found within thy heart, when thou comest at last into that +awful presence, woe unto thee, Harmachis, for the breath of life shall +no more enter in at the gateway of thy mouth, thy body shall utterly +perish, and what shall befall thy other parts, if I know, I may not +say.[*] Art thou prepared to be taken to the breast of Her who Was and +Is and Shall Be, and in all things to do Her holy will; for Her, while +she shall so command, to put away the thought of earthly woman; and to +labour always for Her glory till at the end thy life is gathered to Her +eternal life?" + + [*] According to the Egyptian religion the being Man is + composed of four parts: the body, the double or astral shape + (_ka_), the soul (_bi_), and the spark of life sprung from + the Godhead (_khou_).--Editor. + +"I am," I answered; "lead on." + +"It is well," said the priest. "Noble Amenemhat, we go hence alone." + +"Farewell, my son," said my father; "be firm and triumph over things +spiritual as thou shalt triumph over things earthly. He who would truly +rule the world must first be lifted up above the world. He must be at +one with God, for thus only shall he learn the secrets of the Divine. +But beware! The Gods demand much of those who dare to enter the circle +of their Divinity. If they go back therefrom, they shall be judged of a +sharper law, and scourged with a heavier rod, for as their glory is, so +shall their shame be. Therefore, make thy heart strong, royal Harmachis! +And when thou speedest down the ways of Night and enterest the Holies, +remember that from him to whom great gifts have been given shall gifts +be required again. And now--if, indeed, thy mind be fixed--go whither it +is not as yet given me to follow thee. Farewell!" + +For a moment as my heart weighed these heavy words, I wavered, as well +as I might. But I was filled with longing to be gathered to the company +of the Divine ones, and I knew that I had no evil in me, and desired to +do only the thing that is just. Therefore, having with so much labour +drawn the bowstring to my ear, I was fain to let fly the shaft. "Lead +on," I cried with a loud voice; "lead on, thou holy Priest! I follow +thee!" + +And we went forth. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OF THE INITIATION OF HARMACHIS; OF HIS VISIONS; OF HIS PASSING TO THE +CITY THAT IS IN THE PLACE OF DEATH; AND OF THE DECLARATIONS OF ISIS, THE +MESSENGER + +In silence we passed into the Shrine of Isis. It was dark and bare--only +the feeble light from the lamp gleamed faintly upon the sculptured +walls, where, in a hundred effigies, the Holy Mother suckled the Holy +Child. + +The priest closed the doors and bolted them. "Once again," he said, "art +thou ready, Harmachis?" + +"Once again," I answered, "I am ready." + +He spoke no more; but, having lifted up his hands in prayer, led me to +the centre of the Holy, and with a swift motion put out the lamp. + +"Look before thee, Harmachis!" he cried; and his voice sounded hollow in +the solemn place. + +I gazed and saw nothing. But from the niche that is high in the wall, +where is hid that sacred symbol of the Goddess on which few may look, +there came a sound as of the rattling rods of the sistrum.[*] And as I +listened, awestruck, behold! I saw the outline of the symbol drawn as +with fire upon the blackness of the air. It hung above my head, and +rattled while it hung. And, as it turned, I clearly saw the face of +the Mother Isis that is graven on the one side, and signifies unending +Birth, and the face of her holy sister, Nephthys, that is graven on the +other, and signifies the ending of all birth in Death. + + [*] A musical instrument peculiarly sacred to Isis of which + the shape and rods had a mystic significance.--Editor. + +Slowly it turned and swung as though some mystic dancer trod the air +above me, and shook it in her hand. But at length the light went out, +and the rattling ceased. + +Then of a sudden the end of the chamber became luminous, and in that +white light I beheld picture after picture. I saw the ancient Nile +rolling through deserts to the sea. There were no men upon its banks, +nor any signs of man, nor any temples to the Gods. Only wild birds moved +on Sihor's lonely face, and monstrous brutes plunged and wallowed in his +waters. The sun sank in majesty behind the Libyan Desert and stained +the waters red; the mountains towered up towards the silent sky; but in +mountain, desert, and river there was no sign of human life. Then I knew +that I saw the world as it had been before man was, and a terror of its +loneliness entered my soul. + +The picture passed and another rose up in its place. Once again I saw +the banks of Sihor, and on them crowded wild-faced creatures, partaking +of the nature of the ape more than of the nature of mankind. They fought +and slew each other. The wild birds sprang up in affright as the fire +leapt from reed huts given by foemen's hands to flame and pillage. They +stole and rent and murdered, dashing out the brains of children with +axes of stone. And, though no voice told me, I knew that I saw man as +he was tens of thousands of years ago, when first he marched across the +earth. + +Yet another picture. Again I beheld the banks of Sihor; but on them fair +cities bloomed like flowers. In and out their gates went men and women, +passing to and fro from wide, well-tilled lands. But I saw no guards or +armies, and no weapons of war. All was wisdom, prosperity, and peace. +And while I wondered, a glorious Figure, clad in raiment that shone +as flame, came from the gates of a shrine, and the sound of music went +before and followed after him. He mounted an ivory throne which was set +in a market-place facing the water: and as the sun sank called in +all the multitudes to prayer. With one voice they prayed, bending in +adoration. And I understood that herein was shown the reign of the Gods +on earth, which was long before the days of Menes. + +A change came over the dream. Still the same fair city, but other +men--men with greed and evil on their faces--who hated the bonds of +righteous doing, and set their hearts on sin. The evening came; the +glorious Figure mounted the throne and called to prayer, but none bowed +themselves in adoration. + +"We are aweary of thee!" they cried. "Make Evil King! Slay him! slay +him! and loose the bonds of Evil! Make Evil King!" + +The glorious Shape rose up, gazing with mild eyes upon those wicked men. + +"Ye know not what ye ask," he cried; "but as ye will, so be it! For if +I die, by me, after much travail, shall ye once again find a path to the +Kingdom of Good!" + +Even as he spoke, a Form, foul and hideous to behold, leapt upon him, +cursing, slew him, tore him limb from limb, and amidst the clamour of +the people sat himself upon the throne and ruled. But a Shape whose +face was veiled passed down from heaven on shadowy wings, and with +lamentations gathered up the rent fragments of the Being. A moment she +bent herself upon them, then lifted up her hands and wept. And as she +wept, behold! from her side there sprang a warrior armed and with a +face like the face of Ra at noon. He, the Avenger, hurled himself with +a shout upon the Monster who had usurped the throne, and they closed in +battle, and, struggling ever in a strait embrace, passed upward to the +skies. + +Then came picture after picture. I saw Powers and Peoples clad in +various robes and speaking many tongues. I saw them pass and pass in +millions--loving, hating, struggling, dying. Some few were happy and +some had woe stamped upon their faces; but most bore not the seal of +happiness nor of woe, but rather that of patience. And ever as they +passed from age to age, high above in the heavens the Avenger fought +on with the Evil Thing, while the scale of victory swung now here now +there. But neither conquered, nor was it given to me to know how the +battle ended. + +And I understood that what I had beheld was the holy vision of the +struggle between the Good and the Evil Powers. I saw that man was +created vile, but Those who are above took pity on him, and came down +to him to make him good and happy, for the two things are one thing. But +man returned to his wicked way, and then the bright Spirit of Good, who +is of us called Osiris, but who has many names, offered himself up for +the evil-doing of the race that had dethroned him. And from him and the +Divine Mother, of whom all nature is, sprang another spirit who is the +Protector of us on earth, as Osiris is our justifier in Amenti. + +For this is the mystery of the Osiris. + +Of a sudden, as I saw the visions, these things became clear to me. The +mummy cloths of symbol and of ceremony that wrap Osiris round fell from +him, and I understood the secret of religion, which is Sacrifice. + +The pictures passed, and again the priest, my guide, spoke to me. + +"Hast thou understood, Harmachis, those things which it has been granted +thee to see?" + +"I have," I said. "Are the rites ended?" + +"Nay, they are but begun. That which follows thou must endure alone! +Behold I leave thee, to return at the morning light. Once more I warn +thee. That which thou shalt see, few may look upon and live. In all my +days I have known but three who dared to face this dread hour, and of +those three at dawn but one was found alive. Myself, I have not trod +this path. It is too high for me." + +"Depart," I said; "my soul is athirst for knowledge. I will dare it." + +He laid his hand upon my shoulder and blessed me. He went. I heard the +door shut to behind him, the echoes of his footsteps slowly died away. + +Then I felt that I was alone, alone in the Holy Place with Things +which are not of the earth. Silence fell--silence deep and black as the +darkness which was around me. The silence fell, it gathered as the cloud +gathered on the face of the moon that night when, a lad, I prayed upon +the pylon towers. It gathered denser and yet more dense till it seemed +to creep into my heart and call aloud therein; for utter silence has +a voice that is more terrible than any cry. I spoke; the echoes of my +words came back upon me from the walls and seemed to beat me down. The +stillness was lighter to endure than an echo such as this. What was I +about to see? Should I die, even now, in the fulness of my youth and +strength? Terrible were the warnings that had been given to me. I was +fear-stricken, and bethought me that I would fly. Fly!--fly whither? The +temple door was barred; I could not fly. I was alone with the Godhead, +alone with the Power that I had invoked. Nay, my heart was pure--my +heart was pure. I would face the terror that was to come, ay, even +though I died. + +"Isis, Holy Mother," I prayed. "Isis, Spouse of Heaven, come unto me, be +with me now; I faint! be with me now." + +And then I knew that things were not as things had been. The air around +me began to stir, it rustled as the wings of eagles rustle, it took +life. Bright eyes gazed upon me, strange whispers shook my soul. Upon +the darkness were bars of light. They changed and interchanged, they +moved to and fro and wove mystic symbols which I could not read. +Swifter and swifter flew that shuttle of the light: the symbols grouped, +gathered, faded, gathered yet again, faster and still more fast, till my +eyes could count them no more. Now I was afloat upon a sea of glory; it +surged and rolled, as the ocean rolls; it tossed me high, it brought me +low. Glory was piled on glory, splendour heaped on splendour's head, and +I rode above it all! + +Soon the lights began to pale in the rolling sea of air. Great shadows +shot across it, lines of darkness pierced it and rushed together on its +breast, till, at length, I was only a Shape of Flame set like a star on +the bosom of immeasurable night. Bursts of awful music gathered from far +away. Miles and miles away I heard them, thrilling faintly through the +gloom. On they came, nearer and more near, louder and more loud, till +they swept past, above, below, around me, swept on rushing pinions, +terrifying and enchanting me. They floated by, ever growing fainter, +till they died in space. Then others came, and no two were akin. Some +rattled as ten thousand sistra shaken all to tune. Some rank from the +brazen throats of unnumbered clarions. Some pealed with a loud, sweet +chant of voices that were more than human; and some rolled along in the +slow thunder of a million drums. They passed; their notes were lost in +dying echoes; and the silence once more pressed in upon me and overcame +me. + +The strength within me began to fail. I felt my life ebbing at its +springs. Death drew near to me and his shape was _Silence_. He entered +at my heart, entered with a sense of numbing cold, but my brain was +still alive, I could yet think. I knew that I was drawing near the +confines of the Dead. Nay, I was dying fast, and oh, the horror of it! +I strove to pray and could not; there was no more time for prayer. One +struggle and the stillness crept into my brain. The terror passed; an +unfathomable weight of sleep pressed me down. I was dying, I was dying, +and then--nothingness! + +_I was dead!_ + +A change--life came back to me, but between the new life and the life +that had been was a gulf and difference. Once again I stood in the +darkness of the shrine, but it blinded me no more. It was clear as the +light of day, although it still was black. I stood; and yet it was not +I who stood, but rather my spiritual part, for at my feet lay my dead +Self. There it lay, rigid and still, a stamp of awful calm sealed upon +its face, while I gazed on it. + +And as I gazed, filled with wonder, I was caught up on the Wings of +Flame and whirled away! away! faster than the lightnings flash. Down I +fell, through depths of empty space set here and there with glittering +crowns of stars. Down for ten million miles and ten times ten million, +till at length I hovered over a place of soft, unchanging light, wherein +were Temples, Palaces, and Abodes, such as no man ever saw in the +visions of his sleep. They were built of Flame, and they were built of +Blackness. Their spires pierced up and up; their great courts stretched +around. Even as I hovered they changed continually to the eye; what was +Flame became Blackness, what was Blackness became Flame. Here was the +flash of crystal, and there the blaze of gems shone even through the +glory that rolls around the city which is in the Place of Death. There +were trees, and their voice as they rustled was the voice of music; +there was air, and, as it blew, its breath was the sobbing notes of +song. + +Shapes, changing, mysterious, wonderful, rushed up to meet me, and bore +me down till I seemed to stand upon another earth. + +"Who comes?" cried a great Voice. + +"Harmachis," answered the Shapes, that changed continually. "Harmachis +who hath been summoned from the earth to look upon the face of Her that +Was and Is and Shall Be. Harmachis, Child of Earth!" + +"Throw back the Gates and open wide the Doors!" pealed the awful Voice. +"Throw back the Gates and open wide the Doors; seal up his lips in +silence, lest his voice jar upon the harmonies of Heaven, take away his +sight lest he see that which may not be seen, and let Harmachis, who +hath been summoned, pass down the path that leads to the place of the +Unchanging. Pass on, Child of Earth; but before thou goest, look up that +thou mayest learn how far thou art removed from Earth." + +I looked up. Beyond the glory that shone about the city was black night, +and high on its bosom twinkled one tiny star. + +"Behold the world that thou hast left," said the Voice, "behold and +tremble." + +Then my lips and eyes were sealed with silence and with darkness, so +that I was dumb and blind. The Gates rolled back, the Doors swung wide, +and I was swept into the city that is in the Place of Death. I was swept +swiftly I know not whither, till at length I stood upon my feet. Again +the great Voice pealed: + +"Draw the veil of blackness from his eyes, unseal the silence on his +lips, that Harmachis, Child of Earth, may see, hear, and understand, and +make adoration at the Shrine of Her that Was and Is and Shall Be." + +And my lips and eyes were touched once more, so that my sight and speech +came back. + +Behold! I stood within a hall of blackest marble, so lofty that even +in the rosy light scarce could my vision reach the great groins of the +roof. Music wailed about its spaces, and all adown its length stood +winged Spirits fashioned in living fire, and such was the brightness of +their forms that I could not look on them. In its centre was an altar, +small and square, and I stood before the empty altar. Then again the +Voice cried: + +"O Thou that hast been, art, and shalt be; Thou who, having many names, +art yet without a name; Measurer of Time; Messenger of God; Guardian of +the Worlds and the Races that dwell thereon; Universal Mother born of +Nothingness; Creatix uncreated; Living Splendour without Form, Living +Form without Substance; Servant of the Invisible; Child of Law; Holder +of the Scales and Sword of Fate; Vessel of Life, through whom all Life +flows, to whom it again is gathered; Recorder of Things Done; Executrix +of Decrees--_Hear!_ + +"Harmachis the Egyptian, who by Thy will hath been summoned from +the earth, waits before Thine Altar, with ears unstopped, with +eyes unsealed, and with an open heart. Hear and descend! Descend, O +Many-shaped! Descend in Flame! Descend in Sound! Descend in Spirit! Hear +and descend!" + + + +The Voice ceased and there was silence. Then through the silence came +a sound like the booming of the sea. It passed and presently, moved +thereto by I know not what, I raised my eyes from my hands with which I +had covered them, and saw a small dark cloud hanging over the Altar in +and out of which a fiery Serpent climbed. + +Then all the Spirits clad in light fell upon the marble floor, and with +a loud voice adored; but what they said I could not understand. Behold! +the dark cloud came down and rested on the Altar, the Serpent of fire +stretched itself towards me, touched me on the forehead with its forky +tongue and was gone. From within the cloud a Voice sweet and low and +clear spoke in heavenly accents: + +"Depart, ye Ministers, leave Me with my son whom I have summoned." + +Then like arrows rushing from a bow the flame-clad Spirits leapt from +the ground and sped away. + +"O Harmachis," said the Voice, "be not afraid, I am She whom thou dost +know as Isis of the Egyptians; but what else I am strive not thou +to learn, it is beyond thy strength. For I am all things, Life is my +spirit, and Nature is my raiment. I am the laughter of the babe, I am +the maiden's love, I am the mother's kiss. I am the Child and Servant of +the Invisible that is God, that is Law, that is Fate--though myself I be +not God and Fate and Law. When winds blow and oceans roar upon the +face of the Earth thou hearest my voice; when thou gazest on the starry +firmament thou seest my countenance; when the spring blooms out in +flowers, that is my smile, Harmachis. For I am Nature's self, and all +her shapes are shapes of Me. I breathe in all that breathes. I wax and +wane in the changeful moon: I grow and gather in the tides: I rise with +the suns: I flash with the lightning and thunder in the storms. Nothing +is too great for the measure of my majesty, nothing is so small that +I cannot find a home therein. I am in thee and thou art in Me, O +Harmachis. That which bade thee be bade Me also be. Therefore, though I +am great and thou art little, have no fear. For we are bound together +by the common bond of life--that life which flows through suns and stars +and spaces, through Spirits and the souls of men, welding all Nature to +a whole that, changing ever, is yet eternally the same." + +I bowed my head--I could not speak, for I was afraid. + +"Faithfully hast thou served Me, O my son," went on the low sweet Voice; +"greatly thou hast longed to be brought face to face with Me here in +Amenti; and greatly hast thou dared to accomplish thy desire. For it is +no small thing to cast off the tabernacle of the Flesh and before the +appointed time, if only for an hour, put on the raiment of the Spirit. +And greatly, O my servant and my son, have I, too, desired to look on +thee there where I am. For the Gods love those who love them, but with a +wider and deeper love, and under One who is as far from Me as I am from +thee, mortal, I am a God of Gods. Therefore I have caused thee to be +brought hither, Harmachis; and therefore I speak to thee, my son, and +bid thee commune with Me now face to face, as thou didst commune that +night upon the temple towers of Abouthis. For I was there with thee, +Harmachis, as I was in ten thousand other worlds. It was I, O Harmachis, +who laid the lotus in thy hand, giving thee the sign which thou didst +seek. For thou art of the kingly blood of my children who served Me from +age to age. And if thou dost not fail thou shalt sit upon that kingly +throne and restore my ancient worship in its purity, and sweep my +temples from their defilements. But if thou dost fail, then shall the +eternal Spirit Isis become but a memory in Egypt." + +The Voice paused; and, gathering up my strength, at length I spoke +aloud: + +"Tell me, O Holy," I said, "shall I then fail?" + +"Ask Me not," answered the Voice, "that which it is not lawful that I +should answer thee. Perchance I can read that which shall befall thee, +perchance it doth not please Me so to read. What can it profit the +Divine, that hath all time wherein to await the issues, to be eager to +look upon the blossom that is not blown, but which, lying a seed in the +bosom of the earth, shall blow in its season? Know, Harmachis, that I +do not shape the Future; the Future is to thee and not to Me; for it is +born of Law and of the rule ordained of the Invisible. Yet thou art free +to act therein, and thou shalt win or thou shalt fail according to thy +strength and the measure of thy heart's purity. Thine be the burden, +Harmachis, as thine in the event shall be the glory or the shame. Little +do I reck of the issue, I who am but the Minister of what is written. +Now hear me: I will always be with thee, my son, for my love once +given can never be taken away, though by sin it may seem lost to thee. +Remember then this: if thou dost triumph, thy guerdon shall be great; if +thou dost fail, heavy indeed shall be thy punishment both in the flesh +and in the land that thou callest Amenti. Yet this for thy comfort: +shame and agony shall not be eternal. For however deep the fall from +righteousness, if but repentance holds the heart, there is a path--a +stony and a cruel path--whereby the height may be climbed again. Let it +not be thy lot to follow it, Harmachis! + +"And now, because thou hast loved Me, my son, and, wandering through the +maze of fable, wherein men lose themselves upon the earth, mistaking the +substance for the Spirit, and the Altar for the God, hast yet grasped a +clue of Truth the Many-faced; and because I love thee and look on to +the day that, perchance, shall come when thou shalt dwell blessed in my +light and in the doing of my tasks: because of this, I say, it shall be +given to thee, O Harmachis, to hear the Word whereby I may be summoned +from the Uttermost, by one who hath communed with Me, and to look upon +the face of Isis--even into the eyes of the Messenger, and not die the +death. + +"_Behold!_" + +The sweet Voice ceased; the dark cloud upon the altar changed and +changed--it grew white, it shone, and seemed at length to take the +shrouded shape of a woman. Then the golden Snake crept from its heart +once more, and, like a living diadem, twined itself about the cloudy +brows. + +Now suddenly a Voice called aloud the awful Word, then the vapours burst +and melted, and with my eyes I saw that Glory, at the very thought of +which my spirit faints. But what I saw it is not lawful to utter. For, +though I have been bidden to write what I have written of this matter, +perchance that a record may remain, thereon I have been warned--ay, even +now, after these many years. I saw, and what I saw cannot be imagined; +for there are Glories and there are Shapes which are beyond the reach +of man's imagination. I saw--then, with the echo of that Word, and the +memory of that sight stamped for ever on my heart, my spirit failed me, +and I sank down before the Glory. + +And, as I fell, it seemed that the great hall burst open and crumbled +into flakes of fire round me. Then a great wind blew: there was a sound +as the sound of Worlds rushing down the flood of Time--and I knew no +more! + + + +CHAPTER VII + +OF THE AWAKING OF HARMACHIS; OF THE CEREMONY OF HIS CROWNING AS PHARAOH +OF THE UPPER AND THE LOWER LAND; AND OF THE OFFERINGS MADE TO PHARAOH + +Once again I woke--to find myself stretched at length upon the stone +flooring of the Holy Place of Isis that is at Abouthis. By me stood the +old Priest of the Mysteries, and in his hand was a lamp. He bent over +me, and gazed earnestly upon my face. + +"It is day--the day of thy new birth, and thou hast lived to see +it, Harmachis!" he said at length. "I give thanks. Arise, royal +Harmachis--nay, tell me naught of that which has befallen thee. Arise, +beloved of the Holy Mother. Come forth, thou who hast passed the fire +and learned what lies behind the darkness--come forth, O newly-born!" + +I rose and, walking faintly, went with him, and, passing out of the +darkness of the Shrines filled with thought and wonder, came once more +into the pure light of the morning. And then I went to my own chamber +and slept; nor did any dreams come to trouble me. But no man--not even +my father--asked me aught of what I saw upon that dread night, or after +what fashion I had communed with the Goddess. + +After these things which have been written, I applied myself for a +space to the worship of the Mother Isis, and to the further study of the +outward forms of those mysteries to which I now held the key. Moreover, +I was instructed in matters politic, for many great men of our following +came secretly to see me from all quarters of Egypt, and told me much +of the hatred of the people towards Cleopatra, the Queen, and of other +things. At last the hour drew nigh; it was three months and ten days +from the night when, for a while, I left the flesh, and yet living with +our life, was gathered to the breast of Isis, on which it was agreed +that with due and customary rites, although in utter secrecy, I should +be called to the throne of the Upper and the Lower Land. So it came +about that, as the solemn time drew nigh, great men of the party of +Egypt gathered to the number of thirty-seven from every nome, and each +great city of their nome, meeting together at Abouthis. They came in +every guise--some as priests, some as pilgrims to the Shrine, and some +as beggars. Among them was my uncle, Sepa, who, though he clad himself +as a travelling doctor, had much ado to keep his loud voice from +betraying him. Indeed, I myself knew him by it, meeting him as I walked +in thought upon the banks of the canal, although it was then dusk and +the great cape, which, after the fashion of such doctors, he had thrown +about his head, half hid his face. + +"A pest on thee!" he cried, when I greeted him by his name. "Cannot a +man cease to be himself for a single hour? Didst thou but know the pains +that it has cost me to learn to play this part--and now thou readest who +I am even in the dark!" + +And then, still talking in his loud voice, he told me how he had +travelled hither on foot, the better to escape the spies who ply to and +fro upon the river. But he said he should return by the water, or take +another guise; for since he had come as a doctor he had been forced to +play a doctor's part, knowing but little of the arts of medicine; and, +as he greatly feared, there were many between Annu and Abouthis who had +suffered from it.[*] And he laughed loudly and embraced me, forgetting +his part. For he was too whole at heart to be an actor and other than +himself, and would have entered Abouthis with me holding my hand, had I +not chid him for his folly. + + [*] In Ancient Egypt an unskilful or negligent physician was + liable to very heavy penalties.--Editor. + +At length all were gathered. + +It was night, and the gates of the temple were shut. None were left +within them, except the thirty-seven; my father, the High Priest +Amenemhat; that aged priest who had led me to the Shrine of Isis; the +old wife, Atoua, who, according to ancient custom, was to prepare me +for the anointing; and some five other priests, sworn to secrecy by that +oath which none may break. They gathered in the second hall of the great +temple; but I remained alone, clad in my white robe, in the passage +where are the names of six-and-seventy ancient Kings, who were before +the day of the divine Sethi. There I rested in darkness, till at length +my father, Amenemhat, came, bearing a lamp, and, bowing low before me, +led me by the hand forth into the great hall. Here and there, between +its mighty pillars, lights were burning that dimly showed the sculptured +images upon the walls, and dimly fell upon the long line of the +seven-and-thirty Lords, Priests, and Princes, who, seated upon carven +chairs, awaited my coming in silence. Before them, facing away from +the seven Sanctuaries, a throne was set, around which stood the priests +holding the sacred images and banners. As I came into the dim and holy +place, the Dignitaries rose, and bowed before me, speaking no word; +while my father led me to the steps of the throne, and in a low voice +bade me stand before it. + +Then he spoke: + +"Lords, Priests, and Princes of the ancient orders of the land of +Khem--Nobles from the Upper and the Lower Country, have gathered +in answer to my summons, hear me: I present to you, with such scant +formality as the occasion can afford, the Prince Harmachis, by right and +true descent of blood the descendant and heir of the ancient Pharaohs +of our most unhappy land. He is priest of the inmost circle of the +Mysteries of the Divine Isis, Master of the Mysteries--Hereditary Priest +of the Pyramids, which are by Memphis, Instructed in the Solemn Rites +of the Holy Osiris. Is there any among you who has aught to urge against +the true line of his blood?" + +He paused, and my uncle Sepa, rising from his chair, spoke: "We have +made examination of the records and there is none, O Amenemhat. He is of +the Royal blood, his descent is true." + +"Is there any among you," went on my father, "who can deny that this +royal Harmachis, by sanction of the very Gods, has been gathered +to Isis, been shown the way of the Osiris, been admitted to be the +Hereditary High Priest of the Pyramids which are by Memphis, and of the +Temples of the Pyramids?" + +Then that old priest rose who had been my guide in the Sanctuary of the +Mother and made answer: "There is none; O Amenemhat; I know these things +of my own knowledge." + +Once more my father spoke: "Is there any among you who has aught to urge +against this royal Harmachis, in that by wickedness of heart or life, by +uncleanliness or falsity, it is not fit or meet that we should crown him +Lord of all the Lands?" + +Then an aged Prince of Memphis arose and made answer: + +"We have inquired of these matters: there is none, O Amenemhat." + +"It is well," said my father; "then naught is wanting in the Prince +Harmachis, seed of Nekt-nebf, the Osirian. Let the woman Atoua stand +forth and tell this company those things that came to pass when, at +the hour of her death, she who was my wife prophesied over this Prince, +being filled with the Spirit of the Hathors." + +Thereon old Atoua crept forward from the shadow of the columns, and +earnestly told those things that have been written. + +"Ye have heard," said my father: "do you believe that the woman who was +my wife spake with the Divine voice?" + +"We do," they answered. + +Now my uncle Sepa rose and spoke: + +"Royal Harmachis, thou hast heard. Know now that we are gathered here +to crown thee King of the Upper and the Lower Lands--thy holy father, +Amenemhat, renouncing all his right on thy behalf. We are met, not, +indeed, in that pomp and ceremony which is due to the occasion--for what +we do must be done in secret, lest our lives, and the cause that is more +dear to us than life, should pay the forfeit--but yet with such dignity +and observance of the ancient rites as our circumstance may command. +Learn, now, how this matter hangs, and if, after learning, thy mind +consents thereto, then mount thy throne, O Pharaoh--and swear the oath! + +"Long has Khemi groaned beneath the mailed heel of the Greek, and +trembled at the shadow of the Roman's spear; long has the ancient +worship of its Gods been desecrated, and its people crushed with +oppression. But we believe that the hour of deliverance is at hand, +and with the solemn voice of Egypt and by the ancient Gods of Egypt, to +whose cause thou art of all men bound, we call upon thee, Prince, to be +the sword of our deliverance. Hearken! Twenty thousand good and leal men +are sworn to wait upon thy word, and at thy signal to rise as one, to +put the Grecian to the sword, and with their blood and substance to +build thee a throne set more surely on the soil of Khem than are its +ancient pyramids--such a throne as shall even roll the Roman legions +back. And for the signal, it shall be the death of that bold harlot, +Cleopatra. Thou must compass her death, Harmachis, in such fashion as +shall be shown to thee, and with her blood anoint the Royal throne of +Egypt. + +"Canst thou refuse, O our Hope? Doth not the holy love of country swell +within thy heart? Canst thou dash the cup of Freedom from thy lips and +bear to drink the bitter draught of slaves? The emprise is great; maybe +it shall fail, and thou with thy life, as we with ours, shalt pay the +price of our endeavour. But what of it, Harmachis? Is life, then, +so sweet? Are we so softly cushioned on the stony bed of earth? Is +bitterness and sorrow in its sum so small and scant a thing? Do we here +breathe so divine an air that we should fear to face the passage of +our breath? What have we here but hope and memory? What see we here but +shadows? Shall we then fear to pass pure-handed where Fulfilment is and +memory is lost in its own source, and shadows die in the light which +cast them? O Harmachis, that man alone is truly blest who crowns his +life with Fame's most splendid wreath. For, since to all the Brood of +Earth Death hands his poppy-flowers, he indeed is happy to whom there is +occasion given to weave them in a crown of glory. And how can a man die +better than in a great endeavour to strike the gyves from his Country's +limbs so that she again may stand in the face of Heaven and raise the +shrill shout of Freedom, and, clad once more in a panoply of strength, +trample under foot the fetters of her servitude, defying the tyrant +nations of the earth to set their seal upon her brow? + +"Khem calls thee, Harmachis. Come then, thou Deliverer; leap like Horus +from the firmament, break her chains, scatter her foes, and rule a +Pharaoh on Pharaoh's Throne----" + +"Enough, enough!" I cried, while the long murmur of applause swept about +the columns and up the massy walls. "Enough; is there any need to adjure +me thus? Had I a hundred lives, would I not most gladly lay them down +for Egypt?" + +"Well said, well said!" answered Sepa. "Now go forth with the woman +yonder, that she may make thy hands clean before they touch the sacred +emblems, and anoint thy brow before it is encircled of the diadem." + +And so I went into a chamber apart with the old wife, Atoua. There, +muttering prayers, she poured pure water over my hands into a ewer of +gold, and having dipped a fine cloth into oil wiped my brow with it. + +"O happy Egypt!" she said; "O happy Prince, that art come to rule in +Egypt! O Royal youth!--too Royal to be a priest--so shall many a fair +woman think; but, perchance, for thee they will relax the priestly rule, +else how shall the race of Pharaoh be carried on? O happy I, who dandled +thee and gave my flesh and blood to save thee! O royal and beautiful +Harmachis, born for splendour, happiness, and love!" + +"Cease, cease," I said, for her talk jarred upon me; "call me not happy +till thou knowest my end, and speak not to me of love, for with love +comes sorrow, and mine is another and a higher way." + +"Ay, ay, so thou sayest--and joy, too, that comes with love! Never talk +lightly of love, my King, for it brought thee here! _La! la!_ but it is +always the way--'The goose on the wing laughs at crocodiles,' so goes +their saying down at Alexandria; 'but when the goose is asleep on the +water, it is the crocodiles that laugh.' Not but what women are pretty +crocodiles. Men worship the crocodiles at Anthribis--Crocodilopolis they +call it now, don't they?--but they worship women all the world over! +_La!_ how my tongue runs on, and thou about to be crowned Pharaoh! Did I +not prophesy it to thee? Well, thou art clean, Lord of the Double Crown. +Go forth!" + +So I went from the chamber with the old wife's foolish talk ringing in +my ears, though of a truth her folly had ever a grain of wit in it. + +As I came, the Dignitaries rose once more and bowed before me. Then my +father, without delay, drew near me, and placed in my hands a golden +image of the divine Ma, the Goddess of Truth, and golden images of the +arks of the God Amen-Ra, of the divine Mout, and the divine Khons, and +spoke solemnly: + +"Thou swearest by the living majesty of Ma, by the majesty of Amen-Ra, +of Mout, and of Khons?" + +"I swear," I said. + +"Thou swearest by the holy land of Khem, by Sihor's flood, by the +Temples of the Gods and the eternal Pyramids?" + +"I swear." + +"Remembering thy hideous doom if thou shouldst fail therein, thou +swearest that thou wilt in all things govern Egypt according to its +ancient laws, that thou wilt preserve the worship of its Gods, that thou +wilt do equal justice, that thou wilt not oppress, that thou wilt not +betray, that thou wilt make no alliance with the Roman or the Greek, +that thou wilt cast out the foreign Idols, that thou wilt devote thy +life to the liberty of the land of Khem?" + +"I swear." + +"It is well. Mount, then, the throne, that in the presence of these thy +subjects, I may name thee Pharaoh." + +I mounted upon the throne, of which the footstool is a Sphinx, and the +canopy the overshadowing wings of Ma. Then Amenemhat drew nigh once +again and placed the Pshent upon my brow, and on my head the Double +Crown, and the Royal Robe about my shoulders, and in my hands the +Sceptre and the Scourge. + +"Royal Harmachis," he cried, "by these outward signs and tokens, I, the +High Priest of the Temple of Ra-Men-Ma at Abouthis, crown thee Pharaoh +of the Upper and Lower Land. Reign and prosper, O Hope of Khemi!" + +"Reign and prosper, Pharaoh!" echoed the Dignitaries, bowing down before +me. + +Then, one by one, they swore allegiance, till all had sworn. And, having +sworn, my father took me by the hand; he led me in solemn procession +into each of the seven Sanctuaries that are in this Temple of Ra-Men-Ma, +and in each I made offerings, swung incense, and officiated as priest. +Clad in the Royal robes I made offerings in the Shrine of Horus, in the +Shrine of Isis, in the Shrine of Osiris, in the Shrine of Amen-Ra, in +the Shrine of Horemku, in the Shrine of Ptah, till at length I reached +the Shrine of the King's Chamber. + +Here they made their offering to me, as the Divine Pharaoh, and left me +very weary--but a King. + +[Here the first and smallest of the papyrus rolls comes to an end.] + + + + +BOOK II--THE FALL OF HARMACHIS + + + +CHAPTER I + +OF THE FAREWELL OF AMENEMHAT TO HARMACHIS; OF THE COMING OF HARMACHIS +TO ALEXANDRIA; OF THE EXHORTATION OF SEPA; OF THE PASSING OF CLEOPATRA +ROBED AS ISIS; AND OF THE OVERTHROW OF THE GLADIATOR BY HARMACHIS + +Now the long days of preparation had passed, and the time was at hand. I +was initiated, and I was crowned; so that although the common folk knew +me not, or knew me only as Priest of Isis, there were in Egypt thousands +who at heart bowed down to me as Pharaoh. The hour was at hand, and my +soul went forth to meet it. For I longed to overthrow the foreigner, to +set Egypt free, to mount the throne that was my heritage, and cleanse +the temples of my Gods. I was fain for the struggle, and I never doubted +of its end. I looked into the mirror, and saw triumph written on my +brows. The future stretched a path of glory from my feet--ay, glittering +with glory like Sihor in the sun. I communed with my Mother Isis; I sat +within my chamber and took counsel with my heart; I planned new temples; +I revolved great laws that I would put forth for my people's weal; and +in my ears rang the shouts of exultation which should greet victorious +Pharaoh on his throne. + +But still I tarried a little while at Abouthis, and, having been +commanded to do so, let my hair, that had been shorn, grow again long +and black as the raven's wing, instructing myself meanwhile in all manly +exercises and feats of arms. Also, for a purpose which shall be seen, I +perfected myself in the magic art of the Egyptians, and in the reading +of the stars, in which things, indeed, I already have great skill. + +Now, this was the plan that had been built up. My uncle Sepa had, for +a while, left the Temple of Annu, giving out that his health had failed +him. Thence he had moved down to a house in Alexandria, to gather +strength, as he said, from the breath of the sea, and also to learn for +himself the wonders of the great Museum and the glory of Cleopatra's +Court. There it was planned that I should join him, for there, at +Alexandria, the egg of the plot was hatching. Accordingly, when at +last the summons came, all things being prepared, I made ready for the +journey, and passed into my father's chamber to receive his blessing +before I went. There sat the old man, as once before he sat when he had +rebuked me because I went out to slay the lion, his long white beard +resting on the table of stone and sacred writings in his hand. When I +came in he rose from his seat and would have knelt before me, crying +"Hail, Pharaoh!" but I caught him by the hand. + +"It is not meet, my father," I said. + +"It is meet," he answered, "it is meet that I should bow before my King; +but be it as thou wilt. And so thou goest, Harmachis; my blessings go +with thee, O my son! And may Those whom I serve grant to me that my +old eyes may, indeed, behold thee on the throne! I have searched long, +striving, Harmachis, to read the future that shall be; but I can learn +naught by all my wisdom. It is hid from me, and at times my heart fails. +But hear this, there is danger in thy path, and it comes in the form of +Woman. I have known it long, and therefore thou hast been called to the +worship of the heavenly Isis, who bids her votaries put away the thought +of woman till such time as she shall think well to slacken the rule. +Oh, my son, I would that thou wert not so strong and fair--stronger and +fairer, indeed, than any man in Egypt, as a King should be--for in that +strength and beauty may lie a cause of stumbling. Beware, then, of those +witches of Alexandria, lest, like a worm, some one of them creep into my +heart and eat its secret out." + +"Have no fear, my father," I answered, frowning, "my thought is set on +other things than red lips and smiling eyes." + +"It is good," he answered; "so may it befall. And now farewell. When +next we meet, may it be in that happy hour when, with all the priests of +the Upper Land, I move down from Abouthis to do my homage to Pharaoh on +his throne." + +So I embraced him, and went. Alas! I little thought how we should meet +again. + + + +Thus it came about that once more I passed down the Nile travelling as a +man of no estate. And to such as were curious about me it was given out +that I was the adopted son of the High Priest of Abouthis, having been +brought up to the priesthood, and that I had at the last refused the +service of the Gods, and chosen to go to Alexandria, to seek my fortune. +For, be it remembered, I was still held to be the grandson of the old +wife, Atoua, by all those who did not know the truth. + +On the tenth night, sailing with the wind, we reached the mighty city +of Alexandria, the city of a thousand lights. Above them all towered the +white Pharos, that wonder of the world, from the crown of which a light +like the light of the sun blazed out across the waters of the harbour +to guide mariners on their way across the sea. The vessel having been +cautiously made fast to the quay, for it was night, I disembarked and +stood wondering at the vast mass of houses, and confused by the clamour +of many tongues. For here all peoples seemed to be gathered together, +each speaking after the fashion of his own land. And as I stood a +young man came and touched me on the shoulder, asking me if I was from +Abouthis and named Harmachis. I said "Yea." Then, bending over me, +he whispered the secret pass-word into my ear, and, beckoning to +two slaves, bade them bring my baggage from the ship. This they did, +fighting their way through the crowd of porters who were clamouring +for hire. Then I followed him down the quay, which was bordered with +drinking-places, where all sorts of men were gathered, tippling wine and +watching the dancing of women, some of whom were but scantily arrayed, +and some not arrayed at all. + +And so we went through the lamp-lit houses till at last we reached the +shore of the great harbour, and turned to the right along a wide way +paved with granite and bordered by strong houses, having cloisters in +front of them, the like of which I had never seen. Turning once more to +the right we came to a quieter portion of the city, where, except for +parties of strolling revellers, the streets were still. Presently +my guide halted at a house built of white stone. We passed in, and, +crossing a small courtyard, entered a chamber where there was a light. +And here, at last, I found my uncle Sepa, most glad to see me safe. + +When I had washed and eaten, he told me that all things went well, and +that as yet there was no thought of evil at the Court. Further, he said, +it having come to the ears of the Queen that the Priest of Annu was +sojourning at Alexandria, she sent for him and closely questioned +him--not as to any plot, for of that she never thought, but as to the +rumour which had reached her, that there was treasure hid in the Great +Pyramid which is by Annu. For, being ever wasteful, she was ever in want +of money, and had bethought her of opening the Pyramid. But he laughed +at her, telling her the Pyramid was the burying-place of the divine +Khufu, and that he knew nothing of its secrets. Then she was angered, +and swore that so surely as she ruled in Egypt she would tear it down, +stone by stone, and discover the secret at its heart. Again he laughed, +and, in the words of the proverb which they have at Alexandria, told her +that "Mountains live longer than Kings." Thereon she smiled at his ready +answer, and let him go. Also my uncle Sepa told me that on the morrow I +should see this Cleopatra. For it was her birthday (as, indeed, it was +also mine), and, dressed in the robes of the Holy Isis, she would pass +in state from her palace on the Lochias to the Serapeum to offer a +sacrifice at the Shrine of the false God who sits in the Temple. And he +said that thereafter the fashion by which I should gain entrance to the +household of the Queen should be contrived. + +Then, being very weary, I went to rest, but could sleep little for the +strangeness of the place, the noises in the streets, and the thought of +the morrow. While it was yet dark, I rose, climbed the stair to the +roof of the house, and waited. Presently, the sun's rays shot out like +arrows, and lit upon the white wonder of the marble Pharos, whose light +instantly sank and died, as though, indeed, the sun had killed it. Now +the rays fell upon the palaces of the Lochias where Cleopatra lay, and +lit them up till they flamed like a jewel set on the dark, cool bosom +of the sea. Away the light flew, kissing the Soma's sacred dome, beneath +which Alexander sleeps, touching the high tops of a thousand palaces +and temples; past the porticoes of the great museum that loomed near at +hand, striking the lofty Shrine, where, carved of ivory, is the image +of the false God Serapis, and at last seeming to lose itself in the vast +and gloomy Necropolis. Then, as the dawn gathered into day, the flood of +brightness, overbrimming the bowl of night, flowed into the lower lands +and streets, and showed Alexandria red in the sunrise as the mantle of +a king, and shaped as a mantle. The Etesian wind came up from the north, +and swept away the vapour from the harbours, so that I saw their blue +waters rocking a thousand ships. I saw, too, that mighty mole the +Heptastadium; I saw the hundreds of streets, the countless houses, the +innumerable wealth and splendour of Alexandria set like a queen between +lake Mareotis and the ocean, and dominating both, and I was filled with +wonder. This, then, was one city in my heritage of lands and cities! +Well, it was worth the grasping. And having looked my full and fed my +heart, as it were, with the sight of splendour, I communed with the Holy +Isis and came down from the roof. + +In the chamber beneath was my uncle Sepa. I told him that I had been +watching the sun rise over the city of Alexandria. + +"So!" he said, looking at me from beneath his shaggy eyebrows; "and what +thinkest thou of Alexandria?" + +"I think it is like some city of the Gods," I answered. + +"Ay!" he replied fiercely, "a city of the infernal Gods--a sink of +corruption, a bubbling well of iniquity, a home of false faith springing +from false hearts. I would that not one stone of it was left upon +another stone, and that its wealth lay deep beneath yonder waters! I +would that the gulls were screaming across its site, and that the wind, +untainted by a Grecian breath, swept through its ruins from the ocean to +Mareotis! O royal Harmachis, let not the luxury and beauty of Alexandria +poison thy sense; for in their deadly air, Faith perishes, and Religion +cannot spread her heavenly wings. When the hour comes for thee to rule, +Harmachis, cast down this accursed city and, as thy fathers did, set +up thy throne in the white walls of Memphis. For I tell thee that, for +Egypt, Alexandria is but a splendid gate of ruin, and, while it endures, +all nations of the earth shall march through it, to the plunder of the +land, and all false Faiths shall nestle in it and breed the overthrow of +Egypt's Gods." + +I made no answer, for there was truth in his words. And yet to me the +city seemed very fair to look on. After we had eaten, my uncle told me +it was now time to set out to view the march of Cleopatra, as she went +in triumph to the Shrine of Serapis. For although she would not pass +till within two hours of the midday, yet these people of Alexandria have +so great a love of shows and idling that had we not presently set forth, +by no means could we have come through the press of the multitudes who +were already gathering along the highways where the Queen must ride. So +we went out to take our places upon a stand, built of timber, that had +been set up at the side of the great road which pierces through the +city, to the Canopic Gate. For my uncle had already purchased a right to +enter there, and that dearly. + +We won our way with much struggle through the great crowds that were +already gathered in the streets till we reached the scaffolding of +timber, which was roofed in with an awning and gaily hung with scarlet +cloths. Here we seated ourselves upon a bench and waited for some hours, +watching the multitude press past shouting, singing, and talking loudly +in many tongues. At length soldiers came to clear the road, clad, after +the Roman fashion, in breast-plates of chain-armour. After them marched +heralds enjoining silence (at which the population sung and shouted all +the more loudly), and crying that Cleopatra, the Queen, was coming. +Then followed a thousand Cilician skirmishers, a thousand Thracians, a +thousand Macedonians, and a thousand Gauls, each armed after the fashion +of their country. Then passed five hundred men of those who are called +the Fenced Horsemen, for both men and horses were altogether covered +with mail. Next came youths and maidens sumptuously draped and wearing +golden crowns, and with them images symbolising Day and Night, Morning +and Noon, the Heavens and the Earth. After these walked many fair women, +pouring perfumes on the road, and others scattering blooming flowers. +Now there rose a great shout of "Cleopatra! Cleopatra!" and I held my +breath and bent forward to see her who dared to put on the robes of +Isis. + +But at that moment the multitude so gathered and thickened in front of +where I was that I could no longer clearly see. So in my eagerness +I leapt over the barrier of the scaffolding, and, being very strong, +pushed my way through the crowd till I reached the foremost rank. And +as I did so, Nubian slaves armed with thick staves and crowned with +ivy-leaves ran up, striking the people. One man I noted more especially, +for he was a giant, and, being strong, was insolent beyond measure, +smiting the people without cause, as, indeed, is the wont of low persons +set in authority. For a woman stood near to me, an Egyptian by her face, +bearing a child in her arms, whom the man, seeing that she was weak, +struck on the head with his rod so that she fell prone, and the people +murmured. But at the sight my blood rushed of a sudden through my veins +and drowned my reason. I held in my hand a staff of olive-wood from +Cyprus, and as the black brute laughed at the sight of the stricken +woman and her babe rolling on the ground, I swung the staff aloft and +smote. So shrewdly did I strike, that the tough rod split upon the +giant's shoulders and the blood spurted forth, staining his trailing +leaves of ivy. + +Then, with a shriek of pain and fury--for those who smite love not that +they be smitten--he turned and sprang at me! And all the people round +gave back, save only the woman who could not rise, leaving us two in a +ring as it were. On he came with a rush, and, as he came, being now mad, +I smote him with my clenched fist between the eyes, having nothing else +with which to smite, and he staggered like an ox beneath the first blow +of the priest's axe. Then the people shouted, for they love to see a +fight, and the man was known to them as a gladiator victorious in the +games. Gathering up his strength, the knave came on with an oath, and, +whirling his heavy staff on high, struck me in such a fashion that, had +I not avoided the blow by nimbleness, I had surely been slain. But, as +it chanced, the staff hit upon the ground, and so heavily that it flew +in fragments. Thereon the multitude shouted again, and the great man, +blind with fury, rushed at me to smite me down. But with a cry I sprang +straight at his throat--for he was so heavy a man that I knew I could +not hope to throw him by strength--ay, and gripped it. There I clung, +though his fists battered me like bludgeons, driving my thumbs into his +throat. Round and round we turned, till at length he flung himself +to the earth, trusting thus to shake me off. But I held on fast as we +rolled over and over on the ground, till at last he grew faint for want +of breath. Then I, being uppermost, drove my knee down upon his chest, +and, as I believe, should thus have slain him in my rage had not my +uncle, and others there gathered, fallen upon me and dragged me from +him. + +And meanwhile, though I know it not, the chariot in which the Queen +sat, with elephants going before and lions led after it, had reached the +spot, and had been halted because of the tumult. I looked up, and thus +torn, panting, my white garments stained with the blood that had rushed +from the mouth and nostrils of the mighty Nubian, I for the first time +saw Cleopatra face to face. Her chariot was all of gold, and drawn by +milk-white steeds. She sat in it with two fair girls, clad in Greek +attire, standing one on either side, fanning her with glittering fans. +On her head was the covering of Isis, the golden horns between which +rested the moon's round disk and the emblem of Osiris' throne, with the +uraeus twined around. Beneath this covering was the vulture cap of gold, +the blue enamelled wings and the vulture head with gemmy eyes, under +which her long dark tresses flowed towards her feet. About her rounded +neck was a broad collar of gold studded with emeralds and coral. Round +her arms and wrists were bracelets of gold studded with emeralds and +coral, and in one hand she held the holy cross of Life fashioned of +crystal, and in the other the golden rod of royalty. Her breast was +bare, but under it was a garment that glistened like the scaly covering +of a snake, everywhere sewn with gems. Beneath this robe was a skirt +of golden cloth, half hidden by a scarf of the broidered silk of Cos, +falling in folds to the sandals that, fastened with great pearls, +adorned her white and tiny feet. + +All this I discerned at a glance, as it were. Then I looked upon the +face--that face which seduced Caesar, ruined Egypt, and was doomed to +give Octavian the sceptre of the world. I looked upon the flawless +Grecian features, the rounded chin, the full, rich lips, the chiselled +nostrils, and the ears fashioned like delicate shells. I saw the +forehead, low, broad, and lovely, the crisped, dark hair falling in +heavy waves that sparkled in the sun, the arched eyebrows, and the long, +bent lashes. There before me was the grandeur of her Imperial shape. +There burnt the wonderful eyes, hued like the Cyprian violet--eyes that +seemed to sleep and brood on secret things as night broods upon the +desert, and yet as the night to shift, change, and be illumined by +gleams of sudden splendour born within their starry depths. All those +wonders I saw, though I have small skill in telling them. But even +then I knew that it was not in these charms alone that the might of +Cleopatra's beauty lay. It was rather in a glory and a radiance cast +through the fleshly covering from the fierce soul within. For she was a +Thing of Flame like unto which no woman has ever been or ever will be. +Even when she brooded, the fire of her quick heart shone through her. +But when she woke, and the lightning leapt suddenly from her eyes, and +the passion-laden music of her speech chimed upon her lips, ah! then, +who can tell how Cleopatra seemed? For in her met all the splendours +that have been given to woman for her glory, and all the genius which +man has won from heaven. And with them dwelt every evil of that greater +sort, which fearing nothing, and making a mock of laws, has taken +empires for its place of play, and, smiling, watered the growth of +its desires with the rich blood of men. In her breast they gathered, +together fashioning that Cleopatra whom no man may draw, and yet whom +no man, having seen, ever can forget. They fashioned her grand as the +Spirit of Storm, lovely as Lightning, cruel as Pestilence, yet with a +heart; and what she did is known. Woe to the world when such another +comes to curse it! + +For a moment I met Cleopatra's eyes as she idly bent herself to find the +tumult's cause. At first they were sombre and dark, as though they saw +indeed, but the brain read nothing. Then they awoke, and their very +colour seemed to change as the colour of the sea changes when the water +is shaken. First, there was anger written in them; next an idle noting; +then, when she looked upon the huge bulk of the man whom I had overcome, +and knew him for the gladiator, something, perchance, that was not +far from wonder. At the least they softened, though, indeed, her face +changed no whit. But he who would read Cleopatra's mind had need to +watch her eyes, for her countenance varied but a little. Turning, she +said some word to her guards. They came forward and led me to her, while +all the multitude waited silently to see me slain. + +I stood before her, my arms folded on my breast. Overcome though I was +by the wonder of her loveliness I hated her in my heart, this woman who +dared to clothe herself in the dress of Isis, this usurper who sat upon +my throne, this wanton squandering the wealth of Egypt in chariots and +perfumes. When she had looked me over from head to the feet, she spake +in a low full voice and in the tongue of Khemi which she alone had +learned of all the Lagidae: + +"And who and what art thou, Egyptian--for Egyptian I see thou art--who +darest to smite my slave when I make progress through my city?" + +"I am Harmachis," I answered boldly. "Harmachis, the astrologer, adopted +son of the High Priest and Governor of Abouthis, who am come hither to +seek my fortune. I smote thy slave, O Queen, because for no fault he +struck down the woman yonder. Ask of those who saw, royal Egypt." + +"Harmachis," she said, "the name has a high sound--and thou hast a high +look;" and then, speaking to a soldier who had seen all, she bade him +tell her what had come to pass. This he did truthfully, being friendly +disposed towards me because I had overcome the Nubian. Thereon she +turned and spoke to the girl bearing the fan who stood beside her--a +woman with curling hair and shy dark eyes, very beautiful to see. The +girl answered somewhat. Then Cleopatra bade them bring the slave to her. +So they led forward the giant, who had found his breath again, and with +him the woman whom he had smitten down. + +"Thou dog!" she said, in the same low voice; "thou coward! who, +being strong, didst smite down this woman, and, being a coward, wast +overthrown of this young man. See, thou, I will teach thee manners. +Henceforth, when thou smitest women it shall be with thy left arm. Ho, +guards, seize this black slave and strike off his right hand." + +Her command given, she sank back in her golden chariot, and again +the cloud gathered in her eyes. But the guards seized the giant, and, +notwithstanding his cries and prayers for mercy, struck off his hand +with a sword upon the wood of the scaffolding and he was carried away +groaning. Then the procession moved on again. As it went the fair woman +with the fan turned her head, caught my eye, and smiled and nodded as +though she rejoiced, at which I wondered somewhat. + +The people cheered also and made jests, saying that I should soon +practice astrology in the palace. But, as soon as we might, I and my +uncle escaped, and made our way back to the house. All the while he +rated me for my rashness; but when we came to the chamber of the house +he embraced me and rejoiced greatly, because I had overthrown the giant +with so little hurt to myself. + + + +CHAPTER II + +OF THE COMING OF CHARMION; AND OF THE WRATH OF SEPA + +That same night, while we sat at supper in the house, there came a knock +upon the door. It was opened, and a woman passed in wrapped from head to +foot in a large dark peplos or cloak in such fashion that her face could +not be clearly seen. + +My uncle rose, and as he did so the woman uttered the secret word. + +"I am come, my father," she said in a sweet clear voice, "though of a +truth it was not easy to escape the revels at the palace yonder. But +I told the Queen that the sun and the riot in the streets had made me +sick, and she let me go." + +"It is well," he answered. "Unveil thyself; here thou art safe." + +With a little sigh of weariness she unclasped the peplos and let it slip +from her, giving to my sight the face and form of that beauteous girl +who had stood to fan Cleopatra in the chariot. For she was very fair +and pleasant to look upon, and her Grecian robes clung sweetly about her +supple limbs and budding form. Her wayward hair, flowing in a hundred +little curls, was bound in with a golden fillet, and on her feet were +sandals fastened with studs of gold. Her cheeks blushed like a flower, +and her dark soft eyes were downcast, as though with modesty, but smiles +and dimples trembled about her lips. + +My uncle frowned when his eyes fell upon her dress. + +"Why comest thou in this garb, Charmion?" he asked sternly. "Is not the +dress of thy mothers good enough for thee? This is no time or place for +woman's vanities. Thou art not here to conquer, but to obey." + +"Nay, be not wroth, my father," she answered softly; "perchance thou +knowest not that she whom I serve will have none of our Egyptian +dress; it is out of fashion. To wear it would have been to court +suspicion--also I came in haste." And as she spoke I saw that all the +while she watched me covertly through the long lashes which fringed her +modest eyes. + +"Well, well," he said sharply, fixing his keen glance upon her face, +"doubtless thou speakest truth, Charmion. Be ever mindful of thy oath, +girl, and of the cause to which thou art sworn. Be not light-minded, and +I charge thee forget the beauty with which thou hast been cursed. For +mark thou this, Charmion: fail us but one jot, and vengeance shall fall +on thee--the vengeance of man and the vengeance of the Gods! To this +service," he continued, lashing himself to anger as he went on till his +great voice rang in the narrow room, "thou hast been bred; to this end +thou hast been instructed and placed where thou art to gain the ear of +that wicked wanton whom thou seemest to serve. See thou forget it not; +see that the luxury of yonder Court does not corrupt thy purity and +divert thy aim, Charmion," and his eyes flashed and his small form +seemed to grow till it attained to dignity--nay, almost to grandeur. + +"Charmion," he went on, advancing towards her with outstretched finger, +"I say that at times I do not trust thee. But two nights gone I dreamed +I saw thee standing in the desert. I saw thee laugh and lift thy hand to +heaven, and from it fell a rain of blood; then the sky sank down on the +land of Khem and covered it. Whence came the dream, girl, and what is +its meaning? I have naught against thee as yet; but hearken! On the +moment that I have, though thou art of my kin, and I have loved thee--on +that moment, I say, I will doom those delicate limbs, which thou lovest +so much to show, to the kite and the jackal, and the soul within thee to +all the tortures of the Gods! Unburied shalt thou lie, and bodiless and +accursed shalt thou wander in Amenti!--ay, for ever and ever!" + +He paused, for his sudden burst of passion had spent itself. But by it, +more clearly than before, I saw how deep a heart this man had beneath +the cloak of his merriness and simplicity of mien, and how fiercely the +mind within him was set upon his aim. As for the girl, she shrank from +him terrified, and, placing her hands before her sweet face, began to +weep. + +"Nay, speak not so, my father," she said, between her sobs; "for what +have I done? I know nothing of the evil wandering of thy dreams. I am no +soothsayer that I should read dreams. Have I not carried out all things +according to thy desire? Have I not been ever mindful of that dread +oath?"--and she trembled. "Have I not played the spy and told thee all? +Have I not won the heart of the Queen, so that she loves me as a sister, +refusing me nothing--ay, and the hearts of those about her? Why dost +thou affright me thus with thy words and threats?" and she wept afresh, +looking even more beautiful in her sorrow than she was before. + +"Enough, enough," he answered; "what I have said, I have said. Be +warned, and affront our sight no more with this wanton dress. Thinkest +thou that we would feed our eyes upon those rounded arms--we whose stake +is Egypt and who are dedicated to the Gods of Egypt? Girl, behold thy +cousin and thy King!" + +She ceased weeping, wiping her eyes with her chiton, and I saw that they +seemed but the softer for her tears. + +"Methinks, most royal Harmachis, and beloved Cousin," she said, as she +bent before me, "that we are already made acquainted." + +"Yea, Cousin," I answered, not without shamefacedness, for I had +never before spoken to so fair a maid; "thou wert in the chariot with +Cleopatra this day when I struggled with the Nubian?" + +"Assuredly," she said, with a smile and a sudden lighting of the eyes, +"it was a gallant fight and gallantly didst thou overthrow that black +brute. I saw the fray and, though I knew thee not, I greatly feared for +one so brave. But I paid him for my fright, for it was I who put it +into the mind of Cleopatra to bid the guards strike off his hand--now, +knowing who thou art, I would I had said his head." And she looked up +shooting a glance at me and then smiled. + +"Enough," put in my uncle Sepa, "the time draws on. Tell thou thy +mission, Charmion, and be gone." + +Then her manner changed; she folded her hands meekly before her and +spoke: + +"Let Pharaoh hearken to his handmaiden. I am the daughter of Pharaoh's +uncle, the brother of his father, who is now long dead, and therefore in +my veins also flows the Royal blood of Egypt. Also I am of the ancient +Faith, and hate these Greeks, and to see thee set upon the throne has +been my dearest hope now for many years. To this end I, Charmion, have +put aside my rank and become serving-woman to Cleopatra, that I might +cut a notch in which thou couldst set thy foot when the hour came for +thee to climb the throne. And, Pharaoh, the notch is cut. + +"This then is our plot, royal Cousin. Thou must gain an entrance to the +Household and learn its ways and secrets, and, so far as may be, suborn +the eunuchs and captains, some of whom I have already tempted. This +done, and all things being prepared without, thou must slay Cleopatra, +and, aided by me with those whom I control, in the confusion that shall +ensue, throw wide the gates, and, admitting those of our party who are +in waiting, put such of the troops as remain faithful to the sword and +seize the Bruchium. Which being finished, within two days thou shalt +hold this fickle Alexandria. At the same time those who are sworn to +thee in every city of Egypt shall rise in arms, and in ten days from +the death of Cleopatra thou shalt indeed be Pharaoh. This is the counsel +which has been taken, and thou seest, royal Cousin, that, though our +uncle yonder thinks so ill of me, I have learned my part--ay, and played +it." + +"I hear thee, Cousin," I answered, marvelling that so young a woman--she +had but twenty years--could weave so bold a plot, for in its origin the +scheme was hers. But in those days I little knew Charmion. "Go on; how +then shall I gain entrance to the palace of Cleopatra?" + +"Nay, Cousin, as things are it is easy. Thus: Cleopatra loves to look +upon a man, and--give me pardon--thy face and form are fair. To-day +she noted them, and twice she said she would she had asked where that +astrologer might be found, for she held that an astrologer who could +wellnigh slay a Nubian gladiator with his bare hands, must indeed be a +master of the fortunate stars. I answered her that I would cause inquiry +to be made. So hearken, royal Harmachis. At midday Cleopatra sleeps in +her inner hall which looks over the gardens to the harbour. At that hour +to-morrow, then, I will meet thee at the gates of the palace, whither +thou shalt come boldly asking for the Lady Charmion. I will make +appointment for thee with Cleopatra, so that she shall see thee alone +when she wakes, and the rest shall be for thee, Harmachis. For much she +loves to play with the mysteries of magic, and I have known her stand +whole nights watching the stars and making a pretence to read them. And +but lately she has sent away Dioscorides the physician, because, poor +fool! he ventured on a prophecy from the conjunction of the stars, that +Cassius would defeat Mark Antony. Thereon Cleopatra sent orders to the +General Allienus, bidding him add the legions she had sent to Syria +to help Antony to the army of Cassius, whose victory, forsooth, +was--according to Dioscorides--written on the stars. But, as it chanced, +Antony beat Cassius first and Brutus afterwards, and so Dioscorides has +departed, and now he lectures on herbs in the museum for his bread, and +hates the name of stars. But his place is empty, and thou shalt fill it, +and then we will work in secret and in the shadow of the sceptre. Ay, +we will work like the worm at the heart of a fruit, till the time of +plucking comes, and at thy dagger's touch, royal Cousin, the fabric of +this Grecian throne crumbles to nothingness, and the worm that rotted it +bursts his servile covering, and, in the sight of empires, spreads his +royal wings o'er Egypt." + +I gazed at this strange girl once more astonished, and saw that her face +was lit up with such a light as I had never seen in the eyes of woman. + +"Ah," broke in my uncle, who was watching her, "ah, I love to see thee +so, girl; there is the Charmion that I knew and I bred up--not the Court +girl whom I like not, draped in silks of Cos and fragrant with essences. +Let thy heart harden in this mould--ay, stamp it with the fervid zeal +of patriot faith, and thy reward shall find thee. And now cover up that +shameless dress of thine and leave us, for it grows late. To-morrow +Harmachis shall come, as thou hast said, and so farewell." + +Charmion bowed her head, and, turning, wrapped her dark-hued peplos +round her. Then, taking my hand, she touched it with her lips and went +without any further word. + +"A strange woman!" said Sepa, when she had gone; "a most strange woman, +and an uncertain!" + +"Methought, my uncle," I said, "that thou wast somewhat harsh with her." + +"Ay," he answered, "but not without a cause. Look thou, Harmachis; +beware of this Charmion. She is too wayward, and, I fear me, may be led +away. In truth, she is a very woman; and, like a restive horse, will +take the path that pleases her. She has brain and fire, and she loves +our cause; but I pray that the cause come not face to face with her +desires, for what her heart is set on that will she do, at any cost she +will do it. Therefore I frightened her now while I may: for who can know +but that she will pass beyond my power? I tell thee, that in this one +girl's hand lie all our lives: and if she play us false, what then? +Alas! and alas! that we must use such tools as these! But it was +needful: there was no other way; and yet I misdoubted me. I pray that it +may be well; still, at times, I fear my niece Charmion--she is too fair, +and the blood of youth runs too warm in those blue veins of hers. + +"Ah, woe to the cause that builds its strength upon a woman's faith; +for women are faithful only where they love, and when they love their +faithlessness becomes their faith. They are not fixed as men are fixed: +they rise more high and sink more low--they are strong and changeful as +the sea. Harmachis, beware of this Charmion: for, like the ocean, she +may float thee home; or, like the ocean, she may wreck thee, and, with +thee, the hope of Egypt!" + + + +CHAPTER III + +OF THE COMING OF HARMACHIS TO THE PALACE; OF HOW HE DREW PAULUS THROUGH +THE GATES; OF CLEOPATRA SLEEPING; AND OF THE MAGIC OF HARMACHIS WHICH HE +SHOWED HER + +Thus it came to pass that on the next day I arrayed myself in a long and +flowing robe, after the fashion of a magician or astrologer. I placed a +cap on my head, about which were broidered images of the stars, and in +my belt a scribe's palette and a roll of papyrus written over with magic +spells and signs. In my hand I held a wand of ebony, tipped with ivory, +such as is used by priests and masters of magic. Among these, indeed, +I took high rank, filling my knowledge of their secrets which I had +learned at Annu what I lacked in that skill which comes from use. And so +with no small shame, for I love not such play and hold this common +magic in contempt, I set forth through the Bruchium to the palace on the +Lochias, being guided on my way by my uncle Sepa. At length, passing +up the avenue of sphinxes, we came to the great marble gateway and the +gates of bronze, within which is the guard-house. Here my uncle left me, +breathing many prayers for my safety and success. But I advanced with +an easy air to the gate, where I was roughly challenged by the Gallic +sentries, and asked of my name, following, and business. I gave my name, +Harmachis, the astrologer, saying that my business was with the Lady +Charmion, the Queen's lady. Thereon the man made as though to let me +pass in, when a captain of the guard, a Roman named Paulus, came forward +and forbade it. Now, this Paulus was a large limbed man, with a woman's +face, and a hand that shook from wine-bibbing. Still he knew me again. + +"Why," he cried, in the Latin tongue, to one who came with him, "this is +the fellow who wrestled yesterday with the Nubian gladiator, that same +who now howls for his lost hand underneath my window. Curses on the +black brute! I had a bet upon him for the games! I have backed him +against Caius, and now he'll never fight again, and I must lose my +money, all through this astrologer. What is it thou sayest?--thou hast +business with the Lady Charmion? Nay, then, that settles it. I will +not let thee through. Fellow, I worship the Lady Charmion--ay, we all +worship her, though she gives us more slaps than sighs. And dost thou +think that we will suffer an astrologer with such eyes and such a chest +as thine to cut in the game?--by Bacchus, no! She must come out to keep +the tryst, for in thou shalt not go." + +"Sir," I said humbly and yet with dignity, "I pray that a message may be +sent to the Lady Charmion, for my business will not brook delay." + +"Ye Gods!" answered the fool, "whom have we here that he cannot wait? A +Caesar in disguise? Nay, be off--be off! if thou wouldst not learn how a +spear-prick feels behind." + +"Nay," put in the other officer, "he is an astrologer; make him +prophesy--make him play tricks." + +"Ay," cried the others who had sauntered up, "let the fellow show his +art. If he is a magician he can pass the gates, Paulus or no Paulus." + +"Right willingly, good Sirs," I answered; for I saw no other means of +entering. "Wilt thou, my young and noble Lord"--and I addressed him who +was with Paulus--"suffer that I look thee in the eyes; perhaps I may +read what is written there?" + +"Right," answered the youth; "but I wish that the Lady Charmion was the +sorceress. I would stare her out of countenance, I warrant." + +I took him by the hand and gazed deep into his eyes. "I see," I said, "a +field of battle at night, and about it bodies stretched--among them is +_thy_ body, and a hyena tears its throat. Most noble Sir, thou shalt die +by sword-thrusts within a year." + +"By Bacchus!" said the youth, turning white to the gills, "thou art +an ill-omened sorcerer!" And he slunk off--shortly afterwards, as it +chanced, to meet this very fate. For he was sent on service and slain in +Cyprus. + +"Now for thee, great Captain!" I said, speaking to Paulus. "I will show +thee how I will pass those gates without thy leave--ay, and draw thee +through them after me. Be pleased to fix thy princely gaze upon the +point of this wand in my hand." + +Being urged by his comrades he did this, unwillingly; and I let him +gaze till I saw his eyes grow empty as an owl's eyes in the sun. Then I +suddenly withdrew the wand, and, shifting my countenance into the place +of it, I seized him with my will and stare, and, beginning to turn round +and round, drew him after me, his fierce face drawn fixed, as it were, +almost to my own. Then I moved slowly backwards till I had passed the +gates, still drawing him after me, and suddenly jerked my head away. He +fell to the ground, to rise wiping his brow and looking very foolish. + +"Art thou content, most noble Captain?" I said. "Thou seest we have +passed the gates. Would any other noble Sir wish that I should show more +of my skill?" + +"By Taranis, Lord of Thunder, and all the Gods of Olympus thrown in, +no!" growled an old Centurion, a Gaul named Brennus, "I like thee not, +I say. The man who could drag our Paulus through those gates by the eye, +as it were, is not a man to play with. Paulus, too, who always goes the +way you don't want him--backwards, like an ass--Paulus! Why, sirrah, +thou needst must have a woman in one eye and a wine-cup in the other to +draw our Paulus thus." + +At this moment the talk was broken, for Charmion herself came down the +marble path, followed by an armed slave. She walked calm and carelessly, +her hands folded behind her, and her eyes gazing at nothingness, as it +were. But it was when Charmion thus looked upon nothing that she saw +most. And as she came the officers and men of the guard made way for +her bowing, for, as I learned afterwards, this girl, next to Cleopatra's +self, wielded more power than anyone about the palace. + +"What is this tumult, Brennus?" she said, speaking to the Centurion, and +making as if she saw me not; "knowest thou not that the Queen sleeps at +this hour, and if she be awakened it is thou who must answer for it, and +that dearly?" + +"Nay, Lady," said the Centurion, humbly; "but it is thus. We have +here"--and he jerked his thumb towards me--"a magician of the most +pestilent--um, I crave his pardon--of the very best sort, for he hath +but just now, only by placing his eyes close to the nose of the worthy +Captain Paulus, dragged him, the said Paulus, through the gates that +Paulus swore the magician should not pass. By the same token, lady, the +magician says that he has business with you--which grieves me for your +sake." + +Charmion turned and looked at me carelessly. "Ay, I remember," she said; +"and so he has--at least, the Queen would see his tricks; but if he can +do none better than cause a sot"--here she cast a glance of scorn at the +wondering Paulus--"to follow his nose through the gates he guards, he +had better go whence he came. Follow me, Sir Magician; and for thee, +Brennus, I say, keep thy riotous crew more quiet. For thee, most +honourable Paulus, get thee sober, and next time I am asked for at the +gates give him who asks a hearing." And, with a queenly nod of her small +head, she turned and led the way, followed at a distance by myself and +the armed slave. + +We passed up the marble walk which runs through the garden grounds, and +is set on either side with marble statues, for the most part of heathen +Gods and Goddesses, with which these Lagidae were not ashamed to defile +their royal dwellings. At length we came to a beautiful portico with +fluted columns of the Grecian style of art, where we found more guards, +who made way for the Lady Charmion. Crossing the portico we reached a +marble vestibule where a fountain splashed softly, and thence by a low +doorway a second chamber, known as the Alabaster Hall, most beautiful to +see. Its roof was upheld by light columns of black marble, but all +its walls were panelled with alabaster, on which Grecian legends were +engraved. Its floor was of rich and many-hued mosaic that told the tale +of the passion of Psyche for the Grecian God of Love, and about it were +set chairs of ivory and gold. Charmion bade the armed slave stay at the +doorway of this chamber, so that we passed in alone, for the place was +empty except for two eunuchs who stood with drawn swords before the +curtain at the further end. + +"I am vexed, my Lord," she said, speaking very low and shyly, "that thou +shouldst have met with such affronts at the gate; but the guard there +served a double watch, and I had given my commands to the officer of +the company that should have relieved it. Those Roman officers are ever +insolent, who, though they seem to serve, know well that Egypt is +their plaything. But it is not amiss, for these rough soldiers are +superstitious, and will fear thee. Now bide thou here while I go into +Cleopatra's chamber, where she sleeps. I have but just sung her to +sleep, and if she be awake I will call thee, for she waits thy coming." +And without more words she glided from my side. + +In a little time she returned, and coming to me spoke: + +"Wouldst see the fairest woman in all the world, asleep?" she whispered; +"if so, follow me. Nay, fear not; when she awakes she will but laugh, +for she bade me be sure to bring thee instantly, whether she slept or +woke. See, I have her signet." + +So we passed up the beautiful chamber till we came to where the eunuchs +stood with drawn swords, and these would have barred my entry. But +Charmion frowned, and drawing the signet from her bosom held it before +their eyes. Having examined the writing that was on the ring, they +bowed, dropping their sword points and we passed through the heavy +curtains broidered with gold into the resting-place of Cleopatra. It was +beautiful beyond imagining--beautiful with many coloured marbles, with +gold and ivory, gems and flowers--all art can furnish and all luxury +can dream of were here. Here were pictures so real that birds might +have pecked the painted fruits; here were statues of woman's loveliness +frozen into stone; here were draperies fine as softest silk, but woven +of a web of gold; here were couches and carpets such as I never saw. The +air, too, was sweet with perfume, while through the open window places +came the far murmur of the sea. And at the further end of the chamber, +on a couch of gleaming silk and sheltered by a net of finest gauze, +Cleopatra lay asleep. There she lay--the fairest thing that man ever +saw--fairer than a dream, and the web of her dark hair flowed all about +her. One white, rounded arm made a pillow for her head, and one hung +down towards the ground. Her rich lips were parted in a smile, showing +the ivory lines of teeth; and her rosy limbs were draped in so thin a +robe of the silk of Cos, held about her by a jewelled girdle, that the +white gleam of flesh shone through it. I stood astonished, and though +my thoughts had little bent that way, the sight of her beauty struck me +like a blow, so that for a moment I lost myself as it were in the vision +of its power, and was grieved at heart because I must slay so fair a +thing. + +Turning suddenly from the sight, I found Charmion watching me with her +quick eyes--watching as though she would search my heart. And, indeed, +something of my thought must have been written on my face in a language +that she could read, for she whispered in my ear: + +"Ay, it is pity, is it not? Harmachis, being but a man, methinks that +thou wilt need all thy ghostly strength to nerve thee to the deed!" + +I frowned, but before I could frame an answer she touched me lightly on +the arm and pointed to the Queen. A change had come upon her: her hands +were clenched, and about her face, all rosy with the hue of sleep, +gathered a cloud of fear. Her breath came quick, she raised her arms as +though to ward away a blow, then with a stifled moan sat up and opened +the windows of her eyes. They were dark, dark as night; but when +the light found them they grew blue as the sky grows blue before the +blushing of the dawn. + +"Caesarion?" she said; "where is my son Caesarion?--Was it then a dream? +I dreamed that Julius--Julius who is dead--came to me, a bloody toga +wrapped about his face, and having thrown his arms about his child led +him away. Then I dreamed I died--died in blood and agony; and one I +might not see mocked me as I died. _Ah!_ who is that man?" + +"Peace, Madam! peace!" said Charmion. "It is but the magician Harmachis, +whom thou didst bid me bring to thee at this hour." + +"Ah! the magician--that Harmachis who overthrew the giant? I remember +now. He is welcome. Tell me, Sir Magician, can thy magic mirror call +forth an answer to this dream? Nay, how strange a thing is Sleep, that +wrapping the mind in a web of darkness, straightly compels it to its +will! Whence, then, come those images of fear rising on the horizon +of the soul like some untimely moon upon a midday sky? Who grants them +power to stalk so lifelike from Memory's halls, and, pointing to +their wounds, thus confront the Present with the Past? Are they, then, +messengers? Does the half-death of sleep give them foothold in our +brains, and thus upknit the cut thread of human kinship? That was +Caesar's self, I tell thee, who but now stood at my side and murmured +through his muffled robe warning words of which the memory is lost to +me. Read me this riddle, thou Egyptian Sphinx,[*] and I'll show thee a +rosier path to fortune than all thy stars can point. Thou hast brought +the omen, solve thou its problem." + + [*] Alluding to his name. Harmachis was the Grecian title of + the divinity of the Sphinx, as Horemkhu was the Egyptian.-- + Editor. + +"I come in a good hour, most mighty Queen," I answered, "for I have some +skill in the mysteries of Sleep, that is, as thou hast rightly guessed, +a stair by which those who are gathered to Osiris may from time to time +enter at the gateways of our living sense, and, by signs and words that +can be read of instructed mortals, repeat the echoes of that Hall of +Truth which is their habitation. Yes, Sleep is a stair by which the +messengers of the guardian Gods may descend in many shapes upon the +spirit of their choice. For, O Queen, to those who hold the key, +the madness of our dreams can show a clearer purpose and speak more +certainly than all the acted wisdom of our waking life, which is a dream +indeed. Thou didst see great Caesar in his bloody robe, and he threw his +arms about the Prince Caesarion and led him hence. Hearken now to the +secret of thy vision. It was Caesar's self thou sawest coming to thy side +from Amenti in such a guise as might not be mistaken. When he embraced +the child Caesarion he did it for a sign that to him, and him alone, had +passed his greatness and his love. When he seemed to lead him hence +he led him forth from Egypt to be crowned in the Capitol, crowned the +Emperor of Rome and Lord of all the Lands. For the rest, I know not. It +is hid from me." + +Thus, then, I read the vision, though to my sense it had a darker +meaning. But it is not well to prophesy evil unto Kings. + +Meanwhile Cleopatra had risen, and, having thrown back the gnat gauze, +was seated upon the edge of her couch, her eyes fixed upon my face, +while her fingers played with her girdle's jewelled ends. + +"Of a truth," she cried, "thou art the best of all magicians, for thou +readest my heart, and drawest a hidden sweet out of the rough shell of +evil omen!" + +"Ay, O Queen," said Charmion, who stood by with downcast eyes, and I +thought that there was bitter meaning in her soft tones; "may no rougher +words ever affront thy ears, and no evil presage tread less closely upon +its happy sense." + +Cleopatra placed her hands behind her head and, leaning back, looked at +me with half-shut eyes. + +"Come, show us of thy magic, Egyptian," she said. "It is yet hot abroad, +and I am weary of those Hebrew Ambassadors and their talk of Herod and +Jerusalem. I hate that Herod, as he shall find--and will have none of +the Ambassadors to-day, though I yearn a little to try my Hebrew on +them. What canst thou do? Hast thou no new trick? By Serapis! if thou +canst conjure as well as thou canst prophesy, thou shalt have a place +at Court, with pay and perquisites to boot, if thy lofty soul does not +scorn perquisites." + +"Nay," I answered, "all tricks are old; but there are some forms of +magic to be rarely used, and with discretion, that may be new to thee, O +Queen! Art thou afraid to venture on the charm?" + +"I fear nothing; go on and do thy worst. Come, Charmion, and sit by me. +But, stay, where are all the girls?--Iras and Merira?--they, too, love +magic." + +"Not so," I said; "the charms work ill before so many. Now behold!" +and, gazing at the twain, I cast my wand upon the marble and murmured +a spell. For a moment it was still, and then, as I muttered, the rod +slowly began to writhe. It bent itself, it stood on end, and moved of +its own motion. Next it put on scales, and behold it was a serpent that +crawled and fiercely hissed. + +"Fie on thee!" cried Cleopatra, clapping her hands; "callest thou that +magic? Why, it is an old trick that any wayside conjurer can do. I have +seen it a score of times." + +"Wait, O Queen," I answered, "thou hast not seen all." And, as I spoke, +the serpent seemed to break in fragments, and from each fragment grew a +new serpent. And these, too, broke in fragments and bred others, till in +a little while the place, to their glamoured sight, was a seething sea +of snakes, that crawled, hissed, and knotted themselves in knots. Then +I made a sign, and the serpents gathered themselves round me, and seemed +slowly to twine themselves about my body and my limbs, till, save my +face, I was wreathed thick with hissing snakes. + +"Oh, horrible! horrible!" cried Charmion, hiding her countenance in the +skirt of the Queen's garment. + +"Nay, enough, Magician, enough!" said the Queen: "thy magic overwhelms +us." + +I waved my snake-wrapped arms, and all was gone. There at my feet lay +the black wand tipped with ivory, and naught beside. + +The two women looked upon each other and gasped with wonder. But I took +up the wand and stood with folded arms before them. + +"Is the Queen content with my poor art?" I asked most humbly. + +"Ay, that I am, Egyptian; never did I see its like! Thou art Court +astronomer from this day forward, with right of access to the Queen's +presence. Hast thou more of such magic at thy call?" + +"Yea, royal Egypt; suffer that the chamber be a little darkened, and I +will show thee one more thing." + +"Half am I afraid," she answered; "nevertheless do thou as this +Harmachis says, Charmion." + +So the curtains were drawn and the chamber made as though the twilight +were at hand. I came forward, and stood beside Cleopatra. "Gaze thou +there!" I said sternly, pointing with my wand to the empty space where I +had been, "and thou shalt behold that which is in thy mind." + +Then for a little space was silence, while the two women gazed fixedly +and half fearful at the spot. + +And as they gazed a cloud gathered before them. Very slowly it took +shape and form, and the form it took was the form of a man, though as +yet he was but vaguely mapped upon the twilight, and seemed now to grow +and now to melt away. + +Then I cried with a loud voice: + +"Spirit, I conjure thee, _appear!_" + +And as I cried the Thing, perfect in every part, leapt into form before +us, suddenly as the flash of day. His shape was the shape of royal +Caesar, the toga thrown about his face, and on his form a vestment bloody +from a hundred wounds. An instant so he stood, then I waved my wand and +he was gone. + +I turned to the two women on the couch, and saw Cleopatra's lovely face +all clothed in terror. Her lips were ashy white, her eyes stared wide, +and all the flesh was shaking on her bones. + +"Man!" she gasped; "man! who and what art thou who canst bring the dead +before our eyes?" + +"I am the Queen's astronomer, magician, servant--what the Queen wills," +I answered, laughing. "Was this the form that was on the Queen's mind?" + +She made no answer, but, rising, left the chamber by another door. + +Then Charmion rose also and took her hands from her face, for she, too, +had been stricken with dread. + +"How dost thou these things, royal Harmachis?" she said. "Tell me; for +of a truth I fear thee." + +"Be not afraid," I answered. "Perchance thou didst see nothing but what +was in my mind. All things are shadows. How canst thou, then, know their +nature, or what is and what only seems to be? But how goes it? Remember, +Charmion, this sport is played to an end." + +"It goes well," she said. "By to-morrow morning's dawn these tales +will have gone round, and thou wilt be more feared than any man in +Alexandria. Follow me, I pray thee." + + + +CHAPTER IV + +OF THE WAYS OF CHARMION; AND OF THE CROWNING OF HARMACHIS AS THE KING OF +LOVE + +On the following day I received the writing of my appointment as +Astrologer and Magician-in-Chief to the Queen, with the pay and +perquisites of that office, which were not small. Rooms were given me +in the palace, also, through which I passed at night to the high +watch-tower, whence I looked on the stars and drew their auguries. For +at this time Cleopatra was much troubled about matters political, and +not knowing how the great struggle among the Roman factions would end, +but being very desirous to side with the strongest, she took constant +counsel with me as to the warnings of the stars. These I read to her +in such manner as best seemed to fit the high interest of my ends. For +Antony, the Roman Triumvir, was now in Asia Minor, and, rumour ran, very +wroth because it had been told him that Cleopatra was hostile to the +Triumvirate, in that her General, Serapion, had aided Cassius. But +Cleopatra protested loudly to me and others that Serapion had acted +against her will. Yet Charmion told me that, as with Allienus, it was +because of a prophecy of Dioscorides the unlucky that the Queen herself +had secretly ordered Serapion so to do. Still, this did not save +Serapion, for to prove to Antony that she was innocent she dragged the +General from the sanctuary and slew him. Woe be to those who carry +out the will of tyrants if the scale should rise against them! And so +Serapion perished. + +Meanwhile all things went well with us, for the minds of Cleopatra and +those about her were so set upon affairs abroad that neither she nor +they thought of revolt at home. But day by day our party gathered +strength in the cities of Egypt, and even in Alexandria, which is to +Egypt as another land, all things being foreign there. Day by day, those +who doubted were won over and sworn to the cause by that oath which +cannot be broken, and our plans of action more firmly laid. And every +other day I went forth from the palace to take counsel with my uncle +Sepa, and there at his house met the Nobles and the great priests who +were for the party of Khem. + +I saw much of Cleopatra, the Queen, and I was ever more astonished at +the wealth and splendour of her mind, that for richness and variety +was as a woven cloth of gold throwing back all lights from its changing +face. She feared me somewhat, and therefore wished to make a friend of +me, asking me of many matters that seemed to be beyond the province of +my office. I saw much of the Lady Charmion also--indeed, she was ever at +my side, so that I scarce knew when she came and when she went. For she +would draw nigh with that soft step of hers, and I would turn to find +her at hand and watching me beneath the long lashes of her downcast +eyes. There was no service that was too hard for her, and no task too +long; for day and night she laboured for me and for our cause. + +But when I thanked her for her loyalty, and said it should be had in +mind in that time which was at hand, she stamped her foot, and pouted +with her lips, like an angry child, saying that, among all the things +which I had learned, this had I not learned--that Love's service asked +no payment, and was its own guerdon. And I, being innocent in such +matters, and, foolish that I was, holding the ways of women as of small +account, read her sayings in the sense that her services to the cause +of Khem, which she loved, brought with them their own reward. But when +I praised so fine a spirit, she burst into angry tears and left me +wondering. For I knew nothing of the trouble at her heart. I knew not +then that, unsought, this woman had given me her love, and that she was +rent and torn by pangs of passion fixed like arrows in her breast. I did +not know--how should I know it, who never looked upon her otherwise than +as an instrument of our joint and holy cause? Her beauty never stirred +me--no, not even when she leaned over me and breathed upon my hair, I +never thought of it otherwise than as a man thinks of the beauty of a +statue. What had I to do with such delights, I who was sworn to Isis +and dedicate to the cause of Egypt? O ye Gods, bear me witness that I am +innocent of this thing which was the source of all my woe and the woe of +Khem! + +How strange a thing is this love of woman, that is so small in its +beginning and in its ends so great! See, at the first it is as the +little spring of water welling from a mountain's heart. And at the last +what is it? It is a mighty river that floats argosies of joy and makes +wide lands to smile. Or, perchance, it is a torrent to wash in a flood +of ruin across the fields of Hope, bursting in the barriers of design, +and bringing to tumbled nothingness the tenement of man's purity and the +temples of his faith. For when the Invisible conceived the order of the +universe He set this seed of woman's love within its plan, that by its +most unequal growth is doomed to bring about equality of law. For now +it lifts the low to heights untold, and now it brings the noble to the +level of the dust. And thus, while Woman, that great surprise of nature, +is, Good and Evil can never grow apart. For still She stands, and, blind +with love, shoots the shuttle of our fate, and pours sweet water into +the cup of bitterness, and poisons the wholesome breath of life with the +doom of her desire. Turn this way and turn that, She is at hand to meet +thee. Her weakness is thy strength, her might is thy undoing. Of her +thou art, to her thou goest. She is thy slave, yet holds thee captive; +at her touch honour withers, locks open, and barriers fall. She is +infinite as ocean, she is variable as heaven, and her name is the +Unforeseen. Man, strive not to escape from Woman and the love of +woman; for, fly where thou wilt, She is yet thy fate, and whate'er thou +buildest thou buildest it for her! + +And thus it came to pass that I, Harmachis, who had put such matters far +from me, was yet doomed to fall by the thing I held of no account. For, +see, this Charmion: she loved me--why, I know not. Of her own thought +she learned to love me, and of her love came what shall be told. But I, +knowing naught, treated her like a sister, walking as it were hand in +hand with her towards our common end. + +And so the time passed on, till, at length, all things were made ready. + +It was the night before the night when the blow should fall, and there +were revellings in the palace. That very day I had seen Sepa, and with +him the captains of a band of five hundred men, who should burst into +the palace at midnight on the morrow, when I had slain Cleopatra the +Queen, and put the Roman and the Gallic legionaries to the sword. That +very day I had suborned the Captain Paulus who, since I drew him through +the gates, was my will's slave. Half by fear and half by promises of +great reward I had prevailed upon him, for the watch was his, to unbar +that small gate which faces to the East at the signal on the morrow +night. + +All was made ready--the flower of Freedom that had been five-and-twenty +years in growth was on the point of bloom. Armed companies were +gathering in every city from Abu to Athu, and spies looked out from +their walls, awaiting the coming of the messenger who should bring +tidings that Cleopatra was no more and that Harmachis, the royal +Egyptian, had seized the throne. + +All was prepared, triumph hung in my hand as a ripe fruit to the hand of +the plucker. Yet as I sat at the royal feast my heart was heavy, and a +shadow of coming woe lay cold within my mind. I sat there in a place +of honour, near the majesty of Cleopatra, and looked down the lines of +guests, bright with gems and garlanded with flowers, marking those whom +I had doomed to die. There before me lay Cleopatra in all her beauty, +which thrilled the beholder as he is thrilled by the rushing of the +midnight gale, or by the sight of stormy waters. I gazed on her as she +touched her lips with wine and toyed with the chaplet of roses on her +brow, thinking of the dagger beneath my robe that I had sworn to bury in +her breast. Again, and yet again, I gazed and strove to hate her, +strove to rejoice that she must die--and could not. There, too, behind +her--watching me now, as ever, with her deep-fringed eyes--was the +lovely Lady Charmion. Who, to look at her innocent face, would believe +that she was the setter of that snare in which the Queen who loved her +should miserably perish? Who would dream that the secret of so much +death was locked in her girlish breast? I gazed, and grew sick at heart +because I must anoint my throne with blood, and by evil sweep away the +evil of the land. At that hour I wished, indeed, that I was nothing +but some humble husbandman, who in its season grows and in its season +garners the golden grain! Alas! the seed that I had been doomed to sow +was the seed of Death, and now I must reap the red fruit of the harvest! + +"Why, Harmachis, what ails thee?" said Cleopatra, smiling her slow +smile. "Has the golden skein of stars got tangled, my astronomer? or +dost thou plan some new feat of magic? Say what is it that thou dost so +poorly grace our feast? Nay, now, did I not know, having made inquiry, +that things so low as we poor women are far beneath thy gaze, why, I +should swear that Eros had found thee out, Harmachis!" + +"Nay, that I am spared, O Queen," I answered. "The servant of the stars +marks not the smaller light of woman's eyes, and therein is he happy!" + +Cleopatra leaned herself towards me, looking on me long and steadily in +such fashion that, despite my will, the blood fluttered at my heart. + +"Boast not, thou proud Egyptian," she said in a low voice which none but +I and Charmion could hear, "lest perchance thou dost tempt me to match +my magic against thine. What woman can forgive that a man should push +us by as things of no account? It is an insult to our sex which Nature's +self abhors," and she leaned back again and laughed most musically. But, +glancing up, I saw Charmion, her teeth on her lip and an angry frown +upon her brow. + +"Pardon, royal Egypt," I answered coldly, but with such wit as I could +summon, "before the Queen of Heaven even stars grow pale!" This I said +of the moon, which is the sign of the Holy Mother whom Cleopatra dared +to rival, naming herself Isis come to earth. + +"Happily said," she answered, clapping her white hands. "Why, here's an +astronomer who has wit and can shape a compliment! Nay, such a wonder +must not pass unnoted, lest the Gods resent it. Charmion, take this +rose-chaplet from my hair and set it upon the learned brow of our +Harmachis. He shall be crowned _King of Love_, whether he will it or +not." + +Charmion lifted the chaplet from Cleopatra's brows and, bearing it to +where I was, with a smile set it upon my head yet warm and fragrant from +the Queen's hair, but so roughly that she pained me somewhat. She +did this because she was wroth, although she smiled with her lips and +whispered, "An omen, royal Harmachis." For though she was so very much +a woman, yet, when she was angered or suffered jealousy, Charmion had a +childish way. + +Having thus fixed the chaplet, she curtsied low before me, and with the +softest tone of mockery named me, in the Greek tongue, "Harmachis, King +of Love." Then Cleopatra laughed and pledged me as "King of Love," and +so did all the company, finding the jest a merry one. For in Alexandria +they love not those who live straitly and turn aside from women. + +But I sat there, a smile upon my lips, and black wrath in my heart. For, +knowing who and what I was, it irked me to think myself a jest for the +frivolous nobles and light beauties of Cleopatra's Court. But I was +chiefly angered against Charmion, because she laughed the loudest, and I +did not then know that laughter and bitterness are often the veils with +which a sore heart wraps its weakness from the world. "An omen" she said +it was--that crown of flowers--and so it proved indeed. For I was fated +to barter the Double Diadem of the Upper and the Lower Land for a wreath +of passion's roses that fade before they fully bloom, and Pharaoh's +ivory bed of state for the pillow of a faithless woman's breast. + +"_King of Love!_" they crowned me in their mockery; ay, and King of +Shame! And I, with the perfumed roses on my brow--I, by descent and +ordination the Pharaoh of Egypt--thought of the imperishable halls +of Abouthis and of that other crowning which on the morrow should be +consummate. + +But still smiling, I pledged them back, and answered with a jest. For +rising, I bowed before Cleopatra and craved leave to go. "Venus," I +said, speaking of the planet that we know as Donaou in the morning and +Bonou in the evening, "was in the ascendant. Therefore, as new-crowned +King of Love, I must now pass to do my homage to its Queen." For these +barbarians name Venus Queen of Love. + +And so amidst their laughter I withdrew to my watch-tower, and, dashing +that shameful chaplet down amidst the instruments of my craft, made +pretence to note the rolling of the stars. There I waited, thinking on +many things that were to be, until Charmion should come with the last +lists of the doomed and the messages of my uncle Sepa, whom she had seen +that evening. + +At length the door opened softly, and she came jewelled and clad in her +white robes, as she had left the feast. + + + +CHAPTER V + +OF THE COMING OF CLEOPATRA TO THE CHAMBER OF HARMACHIS; OF THE THROWING +FORTH OF THE KERCHIEF OF CHARMION; OF THE STARS; AND OF THE GIFT BY +CLEOPATRA OF HER FRIENDSHIP TO HER SERVANT HARMACHIS + +"At length thou art come, Charmion," I said. "It is over-late." + +"Yea, my Lord; but by no means could I escape Cleopatra. Her mood is +strangely crossed to-night. I know not what it may portend. Strange +whims and fancies blow across it like light and contrary airs upon a +summer sea, and I cannot read her purpose." + +"Well, well; enough of Cleopatra. Hast thou seen our uncle?" + +"Yes, royal Harmachis." + +"And hast thou the last lists?" + +"Yes; here they are," and she drew them from her bosom. "Here is the +list of those who, after the Queen, must certainly be put to the sword. +Among them thou wilt note is the name of that old Gaul Brennus. I grieve +for him, for we are friends; but it must be. It is a heavy list." + +"It is so," I answered conning it; "when men write out their count they +forget no item, and our count is long. What must be must be. Now for the +next." + +"Here is the list of those to be spared, as friendly or uncertain; +and here that of the towns which will certainly rise as soon as the +messenger reaches their gates with tidings of the death of Cleopatra." + +"Good. And now"--and I paused--"and now as to the manner of Cleopatra's +death. How hast thou settled it? Must it be by my own hand?" + +"Yea, my Lord," she answered, and again I caught that note of bitterness +in her voice. "Doubtless Pharaoh will rejoice that his should be the +hand to rid the land of this false Queen and wanton woman, and at one +blow break the chains which gall the neck of Egypt." + +"Talk not thus, girl," I said; "thou knowest well that I do not rejoice, +being but driven to the act by deep necessity and the pressure of my +vows. Can she not, then, be poisoned? Or can no one of the eunuchs be +suborned to slay her? My soul turns from this bloody work! Indeed, I +marvel, however heavy be her crimes, that thou canst speak so lightly of +the death by treachery of one who loves thee!" + +"Surely Pharaoh is over-tender, forgetting the greatness of the moment +and all that hangs upon this dagger-stroke that shall cut the thread of +Cleopatra's life. Listen, Harmachis. _Thou_ must do the deed, and _thou_ +alone! Myself I would do it, had my arm the strength; but it has not. +It cannot be done by poison, for every drop she drinks and every morsel +that shall touch her lips is strictly tasted by three separate tasters, +who cannot be suborned. Nor may the eunuchs of the guard be trusted. +Two, indeed, are sworn to us; but the third cannot be come at. He must +be cut down afterwards; and, indeed, when so many men must fall, what +matters a eunuch more or less? Thus it shall be, then. To-morrow night, +at three hours before midnight thou dost cast the final augury of the +issue of the war. And then thou wilt, as is agreed, descend alone with +me, having the signet, to the outer chamber of the Queen's apartment. +For the vessel bearing orders to the Legions sails from Alexandria at +the following dawn; and alone with Cleopatra, since she wills that +the thing be kept secret as the sea, thou wilt read the message of the +stars. And as she pores over the papyrus, then must thou stab her in +the back, so that she dies; and see thou that thy will and arm fail thee +not! The deed being done--and indeed it will be easy--thou wilt take +the signet and pass out to where the eunuch is--for the others will be +wanting. If by any chance there is trouble with him--but there will be +no trouble, for he dare not enter the private rooms, and the sounds +of death cannot reach so far--thou must cut him down. Then I will meet +thee; and, passing on, we will come to Paulus, and it shall be my care +to see that he is neither drunk nor backward, for I know how to hold him +to the task. And he and those with him shall throw open the side gate, +when Sepa and the five hundred chosen men who are in waiting shall pour +in and cast themselves upon the sleeping legionaries, putting them to +the sword. Why, the thing is easy so thou rest true to thyself, and let +no womanish fears creep into thy heart. What is this dagger's thrust? It +is nothing, and yet upon it hang the destinies of Egypt and the world." + +"Hush!" I said. "What is that?--I hear a sound." + +Charmion ran to the door, and, gazing down the long, dark passage, +listened. In a moment she came back, her finger on her lips. "It is the +Queen," she whispered hurriedly; "the Queen who mounts the stair alone. +I heard her bid Iras to leave her. I may not be found alone with thee +at this hour; it has a strange look, and she may suspect. What wants she +here? Where can I hide?" + +I glanced round. At the further end of the chamber was a heavy curtain +that hid a little place built in the thickness of the wall which I used +for the storage of rolls and instruments. + +"Haste thee--there!" I said, and she glided behind the curtain, which +swung back and covered her. Then I thrust the fatal scroll of death into +the bosom of my robe and bent over the mystic chart. Presently I heard +the sweep of woman's robes and there came a low knock upon the door. + +"Enter, whoever thou art," I said. + +The latch lifted, and Cleopatra swept in, royally arrayed, her dark +hair hanging about her and the sacred snake of royalty glistening on her +brow. + +"Of a truth, Harmachis," she said with a sigh, as she sank into a seat, +"the path to heaven is hard to climb! Ah! I am weary, for those stairs +are many. But I was minded, my astronomer, to see thee in thy haunts." + +"I am honoured overmuch, O Queen!" I said, bowing low before her. + +"Art thou now? And yet that dark face of thine has a somewhat angry +look--thou art too young and handsome for this dry trade, Harmachis. +Why, I vow thou hast cast my wreath of roses down amidst thy rusty +tools! Kings would have cherished that wreath along with their choicest +diadems, Harmachis! and thou dost throw it away as a thing of no +account! Why, what a man art thou! But stay; what is this? A lady's +kerchief, by Isis! Nay, now, my Harmachis, how came _this_ here? Are our +poor kerchiefs also instruments of thy high art? Oh, fie, fie!--have I +caught thee, then? Art thou indeed a fox?" + +"Nay, most royal Cleopatra, nay!" I said, turning; for the kerchief +which had fallen from Charmion's neck had an awkward look. "I know not, +indeed, how the frippery came here. Perhaps, some one of the women who +keeps the chamber may have let it fall." + +"Ah! so--so!" she said dryly, and still laughing like a rippling brook. +"Yes, surely, the slave-women who keep chambers own such toys as this, +of the very finest silk, worth twice its weight in gold, and broidered, +too, in many colours. Why, myself I should not shame to wear it! Of a +truth it seems familiar to my sight." And she threw it round her neck +and smoothed the ends with her white hand. "But there; doubtless, it is +a thing unholy in thine eyes that the scarf of thy beloved should rest +upon my poor breast. Take it, Harmachis; take it, and hide it in thy +bosom--nigh thy heart indeed!" + +I took the accursed thing, and, muttering what I may not write, stepped +on to the giddy platform whence I watched the stars. Then, crushing it +into a ball, I threw it to the winds of heaven. + +At this the lovely Queen laughed once more. + +"Nay, think now," she cried; "what would the lady say could she see her +love-gauge thus cast to all the world? Mayhap, Harmachis, thou wouldst +deal thus with my wreath also? See, the roses fade; cast it forth," and, +stooping, she took up the wreath and gave it to me. + +For a moment, so vexed was I, I had a mind to take her at her word and +send the wreath to join the kerchief. But I thought better of it. + +"Nay," I said more softly, "it is a Queen's gift, and I will keep it," +and, as I spoke, I saw the curtain shake. Often since that night I have +sorrowed over those simple words. + +"Gracious thanks be to the King of Love for this small mercy," she +answered, looking at me strangely. "Now, enough of wit; come forth upon +this balcony--tell me of the mystery of those stars of thine. For I +always loved the stars, that are so pure and bright and cold, and so far +away from our fevered troubling. There I would wish to dwell, rocked on +the dark bosom of the night, and losing the little sense of self as I +gazed for ever on the countenance of yon sweet-eyed space. Nay--who can +tell, Harmachis?--perhaps those stars partake of our very substance, +and, linked to us by Nature's invisible chain, do, indeed, draw our +destiny with them as they roll. What says the Greek fable of him who +became a star? Perchance it has truth, for yonder tiny sparks may be the +souls of men, but grown more purely bright and placed in happy rest to +illume the turmoil of their mother-earth. Or are they lamps hung high +in the heavenly vault that night by night some Godhead, whose wings +are Darkness, touches with his immortal fire so that they leap out in +answering flame? Give me of thy wisdom and open these wonders to me, my +servant, for I have little knowledge. Yet my heart is large, and I would +fill it, for I have the wit, could I but find the teacher." + +Thereon, being glad to find footing on a safer shore, and marvelling +somewhat to learn that Cleopatra had a place for lofty thoughts, I spoke +and willingly told her such things as are lawful. I told her how the +sky is a liquid mass pressing round the earth and resting on the elastic +pillars of the air, and how above is the heavenly ocean Nout, in which +the planets float like ships as they rush upon their radiant way. I told +her many things, and amongst them how, through the certain never-ceasing +movement of the orbs of light, the planet Venus, that was called Donaou +when she showed as the Morning Star, became the planet Bonou when she +came as the sweet Star of Eve. And while I stood and spoke watching the +stars, she sat, her hands clasped upon her knee, and watched my face. + +"Ah!" she broke in at length, "and so Venus is to be seen both in the +morning and the evening sky. Well, of a truth, she is everywhere, though +she best loves the night. But thou lovest not that I should use these +Latin names to thee. Come, we will talk in the ancient tongue of Khem, +which I know well; I am the first, mark thou, of all the Lagidae who know +it. And now," she went on, speaking in my own tongue, but with a little +foreign accent that did but make her talk more sweet, "enough of stars, +for, when all is said, they are but fickle things, and perhaps may +even now be storing up an evil hour for thee or me, or for both of us +together. Not but what I love to hear thee speak of them, for then thy +face loses that gloomy cloud of thought which mars it and grows quick +and human. Harmachis, thou art too young for such a solemn trade; +methinks that I must find thee a better. Youth comes but once; why waste +it in these musings? It is time to think when we can no longer act. Tell +me how old art thou, Harmachis?" + +"I have six-and-twenty years, O Queen," I answered, "for I was born in +the first month of Shomou, in the summer season, and on the third day of +the month." + +"Why, then, we are of an age even to a day," she cried, "for I too have +six-and-twenty years, and I too was born on the third day of the first +month of Shomou. Well, this may we say: those who begot us need have no +shame. For if I be the fairest woman in Egypt, methinks, Harmachis, that +there is in Egypt no man more fair and strong than thou, ay, or more +learned. Born of the same day, why, 'tis manifest that we were destined +to stand together, I, as the Queen, and thou, perchance, Harmachis, as +one of the chief pillars of my throne, and thus to work each other's +weal." + +"Or maybe each other's woe," I answered, looking up; for her sweet +speeches stung my ears and brought more colour to my face than I loved +that she should see there. + +"Nay, never talk of woe. Be seated here by me, Harmachis, and let us +talk, not as Queen and subject, but as friend to friend. Thou wast +angered with me at the feast to-night because I mocked thee with yonder +wreath--was it not so? Nay, it was but a jest. Didst thou know how heavy +is the task of monarchs and how wearisome are their hours, thou wouldst +not be wroth because I lit my dulness with a jest. Oh, they weary me, +those princes and those nobles, and those stiff-necked pompous Romans. +To my face they vow themselves my slaves, and behind my back they mock +me and proclaim me the servant of their Triumvirate, or their Empire, +or their Republic, as the wheel of Fortune turns, and each rises on its +round! There is never a man among them--nothing but fools, parasites, +and puppets--never a man since with their coward daggers they slew that +Caesar whom all the world in arms was not strong enough to tame. And I +must play off one against the other, if maybe, by so doing, I can +keep Egypt from their grip. And for reward, what? Why, this is my +reward--that all men speak ill of me--and, I know it, my subjects hate +me! Yes, I believe that, woman though I am, they would murder me could +they find a means!" + +She paused, covering her eyes with her hand, and it was well, for her +words pierced me so that I shrank upon the seat beside her. + +"They think ill of me, I know it; and call me wanton, who have never +stepped aside save once, when I loved the greatest man of all the world, +and at the touch of love my passion flamed indeed, but burnt a hallowed +flame. These ribald Alexandrians swear that I poisoned Ptolemy, my +brother--whom the Roman Senate would, most unnaturally, have forced on +me, his sister, as a husband! But it is false: he sickened and died of +fever. And even so they say that I would slay Arsinoe, my sister--who, +indeed, would slay me!--but that, too, is false! Though she will have +none of me, I love my sister. Yes, they all think ill of me without a +cause; even thou dost think ill of me, Harmachis. + +"O Harmachis, before thou judgest, remember what a thing is envy!--that +foul sickness of the mind which makes the jaundiced eye of pettiness +to see all things distraught--to read Evil written on the open face of +Good, and find impurity in the whitest virgin's soul! Think what a thing +it is, Harmachis, to be set on high above the gaping crowd of knaves who +hate thee for thy fortune and thy wit; who gnash their teeth and shoot +the arrows of their lies from the cover of their own obscureness, whence +they have no wings to soar; and whose hearts' quest it is to drag down +thy nobility to the level of the groundling and the fool! + +"Be not, then, swift to think evil of the Great, whose every word and +act is searched for error by a million angry eyes, and whose most tiny +fault is trumpeted by a thousand throats, till the world shakes with +echoes of their sin! Say not: 'It is thus, 'tis certainly thus'--say, +rather: 'May it not be otherwise? Have we heard aright? Did she this +thing of her own will?' Judge gently, Harmachis, as wert thou I thou +wouldst be judged. Remember that a Queen is never free. She is, indeed, +but the point and instrument of those forces politic with which the iron +books of history are graved. O Harmachis! be thou my friend--my friend +and counsellor!--my friend whom I can trust indeed!--for here, in this +crowded Court, I am more utterly alone than any soul that breathes about +its corridors. But _thee_ I trust; there is faith written in those quiet +eyes, and I am minded to lift thee high, Harmachis. I can no longer bear +my solitude of mind--I must find one with whom I may commune and speak +that which lies within my heart. I have faults, I know it; but I am not +all unworthy of thy faith, for there is good grain among the evil seed. +Say, Harmachis, wilt thou take pity on my loneliness and befriend me, +who have lovers, courtiers, slaves, dependents, more thick than I +can count, but never one single _friend_?" and she leant towards me, +touching me lightly, and gazed on me with her wonderful blue eyes. + +I was overcome; thinking of the morrow night, shame and sorrow smote me. +_I_, her friend!--_I_, whose assassin dagger lay against my breast! I +bent my head, and a sob or a groan, I know not which, burst from the +agony of my heart. + +But Cleopatra, thinking only that I was moved beyond myself by the +surprise of her graciousness, smiled sweetly, and said: + +"It grows late; to-morrow night when thou bringest the auguries we will +speak again, O my friend Harmachis, and thou shalt answer me." And she +gave me her hand to kiss. Scarce knowing what I did, I kissed it, and in +another moment she was gone. + +But I stood in the chamber, gazing after her like one asleep. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OF THE WORDS AND JEALOUSY OF CHARMION; OF THE LAUGHTER OF HARMACHIS; OF +THE MAKING READY FOR THE DEED OF BLOOD; AND OF THE MESSAGE OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA + +I stood still, plunged in thought. Then by hazard as it were I took up +the wreath of roses and looked on it. How long I stood so I know not, +but when next I lifted up my eyes they fell upon the form of Charmion, +whom, indeed, I had altogether forgotten. And though at the moment I +thought but little of it, I noted vaguely that she was flushed as though +with anger, and beat her foot upon the floor. + +"Oh, it is thou, Charmion!" I said. "What ails thee? Art thou cramped +with standing so long in thy hiding-place? Why didst not thou slip hence +when Cleopatra led me to the balcony?" + +"Where is my kerchief?" she asked, shooting an angry glance at me. "I +let fall my broidered kerchief." + +"Thy kerchief!--why, didst thou not see? Cleopatra twitted me about it, +and I flung it from the balcony." + +"Yes, I saw," answered the girl, "I saw but too well. Thou didst fling +away my kerchief, but the wreath of roses--that thou wouldst not +fling away. It was 'a Queen's gift,' forsooth, and therefore the royal +Harmachis, the Priest of Isis, the chosen of the Gods, the crowned +Pharaoh wed to the weal of Khem, cherished it and saved it. But my +kerchief, stung by the laughter of that light Queen, he cast away!" + +"What meanest thou?" I asked, astonished at her bitter tone. "I cannot +read thy riddles." + +"What mean I?" she answered, tossing up her head and showing the white +curves of her throat. "Nay, I mean naught, or all; take it as thou wilt. +Wouldst know what I mean, Harmachis, my cousin and my Lord?" she went on +in a hard, low voice. "Then I will tell thee--thou art in danger of the +great offence. This Cleopatra has cast her fatal wiles about thee, and +thou goest near to loving her, Harmachis--to loving her whom to-morrow +thou must slay! Ay, stand and stare at that wreath in thy hand--the +wreath thou couldst not send to join my kerchief--sure Cleopatra wore it +but to-night! The perfume of the hair of Caesar's mistress--Caesar's +and others'--yet mingles with the odour of its roses! Now, prithee, +Harmachis, how far didst thou carry the matter on yonder balcony? for in +that hole where I lay hid I could not hear or see. 'Tis a sweet spot for +lovers, is it not?--ay, and a sweet hour, too? Venus surely rules the +stars to-night?" + +All of this she said so quietly and in so soft and modest a way, though +her words were not modest, and yet so bitterly, that every syllable cut +me to the heart, and angered me till I could find no speech. + +"Of a truth thou hast a wise economy," she went on, seeing her +advantage: "to-night thou dost kiss the lips that to-morrow thou shalt +still for ever! It is frugal dealing with the occasion of the moment; +ay, worthy and honourable dealing!" + +Then at last I broke forth. "Girl," I cried, "how darest thou speak +thus to me? Mindest thou who and what I am that thou loosest thy peevish +gibes upon me?" + +"I mind what it behoves thee to be," she answered quick. "What thou art, +that I mind not now. Surely thou knowest alone--thou and Cleopatra!" + +"What meanest thou?" I said. "Am I to blame if the Queen----" + +"The Queen! What have we here? Pharaoh owns a Queen!" + +"If Cleopatra wills to come hither of a night and talk----" + +"Of stars, Harmachis--surely of stars and roses, and naught beside!" + +After that I know not what I said; for, troubled as I was, the girl's +bitter tongue and quiet way drove me wellnigh to madness. But this I +know: I spoke so fiercely that she cowered before me as she had cowered +before my uncle Sepa when he rated her because of her Grecian garb. And +as she wept then, so she wept now, only more passionately and with great +sobs. + +At length I ceased, half-shamed but still angry and smarting sorely. +For even while she wept she could find a tongue to answer with--and a +woman's shafts are sharp. + +"Thou shouldst not speak to me thus!" she sobbed; "it is cruel--it is +unmanly! But I forget thou art but a priest, not a man--except, mayhap, +for Cleopatra!" + +"What right hast thou?" I said. "What canst thou mean?" + +"What right have I?" she asked, looking up, her dark eyes all aflood +with tears that ran down her sweet face like the dew of morning down +a lily's heart. "What right have I? O Harmachis! art thou blind? Didst +thou not know by what right I speak thus to thee? Then I must tell thee. +Well, it is the fashion in Alexandria! By that first and holy right of +woman--by the right of the great love I bear thee, and which, it seems, +thou hast no eyes to see--by the right of my glory and my shame. Oh, +be not wroth with me, Harmachis, nor set me down as light, because the +truth at last has burst from me; for I am not so. I am what thou wilt +make me. I am the wax within the moulder's hands, and as thou dost +fashion me so I shall be. There breathes within me now a breath of +glory, blowing across the waters of my soul, that can waft me to ends +more noble than ever I have dreamed afore, if thou wilt be my pilot +and my guide. But if I lose thee, then I lose all that holds me from my +worse self--and let shipwreck come! Thou knowest me not, Harmachis! thou +canst not see how big a spirit struggles in this frail form of mine! To +thee I am a girl, clever, wayward, shallow. But I am more! Show me thy +loftiest thought and I will match it, the deepest puzzle of thy mind +and I will make it clear. Of one blood we are, and love can ravel up our +little difference and make us grow one indeed. One end we have, one land +we love, one vow binds us both. Take me to thy heart, Harmachis, set me +by thee on the Double Throne, and I swear that I will lift thee higher +than ever man has climbed. Reject me, and beware lest I pull thee down! +And now, putting aside the cold delicacy of custom, stung to it by what +I saw of the arts of that lovely living falsehood, Cleopatra, which +for pastime she practises on thy folly, I have spoken out my heart, and +answer thou!" And she clasped her hands and, drawing one pace nearer, +gazed, all white and trembling, on my face. + +For a moment I stood struck dumb, for the magic of her voice and the +power of her speech, despite myself, stirred me like the rush of music. +Had I loved the woman, doubtless she might have fired me with her flame; +but I loved her not, and I could not play at passion. And so thought +came, and with thought that laughing mood, which is ever apt to fashion +upon nerves strained to the point of breaking. In a flash, as it were, +I bethought me of the way in which she had that very night forced the +wreath of roses on my head, I thought of the kerchief and how I had +flung it forth. I thought of Charmion in the little chamber watching +what she held to be the arts of Cleopatra, and of her bitter speeches. +Lastly, I thought of what my uncle Sepa would say of her could he see +her now, and of the strange and tangled skein in which I was inmeshed. +And I laughed aloud--the fool's laughter that was my knell of ruin! + +She turned whiter yet--white as the dead--and a look grew upon her face +that checked my foolish mirth. "Thou findest, then, Harmachis," she +said in a low, choked voice, and dropping the level of her eyes, "thou +findest cause of merriment in what I have said?" + +"Nay," I answered; "nay, Charmion; forgive me if I laughed. It was +rather a laugh of despair; for what am I to say to thee? Thou hast +spoken high words of all thou mightest be: is it left for me to tell +thee what thou art?" + +She shrank, and I paused. + +"Speak," she said. + +"Thou knowest--none so well!--who I am and what my mission is: thou +knowest--none so well!--that I am sworn to Isis, and may, by law Divine, +have naught to do with thee." + +"Ay," she broke in, in her low voice, and with her eyes still fixed upon +the ground--"ay, and I know that thy vows are broken in spirit, if not +in form--broken like wreaths of cloud; for, Harmachis--_thou lovest +Cleopatra!_" + +"It is a lie!" I cried. "Thou wanton girl, who wouldst seduce me from my +duty and put me to an open shame!--who, led by passion or ambition, or +the love of evil, hast not shamed to break the barriers of thy sex and +speak as thou hast spoken--beware lest thou go too far! And if thou wilt +have an answer, here it is, put straightly, as thy question. Charmion, +outside the matter of my duty and my vows, thou art _naught_ to me!--nor +for all thy tender glances will my heart beat one pulse more fast! +Hardly art thou now my friend--for, of a truth, I scarce can trust thee. +But, once more: beware! To me thou mayest do thy worst; but if thou dost +dare to lift a finger against our cause, that day thou diest! And now, +is this play done?" + +And as, wild with anger, I spoke thus, she shrank back, and yet further +back, till at length she rested against the wall, her eyes covered with +her hand. But when I ceased she dropped her hand, glancing up, and her +face was as the face of a statue, in which the great eyes glowed like +embers, and round them was a ring of purple shadow. + +"Not altogether done," she answered gently; "the arena must yet be +sanded!" This she said having reference to the covering up of the +bloodstains at the gladiatorial shows with fine sand. "Well," she went +on, "waste not thine anger on a thing so vile. I have thrown my throw +and I have lost. _Vae victis!_--ah! _Vae victis!_ Wilt thou not lend me +the dagger in thy robe, that here and now I may end my shame? No? Then +one word more, most royal Harmachis: if thou canst, forget my folly; +but, at the least, have no fear from me. I am now, as ever, thy servant +and the servant of our cause. Farewell!" + +And she went, leaning her hand against the wall. But I, passing to +my chamber, flung myself upon my couch, and groaned in bitterness of +spirit. Alas! we shape our plans, and by slow degrees build up our house +of Hope, never counting on the guests that time shall bring to lodge +therein. For who can guard against--the Unforeseen? + +At length I slept, and my dreams were evil. When I woke the light of +the day which should see the red fulfilment of the plot was streaming +through the casement, and the birds sang merrily among the garden palms. +I woke, and as I woke the sense of trouble pressed in upon me, for I +remembered that before this day was gathered to the past I must dip +my hands in blood--yes, in the blood of Cleopatra, who trusted me! Why +could I not hate her as I should? There had been a time when I looked on +to this act of vengeance with somewhat of a righteous glow of zeal. And +now--and now--why, I would frankly give my royal birthright to be free +from its necessity! But, alas! I knew that there was no escape. I +must drain this cup or be for ever cast away. I felt the eyes of Egypt +watching me, and the eyes of Egypt's Gods. I prayed to my Mother Isis +to give me strength to do this deed, and prayed as I had never prayed +before; and oh, wonder! no answer came. Nay, how was this? What, then, +had loosed the link between us that, for the first time, the Goddess +deigned no reply to her son and chosen servant? Could it be that I +had sinned in heart against her? What had Charmion said--that I loved +Cleopatra? Was this sickness love? Nay! a thousand times nay!--it was +but the revolt of Nature against an act of treachery and blood. The +Goddess did but try my strength, or perchance she also turned her holy +countenance from murder? + +I rose filled with terror and despair, and went about my task like a man +without a soul. I conned the fatal lists and noted all the plans--ay, in +my brain I gathered up the very words of that proclamation of my Royalty +which, on the morrow, I should issue to the startled world. + +"Citizens of Alexandria and dwellers in the land of Egypt," it began, +"Cleopatra the Macedonian hath, by the command of the Gods, suffered +justice for her crimes----" + +All these and other things I did, but I did them as a man without a +soul--as a man moved by a force from without and not from within. And so +the minutes wore away. In the third hour of the afternoon I went as by +appointment fixed to the house where my uncle Sepa lodged, that same +house to which I had been brought some three months gone when I entered +Alexandria for the first time. And here I found the leaders of the +revolt in the city assembled in secret conclave to the number of +seven. When I had entered, and the doors were barred, they prostrated +themselves, and cried, "Hail, Pharaoh!" but I bade them rise, saying +that I was not yet Pharaoh, for the chicken was still in the egg. + +"Yea, Prince," said my uncle, "but his beak shows through. Not in +vain hath Egypt brooded all these years, if thou fail not with that +dagger-stroke of thine to-night; and how canst thou fail? Nothing can +now stop our course to victory!" + +"It is on the knees of the Gods," I answered. + +"Nay," he said, "the Gods have placed the issue in the hands of a +mortal--in thy hands, Harmachis!--and there it is safe. See: here are +the last lists. Thirty-one thousand men who bear arms are sworn to rise +when the tidings come to them. Within five days every citadel in Egypt +will be in our hands, and then what have we to fear? From Rome but +little, for her hands are full; and, besides, we will make alliance with +the Triumvirate, and, if need be, buy them off. For of money there is +plenty in the land, and if more be wanted thou, Harmachis, knowest where +it is stored against the need of Khem, and outside the Roman's reach +of arm. Who is there to harm us? There is none. Perchance, in this +turbulent city, there may be struggle, and a counter-plot to bring +Arsinoe to Egypt and set her on the throne. Therefore Alexandria must +be severely dealt with--ay, even to destruction, if need be. As for +Arsinoe, those go forth to-morrow on the news of the Queen's death who +shall slay her secretly." + +"There remains the lad Caesarion," I said. "Rome might claim through +Caesar's son, and the child of Cleopatra inherits Cleopatra's rights. +Here is a double danger." + +"Fear not," said my uncle; "to-morrow Caesarion joins those who begat him +in Amenti. I have made provision. The Ptolemies must be stamped out, +so that no shoot shall ever spring from that root blasted by Heaven's +vengeance." + +"Is there no other means?" I asked sadly. "My heart is sick at the +promise of this red rain of blood. I know the child well; he has +Cleopatra's fire and beauty and great Caesar's wit. It were shame to +murder him." + +"Nay, be not so chicken-hearted, Harmachis," said my uncle, sternly. +"What ails thee, then? If the lad is thus, the more reason that he +should die. Wouldst thou nurse up a young lion to tear thee from the +throne?" + +"Be it so," I answered, sighing. "At least he is spared much, and will +go hence innocent of evil. Now for the plans." + +We sat long taking counsel, till at length, in face of the great +emergency and our high emprise, I felt something of the spirit of +former days flow back into my heart. At the last all was ordered, and so +ordered that it could scarce miscarry, for it was fixed that if by any +chance I could not come to slay Cleopatra on this night, then the plot +should hang in the scale till the morrow, when the deed must be done +upon occasion. For the death of Cleopatra was the signal. These matters +being finished, once more we stood and, our hands upon the sacred +symbol, swore the oath that may not be written. And then my uncle +kissed me with tears of hope and joy standing in his keen black eyes. He +blessed me, saying that he would gladly give his life, ay, and a hundred +lives, if they were his, if he might but live to see Egypt once more +a nation, and me, Harmachis, the descendant of its royal and ancient +blood, seated on the throne. For he was a patriot indeed, asking nothing +for himself, and giving all things to his cause. And I kissed him in +turn, and thus we parted. Nor did I ever see him more in the flesh who +has earned the rest that as yet is denied to me. + +So I went, and, there being yet time, walked swiftly from place to place +in the great city, taking note of the positions of the gates and of the +places where our forces must be gathered. At length I came to that quay +where I had landed, and saw a vessel sailing for the open sea. I looked, +and in my heaviness of heart longed that I were aboard of her, to be +borne by her white wings to some far shore where I might live obscure +and die forgotten. Also I saw another vessel that had dropped down the +Nile, from whose deck the passengers were streaming. For a moment I +stood watching them, idly wondering if they were from Abouthis, when +suddenly I heard a familiar voice beside me. + +"_La! la!_" said the voice. "Why, what a city is this for an old woman +to seek her fortune in! And how shall I find those to whom I am known? +As well look for the rush in the papyrus-roll.[*] Begone! thou knave! +and let my basket of simples lie; or, by the Gods, I'll doctor thee with +them!" + + [*] Papyrus was manufactured from the pith of rushes. Hence + Atoua's saying.--Editor. + +I turned, wondering, and found myself face to face with my foster-nurse, +Atoua. She knew me instantly, for I saw her start, but in the presence +of the people she checked her surprise. + +"Good Sir," she whined, lifting her withered countenance towards me, and +at the same time making the secret sign. "By thy dress thou shouldst be +an astronomer, and I was specially told to avoid astronomers as a pack +of lying tricksters who worship their own star only; and, therefore, I +speak to thee, acting on the principle of contraries, which is law to us +women. For surely in this Alexandria, where all things are upside +down, the astronomers may be the honest men, since the rest are clearly +knaves." And then, being by now out of earshot of the press, "royal +Harmachis, I am come charged with a message to thee from thy father +Amenemhat." + +"Is he well?" I asked. + +"Yes, he is well, though waiting for the moment tries him sorely." + +"And his message?" + +"It is this. He sends greeting to thee and with it warning that a great +danger threatens thee, though he cannot read it. These are his words: +'Be steadfast and prosper.'" + +I bowed my head and the words struck a new chill of fear into my soul. + +"When is the time?" she asked. + +"This very night. Where goest thou?" + +"To the house of the honourable Sepa, Priest of Annu. Canst thou guide +me thither?" + +"Nay, I may not stay; nor is it wise that I should be seen with thee. +Hold!" and I called a porter who was idling on the quay, and, giving him +a piece of money, bade him guide the old wife to the house. + +"Farewell," she whispered; "farewell till to-morrow. Be steadfast and +prosper." + +Then I turned and went my way through the crowded streets, where the +people made place for me, the astronomer of Cleopatra, for my fame had +spread abroad. + +And even as I went my footsteps seemed to beat _Be steadfast, Be +steadfast, Be steadfast_, till at last it was as though the very ground +cried out its warning to me. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +OF THE VEILED WORDS OF CHARMION; OF THE PASSING OF HARMACHIS INTO THE +PRESENCE OF CLEOPATRA; AND OF THE OVERTHROW OF HARMACHIS + +It was night, and I sat alone in my chamber, waiting the moment when, +as it was agreed, Charmion should summon me to pass down to Cleopatra. I +sat alone, and there before me lay the dagger that was to pierce her. It +was long and keen, and the handle was formed of a sphinx of solid gold. +I sat alone, questioning the future, but no answer came. At length I +looked up, and Charmion stood before me--Charmion, no longer gay and +bright, but pale of face and hollow-eyed. + +"Royal Harmachis," she said, "Cleopatra summons thee, presently to +declare to her the voices of the stars." + +So the hour had fallen! + +"It is well, Charmion," I answered. "Are all things in order?" + +"Yea, my Lord; all things are in order: well primed with wine, Paulus +guards the gates, the eunuchs are withdrawn save one, the legionaries +sleep, and already Sepa and his force lie hid without. Nothing has +been neglected, and no lamb skipping at the shamble doors can be more +innocent of its doom than is Queen Cleopatra." + +"It is well," I said again; "let us be going," and rising, I placed the +dagger in the bosom of my robe. Taking a cup of wine that stood near, I +drank deep of it, for I had scarce tasted food all that day. + +"One word," Charmion said hurriedly, "for it is not yet time: last +night--ah, last night--" and her bosom heaved, "I dreamed a dream that +haunts me strangely, and perchance thou also didst dream a dream. It was +all a dream and 'tis forgotten: is it not so, my Lord?" + +"Yes, yes," I said; "why troublest thou me thus at such an hour?" + +"Nay, I know not; but to-night, Harmachis, Fate is in labour of a great +event, and in her painful throes mayhap she'll crush me in her grip--me +or thee, or the twain of us, Harmachis. And if that be so--well, I would +hear from thee, before it is done, that 'twas naught but a dream, and +that dream forgot----" + +"Yes, it is all a dream," I said idly; "thou and I, and the solid earth, +and this heavy night of terror, ay, and this keen knife--what are these +but dreams, and with what face shall the waking come?" + +"So now, thou fallest in my humour, royal Harmachis. As thou sayest, we +dream; and while we dream yet can the vision change. For the phantasies +of dreams are wonderful, seeing that they have no stability, but vary +like the vaporous edge of sunset clouds, building now this thing, and +now that; being now dark and heavy, and now alight with splendour. +Therefore, before we wake to-morrow tell me one word. Is that vision of +last night, wherein I _seemed_ to be quite shamed, and thou didst _seem_ +to laugh upon my shame, a fixed phantasy, or can it, perchance, yet +change its countenance? For remember, when that waking comes, the +vagaries of our sleep will be more unalterable and more enduring than +are the pyramids. Then they will be gathered into that changeless +region of the past where all things, great and small--ay, even dreams, +Harmachis, are, each in its own semblance, frozen to stone and built +into the Tomb of Time immortal." + +"Nay, Charmion," I replied, "I grieve if I did pain thee; but over that +vision comes no change. I said what was in my heart and there's an end. +Thou art my cousin and my friend, I can never be more to thee." + +"It is well--'tis very well," she said; "let it be forgotten. And now on +from dream--to dream," and she smiled with such a smile as I had never +seen her wear before; it was sadder and more fateful than any stamp that +grief can set upon the brow. + +For, though being blinded by my own folly and the trouble at my heart I +knew it not, with that smile, the happiness of youth died for Charmion +the Egyptian; the hope of love fled; and the holy links of duty burst +asunder. With that smile she consecrated herself to Evil, she renounced +her Country and her Gods, and trampled on her oath. Ay, that smile marks +the moment when the stream of history changed its course. For had I +never seen it on her face Octavianus had not bestridden the world, and +Egypt had once more been free and great. + +And yet it was but a woman's smile! + +"Why lookest thou thus strangely, girl?" I asked. + +"In dreams we smile," she answered. "And now it is time; follow thou me. +Be firm and prosper, royal Harmachis!" and bending forward she took my +hand and kissed it. Then, with one strange last look, she turned and led +the way down the stair and through the empty halls. + +In the chamber that is called the Alabaster Hall, the roof of which +is upborne by columns of black marble, we stayed. For beyond was the +private chamber of Cleopatra, the same in which I had seen her sleeping. + +"Abide thou here," she said, "while I tell Cleopatra of thy coming," and +she glided from my side. + +I stood for long, mayhap in all the half of an hour, counting my own +heart-beats, and, as in a dream, striving to gather up my strength to +that which lay before me. + +At length Charmion came back, her head held low and walking heavily. + +"Cleopatra waits thee," she said: "pass on, there is no guard." + +"Where do I meet thee when what must be done is done?" I asked hoarsely. + +"Thou meetest me here, and then to Paulus. Be firm and prosper. +Harmachis, fare thee well!" + +And so I went; but at the curtain I turned suddenly, and there in the +midst of that lonely lamplit hall I saw a strange sight. Far away, in +such a fashion that the light struck full upon her, stood Charmion, her +head thrown back, her white arms outstretched as though to clasp, and on +her girlish face a stamp of anguished passion so terrible to see that, +indeed, I cannot tell it! For she believed that I, whom she loved, was +passing to my death, and this was her last farewell to me. + +But I knew naught of this matter; so with another passing pang of wonder +I drew aside the curtains, gained the doorway, and stood in Cleopatra's +chamber. And there, upon a silken couch at the far end of the perfumed +chamber, clad in wonderful white attire, rested Cleopatra. In her hand +was a jewelled fan of ostrich plumes, with which she gently fanned +herself, and by her side was her harp of ivory, and a little table +whereon were figs and goblets and a flask of ruby-coloured wine. I drew +near slowly through the soft dim light to where the Wonder of the World +lay in all her glowing beauty. And, indeed, I have never seen her look +so fair as she did upon that fatal night. Couched in her amber cushions, +she seemed to shine as a star on the twilight's glow. Perfume came from +her hair and robes, music fell from her lips, and in her heavenly eyes +all lights changed and gathered as in the ominous opal's disc. + +And this was the woman whom, presently, I must slay! + +Slowly I drew near, bowing as I came; but she took no heed. She lay +there, and the jewelled fan floated to and fro like the bright wing of +some hovering bird. + +At length I stood before her, and she glanced up, the ostrich-plumes +pressed against her breast as though to hide its beauty. + +"What! friend; art thou come?" she said. "It is well; for I grew lonely +here. Nay; 'tis a weary world! We know so many faces, and there are so +few whom we love to see again. Well, stand not there so mute, but be +seated." And she pointed with her fan to a carven chair that was placed +near her feet. + +Once more I bowed and took the seat. + +"I have obeyed the Queen's desire," I said, "and with much care and +skill worked out the lessons of the stars; and here is the record of my +labour. If the Queen permits, I will expound it to her." And I rose, in +order that I might pass round the couch and, as she read, stab her in +the back. + +"Nay, Harmachis," she said quietly, and with a slow and lovely smile. +"Bide thou where thou art, and give me the writing. By Serapis! thy face +is too comely for me to wish to lose the sight of it!" + +Checked in this design, I could do nothing but hand her the papyrus, +thinking to myself that while she read I would arise suddenly and plunge +the dagger to her heart. She took it, and as she did so touched my hand. +Then she made pretence to read. But she read no word, for I saw that her +eyes were fixed upon me over the edge of the scroll. + +"Why placest thou thy hand within thy robe?" she asked presently; for, +indeed, I clutched the dagger's hilt. "Is thy heart stirred?" + +"Yea, O Queen," I said; "it beats high." + +She gave no answer, but once more made pretence to read, and the while +she watched me. + +I took counsel with myself. How should I do the hateful deed? If I flung +myself upon her now she would see me and scream and struggle. Nay, I +must wait a chance. + +"The auguries are favourable, then, Harmachis?" she said at length, +though this she must have guessed. + +"Yes, O Queen," I answered. + +"It is well," and she cast the writing on the marble. "The ships shall +sail. For, good or bad, I am weary of weighing chances." + +"This is a heavy matter, O Queen," I said. "I had wished to show upon +what circumstance I base my forecast." + +"Nay, not so, Harmachis; I have wearied of the ways of stars. Thou hast +prophesied; that is enough for me; for, doubtless, being honest, thou +hast written honestly. Therefore, save thou thy reasons and we'll be +merry. What shall we do? I could dance to thee--there are none who can +dance so well!--but it would scarce be queenly. Nay, I have it. I will +sing." And, leaning forward, she raised herself, and, bending the harp +towards her, struck some wandering chords. Then her low voice broke out +in perfect and most sweet song. + +And thus she sang: + + "Night on the sea, and night upon the sky, + And music in our hearts, we floated there, + Lulled by the low sea voices, thou and I, + And the wind's kisses in my cloudy hair: + And thou didst gaze on me and call me fair-- + Enfolded by the starry robe of night-- + And then thy singing thrilled upon the air, + Voice of the heart's desire and Love's delight. + + 'Adrift, with starlit skies above, + With starlit seas below, + We move with all the suns that move, + With all the seas that flow; + For bond or free, Earth, Sky, and Sea, + Wheel with one circling will, + And thy heart drifteth on to me, + And only time stands still. + + Between two shores of Death we drift, + Behind are things forgot: + Before the tide is driving swift + To lands beholden not. + Above, the sky is far and cold; + Below, the moaning sea + Sweeps o'er the loves that were of old, + But, oh, Love! kiss thou me. + + Ah, lonely are the ocean ways, + And dangerous the deep, + And frail the fairy barque that strays + Above the seas asleep! + Ah, toil no more at sail nor oar, + We drift, or bond or free; + On yon far shore the breakers roar, + But, oh, Love! kiss thou me.' + + "And ever as thou sangest I drew near, + Then sudden silence heard our hearts that beat, + For now there was an end of doubt and fear, + Now passion filled my soul and led my feet; + Then silent didst thou rise thy love to meet, + Who, sinking on thy breast, knew naught but thee, + And in the happy night I kissed thee, Sweet; + Ah, Sweet! between the starlight and the sea." + +The last echoes of her rich notes floated down the chamber, and slowly +died away; but in my heart they rolled on and on. I have heard among +the women-singers at Abouthis voices more perfect than the voice of +Cleopatra, but never have I heard one so thrilling or so sweet with +passion's honey-notes. And indeed it was not the voice alone, it was the +perfumed chamber in which was set all that could move the sense; it +was the passion of the thought and words, and the surpassing grace and +loveliness of that most royal woman who sang them. For, as she sang, I +seemed to think that we twain were indeed floating alone with the night, +upon the starlit summer sea. And when she ceased to touch the harp, and, +rising, suddenly stretched out her arms towards me, and with the last +low notes of song yet quivering upon her lips, let fall the wonder of +her eyes upon my eyes, she almost drew me to her. But I remembered, and +would not. + +"Hast thou, then, no word of thanks for my poor singing, Harmachis?" she +said at length. + +"Yea, O Queen," I answered, speaking very low, for my voice was choked; +"but thy songs are not good for the sons of men to hear--of a truth they +overwhelm me!" + +"Nay, Harmachis; there is no fear for thee," she said laughing softly, +"seeing that I know how far thy thoughts are set from woman's beauty and +the common weakness of thy sex. With cold iron we may safely toy." + +I thought within myself that coldest iron can be brought to whitest heat +if the fire be fierce enough. But I said nothing, and, though my hand +trembled, I once more grasped the dagger's hilt, and, wild with fear +at my own weakness, set myself to find a means to slay her while yet my +sense remained. + +"Come hither, Harmachis," she went on, in her softest voice. "Come, sit +by me, and we will talk together; for I have much to tell thee," and she +made place for me at her side upon the silken seat. + +And I, thinking that I might so more swiftly strike, rose and seated +myself some little way from her on the couch, while, flinging back her +head, she gazed on me with her slumbrous eyes. + +Now was my occasion, for her throat and breast were bare, and, with a +mighty effort, once again I lifted my hand to clutch the dagger-hilt. +But, more quick than thought, she caught my fingers with her own and +gently held them. + +"Why lookest thou so wildly, Harmachis?" she said. "Art sick?" + +"Ay, sick indeed!" I gasped. + +"Then lean thou on the cushions and rest thee," she answered, still +holding my hand, from which the strength had fled. "The fit will surely +pass. Too long hast thou laboured with thy stars. How soft is the night +air that flows from yonder casement heavy with the breath of lilies! +Hark to the whisper of the sea lapping against the rocks, that, though +it is faint, yet, being so strong, doth almost drown the quick cool fall +of yonder fountain. List to Philomel; how sweet from a full heart of +love she sings her message to her dear! Indeed it is a lovely night, and +most beautiful is Nature's music, sung with a hundred voices from wind +and trees and birds and ocean's wrinkled lips, and yet sung all to tune. +Listen, Harmachis: I have guessed something concerning thee. Thou, too, +art of a royal race; no humble blood pours in those veins of thine. +Surely such a shoot could spring but from the stock of Princes? What! +gazest thou at the leafmark on my breast? It was pricked there in honour +of great Osiris, whom with thee I worship. See!" + +"Let me hence," I groaned, striving to rise; but all my strength had +gone. + +"Nay, not yet awhile. Thou wouldst not leave me yet? thou _canst_ not +leave me yet. Harmachis, hast thou never loved?" + +"Nay, nay, O Queen! What have I to do with love? Let me hence!--I am +faint--I am fordone!" + +"Never to have loved--'tis strange! Never to have known some woman-heart +beat all in tune to thine--never to have seen the eyes of thy +adored aswim with passion's tears, as she sighed her vows upon thy +breast!--Never to have loved!--never to have lost thyself in the mystery +of another's soul; nor to have learned how Nature can overcome our naked +loneliness, and with the golden web of love of twain weave one identity! +Why, it is never to have lived, Harmachis!" + +And ever as she murmured she drew nearer to me, till at last, with a +long, sweet sigh, she flung one arm about my neck, and gazed upon me +with blue, unfathomable eyes, and smiled her dark, slow smile, that, +like an opening flower, revealed beauty within beauty hidden. Nearer +she bent her queenly form, and still more near--now her perfumed breath +played upon my hair, and now her lips met mine. + +And woe is me! In that kiss, more deadly and more strong than the +embrace of Death, were forgotten Isis, my heavenly Hope, Oaths, Honour, +Country, Friends, all things--all things save that Cleopatra clasped me +in her arms, and called me Love and Lord. + +"Now pledge me," she sighed; "pledge me one cup of wine in token of thy +love." + +I took the draught, and I drank deep; then too late I knew that it was +drugged. + +I fell upon the couch, and, though my senses still were with me, I could +neither speak nor rise. + +But Cleopatra, bending over me, drew the dagger from my robe. + +"_I've won!_" she cried, shaking back her long hair. "I've won, and for +the stake of Egypt, why, 'twas a game worth playing! With this dagger, +then, thou wouldst have slain me, O my royal Rival, whose myrmidons even +now are gathered at my palace gate? Art still awake? Now what hinders me +that I should not plunge it to _thy_ heart?" + +I heard and feebly pointed to my breast, for I was fain to die. She +drew herself to the full of her imperial height, and the great knife +glittered in her hand. Down it came till its edge pricked my flesh. + +"Nay," she cried again, and cast it from her, "too well I like thee. +It were pity to slay such a man! I give thee thy life. Live on, lost +Pharaoh! Live on, poor fallen Prince, blasted by a woman's wit! Live on, +Harmachis--to adorn my triumph!" + + + +Then sight left me; and in my ears I only heard the song of the +nightingale, the murmur of the sea, and the music of Cleopatra's laugh +of victory. And as I sank away, the sound of that low laugh still +followed me into the land of sleep, and still it follows me through life +to death. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OF THE AWAKING OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SIGHT OF DEATH; OF THE COMING OF +CLEOPATRA; AND OF HER COMFORTABLE WORDS + +Once more I woke; it was to find myself in my own chamber. I started up. +Surely, I, too, had dreamed a dream? It could be nothing but a dream? +It could not be that I woke to know myself a _traitor!_ That the +opportunity had gone for ever! That I had betrayed the cause, and that +last night those brave men, headed by my uncle, had waited in vain +at the outer gate! That Egypt from Abu to Athu was even now +waiting--waiting in vain! Nay, whatever else might be, this could not +be! Oh, it was an awful dream which I had dreamed! a second such would +slay a man. It were better to die than face such another vision sent +from hell. But, though the thing was naught but a hateful phantasy of a +mind o'er-strained, where was I now? Where was I now? I should be in the +Alabaster Hall, waiting till Charmion came forth. + +Where was I? and O ye Gods! what was that dreadful thing, whose shape +was the shape of a man?--that thing draped in bloodstained white and +huddled in a hideous heap at the foot of the couch on which I seemed to +lie? + +I sprang at it with a shriek, as a lion springs, and struck with all my +strength. The blow fell heavily, and beneath its weight the thing +rolled over upon its side. Half mad with terror, I rent away the white +covering; and there, his knees bound beneath his hanging jaw, was the +naked body of a man--and that man the Roman Captain Paulus! There he +lay, through his heart a dagger--my dagger, handled with the sphinx of +gold!--and pinned by its blade to his broad breast a scroll, and on the +scroll, writing in the Roman character. I drew near and read, and this +was the writing: + +HARMACHIDI.SALVERE.EGO.SUM.QUEM.SUBDERE.NORAS +PAULUS.ROMANUS.DISCE.HINC.QUID.PRODERE.PROSIT. + +"Greeting, Harmachis! I was that Roman Paulus whom thou didst suborn. +Learn now how blessed are traitors!" + +Sick and faint I staggered back from the sight of that white corpse +stained with its own blood. Sick and faint I staggered back, till the +wall stayed me, while without the birds sang a merry greeting to the +day. So it was no dream, and I was lost! lost! + +I thought of my aged father, Amenemhat. Yes, the vision of him flashed +into my mind, as he would be, when they came to tell him his son's shame +and the ruin of all his hopes. I thought of that patriot priest, my +uncle Sepa, waiting the long night through for the signal which never +came. Ah, and another thought followed swift! How would it go with +them? I was not the only traitor. I, too, had been betrayed. By whom? By +yonder Paulus, perchance. If it were Paulus, he knew but little of +those who conspired with me. But the secret lists had been in my robe. O +Osiris! they were gone! and the fate of Paulus would be the fate of all +the patriots in Egypt. And at this thought my mind gave way. I sank and +swooned even where I stood. + +My sense came back to me, and the lengthening shadows told me that it +was afternoon. I staggered to my feet; the corpse of Paulus was still +there, keeping its awful watch above me. I ran desperately to the door. +It was barred, and without I heard the tramp of sentinels. As I stood +they challenged and grounded their spears. Then the bolts were shot +back, the door opened, and radiant, clad in royal attire, came the +conquering Cleopatra. She came alone, and the door was shut behind her. +I stood like one distraught; but she swept on till she was face to face +with me. + +"Greeting, Harmachis," she said, smiling sweetly. "So, my messenger has +found thee!" and she pointed to the corpse of Paulus. "Pah! he has an +ugly look. Ho! guards!" + +The door was opened, and two armed Gauls stepped across the threshold. + +"Take away this carrion," said Cleopatra, "and fling it to the kites. +Stay, draw that dagger from his traitor breast." The men bowed low, and +the knife, rusted red with blood, was dragged from the heart of Paulus +and laid upon the table. Then they seized him by the head and body and +staggered thence, and I heard their heavy footfalls as they bore him +down the stairs. + +"Methinks, Harmachis, thou art in an evil case," she said, when the +sound of the footfalls had died away. "How strangely the wheel of +Fortune turns! But for that traitor," and she nodded towards the door +through which the corpse of Paulus had been carried, "I should now be as +ill a thing to look on as he is, and the red rust on yonder knife would +have been gathered from _my_ heart." + +So it was Paulus who had betrayed me. + +"Ay," she went on, "and when thou camest to me last night, I _knew_ that +thou camest to slay. When, time upon time, thou didst place thy hand +within thy robe, I knew that it grasped a dagger hilt, and that thou +wast gathering thy courage to the deed which thou didst little love +to do. Oh! it was a strange wild hour, well worth the living, and +I wondered greatly, from moment to moment, which of us twain would +conquer, as we matched guile with guile and force to force! + +"Yea, Harmachis, the guards tramp before thy door, but be not deceived. +Did I not know that I hold thee to me by bonds more strong than prison +chains--did I not know that I am hedged from ill at thy hands by a fence +of honour harder for thee to pass than all the spears of all my legions, +thou hadst been dead ere now, Harmachis. See, here is thy knife," and +she handed me the dagger; "now slay me if thou canst," and she drew +near, tore open the bosom of her robe, and stood waiting with calm eyes. + +"Thou canst not slay me," she went on; "for there are things, as I know +well, that no man--no man such as thou art--may do and live: and this is +the chief of them--to slay the woman who is all his own. Nay, stay thy +hand! Turn not that dagger against thy breast, for if thou mayst not +slay me, by how much more mayst thou not slay thyself, O thou forsworn +Priest of Isis! Art thou, then, so eager to face that outraged Majesty +in Amenti? With what eyes, thinkest thou, will the Heavenly Mother look +upon Her son, who, shamed in all things and false to his most sacred +vow, comes to greet Her, his life-blood on his hands? Where, then, will +be the space for thy atonement?--if, indeed, thou mayest atone!" + +Then I could bear no more, for my heart was broken. Alas! it was too +true--I dared not die! I was come to such a pass that I did not even +dare to die! I flung myself upon the couch and wept--wept tears of blood +and anguish. + +But Cleopatra came to me, and, seating herself beside me, she strove to +comfort me, throwing her arms about my neck. + +"Nay, love, look up," she said; "all is not lost for thee, nor am I +angered against thee. We did play a mighty game; but, as I warned thee, +I matched my woman's magic against thine, and I have conquered. But I +will be open with thee. Both as Queen and woman thou hast my pity--ay, +and more; nor do I love to see thee plunged in sorrow. It was well +and right that thou shouldst strive to win back that throne my fathers +seized, and the ancient liberty of Egypt. Myself as lawful Queen had +done the same, nor shrunk from the deed of darkness to which 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 woman--as loving woman--thou +hast my sympathy. Nor is all lost. Thy plan was foolish--for, as I hold, +Egypt could never have stood alone--for though thou hadst won the crown +and country--as without a doubt thou must have done--yet 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 mine--nay, not thine +own, Harmachis. Yet I have been heavily shackled heretofore--for 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 heart--fie 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 +good--ay, 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 me--those who trusted me--what 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 others--oh, 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 chariot--not as Achilles dragged Hector, but yet +living--round 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, +because--such are a woman's reasons--thou 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 one--it 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 thee--if 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 Aphrodite +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 +throne--even 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 love--though, in truth, she liked me well enough--she 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 +continually. But, though her words of love were many, she would tell me +nothing of how things went without. She came in many moods--now gay and +laughing, now full of wise thoughts and speech, and now passionate only, +and to every mood she gave some new-found charm. She was full of talk as +to how I should help her make Egypt great, and lessen the burdens on +the people, and fright the Roman eagles back. And, though at first I +listened heavily when she spoke thus, by slow advance as she wrapped +me closer and yet more close in her magic web, from which there was no +escape, my mind fell in time with hers. Then I, too, opened something +of my heart, and somewhat also of the plans that I had formed for Egypt. +She seemed to listen gladly, weighing them all, and spoke of means +and methods, telling me how she would purify the Faith and repair the +ancient temples--ay, and build new ones to the Gods. And ever she crept +deeper into my heart, till at length, now that every other thing had +gone from me, I learned to love her with all the unspent passion of my +aching soul. I had naught left to me but Cleopatra's love, and I twined +my life about it, and brooded on it as a widow over her only babe. And +thus the very author of my shame became my all, my dearest dear, and +I loved her with a strong love that grew and grew, till it seemed to +swallow up the past and make the present a dream. For she had conquered +me, she had robbed me of my honour, and steeped me to the lips in shame, +and I, poor fallen, blinded wretch, I kissed the rod that smote me, and +was her very slave. + +Ay, even now, in those dreams which still come when Sleep unlocks the +secret heart, and sets its terrors free to roam through the opened halls +of Thought, I seem to see her royal form, as erst I saw it, come with +arms outstretched and Love's own light shining in her eyes, with lips +apart and flowing locks, and stamped upon her face the look of utter +tenderness that she alone could wear. Ay, still, after all the years, I +seem to see her come as erst she came, and still I wake to know her an +unutterable lie! + +And thus one day she came. She had fled in haste, she said, from some +great council summoned concerning the wars of Antony in Syria, and +she came, as she had left the council, in all her robes of state, the +sceptre in her hand, and on her brow the uraeus diadem of gold. There she +sat before me, laughing; for, wearying of them, she had told the envoys +to whom she gave audience in the council that she was called from their +presence by a sudden message come from Rome; and the jest seemed merry +to her. Suddenly she rose, took the diadem from her brow, and set it +on my hair, and on my shoulders her royal mantle, and in my hand the +sceptre, and bowed the knee before me. Then, laughing again, she kissed +me on the lips, and said I was indeed her King. But, remembering how +I had been crowned in the halls of Abouthis, and remembering also that +wreath of roses of which the odour haunts me yet, I rose, pale with +wrath, and cast the trinkets from me, asking how she dared to mock +me--her caged bird. And I think there was that about me which startled +her, for she fell back. + +"Nay, Harmachis," she said, "be not wroth! How knowest thou that I mock +thee? How knowest thou that thou shalt not be Pharaoh in fact and deed?" + +"What meanest thou?" I said. "Wilt thou, then, wed me before Egypt? How +else can I be Pharaoh now?" + +She cast down her eyes. "Perchance, love, it is in my mind to wed thee," +she said gently. "Listen," she went on: "Thou growest pale, here, in +this prison, and thou dost eat little. Gainsay me not! I know it from +the slaves. I have kept thee here, Harmachis, for thy own sake, that is +so dear to me; and for thy own sake, and thy honour's sake, thou must +still seem to be my prisoner. Else wouldst thou be shamed and slain--ay, +murdered secretly. But I can meet thee here no more! therefore to-morrow +I shall free thee in all, save in the name, and thou shalt once more be +seen at Court as my astronomer. And I will give this reason--that thou +hast cleared thyself; and, moreover, that thy auguries as regards the +war have been auguries of truth--as, indeed, they have, though for +this I have no cause to thank thee, seeing that thou didst suit thy +prophecies to fit thy cause. Now, farewell; for I must return to those +heavy-browed ambassadors; and grow not so sudden wroth, Harmachis, for +who knows what may come to pass betwixt thee and me?" + +And, with a little nod, she went, leaving it on my mind that she had it +in her heart to wed me openly. And of a truth, I believe that, at this +hour, such was her thought. For, if she loved me not, still she held me +dear, and as yet she had not wearied of me. + +On the morrow Cleopatra came not, but Charmion came--Charmion, whom +I had not seen since that fatal night of ruin. She entered and stood +before me, with pale face and downcast eyes, and her first words were +words of bitterness. + +"Pardon me," she said, in her gentle voice, "in that I dare to come to +thee in Cleopatra's place. Thy joy is not delayed for long, for thou +shalt see her presently." + +I shrank at her words, as well I might, and, seeing her vantage, she +seized it. + +"I come, Harmachis--royal no more!--I come to say that thou art free! +Thou art free to face thine own infamy, and see it thrown back from +every eye which trusted thee, as shadows are from water. I come to tell +thee that the great plot--the plot of twenty years and more--is at its +utter end. None have been slain, indeed, unless it is Sepa, who has +vanished. But all the leaders have been seized and put in chains, or +driven from the land, and their party is broken and scattered. The storm +has melted before it burst. Egypt is lost, and lost for ever, for her +last hope is gone! No longer may she struggle--now for all time she +must bow her neck to the yoke, and bare her back to the rod of the +oppressor!" + +I groaned aloud. "Alas, I was betrayed!" I said. "Paulus betrayed us." + +"Thou wast betrayed? Nay, thou thyself wast the betrayer! How came it +that thou didst not slay Cleopatra when thou wast alone with her? Speak, +thou forsworn!" + +"She drugged me," I said again. + +"O Harmachis!" answered the pitiless girl, "how low art thou fallen from +that Prince whom once I knew!--thou who dost not scorn to be a liar! +Yea, thou wast drugged--drugged with a love-philtre! Yea, thou didst +sell Egypt and thy cause for the price of a wanton's kiss! Thou Sorrow +and thou Shame!" she went on, pointing her finger at me and lifting her +eyes to my face, "thou Scorn!--thou Outcast!--and thou Contempt! Deny +it if thou canst. Ay, shrink from me--knowing what thou art, well mayst +thou shrink! Crawl to Cleopatra's feet, and kiss her sandals till such +time as it pleases her to trample thee in thy kindred dirt; but from all +honest folk _shrink!_--_shrink!_" + +My soul quivered beneath the lash of her bitter scorn and hate, but I +had no words to answer. + +"How comes it," I said at last in a heavy voice, "that thou, too, art +not betrayed, but art still here to taunt me, thou who once didst +swear that thou didst love me? Being a woman, hast thou no pity for the +frailty of man?" + +"My name was not on the lists," she said, dropping her dark eyes. "Here +is an opportunity: betray me also, Harmachis! Ay, it is because I once +loved thee--dost thou, indeed, remember it?--that I feel thy fall the +more. The shame of one whom we have loved must in some sort become our +shame, and must ever cling to us, because we blindly held a thing so +base close to our inmost heart. Art thou also, then, a fool? Wouldst +thou, fresh from thy royal wanton's arms, come to me for comfort--to +_me_ of all the world?" + +"How know I," I said, "that it was not thou who, in thy jealous anger, +didst betray our plans? Charmion, long ago Sepa warned me against thee, +and of a truth now that I recall----" + +"It is like a traitor," she broke in, reddening to her brow, "to think +that all are of his family, and hold a common mind! Nay, I betrayed thee +not; it was that poor knave, Paulus, whose heart failed him at the last, +and who is rightly served. Nor will I stay to hear thoughts so base. +Harmachis--royal no more!--Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, bids me say that +thou art free, and that she waits thee in the Alabaster Hall." + +And shooting one swift glance through her long lashes she curtsied and +was gone. + + + +So once more I came and went about the Court, though but sparingly, for +my heart was full of shame and terror, and on every face I feared to see +the scorn of those who knew me for what I was. But I saw nothing, for +all those who had knowledge of the plot had fled, and Charmion had +spoken no word, for her own sake. Also, Cleopatra had put it about that +I was innocent. But my guilt lay heavy on me, and made me thin and wore +away the beauty of my countenance. And though I was free in name, yet I +was ever watched; nor might I stir beyond the palace grounds. + +And at length came the day which brought with it Quintus Dellius, that +false Roman knight who ever served the rising star. He bore letters +to Cleopatra from Marcus Antonius, the Triumvir, who, fresh from the +victory of Philippi, was now in Asia wringing gold from the subject +kings with which to satisfy the greed of his legionaries. + +Well I mind me of the day. Cleopatra, clad in her robes of state, +attended by the officers of her Court, among whom I stood, sat in +the great hall on her throne of gold, and bade the heralds admit the +Ambassador of Antony, the Triumvir. The great doors were thrown wide, +and amidst the blare of trumpets and salutes of the Gallic guards the +Roman came in, clad in glittering golden armour and a scarlet cloak of +silk, and followed by his suite of officers. He was smooth-faced and +fair to look upon, and with a supple form; but his mouth was cold, and +false were his shifting eyes. And while the heralds called out his name, +titles, and offices, he fixed his gaze on Cleopatra--who sat idly on her +throne all radiant with beauty--as a man who is amazed. Then when +the heralds had made an end, and he still stood thus, not stirring, +Cleopatra spoke in the Latin tongue: + +"Greeting to thee, noble Dellius, envoy of the most mighty Antony, whose +shadow lies across the world as though Mars himself now towered up above +us petty Princes--greeting and welcome to our poor city of Alexandria. +Unfold, we pray thee, the purpose of thy coming." + +Still the crafty Dellius made no answer, but stood as a man amazed. + +"What ails thee, noble Dellius, that thou dost not speak?" asked +Cleopatra. "Hast thou, then, wandered so long in Asia that the doors of +Roman speech are shut to thee? What tongue hast thou? Name it, and We +will speak in it--for all tongues are known to Us." + +Then at last he spoke in a soft full voice: "Oh, pardon me, most lovely +Egypt, if I have thus been stricken dumb before thee: but too great +beauty, like Death himself, doth paralyse the tongue and steal our sense +away. The eyes of him who looks upon the fires of the mid-day sun are +blind to all beside, and thus this sudden vision of thy glory, royal +Egypt, overwhelmed my mind, and left me helpless and unwitting of all +things else." + +"Of a truth, noble Dellius," answered Cleopatra, "they teach a pretty +school of flattery yonder in Cilicia." + +"How goes the saying here in Alexandria?" replied the courtly Roman: +"'The breath of flattery cannot waft a cloud,'[*] does it not? But to +my task. Here, royal Egypt, are letters under the hand and seal of +the noble Antony treating of certain matters of the State. Is it thy +pleasure that I should read them openly?" + + [*] In other words, what is Divine is beyond the reach of + human praise.--Editor. + +"Break the seals and read," she answered. + +Then bowing, he broke the seals and read: + +"The _Triumviri Reipublicae Constituendae_, by the mouth of Marcus +Antonius, the Triumvir, to Cleopatra, by grace of the Roman People Queen +of Upper and Lower Egypt, send greeting. Whereas it has come to our +knowledge that thou, Cleopatra, hast, contrary to thy promise and thy +duty, both by thy servant Allienus and by thy servant Serapion, the +Governor of Cyprus, aided the rebel murderer Cassius against the arms +of the most noble Triumvirate. And, whereas it has come to our knowledge +that thou thyself wast but lately making ready a great fleet to this +end. We summon thee that thou dost without delay journey to Cilicia, +there to meet the noble Antony, and in person make answer concerning +these charges which are laid against thee. And we warn thee that if thou +dost disobey this our summons it is at thy peril. Farewell." + +The eyes of Cleopatra flashed as she hearkened to these high words, and +I saw her hands tighten on the golden lions' heads whereon they rested. + +"We have had the flattery," she said; "and now, lest we be cloyed with +sweets, we have its antidote! Listen thou, Dellius: the charges in that +letter, or, rather, in that writ of summons, are false, as all folk can +bear us witness. But it is not now, and it is not to thee, that We +will make defence of our acts of war and policy. Nor will We leave our +kingdom to journey into far Cilicia, and there, like some poor suppliant +at law, plead our cause before the Court of the Noble Antony. If Antony +would have speech with us, and inquire concerning these high matters, +the sea is open, and his welcome shall be royal. Let him come thither! +That is our answer to thee and to the Triumvirate, O Dellius!" + +But Dellius smiled as one who would put away the weight of wrath, and +once more spoke: + +"Royal Egypt, thou knowest not the noble Antony. He is stern on paper, +and ever he sets down his thoughts as though his stylus were a spear +dipped in the blood of men. But face to face with him, thou, of all the +world, shalt find him the gentlest warrior that ever won a battle. Be +advised, O Egypt! and come. Send me not hence with such angry words, for +if thou dost draw Antony to Alexandria, then woe to Alexandria, to the +people of the Nile, and to thee, great Egypt! For then he will come +armed and breathing war, and it shall go hard with thee, who dost defy +the gathered might of Rome. I pray thee, then, obey this summons. +Come to Cilicia; come with peaceful gifts and not in arms. Come in thy +beauty, and tricked in thy best attire, and thou hast naught to fear +from the noble Antony." He paused and looked at her meaningly; while I, +taking his drift, felt the angry blood surge into my face. + +Cleopatra, too, understood, for I saw her rest her chin upon her hand +and the cloud of thought gathered in her eyes. For a time she sat thus, +while the crafty Dellius watched her curiously. And Charmion, standing +with the other ladies by the throne, she also read his meaning, for +her face lit up, as a summer cloud lights in the evening when the broad +lightning flares behind it. Then once more it grew pale and quiet. + +At length Cleopatra spoke. "This is a heavy matter," she said, "and +therefore, noble Dellius, we must have time to let our judgment ripen. +Rest thou here, and make thee as merry as our poor circumstances allow. +Thou shalt have thy answer within ten days." + +The envoy thought awhile, then replied smiling: "It is well, O Egypt; on +the tenth day from now I will attend for my answer, and on the eleventh +I sail hence to join Antony my Lord." + +Once more, at a sign from Cleopatra, the trumpets blared, and he +withdrew bowing. + + + +CHAPTER X + +OF THE TROUBLE OF CLEOPATRA; OF HER OATH TO HARMACHIS; AND OF THE +TELLING BY HARMACHIS TO CLEOPATRA OF THE SECRET OF THE TREASURE THAT LAY +BENEATH THE MASS OF "HER" + +That same night Cleopatra summoned me to her private chamber. I went, +and found her much troubled in mind; never before had I seen her so +deeply moved. She was alone, and, like some trapped lioness, walked to +and fro across the marble floor, while thought chased thought across her +mind, each, as clouds scudding over the sea, for a moment casting its +shadow in her deep eyes. + +"So thou art come, Harmachis," she said, resting for a while, as she +took my hand. "Counsel me, for never did I need counsel more. Oh, what +days have the Gods measured out to me--days restless as the ocean! I +have known no peace from childhood up, and it seems none shall I know. +Scarce by a very little have I escaped thy dagger's point, Harmachis, +when this new trouble, that, like a storm, has gathered beneath the +horizon's rim, suddenly bursts over me. Didst mark that tigerish fop? +Well should I love to trap him! How soft he spoke! Ay, he purred like +a cat, and all the time he stretched his claws. Didst hear the letter, +too? it has an ugly sound. I know this Antony. When I was but a child, +budding into womanhood, I saw him; but my eyes were ever quick, and I +took his measure. Half Hercules and half a fool, with a dash of genius +veining his folly through. Easily led by those who enter at the gates of +his voluptuous sense; but if crossed, an iron foe. True to his friends, +if, indeed, he loves them; and ofttimes false to his own interest. +Generous, hardy, and in adversity a man of virtue; in prosperity a sot +and a slave to woman. That is Antony. How deal with such a man, +whom fate and opportunity, despite himself, have set on the crest of +fortune's wave? One day it will overwhelm him; but till that day he +sweeps across the world and laughs at those who drown." + +"Antony is but a man," I answered, "and a man with many foes; and, being +but a man, he can be overthrown." + +"Ay, he can be overthrown; but he is one of three, Harmachis. Now that +Cassius hath gone where all fools go, Rome has thrown out a hydra head. +Crush one, and another hisses in thy face. There's Lepidus, and with +him, that young Octavianus, whose cold eyes may yet with a smile of +triumph look on the murdered forms of empty, worthless Lepidus, of +Antony, and of Cleopatra. If I go not to Cilicia, mark thou! Antony will +knit up a peace with these Parthians, and, taking the tales they tell +of me for truth--and, indeed, there is truth in them--will fall with all +his force on Egypt. And how then?" + +"How then? Why, then we'll drum him back to Rome." + +"Ah, thou sayest so, and, perchance, Harmachis, had I not won that game +we played together some twelve days gone, thou, being Pharaoh, mightest +well have done this thing, for round thy throne old Egypt would have +gathered. But Egypt loves not me nor my Greek blood; and I have but now +scattered that great plot of thine, in which half the land was meshed. +Will these men, then, arise to succour me? Were Egypt true to me, I +could, indeed, hold my own against all the force that Rome may bring; +but Egypt hates me, and had as lief be ruled by the Roman as the Greek. +Still I might make defence had I the gold, for with money soldiers +can be bought to feed the maw of mercenary battle. But I have none; my +treasuries are dry, and though there is wealth in the land, yet debts +perplex me. These wars have brought me ruin, and I know not how to +find a talent. Perchance, Harmachis, thou who art, by hereditary right, +Priest of the Pyramids," and she drew near and looked me in the eyes, +"perchance, if long descended rumour does not lie, thou canst tell me +where I can touch the gold to save thy land from ruin, and thy Love from +the grasp of Antony? Say, is it so?" + +I thought a while, and then I answered: + +"And if such a tale were true, and if I could show thee treasure stored +by the mighty Pharaohs of the most far-off age against the needs of +Khem, how can I know that thou wouldst indeed make use of that wealth to +those good ends?" + +"Is there, then, a treasure?" she asked curiously. "Nay, fret me not, +Harmachis; for of a truth the very name of gold at this time of want is +like the sight of water in the desert." + +"I believe," I said, "that there is such a treasure, though I myself +have never seen it. But I know this, that if it still lie in the place +where it was set, it is because so heavy a curse will rest upon him who +shall lay hands on it wickedly and for selfish ends, that none of those +Pharaohs to whom it has been shown have dared to touch it, however sore +their need." + +"So," she said, "they were cowardly aforetime, or else their need was +not great. Wilt thou show me this treasure, then, Harmachis?" + +"Perhaps," I answered, "I will show it to thee if it still be there, +when thou hast sworn that thou wilt use it to defend Egypt from this +Roman Antony and for the welfare of her people." + +"I swear it!" she said earnestly. "Oh, I swear by every God in Khem +that if thou showest me this great treasure, I will defy Antony and send +Dellius back to Cilicia with sharper words than those he brought. Yes, +I'll do more, Harmachis: so soon as may be, I will take thee to husband +before all the world, and thou thyself shalt carry out thy plans and +beat off the Roman eagles." + +Thus she spoke, gazing at me with truthful, earnest eyes. I believed +her, and for the first time since my fall was for a moment happy, +thinking that all was not lost to me, and that with Cleopatra, whom I +loved thus madly, I might yet win my place and power back. + +"Swear it, Cleopatra!" I said. + +"I swear, beloved! and thus I seal my oath!" and she kissed me on the +forehead. And I, too, kissed her; and we talked of what we would do when +we were wed, and how we should overcome the Roman. + +And thus I was again beguiled; though I believe that, had it not been +for the jealous anger of Charmion--which, as shall be seen, was ever +urging her forward to fresh deeds of shame--Cleopatra would have wedded +me and broken with the Roman. And, indeed, in the issue, it had been +better for her and Egypt. + +We sat far into the night, and I revealed to her somewhat of that +ancient secret of the mighty treasure hid beneath the mass of _Her_. +Thither, it was agreed, we should go on the morrow, and the second +night from now attempt its search. So, early on the next day, a boat +was secretly made ready, and Cleopatra entered it, veiled as an Egyptian +lady about to make a pilgrimage to the Temple of Horemkhu. And I also +entered, cloaked as a pilgrim, and with us ten of her most trusted +servants disguised as sailors. But Charmion went not with us. We sailed +with a fair wind from the Canopic mouth of the Nile; and that night, +pushing on with the moon, we reached Sais at midnight, and here rested +for a while. At dawn we once more loosed our craft, and all that day +sailed swiftly, till, at last, at the third hour from the sunset, we +came in sight of the lights of that fortress which is called Babylon. +Here, on the opposite bank of the river, we moored our ship safely in a +bed of reeds. + +Then, on foot and secretly, we set out for the pyramids, which were at +a distance of two leagues, Cleopatra, I and one trusted eunuch, for +we left the other servants with the boat. Only I caught an ass for +Cleopatra to ride that was wandering in a tilled field, and threw a +cloak upon it. She sat on it and I led the ass by paths I knew, the +eunuch following us on foot. And, within little more than an hour, +having gained the great causeway, we saw the mighty pyramids towering up +through the moonlit air and aweing us to silence. We passed on in utter +silence, through the haunted city of the dead, for all around us stood +the solemn tombs, till at length we climbed the rocky hill, and stood in +the deep shadow of Khufu Khut, the splendid Throne of Khufu. + +"Of a truth," whispered Cleopatra, as she gazed up the dazzling +marble slope above her, everywhere blazoned over with a million mystic +characters--"of a truth, there were Gods ruling in Khem in those days, +and not men. This place is sad as Death--ay, and as mighty and far from +man. Is it here that we must enter?" + +"Nay," I answered, "it is not here. Pass on." + +I led the way through a thousand ancient tombs, till we stood in the +shadow of Ur the Great, and gazed at his red heaven-piercing mass. + +"Is it here that we must enter?" she whispered once again. + +"Nay," I answered, "it is not here. Pass on." + +We passed on through many more tombs, till we stood in the shadow of +_Her_,[*] and Cleopatra gazed astonished at its polished beauty, which +for thousands of years, night by night, had mirrored back the moon, and +at the black girdle of Ethiopian stone that circled its base about. For +this is the most beautiful of all pyramids. + + [*] The "Upper," now known as the Third Pyramid.--Editor. + +"Is it here that we must enter?" she said. + +I answered, "It is here." + +We passed round between the Temple of the Worship of his Divine Majesty, +Menkau-ra, the Osirian, and in the base of the pyramid till we came +to the north side. Here in the centre is graved the name of Pharaoh +Menkau-ra, who built the pyramid to be his tomb, and stored his treasure +in it against the need of Khem. + +"If the treasure still remains," I said to Cleopatra, "as it remained in +the days of my great-great-grandfather, who was Priest of this +Pyramid before me, it is hid deep in the womb of the mass before thee, +Cleopatra; nor can it be come by without toil, danger, and terror of +mind. Art thou prepared to enter--for thou thyself must enter and must +judge?" + +"Canst thou not go in with the eunuch, Harmachis, and bring the treasure +forth?" she said, for a little her courage began to fail her. + +"Nay, Cleopatra," I answered, "not even for thee and for the weal of +Egypt can I do this thing, for of all sins it would be the greatest +sin. But it is lawful for me to do this. I, as hereditary holder of the +secret, may, upon demand, show to the ruling monarch of Khem the place +where the treasure lies, and show also the warning that is written. And +if on seeing and reading, the Pharaoh deems that the need of Khem is so +sore and strait that it is lawful for him to brave the curse of the Dead +and draw forth the treasure, it is well, for on his head must rest the +weight of this dread deed. Three monarchs--so say the records that I +have read--have thus dared to enter in the time of need. They were the +Divine Queen Hatshepsu, that wonder known to the Gods alone; her Divine +brother Tahutimes Men-Kheper-ra; and the Divine Rameses Mi-amen. But of +these three Majesties, not one when they saw dared to touch; for, though +sharp their need, it was not great enough to consecrate the act. +So, fearing lest the curse should fall upon them, they went hence +sorrowing." + +She thought a little, till at last her spirit overcame her fear. + +"At the least I will see with mine own eyes," she said. + +"It is well," I answered. Then, stones having been piled up by me and +the eunuch who was with us on a certain spot at the base of the pyramid, +to somewhat more than the height of a man, I climbed on them and +searched for the secret mark, no larger than a leaf. I found it with +some trouble, for the weather and the rubbing of the wind-stirred sand +had worn even the Ethiopian stone. Having found it, I pressed on it with +all my strength in a certain fashion. Even after the lapse of many years +the stone swung round, showing a little opening, through which a man +might scarcely creep. As it swung, a mighty bat, white in colour as +though with unreckoned age, and such as I had never seen before for +bigness, for his measure was the measure of a hawk, flew forth and for a +moment hovered over Cleopatra, then sailed slowly up and up in circles, +till at last he was lost in the bright light of the moon. + +But Cleopatra uttered a cry of terror, and the eunuch, who was watching, +fell down in fear, believing it to be the guardian Spirit of the +pyramid. And I, too, feared, though I said nothing. For even now I +believe that it was the Spirit of Menkau-ra, the Osirian, who, taking +the form of a bat, flew forth from his holy House in warning. + +I waited a while, till the foul air should clear from the passage. Then +I drew out the lamps, kindled them, and passed them, to the number +of three, into the entrance of the passage. This done, I went to the +eunuch, and, taking him aside, I swore him by the living spirit of Him +who sleeps at Abouthis that he should not reveal those things which he +was about to see. + +This he swore, trembling sorely, for he was very much afraid. Nor, +indeed, did he reveal them. + +This done, I clambered through the opening, taking with me a coil of +rope, which I wound around my middle, and beckoned to Cleopatra to come. +Making fast the skirt of her robe, she came, and I drew her through the +opening, so that at length she stood behind me in the passage which +is lined with slabs of granite. After her came the eunuch, and he also +stood in the passage. Then, having taken counsel of the plan of the +passage that I had brought with me, and which, in signs that none but +the initiated can read, was copied from those ancient writings that had +come down to me through one-and-forty generations of my predecessors, +the Priests of this Pyramid of _Her_, and of the worship of the Temple +of the Divine Menkau-ra, the Osirian, I led the way through that +darksome place towards the utter silence of the tomb. Guided by the +feeble light of our lamps, we passed down the steep incline, gasping in +the heat and the thick, stagnated air. Presently we had left the region +of the masonry and were slipping down a gallery hewn in the living rock. +For twenty paces or more it ran steeply. Then its slope lessened and +shortly we found ourselves in a chamber painted white, so low that I, +being tall, had scarcely room to stand; but in length four paces, and +in breadth three, and cased throughout with sculptured panels. Here +Cleopatra sank upon the floor and rested awhile, overcome by the heat +and the utter darkness. + +"Rise!" I said. "We must not linger here, or we faint." + +So she rose, and passing hand in hand through that chamber, we found +ourselves face to face with a mighty door of granite, let down from the +roof in grooves. Once more I took counsel of the plan, pressed with my +foot upon a certain stone, and waited. Then, suddenly and softly, I know +not by what means, the mass heaved itself from its bed of living rock. +We passed beneath, and found ourselves face to face with a second door +of granite. Again I pressed on a certain spot, and this door swung wide +of itself, and we went through, to find ourselves face to face with a +third door, yet more mighty than the two through which we had won our +way. Following the secret plan, I struck this door with my foot upon a +certain spot, and it sank slowly as though at a word of magic till its +head was level with the floor of rock. We crossed and gained another +passage which, descending gently for a length of fourteen paces, led +us into a great chamber, paved with black marble, more than nine cubits +high, by nine cubits broad, and thirty cubits long. In this marble floor +was sunk a great sarcophagus of granite, and on its lid were graved the +name and titles of the Queen of Menkau-ra. In this chamber, too, the air +was purer, though I know not by what means it came thither. + +"Is the treasure here?" gasped Cleopatra. + +"Nay," I answered; "follow me," and I led the way to a gallery, which +we entered through an opening in the floor of the great chamber. It had +been closed by a trap-door of stone, but the door was open. Creeping +along this shaft, or passage, for some ten paces, we came at length to a +well, seven cubits in depth. Making fast one end of the rope that I +had brought about my body and the other to a ring in the rock, I +was lowered, holding the lamp in my hand, till I stood in the last +resting-place of the Divine Menkau-ra. Then the rope was drawn up, and +Cleopatra, being made fast to it, was let down by the eunuch, and I +received her in my arms. But I bade the eunuch, sorely against his will, +since he feared to be left alone, await our return at the mouth of the +shaft. For it was not lawful that he should enter whither we went. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +OF THE TOMB OF THE DIVINE MENKAU-RA; OF THE WRITING ON THE BREAST OF +MENKAU-RA; OF THE DRAWING FORTH OF THE TREASURE; OF THE DWELLER IN THE +TOMB; AND OF THE FLIGHT OF CLEOPATRA AND HARMACHIS FROM THE HOLY PLACE + +We stood within a small arched chamber, paved and lined with great +blocks of the granite stone of Syene. There before us--hewn from a +single mass of basalt shaped like a wooden house and resting on a sphinx +with a face of gold--was the sarcophagus of the Divine Menkau-ra. + +We stood and gazed in awe, for the weight of the silence and the +solemnity of that holy place seemed to crush us. Above us, cubit over +cubit in its mighty measure, the pyramid towered up to heaven and was +kissed of the night air. But we were deep in the bowels of the rock +beneath its base. We were alone with the dead, whose rest we were about +to break; and no sound of the murmuring air, and no sight of life came +to dull the awful edge of solitude. I gazed on the sarcophagus; its +heavy lid had been lifted and rested at its side, and around it the dust +of ages had gathered thick. + +"See," I whispered, pointing to a writing, daubed with pigment upon the +wall in the sacred symbols of ancient times. + +"Read it, Harmachis," answered Cleopatra, in the same low voice; "for I +cannot." + +Then I read: "I, Rameses Mi-amen, in my day and in my hour of need, +visited this sepulchre. But, though great my need and bold my heart, +I dared not face the curse of Menkau-ra. Judge, O thou who shalt come +after me, and, if thy soul is pure and Khem be utterly distressed, take +thou that which I have left." + +"Where, then, is the treasure?" she whispered. "Is that Sphinx-face of +gold?" + +"Even there," I answered, pointing to the sarcophagus. "Draw near and +see." + +And she took my hand and drew near. + +The cover was off, but the painted coffin of the Pharaoh lay in the +depths of the sarcophagus. We climbed the Sphinx, then I blew the dust +from the coffin with my breath and read that which was written on its +lid. And this was written: + +"Pharaoh Menkau-ra, the Child of Heaven. + +"Pharaoh Menkau-ra, Royal Son of the Sun. + +"Pharaoh Menkau-ra, who didst lie beneath the heart of Nout. + +"Nout, thy Mother, wraps thee in the spell of Her holy name. + +"The name of thy Mother, Nout, is the mystery of Heaven. + +"Nout, thy Mother, gathers thee to the number of the Gods. + +"Nout, thy Mother, breathes on thy foes and utterly destroys them. + +"O Pharaoh Menkau-ra, who livest for ever!" + +"Where, then, is the treasure?" she asked again. "Here, indeed, is the +body of the Divine Menkau-ra; but the flesh even of Pharaohs is not +gold, and if the face of this Sphinx be gold how may we move it?" + +For answer I bade her stand upon the Sphinx and grasp the upper part of +the coffin while I grasped its foot. Then, at my word, we lifted, and +the lid of the case, which was not fixed, came away, and we set it upon +the floor. And there in the case was the mummy of Pharaoh, as it +had been laid three thousand years before. It was a large mummy, and +somewhat ungainly. Nor was it adorned with a gilded mask, as is the +fashion of our day, for the head was wrapped in clothes yellow with age, +which were made fast with pink flaxen bandages, under which were pushed +the stems of lotus-blooms. And on the breast, wreathed round with +lotus-flowers, lay a large plate of gold closely written over with +sacred writing. I lifted up the plate, and, holding it to the light, I +read: + +"I, Menkau-ra, the Osirian, aforetime Pharaoh of the Land of Khem, who +in my day did live justly and ever walked in the path marked for my feet +by the decree of the Invisible, who was the beginning and is the end, +speak from my tomb to those who after me shall for an hour sit upon my +Throne. Behold, I, Menkau-ra, the Osirian, having in the days of my life +been warned of a dream that a time will come when Khem shall fear to +fall into the hands of strangers, and her monarch shall have great need +of treasure wherewith to furnish armies to drive the barbarian back, +have out of my wisdom done this thing. For it having pleased the +protecting Gods to give me wealth beyond any Pharaoh who has been since +the days of Horus--thousands of cattle and geese, thousands of calves +and asses, thousands of measures of corn, and hundreds of measures of +gold and gems; this wealth I have used sparingly, and that which +remains I have bartered for precious stones--even for emeralds, the most +beautiful and largest that are in the world. These stones, then, I have +stored up against that day of the need of Khem. But because as there +have been, so there shall be, those who do wickedly on the earth, and +who, in the lust of gain, might seize this wealth that I have stored, +and put it to their uses; behold, thou Unborn One, who in the fulness +of time shalt stand above me and read this that I have caused to +be written, I have stored the treasure thus--even among my bones. +Therefore, O thou Unborn One, sleeping in the womb of Nout, I say this +to thee! If thou indeed hast need of riches to save Khem from the foes +of Khem, fear not and delay not, but tear me, the Osirian, from my tomb, +loose my wrappings and rip the treasure from my breast, and all shall +be well with thee; for this only I do command, that thou dost replace my +bones within my hollow coffin. But if the need be passing and not great, +or if there be guile in thy heart, then the curse of Menkau-ra be on +thee! On thee be the curse that shall smite him who breaks in upon the +dead! On thee be the curse that follows the traitor! On thee be the +curse that smites him who outrages the Majesty of the Gods! Unhappy +shalt thou live, in blood and misery shalt thou die, and in misery +shalt thou be tormented for ever and for ever! For, Wicked One, there in +Amenti we shall come face to face! + +"And to the end of the keeping of this secret, I, Menkau-ra, have set up +a Temple of my Worship, which I have built upon the eastern side of +this my House of Death. It shall be made known from time to time to the +Hereditary High Priest of this my Temple. And if any High Priest that +shall be do reveal this secret to another than the Pharaoh, or Her +who wears the Pharaoh's crown and is seated upon the throne of Khem, +accursed be he also. Thus have I, Menkau-ra, the Osirian, written. Now +to thee, who, sleeping in the womb of Nout, yet shall upon a time stand +over me and read, I say, judge thou! and if thou judgest evilly, on thee +shall fall this the curse of Menkau-ra from which there is no escape. +Greeting and farewell." + +"Thou hast heard, O Cleopatra," I said solemnly; "now search thy heart; +judge thou, and for thine own sake judge justly." + +She bent her head in thought. + +"I fear to do this thing," she said presently. "Let us hence." + +"It is well," I said, with a lightening of the heart, and bent down to +lift the wooden lid. For I, too, feared. + +"And yet, what said the writing of the Divine Menkau-ra?--it was +emeralds, was it not? And emeralds are now so rare and hard to come by. +Ever did I love emeralds, and I can never find them without a flaw." + +"It is not a matter of what thou dost love, Cleopatra," I said; "it is a +matter of the need of Khem and of the secret meaning of thy heart, which +thou alone canst know." + +"Ay, surely, Harmachis; surely! And is not the need of Egypt great? +There is no gold in the treasury, and how can I defy the Roman if I have +no gold? And have I not sworn to thee that I will wed thee and defy the +Roman; and do I not swear it again--yes, even in this solemn hour, with +my hand upon dead Pharaoh's heart? Why, here is that occasion of which +the Divine Menkau-ra dreamed. Thou seest it is so, for else Hat-shepsu +or Rameses or some other Pharaoh had drawn forth the gems. But no; they +left them to come to this hour because the time was not yet come. Now it +must be come, for if I take not the gems the Roman will surely seize on +Egypt, and then there will be no Pharaoh to whom the secret may be +told. Nay, let us away with fears and to the work. Why dost look so +frightened? Having pure hearts, there is naught to fear, Harmachis." + +"Even as thou wilt," I said again; "it is for thee to judge, since if +thou judgest falsely on thee will surely fall the curse from which there +is no escape." + +"So, Harmachis, take Pharaoh's head and I will take his----Oh, what an +awful place is this!" and suddenly she clung to me. "Methought I saw +a shadow yonder in the darkness! Methought that it moved toward us and +then straightway vanished! Let us be going! Didst thou see naught?" + +"I saw nothing, Cleopatra; but mayhap it was the Spirit of the Divine +Menkau-ra, for the spirit ever hovers round its mortal tenement. Let us, +then, be going; I shall be right glad to go." + +She made as though to start, then turned back again and spoke once more. + +"It was naught--naught but the mind that, in such a house of Horror, +bodies forth those shadowy forms of fear it dreads to see. Nay, I must +look upon these emeralds; indeed, if I die, I must look! Come--to the +work!" and stooping, she with her own hands lifted from the tomb one +of the four alabaster jars, each sealed with the graven likeness of the +heads of the protecting Gods, that held the holy heart and entrails of +the Divine Menkau-ra. But nothing was found in these jars, save only +what should be there. + +Then together we mounted on the Sphinx, and with toil drew forth the +body of the Divine Pharaoh, laying it on the ground. Now Cleopatra took +my dagger, and with it cut loose the bandages which held the wrappings +in their place, and the lotus-flowers that had been set in them by +loving hands, three thousand years before, fell down upon the pavement. +Then we searched and found the end of the outer bandage, which was fixed +in at the hinder part of the neck. This we cut loose, for it was glued +fast. This done, we began to unroll the wrappings of the holy corpse. +Setting my shoulders against the sarcophagus, I sat upon the rocky +floor, the body resting on my knees, and, as I turned it, Cleopatra +unwound the cloths; and awesome was the task. Presently something fell +out; it was the sceptre of the Pharaoh, fashioned of gold, and at its +end was a pomegranate cut from a single emerald. + +Cleopatra seized the sceptre and gazed on it in silence. Then once +more we went on with our dread business. And ever as we unwound, other +ornaments of gold, such as are buried with Pharaohs, fell from the +wrappings--collars and bracelets, models of sistra, an inlaid axe, and +an image of the holy Osiris and of the holy Khem. At length all the +bandages were unwound, and beneath we found a covering of coarsest +linen; for in those very ancient days the craftsmen were not so skilled +in matters pertaining to the embalming of the body as they are now. And +on the linen was written in an oval, "Menkau-ra, Royal Son of the Sun." +We could in no wise loosen this linen, it held so firm on to the body. +Therefore, faint with the great heat, choked with mummy dust and the +odour of spices, and trembling with fear of our unholy task, wrought +in that most lonesome and holy place, we laid the body down, and ripped +away the last covering with the knife. First we cleared Pharaoh's head, +and now the face that no man had gazed on for three thousand years was +open to our view. It was a great face, with a bold brow, yet crowned +with the royal uraeus, beneath which the white locks, stained yellow by +the spices, fell in long, straight wisps. Not the cold stamp of death, +and not the slow flight of three thousand years, had found power to mar +the dignity of those shrunken features. We gazed on them, and then, made +bold with fear, stripped the covering from the body. There at last it +lay before us, stiff, yellow, and dread to see; and on the left side, +above the thigh, was the cut through which the embalmers had done their +work, but it was sewn up so deftly that we could scarcely find the mark. + +"The gems are within," I whispered, for I felt that the body was very +heavy. "Now, if thy heart fail thee not, thou must make an entry to +this poor house of clay that once was Pharaoh," and I gave her the +dagger--the same dagger which had drunk the life of Paulus. + +"It is too late to doubt," she answered, lifting her white beauteous +face and fixing her blue eyes all big with terror upon my own. She took +the dagger, and with set teeth the Queen of this day plunged it into the +dead breast of the Pharaoh of three thousand years ago. And even as she +did so there came a groaning sound from the opening to the shaft where +we had left the eunuch! We leapt to our feet, but heard no more, and the +lamp-light still streamed down through the opening. + +"It is nothing," I said. "Let us make an end." + +Then with much toil we hacked and rent the hard flesh open, and as we +did so I heard the knife point grate upon the gems within. + +Cleopatra plunged her hand into the dead breast and drew forth somewhat. +She held it to the light, and gave a little cry, for from the darkness +of Pharaoh's heart there flashed into light and life the most beauteous +emerald that ever man beheld. It was perfect in colour, very large, +without a flaw, and fashioned to a scarabaeus form, and on the under side +was an oval, inscribed with the divine name of Menkau-ra, Son of the +Sun. + +Again, again, and yet again, she plunged in her hand and drew emeralds +from Pharaoh's breast bedded there in spices. Some were fashioned and +some were not; but all were perfect in colour without a flaw, and in +value priceless. Again and again she plunged her white hand into that +dread breast, till at length all were found, and there were one hundred +and forty and eight of such gems as are not known in the world. The last +time that she searched she brought forth not emeralds, indeed, but two +great pearls, wrapped in linen, such as never have been seen. And of +these pearls more hereafter. + +So it was done, and all the mighty treasure lay glittering in a heap +before us. There it lay, and there, too, lay the regalia of gold, the +spiced and sickly-scented wrappings, and the torn body of white-haired +Pharaoh Menkau-ra, the Osirian, the ever living in Amenti. + +We rose, and a great awe fell upon us, now that the deed was done and +our hearts were no more upborne by the rage of search--so great an awe, +indeed, that we could not speak. I made a sign to Cleopatra. She grasped +the head of Pharaoh and I grasped his feet, and together we lifted him, +climbed the Sphinx, and placed him once more within his coffin. I piled +the torn mummy cloths over him and on them laid the lid of the coffin. + +And now we gathered up the great gems, and such of the ornaments as +might be carried with ease, and I hid them as many as I could, in the +folds of my robe. Those that were left Cleopatra hid upon her breast. +Heavily laden with the priceless treasure, we gave one last look at +the solemn place, at the sarcophagus and the Sphinx on which it rested, +whose gleaming face of calm seemed to mock us with its everlasting smile +of wisdom. Then we turned and went from the tomb. + +At the shaft we halted. I called to the eunuch, who stayed above, and +methought a faint mocking laugh answered me. Too smitten with terror to +call again, and fearing that, should we delay, Cleopatra would certainly +swoon, I seized the rope, and being strong and quick mounted by it and +gained the passage. There burnt the lamp: but the eunuch I saw not. +Thinking, surely, that he was a little way down the passage, and +slept--as, in truth, he did--I bade Cleopatra make the rope fast about +her middle, and with much labour, drew her up. Then, having rested +awhile, we moved with the lamps to seek for the eunuch. + +"He was stricken with terror and has fled, leaving the lamp," said +Cleopatra. "O ye Gods! who is _that_ seated there?" + +I peered into the darkness, thrusting out the lamps, and this was what +their light fell on--this at the very dream of which my soul sickens! +There, facing us, his back resting against the rock, and his hands +splayed on either side upon the floor, sat the eunuch--_dead!_ His eyes +and mouth were open, his fat cheeks dropped down, his thin hair yet +seemed to bristle, and on his countenance was frozen such a stamp of +hideous terror as well might turn the beholder's brain. And lo! fixed +to his chin, by its hinder claws, hung that grey and mighty bat, which, +flying forth when we entered the pyramid, vanished in the sky, but, +returning, had followed us to its depths. There it hung upon the dead +man's chin slowly rocking itself to and fro, and we could see the fiery +eyes shining in its head. + +Aghast, utterly aghast, we stood and stared at the hateful sight; till +presently the bat spread his huge wings and, losing his hold, sailed to +us. Now he hovered before Cleopatra's face, fanning her with his white +wings. Then with a scream, like a woman's shriek of fury, the accursed +Thing flittered on, seeking his violated tomb, and vanished down the +well into the sepulchre. I fell against the wall. But Cleopatra sank +in a heap upon the floor, and, covering her head with her arms, she +shrieked till the hollow passages rang with the echoes of her cries, +that seemed to grow and double and rush along the depths in volumes of +shrill sound. + +"Rise!" I cried, "rise and let us hence before the Spirit shall return +to haunt us! If thou dost suffer thyself to be overwhelmed in this place +thou art lost for ever." + +She staggered to her feet, and never may I forget the look upon her ashy +face or in her glowing eyes. Seizing lamps with a rush, we passed the +dead eunuch's horrid form, I holding her by the hand. We gained the +great chamber, where was the sarcophagus of the Queen of Menkau-ra, and +traversed its length. We fled along the passage. What if the Thing had +closed the three mighty doors? No; they were open, and we sped through +them; the last only did I stay to close. I touched the stone, as I knew +how, and the great door crashed down, shutting us off from the presence +of the dead eunuch and the Horror that had hung upon the eunuch's chin. +Now we were in the white chamber with the sculptured panels, and now +we faced the last steep ascent. Oh that last ascent! Twice Cleopatra +slipped and fell upon the polished floor. The second time--it was when +half the distance had been done--she let fall her lamp, and would, +indeed, have rolled down the slide had I not saved her. But in doing +thus I, too, let fall my lamp that bounded away into shadow beneath us, +and we were in utter darkness. And perchance about us, in the darkness, +hovered that awful Thing! + +"Be brave!" I cried; "O love, be brave, and struggle on, or both are +lost! The way, though steep, is not far; and, though it be dark, we can +scarce come to harm in this straight shaft. If the gems weight thee, +cast them away!" + +"Nay," she gasped, "that I will not; this shall not be endured to no +end. I die with them!" + +Then it was that I saw the greatness of this woman's heart; for in the +dark, and notwithstanding the terrors we had passed and the awfulness of +our state, she clung to me and clambered on up that dread passage. On we +clambered, hand in hand, with bursting hearts, till there, by the mercy +or the anger of the Gods, at length we saw the faint light of the moon, +creeping through the little opening in the pyramid. One struggle more, +now the hole was gained, and like a breath from heaven, the sweet night +air played upon our brows. I climbed through, and, standing on a pile +of stones, lifted and dragged Cleopatra after me. She fell to the ground +and then sank down upon it motionless. + +I pressed upon the turning stone with trembling hands. It swung to and +caught, leaving no mark of the secret place of entry. Then I leapt down +and, having pushed away the pile of stones, looked on Cleopatra. She had +swooned, and notwithstanding the dust and grime upon her face, it was so +pale that at first I believed she must be dead. But placing my hand upon +her heart I felt it stir beneath; and, being spent, I flung myself down +beside her upon the sand, to gather up my strength again. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +OF THE COMING BACK OF HARMACHIS; OF THE GREETING OF CHARMION; AND OF +THE ANSWER OF CLEOPATRA TO QUINTUS DELLIUS, THE AMBASSADOR OF ANTONY THE +TRIUMVIR + +Presently I lifted myself, and, laying the head of Egypt's Queen upon my +knee, strove to call her back to life. How fair she seemed, even in her +disarray, her long hair streaming down her breast! how deadly fair she +seemed in the faint light--this woman the story of whose beauty and +whose sin shall outlive the solid mass of the mighty pyramid that +towered over us! The heaviness of her swoon had smoothed away the +falseness of her face, and nothing was left but the divine stamp +of Woman's richest loveliness, softened by shadows of the night and +dignified by the cast of deathlike sleep. I gazed upon her and all my +heart went out to her; it seemed that I did but love her more because of +the depth of the treasons to which I had sunk to reach her, and because +of the terrors we had outfaced together. Weary and spent with fears and +the pangs of guilt, my heart sought hers for rest, for now she alone was +left to me. She had sworn to wed me also, and with the treasure we +had won we would make Egypt strong and free her from her foes, and all +should yet be well. Ah! could I have seen the picture that was to come, +how, and in what place and circumstance, once again this very woman's +head should be laid upon my knee, pale with that cast of death! Ah! +could I have seen! + +I chafed her hand between my hands. I bent down and kissed her on the +lips, and at my kiss she woke. She woke with a little sob of fear--a +shiver ran along her delicate limbs, and she stared upon my face with +wide eyes. + +"Ah! it is thou!" she said. "I mind me--thou hast saved me from that +horror-haunted place!" And she threw her arms about my neck, drew me to +her and kissed me. "Come, love," she said, "let us be going! I am sore +athirst, and--ah! so very weary! The gems, too, chafe my breast! Never +was wealth so hardly won! Come, let us be going from the shadow of this +ghostly spot! See the faint lights glancing from the wings of Dawn. How +beautiful they are, and how sweet to behold! Never, in those Halls of +Eternal Night, did I think to look upon the blush of dawn again! Ah! I +can still see the face of that dead slave, with the Horror hanging to +his beardless chin! Bethink thee!--there he'll sit for ever--there--with +the Horror! Come; where may we find water? I would give an emerald for a +cup of water!" + +"At the canal on the borders of the tilled land below the Temple of +Horemkhu--it is close by," I answered. "If any see us, we will say that +we are pilgrims who have lost our way at night among the tombs. Veil +thyself closely, therefore, Cleopatra; and beware lest thou dost show +aught of those gems about thee." + +So she veiled herself, and I lifted her on to the ass which was tethered +near at hand. We walked slowly through the plain till we came to the +place where the symbol of the God Horemkhu,[*] fashioned as a mighty +Sphinx (whom the Greeks call Harmachis), and crowned with the royal +crown of Egypt, looks out in majesty across the land, his eyes ever +fixed upon the East. As we walked the first arrow of the rising sun +quivered through the grey air, striking upon Horemkhu's lips of holy +calm, and the Dawn kissed her greeting to the God of Dawn. Then the +light gathered and grew upon the gleaming sides of twenty pyramids, and, +like a promise from Life to Death, rested on the portals of ten thousand +tombs. It poured in a flood of gold across the desert sand--it pierced +the heavy sky of night, and fell in bright beams upon the green of +fields and the tufted crest of palms. Then from his horizon bed royal Ra +rose up in pomp and it was day. + + [*] That is, "Horus on the horizon"; and signifies the power + of Light and Good overcoming the power of Darkness and Evil + incarnate in his enemy, Typhon.--Editor. + +Passing the temple of granite and of alabaster that was built before the +days of Khufu, to the glory of the Majesty of Horemkhu, we descended +the slope, and came to the banks of the canal. There we drank; and +that draught of muddy water was sweeter than all the choicest wine of +Alexandria. Also we washed the mummy dust and grime from our hands +and brows and made us clean. As she bathed her neck, stooping over the +water, one of the great emeralds slipped from Cleopatra's breast and +fell into the canal, and it was but by chance that at length I found +it in the mire. Then, once more, I lifted Cleopatra onto the beast, and +slowly, for I was very weary, we marched back to the banks of Sihor, +where our craft was. And having at length come thither, seeing no one +save some few peasants going out to labour on the lands, I turned the +ass loose in that same field where we had found him, and we boarded the +craft while the crew were yet sleeping. Then, waking them, we bade them +make all sail, saying that we had left the eunuch to sojourn a while +behind us, as in truth we had. So we sailed, having first hidden away +the gems and such of the ornaments of gold as we could bring to the +boat. + +We spent four days and more in coming to Alexandria, for the wind +was for the most part against us; and they were happy days! At first, +indeed, Cleopatra was somewhat silent and heavy at heart, for what she +had seen and felt in the womb of the pyramid weighed her down. But soon +her Imperial spirit awoke and shook the burden from her breast, and she +became herself again--now gay, now learned; now loving, and now cold; +now queenly, and now altogether simple--ever changing as the winds of +heaven, and as the heaven, deep, beauteous, and unsearchable! + +Night after night for those four perfect nights, the last happy hours I +ever was to know, we sat hand in hand upon the deck and heard the waters +lap the vessel's side, and watched the soft footfall of the moon as she +trod the depths of Nile. There we sat and talked of love, talked of our +marriage and all that we would do. Also I drew up plans of war and of +defence against the Roman, which now we had the means to carry out; and +she approved them, sweetly saying that what seemed good to me was good +to her. And so the time passed all too swiftly. + +Oh those nights upon the Nile! their memory haunts me yet! Yet in +my dreams I see the moonbeams break and quiver, and hear Cleopatra's +murmured words of love mingle with the sound of murmuring waters. Dead +are those dear nights, dead is the moon that lit them; the waters which +rocked us on their breast are lost in the wide salt sea, and where we +kissed and clung there lips unborn shall kiss and cling! How beautiful +was their promise, doomed, like an unfruitful blossom, to wither, fall, +and rot! and their fulfilment, ah, how drear! For all things end in +darkness and in ashes, and those who sow in folly shall reap in sorrow. +Ah! those nights upon the Nile! + +And so at length once more we stood within the hateful walls of that +fair palace on the Lochias, and the dream was done. + + + +"Whither hast thou wandered with Cleopatra, Harmachis?" Charmion asked +of me when I met her by chance on that day of return. "On some new +mission of betrayal? Or was it but a love-journey?" + +"I went with Cleopatra upon secret business of the State," I answered +sternly. + +"So! Those who go secretly, go evilly; and foul birds love to fly at +night. Not but what thou art wise, for it would scarce beseem thee, +Harmachis, to show thy face openly in Egypt." + +I heard, and felt my passion rise within me, for I could ill bear this +fair girl's scorn. + +"Hast thou never a word without a sting?" I asked. "Know, then, that I +went whither thou hadst not dared to go, to gather means to hold Egypt +from the grasp of Antony." + +"So," she answered, looking up swiftly. "Thou foolish man! Thou hadst +done better to save thy labour, for Antony will grasp Egypt in thy +despite. What power hast thou to-day in Egypt?" + +"That he may do in my despite; but in despite of Cleopatra that he +cannot do," I said. + +"Nay, but with the _aid_ of Cleopatra he can and will do it," she +answered with a bitter smile. "When the Queen sails in state up Cydnus +stream she will surely draw this coarse Antony thence to Alexandria, +conquering, and yet, like thee, a slave!" + +"It is false! I say that it is false! Cleopatra goes not to Tarsus, and +Antony comes not to Alexandria; or, if he come, it will be to take the +chance of war." + +"Now, thinkest thou thus?" she answered with a little laugh. "Well, if +it please thee, think as thou wilt. Within three days thou shalt know. +It is pretty to see how easily thou art fooled. Farewell! Go, dream on +Love, for surely Love is sweet." + +And she went, leaving me angered and troubled at heart. + + + +I saw Cleopatra no more that day, but on the day which followed I saw +her. She was in a heavy mood, and had no gentle word for me. I spake to +her of the defence of Egypt, but she put the matter away. + +"Why dost thou weary me?" she said with anger; "canst thou not see that +I am lost in troubles? When Dellius has had his answer to-morrow then we +will speak of these matters." + +"Ay," I said, "when Dellius has had his answer; and knowest thou that +but yesterday, Charmion--whom about the palace they name the 'Keeper +of the Queen's secrets'--Charmion swore that the answer would be 'Go in +peace, I come to Antony!'" + +"Charmion knows nothing of my heart," said Cleopatra, stamping her foot +in anger, "and if she talk so freely the girl shall be scourged out of +my Court, as is her desert. Though, in truth," she added, "she has more +wisdom in that small head of hers than all my privy councillors--ay, +and more wit to use it. Knowest thou that I have sold a portion of those +gems to the rich Jews of Alexandria, and at a great price, ay, at five +thousand sestertia for each one?[*] But a few, in truth, for they could +not buy more as yet. It was rare to see their eyes when they fell upon +them: they grew large as apples with avarice and wonder. And now leave +me, Harmachis, for I am weary. The memory of that dreadful night is with +me yet." + + [*] About forty thousand pounds of our money.--Editor. + +I bowed and rose to go, and yet stood wavering. + +"Pardon me, Cleopatra; it is of our marriage." + +"Our marriage! Why, are we not indeed already wed?" she answered. + +"Yes; but not before the world. Thou didst promise." + +"Ay, Harmachis, I promised; and to-morrow, when I have rid me of this +Dellius, I will keep my promise, and name thee Cleopatra's Lord before +the Court. See that thou art in thy place. Art content?" + +And she stretched out her hand for me to kiss, looking on me with +strange eyes, as though she struggled with herself. Then I went; but +that night I strove once more to see Cleopatra, and could not. "The Lady +Charmion was with the Queen," so said the eunuchs, and none might enter. + + + +On the morrow the Court met in the great hall one hour before mid-day, +and I went thither with a trembling heart to hear Cleopatra's answer +to Dellius, and to hear myself also named King-consort to the Queen of +Egypt. It was a full and splendid Court; there were councillors, lords, +captains, eunuchs, and waiting-women, all save Charmion. The house +passed, but Cleopatra and Charmion came not. At length Charmion entered +gently by a side entrance, and took her place among the waiting-ladies +about the throne. Even as she did so she cast a glance at me, and there +was triumph in her eyes, though I knew not over what she triumphed. I +little guessed that she had but now brought about my ruin and sealed the +fate of Egypt. + +Then presently the trumpets blared, and, clad in her robes of state, the +uraeus crown upon her head, and on her breast, flashing like a star, that +great emerald scarabaeus which she had dragged from dead Pharaoh's heart, +Cleopatra swept in splendour to her throne, followed by a glittering +guard of Northmen. Her lovely face was dark, dark were her slumbrous +eyes, and none might read their message, though all that Court searched +them for a sign of what should come. She seated herself slowly as one +who may not be moved, and spoke to the chief of the heralds in the Greek +tongue: + +"Does the Ambassador of the noble Antony wait?" + +The herald bowed low and made assent. + +"Let him come in and hear our answer." + +The doors were flung wide, and, followed by his train of knights, +Dellius, clad in his golden armour and his purple mantle, walked with +cat-like step up the great hall, and made obeisance before the throne. + +"Most royal and beauteous Egypt," he said, in his soft voice, "as thou +hast graciously been pleased to bid me, thy servant, I am here to +take thy answer to the letter of the noble Antony the Triumvir, whom +to-morrow I sail to meet at Tarsus, in Cilicia. And I will say +this, royal Egypt, craving pardon the while for the boldness of my +speech--bethink thee well before words that cannot be unspoken fall from +those sweet lips. Defy Antony, and Antony will wreck thee. But, like +thy mother Aphrodite, rise glorious on his sight from the bosom of the +Cyprian wave, and for wreck he will give thee all that can be dear to +woman's royalty--Empire, and pomp of place, cities and the sway of men, +fame and wealth, and the Diadem of rule made sure. For mark: Antony +holds this Eastern World in the hollow of his warlike hand; at his will +kings are, and at his frown they cease to be." + +And he bowed his head and, folding his hands meekly on his breast, +awaited answer. + +For a while Cleopatra answered not, but sat like the Sphinx Horemkhu, +dumb and inscrutable, gazing with lost eyes down the length of that +great hall. + +Then, like soft music, her answer came; and trembling I listened for +Egypt's challenge to the Roman: + +"Noble Dellius,--We have bethought us much of the matter of thy message +from great Antony to our poor Royalty of Egypt. We have bethought us +much, and we have taken counsel from the oracles of the Gods, from the +wisest among our friends, and from the teachings of our heart, that +ever, like a nesting bird, broods over our people's weal. Sharp are +the words that thou hast brought across the sea; methinks they had been +better fitted to the ears of some petty half-tamed prince than to those +of Egypt's Queen. Therefore we have numbered the legions that we can +gather, and the triremes and the galleys wherewith we may breast the +sea, and the moneys which shall buy us all things wanting to our war. +And we find this, that, though Antony be strong, yet has Egypt naught to +fear from the strength of Antony." + +She paused, and a murmur of applause of her high words ran down the +hall. Only Dellius stretched out his hand as though to push them back. +Then came the end! + +"Noble Dellius,--Half are we minded there to bid our tongue stop, and, +strong in our fortresses of stone, and our other fortresses built of the +hearts of men, abide the issue. And yet thou shalt not go thus. We are +guiltless of those charges against us that have come to the ears of +noble Antony, and which now he rudely shouts in ours; nor will we +journey into Cilicia to answer them." + +Here the murmur arose anew, while my heart beat high in triumph; and in +the pause that followed, Dellius spoke once more. + +"Then, royal Egypt, my word to Antony is word of War?" + +"Nay," she answered; "it shall be one of Peace. Listen; we said that we +would not come to make answer to these charges, nor will we. But"--and +she smiled for the first time--"we will gladly come, and that swiftly, +in royal friendship to make known our fellowship of peace upon the banks +of Cydnus." + +I heard, and was bewildered. Could I hear aright? Was it thus that +Cleopatra kept her oaths? Moved beyond the hold of reason, I lifted up +my voice and cried: + +"O Queen, _remember!_" + +She turned upon me like a lioness, with a flashing of the eyes and a +swift shake of her lovely head. + +"Peace, Slave!" she said; "who bade thee break in upon our counsels? +Mind thou thy stars, and leave matters of the world to the rulers of the +world!" + +I sank back shamed, and, as I did so, once more I saw the smile of +triumph on the face of Charmion, followed by what was, perhaps, the +shadow of pity for my fall. + +"Now that yon brawling charlatan," said Dellius, pointing at me with his +jewelled finger, "has been rebuked, grant me leave, O Egypt, to thank +thee from my heart for these gentle words----" + +"We ask no thanks from thee, noble Dellius; nor lies it in thy mouth to +chide our servant," broke in Cleopatra, frowning heavily; "we will take +thanks from the lips of Antony alone. Get thee to thy master, and say +to him that before he can make ready a fitting welcome our keels shall +follow in the track of thine. And now, farewell! Thou shalt find some +small token of our bounty upon thy vessel." + +Dellius bowed thrice and withdrew, while the Court stood waiting the +Queen's word. And I, too, waited, wondering if she would yet make good +her promise, and name me royal Spouse there in the face of Egypt. But +she said nothing. Only, still frowning heavily, she rose, and, followed +by her guards, left the throne, and passed into the Alabaster Hall. Then +the Court broke up, and as the lords and councillors went by they looked +on me with mockery. For though none knew all my secret, nor how it stood +between me and Cleopatra, yet they were jealous of the favour shown me +by the Queen, and rejoiced greatly at my fall. But I took no heed of +their mocking as I stood dazed with misery and felt the world of Hope +slip from beneath my feet. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +OF THE REPROACH OF HARMACHIS; OF THE STRUGGLE OF HARMACHIS WITH THE +GUARDS; OF THE BLOW OF BRENNUS; AND OF THE SECRET SPEECH OF CLEOPATRA + +And at length, all being gone, I, too, turned to go, when a eunuch +struck me on the shoulder and roughly bade me wait on the presence of +the Queen. An hour past this fellow would have crawled to me on his +knees; but he had heard, and now he treated me--so brutish is the nature +of such slaves--as the world treats the fallen, with scorn. For to come +low after being great is to learn all shame. Unhappy, therefore, are the +Great, for they may fall! + +I turned upon the slave with so fierce a word that, cur-like, he sprang +behind me; then I passed on to the Alabaster Hall, and was admitted by +the guards. In the centre of the hall, near the fountain, sat Cleopatra, +and with her were Charmion and the Greek girl Iras, and Merira and other +of her waiting-ladies. "Go," she said to these, "I would speak with my +astrologer." So they went, and left us face to face. + +"Stand thou there," she said, lifting her eyes for the first time. "Come +not nigh me, Harmachis: I trust thee not. Perchance thou hast found +another dagger. Now, what hast thou to say? By what right didst thou +dare to break in upon my talk with the Roman?" + +I felt the blood rush through me like a storm; bitterness and burning +anger took hold of my heart. "What hast _thou_ to say, Cleopatra?" +I answered boldly. "Where is thy vow, sworn on the dead heart of +Menkau-ra, the ever-living? Where now thy challenge to this Roman +Antony? Where thy oath that thou wouldest call me 'husband' in the face +of Egypt?" and I choked and ceased. + +"Well doth it become Harmachis, who never was forsworn, to speak to me +of oaths!" she said in bitter mockery. "And yet, O thou most pure Priest +of Isis; and yet, O thou most faithful friend, who never didst betray +thy friends; and yet, O thou most steadfast, honourable, and upright +man, who never bartered thy birthright, thy country, and thy cause for +the price of a woman's passing love--by what token knowest thou that my +word is void?" + +"I will not answer thy taunts, Cleopatra," I said, holding back my heart +as best I might, "for I have earned them all, though not from thee. By +this token, then, I know it. Thou goest to visit Antony; thou goest, as +said that Roman knave, 'tricked in thy best attire,' to feast with him +whom thou shouldst give to vultures for their feast. Perhaps, for +aught I know, thou art about to squander those treasures that thou hast +filched from the body of Menkau-ra, those treasures stored against the +need of Egypt, upon wanton revels which shall complete the shame of +Egypt. By these things, then, I know that thou art forsworn, and I, who, +loving thee, believed thee, tricked; and by this, also, that thou who +didst but yesternight swear to wed me, dost to-day cover me with taunts, +and even before that Roman put me to an open shame!" + +"To wed thee? and I did swear to wed thee? Well, and what is marriage? +Is it the union of the heart, that bond beautiful as gossamer and than +gossamer more light, which binds soul to soul, as they float through the +dreamy night of passion, a bond to be, perchance, melted in the dews of +dawn? Or is it the iron link of enforced, unchanging union whereby if +sinks the one the other must be dragged beneath the sea of circumstance, +there, like a punished slave, to perish of unavoidable corruption?[*] +Marriage! _I_ to marry! _I_ to forget freedom and court the worst +slavery of our sex, which, by the selfish will of man, the stronger, +still binds us to a bed grown hateful, and enforces a service that love +mayhap no longer hallows! Of what use, then, to be a Queen, if thereby I +may not escape the evil of the meanly born? Mark thou, Harmachis: Woman +being grown hath two ills to fear--Death and Marriage; and of these +twain is Marriage the more vile; for in Death we may find rest, but in +Marriage, should it fail us, we must find hell. Nay, being above the +breath of common slander that enviously would blast those who of +true virtue will not consent to stretch affection's links, I _love_, +Harmachis; but I _marry_ not!" + + [*] Referring to the Roman custom of chaining a living felon + to the body of one already dead.--Editor. + +"And yesternight, Cleopatra, thou didst swear that thou wouldst wed me, +and call me to thy side before the face of Egypt!" + +"And yesternight, Harmachis, the red ring round the moon marked the +coming of the storm, and yet the day is fair! But who knows that the +tempest may not break to-morrow? Who knows that I have not chosen the +easier path to save Egypt from the Roman? Who knows, Harmachis, that +thou shalt not still call me wife?" + +Then I no longer could bear her falsehood, for I saw that she but played +with me. And so I spoke that which was in my heart: + +"Cleopatra!" I cried, "thou didst swear to protect Egypt, and thou +art about to betray Egypt to the Roman! Thou didst swear to use the +treasures that I revealed to thee for the service of Egypt, and thou art +about to use them to be her means of shame--to fashion them as fetters +for her wrists! Thou didst swear to wed me, who loved thee, and for thee +gave all, and thou dost mock me and reject me! Therefore I say--with the +voice of the dread Gods I say it!--that on _thee_ shall fall the curse +of Menkau-ra, whom thou hast robbed indeed! Let me go hence and work +out my fate! Let me go, O thou fair Shame! thou living Lie! whom I have +loved to my doom, and who hast brought upon me the last curse of doom! +Let me hide myself and see thy face no more!" + +She rose in her wrath, and she was terrible to see. + +"Let thee go to stir up evil against me! Nay, Harmachis, thou shalt not +go to build new plots against my throne! I say to thee that thou, too, +shalt come to visit Antony in Cilicia, and there, perchance, I will let +thee go!" And ere I could answer, she had struck upon the silver gong +that hung near her. + +Before its rich echo had died away, Charmion and the waiting-women +entered from one door, and from the other, a file of soldiers--four of +them of the Queen's bodyguard, mighty men, with winged helmets and long +fair hair. + +"Seize that traitor!" cried Cleopatra, pointing to me. The captain of +the guard--it was Brennus--saluted and came towards me with drawn sword. + +But I, being mad and desperate, and caring little if they slew me, flew +straight at his throat, and dealt him such a heavy blow that the great +man fell headlong, and his armour clashed upon the marble floor. As he +fell I seized his sword and targe, and, meeting the next, who rushed on +me with a shout, caught his blow upon the shield, and in answer smote +with all my strength. The sword fell where the neck is set into the +shoulder, and, shearing through the joints of his harness, slew him, so +that his knees were loosened and he sank down dead. And the third, as he +came, I caught upon the point of my sword before he could strike, and +it pierced him and he died. Then the last rushed on me with a cry of +"Taranis!" and I, too, rushed on him, for my blood was aflame. Now the +women shrieked--only Cleopatra said nothing, but stood and watched the +unequal fray. We met, and I struck with all my strength, and it was a +mighty blow, for the sword shore through the iron shell and shattered +there, leaving me weaponless. With a shout of triumph the guard swung +up his sword and smote down upon my head, but I caught the blow with +my shield. Again he smote, and again I parried; but when he raised his +sword a third time I saw this might not endure, so with a cry I hurled +my buckler at his face. Glancing from his shield it struck him on the +breast and staggered him. Then, before he could gain his balance, I +rushed in beneath his guard and gripped him round the middle. + +For a full minute the tall man and I struggled furiously, and then, so +great was my strength in those days, I lifted him like a toy and dashed +him down upon the marble floor in such fashion that his bones were +shattered so that he spoke no more. But I could not save myself and fell +upon him, and as I fell the Captain Brennus, whom I had smitten to earth +with my fist, having once more found his sense, came up behind me and +smote me upon the head and shoulders with the sword of one of those whom +I had slain. But I being on the ground, the blow did not fall with all +its weight, also my thick hair and broidered cap broke its force; and +thus it came to pass that, though sorely wounded, the life was yet whole +in me. But I could struggle no more. + +Then the cowardly eunuchs, who had gathered at the sound of blows and +stood huddled together like a herd of cattle, seeing that I was spent, +threw themselves upon me, and would have butchered me with their knives. +But Brennus, now that I was down, would strike no more, but stood +waiting. And the eunuchs had surely slain me, for Cleopatra watched like +one who watches in a dream and made no sign. Already my head was dragged +back, and their knife-points were at my throat, when Charmion, rushing +forward, threw herself upon me and, calling them "Dogs!" desperately +thrust her body before them in such fashion that they could not smite. +Now Brennus with an oath seized first one and then another and cast them +from me. + +"Spare his life, Queen!" he cried in his barbarous Latin. "By Jupiter, +he is a brave man! Myself felled like an ox in the shambles, and three +of my boys finished by a man without armour and taken unawares! I grudge +them not to such a man! A boon, Queen! spare his life, and give him to +me!" + +"Ay, spare him! spare him!" cried Charmion, white and trembling. + +Cleopatra drew near and looked upon the dead and him who lay dying as +I had dashed him to the ground, and on me, her lover of two days gone, +whose wounded head rested now on Charmion's white robes. + +I met the Queen's glance. "Spare not!" I gasped; "_vae victis!_" Then a +flush gathered on her brow--methinks it was a flush of shame! + +"Dost after all love this man at heart, Charmion," she said with a +little laugh, "that thou didst thrust thy tender body between him and +the knives of these sexless hounds?" and she cast a look of scorn upon +the eunuchs. + +"Nay!" the girl answered fiercely; "but I cannot stand by to see a brave +man murdered by such as these." + +"Ay!" said Cleopatra, "he is a brave man, and he fought gallantly; I +have never seen so fierce a fight even in the games at Rome! Well, I +spare his life, though he is weak of me--womanish weak. Take him to his +own chamber and guard him there till he is healed or--dead." + +Then my brain reeled, a great sickness seized upon me, and I sank into +the nothingness of a swoon. + + + +Dreams, dreams, dreams! without end and ever-changing, as for years and +years I seemed to toss upon a sea of agony. And through them a vision of +a dark-eyed woman's tender face and the touch of a white hand soothing +me to rest. Visions, too, of a royal countenance bending at times over +my rocking bed--a countenance that I could not grasp, but whose beauty +flowed through my fevered veins and was a part of me--visions of +childhood and of the Temple towers of Abouthis, and of the white-haired +Amenemhat, my father--ay, and an ever-present vision of that dread hall +in Amenti, and of the small altar and the Spirits clad in flame! There I +seemed to wander everlastingly, calling on the Holy Mother, whose memory +I could not grasp; calling ever and in vain! For no cloud descended upon +the altar, only from time to time the great Voice pealed aloud: "Strike +out the name of Harmachis, child of Earth, from the living Book of Her +who Was and Is and Shall Be! _Lost! lost! lost!_" + +And then another voice would answer: + +"Not yet! not yet! Repentance is at hand; strike not out the name of +Harmachis, child of Earth, from the living Book of Her who Was and Is +and Shall Be! By suffering may sin be wiped away!" + +I woke to find myself in my own chamber in the tower of the palace. I +was so weak that I scarce could lift my hand, and life seemed but to +flutter in my breast as flutters a dying dove. I could not turn my head; +I could not stir; yet in my heart there was a sense of rest and of dark +trouble done. The light from the lamp hurt my eyes: I shut them, and, +as I shut them, heard the sweep of a woman's robes upon the 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 +heart--ah! 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 say--those 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 years--perhaps to-morrow--and 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 yet--not 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 Caesar--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 fall--ay, 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, and--memory." + +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 livest--and 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 wide awake, and, gazing on me with tender eyes, "Yea, +thou hast slept, Harmachis." + +"How long, then, have I slept?" + +"Nine hours." + +"And thou hast held thy place there, at my side, for nine long hours?" + +"Yes, it is nothing; I also have slept--I feared to waken thee if I +stirred." + +"Go, rest," I said; "it shames me to think of this thing. Go rest thee, +Charmion!" + +"Vex not thyself," she answered; "see, I will bid a slave watch thee, +and to wake me if thou needest aught; I sleep there, in the outer +chamber. Peace--I go!" and she strove to rise, but, so cramped was she, +fell straightway on the floor. + +I can scarcely tell the sense of shame that filled me when I saw her +fall. Alas! I could not stir to help her. + +"It is naught," she said; "move not, I did but catch my foot. There!" +and she rose, again to fall--"a pest upon my awkwardness! Why--I must be +sleeping. 'Tis well now. I'll send the slave;" and she staggered thence +like one overcome with wine. + +And after that, I slept once more, for I was very weak. When I woke it +was afternoon, and I craved for food, which Charmion brought me. + +I ate. "Then I die not," I said. + +"Nay," she answered, with a toss of her head, "thou wilt live. In truth, +I did waste my pity on thee." + +"And thy pity saved my life," I said wearily, for now I remembered. + +"It is nothing," she answered carelessly. "After all, thou art my +cousin; also, I love nursing--it is a woman's trade. Like enough I had +done as much for any slave. Now, too, that the danger is past, I leave +thee." + +"Thou hadst done better to let me die, Charmion," I said after a while, +"for life to me can now be only one long shame. Tell me, then, when +sails Cleopatra for Cilicia?" + +"She sails in twenty days, and with such pomp and glory as Egypt has +never seen. Of a truth, I cannot guess where she has found the means to +gather in this store of splendour, as a husbandman gathers his golden +harvest." + +But I, knowing whence the wealth came, groaned in bitterness of spirit, +and made no answer. + +"Goest thou also, Charmion?" I asked presently. + +"Ay, I and all the Court. Thou, too--thou goest." + +"I go? Nay, why is this?" + +"Because thou art Cleopatra's slave, and must march in gilded chains +behind her chariot; because she fears to leave thee here in Khem; +because it is her will, and there is an end." + +"Charmion, can I not escape?" + +"Escape, thou poor sick man? Nay, how canst thou escape? Even now thou +art most strictly guarded. And if thou didst escape, whither wouldst +thou fly? There's not an honest man in Egypt but would spit on thee in +scorn!" + +Once more I groaned in spirit, and, being so very weak, I felt the tears +roll adown my cheek. + +"Weep not!" she said hastily, and turning her face aside. "Be a man, and +brave these troubles out. Thou hast sown, now must thou reap; but +after harvest the waters rise and wash away the rotting roots, and then +seed-time comes again. Perchance, yonder in Cilicia, a way may be found, +when once more thou art strong, by which thou mayst fly--if in truth +thou canst bear thy life apart from Cleopatra's smile; then in some far +land must thou dwell till these things are forgotten. And now my task is +done, so fare thee well! At times I will come to visit thee and see that +thou needest nothing." + +So she went, and I was nursed thenceforward, and that skilfully, by the +physician and two women-slaves; and as my wound healed so my strength +came back to me, slowly at first, then most swiftly. In four days from +that time I left my couch, and in three more I could walk an hour in the +palace gardens; another week and I could read and think, though I went +no more to Court. And at length one afternoon Charmion came and bade me +make ready, for the fleet would sail in two days, first for the coast of +Syria, and thence to the gulf of Issus and Cilicia. + +Thereon, with all formality, and in writing, I craved leave of Cleopatra +that I might be left, urging that my health was so feeble that I could +not travel. But a message was sent to me in answer that I must come. + +And so, on the appointed day, I was carried in a litter down to the +boat, and together with that very soldier who had cut me down, the +Captain Brennus, and others of his troop (who, indeed, were sent to +guard me), we rowed aboard a vessel where she lay at anchor with the +rest of the great fleet. For Cleopatra was voyaging as though to war +in much pomp, and escorted by a fleet of ships, among which her galley, +built like a house and lined throughout with cedar and silken hangings, +was the most beautiful and costly that the world has ever seen. But I +went not on this vessel, and therefore it chanced that I did not see +Cleopatra or Charmion till we landed at the mouth of the river Cydnus. + +The signal being made, the fleet set sail; and, the wind being fair, we +came to Joppa on the evening of the second day. Thence we sailed +slowly with contrary winds up the coast of Syria, making Caesarea, and +Ptolemais, and Tyrus, and Berytus, and past Lebanon's white brow crowned +with his crest of cedars, on to Heraclea and across the gulf of Issus to +the mouth of Cydnus. And ever as we journeyed, the strong breath of the +sea brought back my health, till at length, save for a line of white +upon my head where the sword had fallen, I was almost as I had been. +And one night, as we drew near Cydnus, while Brennus and I sat alone +together on the deck, his eye fell upon the white mark his sword had +made, and he swore a great oath by his heathen Gods. "An thou hadst +died, lad," he said, "methinks I could never again have held up my head! +Ah! that was a coward stroke, and I am shamed to think that it was I who +struck it, and thou on the ground with thy back to me! Knowest thou +that when thou didst lie between life and death, I came every day to ask +tidings of thee? and I swore by Taranis that if thou didst die I'd turn +my back upon that soft palace life and then away for the bonny North." + +"Nay, trouble not, Brennus," I answered; "it was thy duty." + +"Mayhap! but there are duties that a brave man should not do--nay, not +at the bidding of any Queen who ever ruled in Egypt! Thy blow had dazed +me or I had not struck. What is it, lad?--art in trouble with this +Queen of ours? Why art thou dragged a prisoner upon this pleasure party? +Knowest thou that we are strictly charged that if thou dost escape our +lives shall pay the price?" + +"Ay, in sore trouble, friend," I answered; "ask me no more." + +"Then, being of the age thou art, there's a woman in it--that I +swear--and, perchance, though I am rough and foolish, I might make a +guess. Look thou, lad, what sayest thou? I am weary of this service of +Cleopatra and this hot land of deserts and of luxury, that sap a man's +strength and drain his pocket; and so are others whom I know of. What +sayest thou: let's take one of these unwieldy vessels and away to the +North? I'll lead thee to a better land than Egypt--a land of lake and +mountain, and great forests of sweet-scented pine; ay, and find thee a +girl fit to mate with--my own niece--a girl strong and tall, with wide +blue eyes and long fair hair, and arms that could crack thy ribs were +she of a mind to hug thee! Come, what sayest thou? Put away the past, +and away for the bonny North, and be a son to me." + +For a moment I thought, and then sadly shook my head; for though I was +sorely tempted to be gone, I knew that my fate lay in Egypt, and I might +not fly my fate. + +"It may not be, Brennus," I answered. "Fain would I that it might be, +but I am bound by a chain of destiny which I cannot break, and in the +land of Egypt I must live and die." + +"As thou wilt, lad," said the old warrior. "I should have dearly loved +to marry thee among my people, and make a son of thee. At the least, +remember that while I am here thou hast Brennus for a friend. And one +thing more; beware of that beauteous Queen of thine, for, by Taranis, +perhaps an hour may come when she will hold that thou knowest too much, +and then----" and he drew his hand across his throat. "And now good +night; a cup of wine, then to sleep, for to-morrow the foolery----" + +[Here several lengths of the second roll of papyrus are so broken as +to be undecipherable. They seem to have been descriptive of Cleopatra's +voyage up the Cydnus to the city of Tarsus.] + +"And--[the writing continues]--to those who could take joy in such +things, the sight must, indeed, have been a gallant one. For the stern +of our galley was covered with sheets of beaten gold, the sails were +of the scarlet of Tyre, and the oars of silver touched the water to a +measure of music. And there, in the centre of the vessel, beneath an +awning ablaze with gold embroidery, lay Cleopatra, attired as the Roman +Venus (and surely Venus was not more fair!), in thin robes of whitest +silk, bound in beneath her breast with a golden girdle delicately graven +over with scenes of love. All about her were little rosy boys, chosen +for their beauty, and clad in naught save downy wings strapped upon +their shoulders, and on their backs Cupid's bow and quiver, who fanned +her with fans of plumes. Upon the vessel's decks, handling the cordage, +that was of silken web, and softly singing to the sound of harps and the +beat of oars, were no rough sailors, but women lovely to behold, some +robed as Graces and some as Nereids--that is, scarce robed at all, +except in their scented hair. And behind the couch, with drawn sword, +stood Brennus, in splendid armour and winged helm of gold; and by him +others--I among them--in garments richly worked, and knew that I +was indeed a slave! On the high poop also burned censers filled with +costliest incense, of which the fragrant steam hung in little clouds +about our wake." + +Thus, as in a dream of luxury, followed by many ships, we glided on +towards the wooded slopes of Taurus, at whose foot lay that ancient city +Tarshish. And ever as we came the people gathered on the banks and ran +before us, shouting: "Venus is risen from the sea! Venus hath come to +visit Bacchus!" We drew near to the city, and all its people--everyone +who could walk or be carried--crowded down in thousands to the docks, +and with them came the whole army of Antony, so that at length the +Triumvir was left alone upon the judgment seat. + +Dellius, the false-tongued, came also, fawning and bowing, and in the +name of Antony gave the "Queen of Beauty" greeting, bidding her to a +feast that Antony had made ready. But she made high answer, and said, +"Forsooth, it is Antony who should wait on us; not we on Antony. Bid the +noble Antony to our poor table this night--else we dine alone." + +Dellius went, bowing to the ground; the feast was made ready; and then +at last I set eyes on Antony. He came clad in purple robes, a great man +and beautiful to see, set in the stout prime of life, with bright eyes +of blue, and curling hair, and features cut sharply as a Grecian gem. +For he was great of form and royal of mien, and with an open countenance +on which his thoughts were so clearly written that all might read them; +only the weakness of the mouth belied the power of the brow. He came +attended by his generals, and when he reached the couch where Cleopatra +lay he stood astonished, gazing on her with wide-opened eyes. She, too, +gazed on him earnestly; I saw the red blood run up beneath her skin, and +a great pang of jealousy seized upon my heart. And Charmion, who saw all +beneath her downcast eyes, saw this also and smiled. But Cleopatra spoke +no word, only she stretched out her white hand for him to kiss; and he, +saying no word, took her hand and kissed it. + +"Behold, noble Antony!" she said at last in her voice of music, "thou +hast called me, and I am come." + +"Venus has come," he answered in his deep notes, and still holding his +eyes fixed upon her face. "I called a woman--a Goddess hath risen from +the deep!" + +"To find a God to greet her on the land," she laughed with ready wit. +"Well, a truce to compliments, for being on the earth even Venus is +ahungered. Noble Antony, thy hand." + +The trumpets blared, and through the bowing crowd Cleopatra, followed by +her train, passed hand in hand with Antony to the feast. + +[Here there is another break in the papyrus.] + + + +CHAPTER XV + +OF THE FEAST OF CLEOPATRA; OF THE MELTING OF THE PEARL; OF THE SAYING OF +HARMACHIS; AND OF CLEOPATRA'S VOW OF LOVE + +On the third night the feast was once more prepared in the hall of the +great house that had been set aside to the use of Cleopatra, and on this +night its splendour was greater even than on the nights before. For the +twelve couches that were set about the table were embossed with gold, +and those of Cleopatra and Antony were of gold set with jewels. The +dishes also were all of gold set with jewels, the walls were hung with +purple cloths sewn with gold, and on the floor, covered with a net of +gold, fresh roses were strewn ankle-deep, that as the slaves trod them +sent up their perfume. Once again I was bidden to stand, with Charmion +and Iras and Merira, behind the couch of Cleopatra, and, like a slave, +from time to time call out the hours as they flew. And there being no +help, I went wild at heart; but this I swore--it should be for the last +time, since I could not bear that shame. For though I would not yet +believe what Charmion told me--that Cleopatra was about to become the +Love of Antony--yet I could no more endure this ignominy and torture. +For from Cleopatra now I had no words save such as a Queen speaks to her +slave, and methinks it gave her dark heart pleasure to torment me. + +Thus it came to pass that I, the Pharaoh, crowned of Khem, stood among +eunuchs and waiting-women behind the couch of Egypt's Queen while the +feast went merrily and the wine-cup passed. And ever Antony sat, his +eyes fixed upon the face of Cleopatra, who from time to time let her +deep glance lose itself in his, and then for a little while their +talk died away. For he told her tales of war and of deeds that he had +done--ay, and love-jests such as are not meet for the ears of women. But +she took offence at nothing; rather, falling into his humour, she would +cap his stories with others of a finer wit, but not less shameless. + +At length, the rich meal being finished, Antony gazed at the splendour +around him. + +"Tell me, then, most lovely Egypt," he said; "are the sands of Nile +compact of gold, that thou canst, night by night, thus squander the +ransom of a King upon a single feast? Whence comes this untold wealth?" + +I bethought me of the tomb of the Divine Menkau-ra, whose holy treasure +was thus wickedly wasted, and looked up so that Cleopatra's eye caught +mine; but, reading my thoughts, she frowned heavily. + +"Why, noble Antony," she said, "surely it is nothing! In Egypt we have +our secrets, and know whence to conjure riches at our need. Say, what is +the value of this golden service, and of the meats and drinks that have +been set before us?" + +He cast his eyes about, and hazarded a guess. + +"Maybe a thousand sestertia."[*] + + [*] About eight thousand pounds of English money.--Editor. + +"Thou hast understated it by half, noble Antony! But such as it is I +will give it thee and those with thee as a free token of my friendship. +And more will I show thee now: I myself will eat and drink ten thousand +sestertia at a draught." + +"That cannot be, fair Egypt!" + +She laughed, and bade a slave bring her white vinegar in a glass. When +it was brought she set it before her and laughed again, while Antony, +rising from his couch, drew near and set himself at her side, and all +the company leant forward to see what she would do. And this she did. +She took from her ear one of those great pearls which last of all had +been drawn from the body of the Divine Pharaoh; and before any could +guess her purpose she let it fall into the vinegar. Then came silence, +the silence of wonder, and slowly the priceless pearl melted in the +strong acid. When it was melted she lifted the glass and shook it, then +drank the vinegar, to the last drop. + +"More vinegar, slave!" she cried; "my meal is but half finished!" and +she drew forth the second pearl. + +"By Bacchus, no! that shalt thou not!" cried Antony, snatching at her +hands; "I have seen enough;" and at that moment, moved to it by I know +not what, I called aloud: + +"The hour falls, O Queen!--_the hour of the coming of the curse of +Menkau-ra!_" + +An ashy whiteness grew upon Cleopatra's face, and she turned upon me +furiously, while all the company gazed wondering, not knowing what the +words might mean. + +"Thou ill-omened slave!" she cried. "Speak thus once more and thou shalt +be scourged with rods!--ay, scourged like an evildoer--that I promise +thee, Harmachis!" + +"What means the knave of an astrologer?" asked Antony. "Speak, sirrah! +and make clear thy meaning, for those who deal in curses must warrant +their wares." + +"I am a servant of the Gods, noble Antony. That which the Gods put in my +mind that must I say; nor can I read their meaning," I answered humbly. + +"Oh, oh! thou servest the Gods, dost thou, thou many-coloured mystery?" +This he said having reference to my splendid robes. "Well, I serve the +Goddesses, which is a softer cult. And there's this between us: +that though what they put in my mind I say, neither can I read their +meaning," and he glanced at Cleopatra as one who questions. + +"Let the knave be," she said impatiently; "to-morrow we'll be rid of +him. Sirrah, begone!" + +I bowed and went; and, as I went, I heard Antony say: "Well, he may be +a knave--for that all men are--but this for thy astrologer: he hath a +royal air and the eye of a King--ay, and wit in it." + +Without the door I paused, not knowing what to do, for I was bewildered +with misery. And, as I stood, someone touched me on the hand. I glanced +up--it was Charmion, who in the confusion of the rising of the guests, +had slipped away and followed me. + +For in trouble Charmion was ever at my side. + +"Follow me," she whispered; "thou art in danger." + +I turned and followed her. Why should I not? + +"Whither go we?" I asked at length. + +"To my chamber," she said. "Fear not; we ladies of Cleopatra's Court +have small good fame to lose; if anyone by chance should see us, they'll +think that it is a love-tryst, and such are all the fashion." + +I followed, and, presently, skirting the crowd, we came unseen to a +little side entrance that led to a stair, up which we passed. The stair +ended in a passage; we turned down it till we found a door on the left +hand. Charmion entered silently, and I followed her into a dark chamber. +Being in, she barred the door and, kindling tinder to a flame, lit a +hanging lamp. As the light grew strong I gazed around. The chamber was +not large, and had but one casement, closely shuttered. For the rest, it +was simply furnished, having white walls, some chests for garments, an +ancient chair, what I took to be a tiring table, on which were combs, +perfumes, and all the frippery that pertains to woman, and a white bed +with a broidered coverlid, over which was hung a gnat-gauze. + +"Be seated, Harmachis," she said, pointing to the chair. I took the +chair, and Charmion, throwing back the gnat-gauze, sat herself upon the +bed before me. + +"Knowest thou what I heard Cleopatra say as thou didst leave the +banqueting-hall?" she asked presently. + +"Nay, I know not." + +"She gazed after thee, and, as I went over to her to do some service, +she murmured to herself: 'By Serapis, I will make an end! I will wait no +longer: to-morrow he shall be strangled!'" + +"So!" I said, "it may be; though, after all that has been, I can scarce +believe that she will murder me." + +"Why canst thou not believe it, thou most foolish of men? Dost forget +how nigh thou wast to death there in the Alabaster Hall? Who saved thee +then from the knives of the eunuchs? Was it Cleopatra? Or was it I and +Brennus? Stay, I will tell thee. Thou canst not yet believe it, because, +in thy folly, thou dost not think it possible that the woman who has but +lately been as a wife to thee can now, in so short a time, doom thee to +be basely done to death. Nay, answer not--I know all; and I tell thee +this: thou hast not measured the depth of Cleopatra's perfidy, nor canst +thou dream the blackness of her wicked heart. She had surely slain thee +in Alexandria had she not feared that thy slaughter being noised abroad +might bring trouble on her. Therefore has she brought thee here to kill +thee secretly. For what more canst thou give her? She has thy heart's +love, and is wearied of thy strength and beauty. She has robbed thee +of thy royal birthright and brought thee, a King, to stand amidst the +waiting-women behind her at her feasts; she has won from thee the great +secret of the holy treasure!" + +"Ah, thou knowest that?" + +"Yes, I know all; and to-night thou seest how the wealth stored against +the need of Khem is being squandered to fill up the wanton luxury of +Khem's Macedonian Queen! Thou seest how she has kept her oath to wed +thee honourably. Harmachis--at length thine eyes are open to the truth!" + +"Ay, I see too well; and yet she swore she loved me, and I, poor fool, I +believed her!" + +"She swore she loved thee!" answered Charmion, lifting her dark eyes: +"now I will show thee how she loves thee. Knowest thou what was this +house? It was a priest's college; and, as thou wottest, Harmachis, +priests have their ways. This little room aforetime was the room of +the Head Priest, and the chamber that is beyond and below was the +gathering-place of the other priests. The old slave who keeps the house +told me all this, and also she revealed what I shall show thee. Now, +Harmachis, be silent as the dead, and follow me!" + +She blew out the lamp, and by the little light that crept through the +shuttered casement led me by the hand to the far corner of the room. +Here she pressed upon the wall, and a door opened in its thickness. We +entered, and she closed the spring. Now we were in a little chamber, +some five cubits in length by four in breadth; for a faint light +struggled into the closet, and also the sound of voices, I knew not +whence. Loosing my hand, she crept to the end of the place, and looked +steadfastly at the wall; then crept back and, whispering "Silence!" led +me forward with her. Then I saw that there were eyeholes in the wall, +which pierced it, and were hidden on the farther side by carved work +in stone. I looked through the hole that was in front of me, and I saw +this: six cubits below was the level of the floor of another chamber, +lit with fragrant lamps, and most richly furnished. It was the +sleeping-place of Cleopatra, and there, within ten cubits of where we +stood, sat Cleopatra on a gilded couch, and by her side sat Antony. + +"Tell me," Cleopatra murmured--for this place was so built that +every word spoken in the room below came to the ears of the listener +above--"tell me, noble Antony, wast pleased with my poor festival?" + +"Ay," he answered in his deep soldier's voice, "ay, Egypt, I have made +feasts, and been bidden to feasts, but never saw I aught like thine; and +I tell thee this, though I am rough of tongue and unskilled in pretty +sayings such as women love, thou wast the richest sight of all that +splendid board. The red wine was not so red as thy beauteous cheek, the +roses smelt not so sweet as the odour of thy hair, and no sapphire there +with its changing light was so lovely as thy eyes of ocean blue." + +"What! Praise from Antony! Sweet words from the lips of him whose +writings are so harsh! Why, it is praise indeed!" + +"Ay," he went on, "it was a royal feast, though I grieve that thou didst +waste that great pearl; and what meant that hour-calling astrologer of +thine, with his ill-omened talk of the curse of Menkau-ra?" + +A shadow fled across her glowing face. "I know not; he was lately +wounded in a brawl, and methinks the blow has crazed him." + +"He seemed not crazed, and there was that about his voice which rings in +my ears like some oracle of fate. So wildly, too, he looked upon thee, +Egypt, with those piercing eyes of his, like one who loved and yet hated +through the love." + +"He is a strange man, I tell thee, noble Antony, and a learned. Myself, +at times, I almost fear him, for he is deeply versed in the ancient +arts of Egypt. Knowest thou that the man is of royal blood, and once he +plotted to slay me? But I won him over, and slew him not, for he had the +key to secrets that I fain would learn; and, indeed, I loved his wisdom, +and to listen to his deep talk of all hidden things." + +"By Bacchus, I grow jealous of the knave! And now, Egypt?" + +"And now I have sucked his knowledge dry, and have no more cause to fear +him. Didst thou not see that I have made him stand these three nights a +slave amid my slaves, and call aloud the hours as they fled in festival. +No captive King marching in thy Roman triumphs can have suffered pangs +so keen as that proud Egyptian Prince when he stood shamed behind my +couch." + +Here Charmion laid her hand on mine and pressed it, as though in +tenderness. + +"Well, he shall trouble us no more with his words of evil omen," +Cleopatra went on slowly; "to-morrow morn he dies--dies swiftly and in +secret, leaving no trace of what his fate has been. On this is my mind +fixed; of a truth, noble Antony, it is fixed. Even as I speak the fear +of this man grows and gathers in my breast. Half am I minded to give the +word even now, for I breathe not freely till he be dead," and she made +as though to rise. + +"Let it be till morning," he said, catching her by the hand; "the +soldiers drink, and the deed will be ill done. 'Tis pity too. I love not +to think of men slaughtered in their sleep." + +"In the morning, perchance, the hawk may have flown," she answered, +pondering. "He hath keen ears, this Harmachis, and can summon things to +aid him that are not of the earth. Perchance, even now he hears me in +the spirit; for, of a truth, I seem to feel his presence breathing +round me. I could tell thee--but no, let him be! Noble Antony, be my +tiring-woman and loose me this crown of gold, it chafes my brow. Be +gentle, hurt me not--so." + +He lifted the uraeus crown from her brows, and she shook loose her heavy +weight of hair that fell about her like a garment. + +"Take back thy crown, royal Egypt," he said, speaking low, "take it from +my hand; I will not rob thee of it, but rather set it more firmly on +that beauteous brow." + +"What means my Lord?" she asked, smiling and looking into his eyes. + +"What mean I? Why then, this: thou camest hither at my bidding to make +answer of the charges laid against thee as to matters politic. And +knowest thou, Egypt, that hadst thou been other than thou art thou +hadst not gone back to queen it on the Nile; for of this I am sure, the +charges against thee are true in fact. But, being what thou art--and +look thou! never did Nature serve a woman better!--I forgive thee all. +For the sake of thy grace and beauty I forgive thee that which had not +been forgiven to virtue, or to patriotism, or to the dignity of age! See +now how good a thing is woman's wit and loveliness, that can make kings +forget their duty and cozen even blindfolded Justice to peep ere she +lifts her sword! Take back thy crown, O Egypt! It is now my care that, +though it be heavy, it shall not chafe thee." + +"These are royal words, most noble Antony," she made answer; "gracious +and generous words, such as befit the Conqueror of the world! And +touching my misdeeds in the past--if misdeeds there have been--I say +this, and this alone--then I knew not Antony. For, knowing Antony, who +could sin against him? What woman could lift a sword against one who +must be to all women as a God--one who, seen and known, draws after him +the whole allegiance of the heart, as the sun draws flowers? And what +more can I say and not cross the bounds of woman's modesty? Why, only +this--set that crown upon my brow, great Antony, and I will take it as +a gift from thee, by the giving made doubly dear, and to thy uses I will +guard it. + +"There, now I am thy vassal Queen, and through me all old Egypt that I +rule does homage to Antony the Triumvir, who shall be Antony the Emperor +of Rome and Khem's Imperial Lord!" + +And, having set the crown upon her locks, he stood gazing on her, grown +passionate in the warm breath of her living beauty, till at length +he caught her by both hands and drawing her to him kissed her thrice, +saying: + +"Cleopatra, I love thee, Sweet--I love thee as I never loved before." +She drew back from his embrace, smiling softly; and as she did so the +golden circlet of the sacred snakes fell, being but loosely set upon her +brow, and rolled away into the darkness beyond the ring of light. + +I saw the omen, and even in the bitter anguish of my heart knew its evil +import. But these twain took no note. + +"Thou lovest me?" she said, most sweetly; "how know I that thou lovest +me? Perchance it is Fulvia whom thou lovest--Fulvia, thy wedded wife?" + +"Nay, it is not Fulvia, 'tis thou, Cleopatra, and thou alone. Many women +have looked favourably upon me from my boyhood up, but to never a one +have I known such desire as to thee, O thou Wonder of the World, like +unto whom no woman ever was! Canst thou love me, Cleopatra, and to me +be true, not for my place or power, not for that which I can give or can +withhold, not for the stern music of my legion's tramp, or for the light +that flows from my bright Star of Fortune; but for myself, for the sake +of Antony, the rough captain, grown old in camps? Ay, for the sake of +Antony the reveller, the frail, the unfixed of purpose, but who yet +never did desert a friend, or rob a poor man, or take an enemy unawares? +Say, canst thou love me, Egypt? Oh! if thou wilt, why, I am more happy +than though I sat to-night in the Capitol at Rome crowned absolute +Monarch of the World!" + +And, ever as he spoke, she gazed on him with wonderful eyes, and in them +shone a light of truth and honesty such as was strange to me. + +"Thou speakest plainly," she said, "and thy words are sweet to mine +ears--they would be sweet, even were things otherwise than they are, +for what woman would not love to see the world's master at her feet? But +things being as they are, why, Antony, what can be so sweet as thy sweet +words? The harbour of his rest to the storm-tossed mariner--surely that +is sweet! The dream of Heaven's bliss which cheers the poor ascetic +priest on his path of sacrifice--surely that is sweet! The sight of +Dawn, the rosy-fingered, coming in his promise to glad the watching +Earth--surely that is sweet! But, ah! not one of these, nor all dear +delightful things that are, can match the honey-sweetness of thy words +to me, O Antony! For thou knowest not--never canst thou know--how drear +my life hath been, and empty, since thus it is ordained that in love +only can woman lose her solitude! And I have _never_ loved--never might +I love--till this happy night! Ay, take me in thy arms, and let us swear +a great vow of love--an oath that may not be broken while life is in +us! Behold! Antony! now and for ever I do vow most strict fidelity unto +thee! Now and for ever I am thine, and thine alone!" + + + +Then Charmion took me by the hand and drew me thence. + +"Hast seen enough?" she asked, when we were once more within the chamber +and the lamp was lit. + +"Yea," I answered; "my eyes are opened." + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +OF THE PLAN OF CHARMION; OF THE CONFESSION OF CHARMION; AND OF THE +ANSWER OF HARMACHIS + +For some while I sat with bowed head, and the last bitterness of shame +sank into my soul. This, then, was the end. For this I had betrayed my +oaths; for this I had told the secret of the pyramid; for this I had +lost my Crown, my Honour, and, perchance, my hope of Heaven! Could there +be another man in the wide world so steeped in sorrow as I was that +night? Surely not one! Where should I turn? What could I do? And even +through the tempest of my torn heart the bitter voice of jealousy called +aloud. For I loved this woman, to whom I had given all; and she at this +moment--she was----Ah! I could not bear to think of it; and in my utter +agony, my heart burst in a river of tears such as are terrible to weep! + +Then Charmion drew near me, and I saw that she, too, was weeping. + +"Weep not, Harmachis!" she sobbed, kneeling at my side. "I cannot endure +to see thee weep. Oh! why wouldst thou not be warned? Then hadst thou +been great and happy, and not as now. Listen, Harmachis! Thou didst hear +what that false and tigerish woman said--to-morrow she hands thee over +to the murderers!" + +"It is well," I gasped. + +"Nay: it is not well. Harmachis, give her not this last triumph over +thee. Thou hast lost all save life: but while life remains, hope remains +also, and with hope the chance of vengeance." + +"Ah!" I said, starting from my seat. "I had not thought of that. Ay--the +chance of vengeance! It would be sweet to be avenged!" + +"It would be sweet, Harmachis, and yet this--Vengeance is an arrow that +in falling oft pierces him who shot it. Myself--I know it," and she +sighed. "But a truce to talk and grief. There will be time for us twain +to grieve, if not to talk, in all the heavy coming years. Thou must +fly--before the coming of the light must thou fly. Here is a plan. +To-morrow, ere the dawn, a galley that but yesterday came from +Alexandria, bearing fruit and stores, sails thither again, and its +captain is known to me, but to thee he is not known. Now, I will find +thee the garb of a Syrian merchant, and cloak thee, as I know how, and +furnish thee with a letter to the captain of the galley. He shall give +thee passage to Alexandria; for to him thou wilt seem but as a merchant +going on the business of thy trade. Brennus is officer of the guard +to-night, and Brennus is a friend to me and thee. Perhaps he will guess +somewhat; or, perhaps, he will not guess; at the least, the Syrian +merchant shall safely pass the lines. What sayest thou?" + +"It is well," I answered wearily; "little do I reck the issue." + +"Rest thou, then, here, Harmachis, while I make these matters ready; +and, Harmachis, grieve not overmuch; there are others who should grieve +more heavily than thou." And she went, leaving me alone with my agony +which rent me like a torture-bed. Had it not been for that fierce desire +of vengeance which from time to time flashed across my tormented mind +as the lightning over a midnight sea, methinks my reason had left me +in that dark hour. At length I heard her footstep at the door, and she +entered, breathing heavily, for she bore a sack of clothing in her arms. + +"It is well," she said: "here is the garb with spare linen, and +writing-tablets, and all things needful. I have seen Brennus also, and +told him that a Syrian merchant would pass the guard an hour before the +dawn. And though he made pretence of sleep, I think he understood, for +he answered, yawning, that if they but had the pass-word, 'Antony,' +fifty Syrian merchants might go through about their lawful business. And +here is the letter to the captain--thou canst not mistake the galley, +for she is moored along to the right--a small galley, painted black, as +thou dost enter on the great quay, and, moreover, the sailors make ready +for sailing. Now I will wait here without, while thou dost put off the +livery of thy service and array thyself." + +When she was gone I tore off my gorgeous garments and spat upon them and +trod them on the ground. Then I put on the modest robe of a merchant, +and bound the tablets round me, on my feet the sandals of untanned hide, +and at my waist the knife. When it was done Charmion entered once again +and looked on me. + +"Too much art thou still the royal Harmachis," she said; "see, it must +be changed." + +Then she took scissors from her tiring-table, and, bidding me be seated, +she cut off my locks, clipping the hair close to the head. Next she +found stains of such sort as women use to make dark the eyes, and mixed +them cunningly, rubbing the stuff on my face and hands and on the white +mark in my hair where the sword of Brennus had bitten to the bone. + +"Now thou art changed--somewhat for the worse, Harmachis," she said, +with a dreary laugh, "scarce myself should I know thee. Stay, there is +one more thing," and, going to a chest of garments, she drew thence a +heavy bag of gold. + +"Take thou this," she said; "thou wilt have need of money." + +"I cannot take thy gold, Charmion." + +"Yes, take it. It was Sepa who gave it to me for the furtherance of +our cause, and therefore it is fitting that thou shouldst spend it. +Moreover, if I want money, doubtless Antony, who is henceforth my +master, will give me more; he is much beholden to me, and this he knows +well. There, waste not the precious time in haggling o'er the pelf--not +yet art thou all a merchant, Harmachis;" and, without more words, she +thrust the pieces into the leather bag that hung across my shoulders. +Then she made fast the sack containing the spare garments, and, so +womanly thoughtful was she, placed in it an alabaster jar of pigment, +with which I might stain my countenance afresh, and, taking the +broidered robes of my office that I had cast off, hid them in the secret +passage. And so at last all was made ready. + +"Is it time that I should go?," I asked. + +"Not yet a while. Be patient, Harmachis, for but one little hour more +must thou endure my presence, and then, perchance, farewell for ever." + +I made a gesture signifying that this was no time for sharp words. + +"Forgive me my quick tongue," she said; "but from a salt spring bitter +waters well. Be seated, Harmachis; I have heavier words to speak to thee +before thou goest." + +"Say on," I answered; "words, however heavy, can move me no more." + +She stood before me with folded hands, and the lamp-light shone upon her +beauteous face. I noticed idly how great was its pallor and how wide +and dark were the rings about the deep black eyes. Twice she lifted her +white face and strove to speak, twice her voice failed her; and when at +last it came it was in a hoarse whisper. + +"I cannot let thee go," she said--"I cannot let thee go unwitting of the +truth. + +"_Harmachis, 'twas I who did betray thee!_" + +I sprang to my feet, an oath upon my lips; but she caught me by the +hand. + +"Oh, be seated," she said--"be seated and hear me; then, when thou hast +heard, do to me as thou wilt. Listen. From that evil moment when, in +the presence of thy uncle Sepa, for the second time I set eyes upon thy +face, I loved thee--how much, thou canst little guess. Think upon +thine own love for Cleopatra, and double it, and double it again, and +perchance thou mayst come near to my love's mighty sum. I loved thee, +day by day I loved thee more, till in thee and for thee alone I seemed +to live. But thou wast cold--thou wast worse than cold! thou didst deal +with me not as a breathing woman, but rather as the instrument to an +end--as a tool with which to grave thy fortunes. And then I saw--yes, +long before thou knewest it thyself--thy heart's tide was setting strong +towards that ruinous shore whereon to-day thy life is broken. And at +last that night came, that dreadful night when, hid within the chamber, +I saw thee cast my kerchief to the winds, and with sweet words cherish +my royal Rival's gift. Then--oh, thou knowest--in my pain I betrayed +the secret that thou wouldst not see, and thou didst make a mock of me, +Harmachis! Oh! the shame of it--thou in thy foolishness didst make a +mock of me! I went thence, and within me were rising all the torments +which can tear a woman's heart, for now I was sure that thou didst love +Cleopatra! Ay, and so mad was I, even that night I was minded to betray +thee: but I thought--not yet, not yet; to-morrow he may soften. Then +came the morrow, and all was ready for the bursting of the great plot +that should make thee Pharaoh. And I too came--thou dost remember--and +again thou didst put me away when I spake to thee in parables, as +something of little worth--as a thing too small to claim a moment's +weighty thought. And, knowing that this was because--though thou knewest +it not--thou didst love Cleopatra, whom now thou must straightway slay, +I grew mad, and a wicked Spirit entered into me, possessing me utterly, +so that I was myself no longer, nor could control myself. And because +thou hadst scorned me, I did this, to my everlasting shame and +sorrow!--I passed into Cleopatra's presence and betrayed thee and those +with thee, and our holy cause, saying that I had found a writing which +thou hadst let fall and read all this therein." + +I gasped and sat silent; and gazing sadly at me she went on: + +"When she understood how great was the plot, and how deep its roots, +Cleopatra was much troubled; and, at first, she would have fled to Sais +or taken ship and run for Cyprus, but I showed her that the ways were +barred. Then she said she would cause thee to be slain, there, in the +chamber, and I left her so believing; for, at that hour, I was glad that +thou shouldst be slain--ay, even if I wept out my heart upon thy grave, +Harmachis. But what said I just now?--Vengeance is an arrow that oft +falls on him who looses it. So it was with me; for between my going and +thy coming Cleopatra hatched a deeper plan. She feared that to slay thee +would only be to light a fiercer fire of revolt; but she saw that to +bind thee to her, and, having left men awhile in doubt, to show thee +faithless, would strike the imminent danger at its roots and wither +it. This plot once formed, being great, she dared its doubtful issue, +and--need I go on? Thou knowest, Harmachis, how she won; and thus the +shaft of vengeance that I loosed fell upon my own head. For on the +morrow I knew that I had sinned for naught, that the burden of my +betrayal had been laid on the wretched Paulus, and that I had but ruined +the cause to which I was sworn and given the man I loved to the arms of +wanton Egypt." + +She bowed her head awhile, and then, as I spoke not, once more went on: + +"Let all my sin be told, Harmachis, and then let justice come. See now, +this thing happened. Half did Cleopatra learn to love thee, and deep in +her heart she bethought her of taking thee to wedded husband. For the +sake of this half love of hers she spared the lives of those in the plot +whom she had meshed, bethinking her that if she wedded thee she might +use them and thee to draw the heart of Egypt, which loves not her nor +any Ptolemy. And then, once again she entrapped thee, and in thy folly +thou didst betray to her the secret of the hidden wealth of Egypt, which +to-day she squanders to delight the luxurious Antony; and, of a truth, +at that time she purposed to make good her oath and marry thee. But on +the very morn when Dellius came for answer she sent for me, and telling +me all--for my wit, above any, she holds at price--demanded of me my +judgment whether she should defy Antony and wed thee, or whether she +should put the thought away and come to Antony. And I--now mark thou all +my sin--I, in my bitter jealousy, rather than I would see her thy wedded +wife and thou her loving lord, counselled her most strictly that +she should come to Antony, well knowing--for I had had speech with +Dellius--that if she came, this weak Antony would fall like a ripe fruit +at her feet, as, indeed, he has fallen. And but now I have shown thee +the issue of the scheme. Antony loves Cleopatra and Cleopatra loves +Antony, and thou art robbed, and matters have gone well for me, who of +all women on the earth to-night am the wretchedest by far. For when I +saw how thy heart broke but now, my heart seemed to break with thine, +and I could no longer bear the burden of my evil deeds, but knew that I +must tell them and take my punishment. + +"And now, Harmachis, I have no more to say; save that I thank thee for +thy courtesy in hearkening, and this one thing I add. Driven by my great +love I have sinned against thee unto death! I have ruined thee, I have +ruined Khem, and myself also I have ruined! Let death reward me! Slay +thou me, Harmachis--I will gladly die upon thy sword; ay, and kiss its +blade! Slay thou me and go; for if thou slayest me not, myself I will +surely slay!" And she threw herself upon her knees, lifting her fair +breast toward me, that I might smite her with my dagger. And, in my +bitter fury, I was minded to strike; for, above all, I thought how, +when I was fallen, this woman, who herself was my cause of shame, had +scourged me with her whip of scorn. But it is hard to slay a fair woman; +and, even as I lifted my hand to strike, I remembered that she had now +twice saved my life. + +"Woman! thou shameless woman!" I said, "arise! I slay thee not! Who am +I, that I should judge thy crime, that, with mine own, doth overtop all +earthly judgment?" + +"Slay me, Harmachis!" she moaned; "slay me, or I slay myself! My burden +is too great for me to bear! Be not so deadly calm! Curse me, and slay!" + +"What was it that thou didst say to me just now, Charmion--that as I had +sown so I must reap? It is not lawful that thou shouldst slay thyself; +it is not lawful that I, thine equal in sin, should slay thee because +through thee I sinned. As _thou_ hast sown, Charmion, so must _thou_ +also reap. Base woman! whose cruel jealousy has brought all these woes +on me and Egypt, live--live on, and from year to year pluck the bitter +fruit of crime! Haunted be thy sleep by visions of thy outraged Gods, +whose vengeance awaits thee and me in their dim Amenti! Haunted be thy +days by memories of that man whom thy fierce love brought to shame and +ruin, and by the sight of Khem a prey to the insatiate Cleopatra and a +slave to Roman Antony." + +"Oh, speak not thus, Harmachis! Thy words are sharper than any sword; +and more surely, if more slowly, shall they slay! Listen, Harmachis," +and she grasped my robe: "when thou wast great, and all power lay within +thy grasp, thou didst reject me. Wilt reject me now that Cleopatra hast +cast thee from her--now that thou art poor and shamed and with no pillow +to thy head? Still am I fair, and still I worship thee. Let me fly with +thee, and make atonement for my lifelong love. Or, if this be too great +a thing to ask, let me be but as thy sister and thy servant--thy very +slave, so that I may still look upon thy face, and share thy trouble +and minister to thee. O Harmachis, let me but come and I will brave all +things and endure all things, and nothing but Death himself shall stay +me from thy side. For I do believe that the love that sank me to so low +a depth, dragging thee with me, can yet lift me to an equal height, and +thee with me!" + +"Wouldst tempt me to fresh sin, woman? And dost thou think, Charmion, +that in some hovel where I must hide, I could bear, day by day, to look +upon thy fair face, and seeing, remember that those lips betrayed me? +Not thus easily shalt thou atone! This I know even now: many and heavy +shall be thy lonely days of penance! Perchance that hour of vengeance +yet may come, and perchance thou shalt live to play thy part in it. Thou +must still abide in the Court of Cleopatra; and, while thou art there, +if I yet live, I will from time to time find means to give thee tidings. +Perhaps a day may dawn when once more I shall need thy service. Now, +swear that, in this event, thou wilt not fail me a second time." + +"I swear, Harmachis!--I swear! May everlasting torments, too hideous to +be dreamed--more hideous, even, by far, than those that wring me now--be +my portion if I fail thee in one jot or tittle--ay, though I wait a +lifetime for thy word!" + +"It is well; see that thou keep the oath--not twice may we betray. I go +to work out my fate; abide thou to work out thine. Perchance our divers +threads will once more mingle ere the web be spun. Charmion, who unasked +didst love me--and who, prompted by that gentle love of thine, didst +betray and ruin me--fare thee well!" + +She gazed wildly upon my face--she stretched out her arms as though to +clasp me; then, in the agony of her despair, she cast herself at length +and grovelled upon the ground. + +I took up the sack of clothing and the staff and gained the door, and, +as I passed it, I threw one last glance upon her. There she lay, with +arms outstretched--more white than her white robes--her dark hair +streaming about her, and her fair brows hidden in the dust. + +And thus I left her, nor did I again set my eyes upon her till nine long +years had come and gone. + +[Here ends the second and largest roll of papyrus.] + + + + +BOOK III--THE VENGEANCE OF HARMACHIS + + + +CHAPTER I + +OF THE ESCAPE OF HARMACHIS FROM TARSUS; OF HIS BEING CAST FORTH AS AN +OFFERING TO THE GODS OF THE SEA; OF HIS SOJOURN IN THE ISLE OF CYPRUS; +OF HIS RETURN TO ABOUTHIS; AND OF THE DEATH OF AMENEMHAT + +I made my way down the stair in safety, and presently stood in the +courtyard of that great house. It was but an hour from dawn, and none +were stirring. The last reveller had drunk his fill, the dancing-girls +had ceased their dancing, and silence lay upon the city. I drew near the +gate, and was challenged by an officer who stood on guard, wrapped in a +heavy cloak. + +"Who passes," said the voice of Brennus. + +"A merchant, may it please you, Sir, who, having brought gifts from +Alexandria to a lady of the Queen's household, and, having been +entertained of the lady, now departs to his galley," I answered in a +feigned voice. + +"Umph!" he growled. "The ladies of the Queen's household keep their +guests late. Well; it is a time of festival. The pass-word, Sir +Shopkeeper? Without the pass-word you must needs return and crave the +lady's further hospitality." + +"'_Antony_,' Sir; and a right good word, too. Ah! I've wandered far, and +never saw I so goodly a man or so great a general. And, mark you, Sir! +I've travelled far, and seen many generals." + +"Ay; '_Antony_''s the word! And Antony is a good general in his +way--when it is a sober way, and when he cannot find a skirt to follow. +I've served with Antony--and against him, too; and know his points. +Well, well; he's got an armful now!" + +And all this while that he was holding me in talk, the sentry had been +pacing to and fro before the gate. But now he moved a little way to the +right, leaving the entrance clear. + +"Fare thee well, Harmachis, and begone!" whispered Brennus, leaning +forward and speaking quickly. "Linger not. But at times bethink thee of +Brennus who risked his neck to save thine. Farewell, lad, I would that +we were sailing North together," and he turned his back upon me and +began to hum a tune. + +"Farewell, Brennus, thou honest man," I answered, and was gone. And, as +I heard long afterwards, when on the morrow the hue and cry was +raised because the murderers could not find me, though they sought me +everywhere to slay me, Brennus did me a service. For he swore that as +he kept his watch alone an hour after midnight he saw me come and stand +upon the parapet of the roof, that then I stretched out my robes +and they became wings on which I floated up to Heaven, leaving him +astonished. And all those about the Court lent ear to this history, +believing in it, because of the great fame of my magic; and they +wondered much what the marvel might portend. The tale also travelled +into Egypt, and did much to save my good name among those whom I had +betrayed; for the more ignorant among them believed that I acted not +of my will, but of the will of the dread Gods, who of their own purpose +wafted me into Heaven. And thus to this day the saying runs that "_When +Harmachis comes again Egypt shall be free._" But alas, Harmachis comes +no more! Only Cleopatra, though she was much afraid, doubted her of the +tale, and sent an armed vessel to search for the Syrian merchant, but +not to find him, as shall be told. + + + +When I reached the galley of which Charmion had spoken, I found her +about to sail, and gave the writing to the captain, who conned it, +looking on me curiously, but said nothing. + +So I went aboard, and immediately we dropped swiftly down the river with +the current. And having come to the mouth of the river unchallenged, +though we passed many vessels, we put out to sea with a strong favouring +wind that before night freshened to a great gale. Then the sailor men, +being much afraid, would have put about and run for the mouth of Cydnus +again, but could not because of the wildness of the sea. All that night +it blew furiously, and by dawn our mast was carried away, and we rolled +helplessly in the trough of the great waves. But I sat wrapped in a +cloak, little heeding; and because I showed no fear the sailors cried +out that I was a wizard, and sought to cast me into the sea, but the +captain would not. At dawn the wind slackened, but ere noon it once more +blew in terrible fury, and at the fourth hour from noon we came in sight +of the rocky coast of that cape in the island of Cyprus which is called +Dinaretum, where is a mountain named Olympus, and thither-wards we +drifted swiftly. Then, when the sailors saw the terrible rocks, and how +the great waves that smote on them spouted up in foam, once more they +grew much afraid, and cried out in their fear. For, seeing that I still +sat unmoved, they swore that I certainly was a wizard, and came to +cast me forth as a sacrifice to the Gods of the sea. And this time the +captain was over-ruled, and said nothing. Therefore, when they came to +me I rose and defied them, saying, "Cast me forth, if ye will; but if ye +cast me forth ye shall perish." + +For in my heart I cared little, having no more any love of life, +but rather a desire to die, though I greatly feared to pass into the +presence of my Holy Mother Isis. But my weariness and sorrow at the +bitterness of my lot overcame even this heavy fear; so that when, being +mad as brute beasts, they seized me and, lifting me, hurled me into the +raging waters, I did but utter one prayer to Isis and made ready for +death. But it was fated that I should not die; for, when I rose to the +surface of the water, I saw a spar of wood floating near me, to which I +swam and clung. And a great wave came and swept me, riding, as it were, +upon the spar, as when a boy I had learned to do in the waters of the +Nile, past the bulwarks of the galley where the fierce-faced sailors +clustered to see me drown. And when they saw me come mounted on the +wave, cursing them as I came, and saw, too, that the colour of my +face had changed--for the salt water had washed way the pigment, they +shrieked with fear and threw themselves down upon the deck. And within a +very little while, as I rode toward the rocky coast, a great wave poured +into the vessel, that rolled broadside on, and pressed her down into the +deep, whence she rose no more. + +So she sank with all her crew. And in that same storm also sank the +galley which Cleopatra had sent to search for the Syrian merchant. Thus +all traces of me were lost, and of a surety she believed that I was +dead. + +But I rode on toward the shore. The wind shrieked and the salt waves +lashed my face as, alone with the tempest, I rushed upon my way, while +the sea-birds screamed about my head. I felt no fear, but rather a wild +uplifting of the heart; and in the stress of my imminent peril the love +of life seemed to waken again. And so I plunged and drifted, now tossed +high toward the lowering clouds, now cast into the deep valleys of the +sea, till at length the rocky headland loomed before me, and I saw the +breakers smite upon the stubborn rocks, and through the screaming of +the wind heard the sullen thunder of their fall and the groan of stones +sucked seaward from the beach. On! high-throned upon the mane of a +mighty billow--fifty cubits beneath me the level of the hissing waters; +above me the inky sky! It was done! The spar was torn from me, and, +dragged downwards by the weight of the bag of gold and the clinging of +my garments, I sank struggling furiously. + +Now I was under--the green light for a moment streamed through the +waters, and then came darkness, and on the darkness pictures of the +past. Picture after picture--all the long scene of life was written +here. Then in my ears I only heard the song of the nightingale, the +murmur of the summer sea, and the music of Cleopatra's laugh of victory, +following me softly and yet more soft as I sank away to sleep. + + + +Once more my life came back, and with it a sense of deadly sickness and +of aching pain. I opened my eyes and saw a kind face bending over me, +and knew that I was in the room of a builded house. + +"How came I hither?" I asked faintly. + +"Of a truth, Poseidon brought thee, Stranger," answered a rough voice +in barbarous Greek; "we found thee cast high upon the beach like a dead +dolphin and brought thee to our house, for we are fisher-folk. And here, +methinks, thou must lie a while, for thy left leg is broken by the force +of the waves." + +I strove to move my foot and could not. It was true, the bone was broken +above the knee. + +"Who art thou, and how art thou named?" asked the rough-bearded sailor. + +"I am an Egyptian traveller whose ship has sunk in the fury of the gale, +and I am named Olympus," I answered, for these people called a mountain +that we had sighted Olympus, and therefore I took the name at hazard. +And as Olympus I was henceforth known. + +Here with these rough fisher-folk I abode for the half of a year, paying +them a little out of the sum of gold that had come safely ashore upon +me. For it was long before my bones grew together again, and then I was +left somewhat of a cripple; for I, who had been so tall and straight and +strong, now limped--one limb being shorter than the other. And after I +recovered from my hurt, I still lived there, and toiled with them at the +trade of fishing; for I knew not whither I should go or what I should +do, and, for a while, I was fain to become a peasant fisherman, and so +wear my weary life away. And these people entreated me kindly, though, +as others, they feared me much, holding me to be a wizard brought hither +by the sea. For my sorrows had stamped so strange an aspect on my face +that men gazing at me grew fearful of what lay beneath its calm. + +There, then, I abode, till at length, one night as I lay and strove to +sleep, great restlessness came upon me, and a mighty desire once more to +see the face of Sihor. But whether this desire was of the Gods or born +of my own heart, not knowing, I cannot tell. So strong was it, at the +least, that before it was dawn I rose from my bed of straw and +clothed myself in my fisher garb, and, because I had no wish to answer +questions, thus I took farewell of my humble hosts. First I placed some +pieces of gold on the well-cleaned table of wood, and then taking a pot +of flour I strewed it in the form of letters, writing: + +"This gift from Olympus, the Egyptian, who returns into the sea." + +Then I went, and on the third day I came to the great city of Salamis, +that is also on the sea. Here I abode in the fishermen's quarters till +a vessel was about to sail for Alexandria, and to the captain of this +vessel, a man of Paphos, I hired myself as a sailor. We sailed with a +favouring wind, and on the fifth day I came to Alexandria, that hateful +city, and saw the light dancing on its golden domes. + +Here I might not abide. So again I hired myself out as a sailor, giving +my labour in return for passage, and we passed up the Nile. And I +learned from the talk of men that Cleopatra had come back to Alexandria, +drawing Antony with her and that they lived together with royal state +in the palace on the Lochias. Indeed, the boatmen already had a song +thereon, which they sang as they laboured at the oar. Also I heard how +the galley that was sent to search for the vessel which carried the +Syrian merchant had foundered with all her crew, and the tale that the +Queen's astronomer, Harmachis, had flown to Heaven from the roof of the +house at Tarsus. And the sailors wondered because I sat and laboured and +would not sing their ribald song of the loves of Cleopatra. For they, +too, began to fear me, and mutter concerning me among themselves. Then +I knew that I was a man accursed and set apart--a man whom none might +love. + +On the sixth day we drew nigh to Abouthis, where I left the craft, and +the sailors were right glad to see me go. And, with a breaking heart, I +walked through the fertile fields, seeing faces that I knew well. But in +my rough disguise and limping gait none knew me. At length, as the sun +sank, I came near to the great outer pylon of the temple; and here I +crouched down in the ruins of a house, not knowing why I had come or +what I was about to do. Like a lost ox I had strayed from far, back to +the fields of my birth, and for what? If my father, Amenemhat, still +lived, surely he would turn his face from me. I dared not go into the +presence of my father. I sat hidden there among the broken rafters, and +idly watched the pylon gates, to see if, perchance, a face I knew should +issue from them. But none came forth or entered in, though the great +gates stood wide; and then I saw that herbs were growing between the +stones, where no herbs had grown for ages. What could this be? Was the +temple deserted? Nay; how could the worship of the eternal Gods have +ceased, that for thousands of years had, day by day, been offered in the +holy place? Was, then, my father dead? It well might be. And yet, why +this silence? Where were the priests: where the worshippers? + +I could bear the doubt no more, but as the sun sank red I crept like a +hunted jackal through the open gates, and on till I reached the first +great Hall of Pillars. Here I paused and gazed around me--not a sight, +not a sound, in the dim and holy place! I went on with a beating heart +to the second great hall, the hall of six-and-thirty pillars where I +had been crowned Lord of all the Lands: still not a sight or a sound! +Thence, half fearful of my own footfall, so terribly did it echo in the +silence of the deserted Holies, I passed down the passage of the names +of the Pharaohs towards my father's chamber. The curtain still swung +over the doorway; but what would there be within?--also emptiness? I +lifted it, and noiselessly passed in, and there in his carven chair +at the table on which his long white beard flowed, sat my father, +Amenemhat, clad in his priestly robes. At first I thought that he was +dead, he sat so still; but at length he turned his head, and I saw that +his eyes were white and sightless. He was blind, and his face was thin +as the face of a dead man, and woeful with age and grief. + +I stood still and felt the blind eyes wandering over me. I could not +speak to him--I dared not speak to him; I would go and hide myself +afresh. + +I had already turned and grasped the curtain, when my father spoke in a +deep, slow voice: + +"Come hither, thou who wast my son and art a traitor. Come hither, thou +Harmachis, on whom Khem builded up her hope. Not in vain, then, have I +drawn thee from far away! Not in vain have I held my life in me till I +heard thy footfall creeping down these empty Holies, like the footfall +of a thief!" + +"Oh! my father," I gasped, astonished. "Thou art blind: how knowest thou +me?" + +"How do I know thee?--and askest thou that who hast learned of our lore? +Enough, I know thee and I brought thee hither. Would, Harmachis, that I +knew thee not! Would that I had been blasted of the Invisible ere I drew +thee down from the womb of Nout, to be my curse and shame, and the last +woe of Khem!" + +"Oh, speak not thus!" I moaned; "is not my burden already more than I +can bear? Am I not myself betrayed and utterly outcast? Be pitiful, my +father!" + +"Be pitiful!--be pitiful to thee who hast shown so great pity? It +was thy pity which gave up noble Sepa to die beneath the hands of the +tormentors!" + +"Oh, not that--not that!" I cried. + +"Ay, traitor, that!--to die in agony, with his last poor breath +proclaiming thee, his murderer, honest and innocent! Be pitiful to +thee, who gavest all the flower of Khem as the price of a wanton's +arms!--thinkest thou that, labouring in the darksome desert mines, those +noble ones in thought are pitiful to thee, Harmachis? Be pitiful to +thee, by whom this Holy Temple of Abouthis hath been ravaged, its lands +seized, its priests scattered, and I alone, old and withered, left to +count out its ruin--to thee, who hast poured the treasures of _Her_ into +thy leman's lap, who hast forsworn Thyself, thy Country, thy Birthright, +and thy Gods! Yea, thus am I pitiful: Accursed be thou, fruit of my +loins!--Shame be thy portion, Agony thy end, and Hell receive thee at +the last! Where art thou? Yea, I grew blind with weeping when I heard +the truth--sure, they strove to hide it from me. Let me find thee that I +may spit upon thee, thou Renegade! thou Apostate! thou Outcast!"--and he +rose from his seat and staggered like a living Wrath toward me, smiting +the air with his wand. And as he came with outstretched arms, awful to +see, suddenly his end found him, and with a cry he sank down upon the +ground, the red blood streaming from his lips. I ran to him and lifted +him; and as he died, he babbled: + +"He was my son, a bright-eyed lovely boy, and full of promise as the +Spring; and now--and now--oh, would that he were dead!" + +Then came a pause and the breath rattled in his throat. + +"Harmachis," he gasped, "art there?" + +"Yea, father." + +"Harmachis, atone!--atone! Vengeance can still be wreaked--forgiveness +may still be won. There's gold; I've hidden it--Atoua--she can tell +thee--ah, this pain! Farewell!" + +And he struggled faintly in my arms and was dead. + + + +Thus, then, did I and my holy father, the Prince Amenemhat, meet +together for the last time in the flesh, and for the last time part. + + + +CHAPTER II + +OF THE LAST MISERY OF HARMACHIS; OF THE CALLING DOWN OF THE HOLY ISIS BY +THE WORD OF FEAR; OF THE PROMISE OF ISIS; OF THE COMING OF ATOUA, AND OF +THE WORDS OF ATOUA + +I crouched upon the floor gazing at the dead body of my father, who had +lived to curse me, the utterly accursed, while the darkness crept and +gathered round us, till at length the dead and I were alone in the black +silence. Oh, how tell the misery of that hour! Imagination cannot dream +it, nor words paint it forth. Once more in my wretchedness I bethought +me of death. A knife was at my girdle, with which I might cut the thread +of sorrow and set my spirit free. Free? ay, free to fly and face the +last vengeance of the Holy Gods! Alas! and alas! I did not dare to die. +Better the earth with all its woes than the quick approach of those +unimagined terrors that, hovering in dim Amenti, wait the advent of the +fallen. + +I grovelled on the ground and wept tears of agony for the lost +unchanging past--wept till I could weep no more; but no answer came from +the silence--no answer but the echoes of my grief. Not a ray of hope! My +soul wandered in a darkness more utter than that which was about me--I +was forsaken of the Gods and cast out of men. Terror took hold upon me +crouching in that lonely place hard by the majesty of the awful Dead. I +rose to fly. How could I fly in this gloom?--And where should I fly who +had no place of refuge? Once more I crouched down, and the great fear +grew on me till the cold sweat ran from my brow and my soul was faint +within me. Then, in my last despair, I prayed aloud to Isis, to whom I +had not dared to pray for many days. + +"O Isis! Holy Mother!" I cried; "put away Thy wrath, and of Thine +infinite pity, O Thou all-pitiful, hearken to the voice of the anguish +of him who was Thy son and servant, but who by sin hath fallen from the +vision of Thy love. O throned Glory, who, being in all things, hast of +all things understanding and of all griefs knowledge, cast the weight +of Thy mercy against the scale of my evil-doing, and make the balance +equal. Look down upon my woe, and measure it; count up the sum of my +repentance and take Thou note of the flood of sorrow that sweeps my soul +away. O Thou Holy, whom it was given to me to look upon face to face, +by that dread hour of commune I summon Thee; I summon Thee by the mystic +word. Come, then, in mercy, to save me; or, in anger, to make an end of +that which can no more be borne." + +And, rising from my knees, I stretched out my arms and dared to cry +aloud the Word of Fear, to use which unworthily is death. + +Swiftly the answer came. For in the silence I heard the sound of the +shaken sistra heralding the coming of the Glory. Then, at the far end of +the chamber, grew the semblance of the horned moon, gleaming faintly in +the darkness, and betwixt the golden horns rested a small dark cloud, in +and out of which the fiery serpent climbed. + +My knees waxed loose in the presence of the Glory, and I sank down +before it. + +Then spake the small, sweet Voice within the cloud: + +"Harmachis, who wast my servant and my son, I have heard thy prayer, and +the summons that thou hast dared to utter, which on the lips of one with +whom I have communed, hath power to draw Me from the Uttermost. No more, +Harmachis, may we be one in the bond of Love Divine, for thou hast put +Me away of thine own act. Therefore, after this long silence I come, +Harmachis, clothed in terrors, and, perchance, ready for vengeance, for +not lightly can Isis be drawn from the halls of Her Divinity." + +"Smite, Goddess!" I answered. "Smite, and give me over to those who +wreak Thy vengeance; for I can no longer bear the burden of my woe!" + +"And if thou canst not bear thy burden here, upon this upper earth," +came the soft reply, "how then shalt thou bear the greater burden that +shall be laid upon thee there, coming defiled and yet unpurified into my +dim realm of Death, that is Life and Change unending? Nay, Harmachis, I +smite thee not, for not all am I wroth that thou hast dared to utter +the awful Word which calls Me down to thee. Hearken, Harmachis; I praise +not, and I reproach not, for I am the Minister of Reward and Punishment +and the Executrix of Decrees; and if I give, I give in silence; and if I +smite, in silence do I smite. Therefore, I will add naught to thy burden +by the weight of heavy words, though through thee it has come to pass +that soon shall Isis, the Mother-Mystery, be but a memory in Egypt. Thou +hast sinned, and heavy shall be thy punishment, as I did warn thee, both +in the flesh and in my kingdom of Amenti. But I told thee that there is +a road of repentance, and surely thy feet are set thereon, and therein +must thou walk with a humble heart, eating of the bread of bitterness, +till such time as thy doom be measured." + +"Have I, then, no hope, O holy?" + +"That which is done, Harmachis, is done, nor can its issues be altered. +Khem shall no more be free till all its temples are as the desert dust; +strange Peoples shall, from age to age, hold her hostage and in bonds; +new Religions shall arise and wither within the shadow of her pyramids, +for to every World, Race, and Age the countenances of the Gods are +changed. This is the tree that shall spring from thy seed of sin, +Harmachis, and from the sin of those who tempted thee!" + +"Alas! I am undone!" I cried. + +"Yea, thou art undone; and yet shall this be given to thee: thy +Destroyer thou shalt destroy--for so, in the purpose of my justice, it +is ordained. When the sign comes to thee, arise, go to Cleopatra, and +in such manner as I shall put into thy heart do Heaven's vengeance +upon her! And now for thyself one word, for thou hast put Me from thee, +Harmachis, and no more shall I come face to face with thee till, cycles +hence, the last fruit of thy sin hath ceased to be upon this earth! Yet, +through the vastness of the unnumbered years, remember thou this: the +Love Divine is Love Eternal, which cannot be extinguished, though it be +everlastingly estranged. Repent, my son; repent and do well while +there is yet time, that at the dim end of ages thou mayest once more +be gathered unto Me. Still, Harmachis, though thou seest Me not; still, +when the very name by which thou knowest Me has become a meaningless +mystery to those who shall be after thee; still I, whose hours are +eternal--I, who have watched Universes wither, wane, and, beneath the +breath of Time, melt into nothingness; again to gather, and, re-born, +thread the maze of space--still, I say, I shall companion thee. Wherever +thou goest, in whatever form of life thou livest, there I shall be! Art +thou wafted to the farthest star, art thou buried in Amenti's lowest +deep--in lives, in deaths, in sleeps, in wakings, in remembrances, in +oblivions, in all the fevers of the outer Life, in all the changes of +the Spirit--still, if thou wilt but atone and forget Me no more, I shall +be with thee, waiting thine hour of redemption. For this is the nature +of Love Divine, wherewith it loves that which partakes of its divinity +and by the holy tie hath once been bound to it. Judge then, Harmachis: +was it well to put this from thee to win the dust of earthly woman? And, +now, dare not again to utter the Word of Power till these things are +done! Harmachis, for this season, fare thee well!" + + + +As the last note of the sweet Voice died away, the fiery snake climbed +into the heart of the cloud. Now the cloud rolled from the horns of +light, and was gathered into the blackness. The vision of the crescent +moon grew dim and vanished. Then, as the Goddess passed, once more came +the faint and dreadful music of the shaken sistra, and all was still. + +I hid my face in my robe, and even then, though my outstretched hand +could touch the chill corpse of that father who had died cursing me, +I felt hope come back into my heart, knowing that I was not altogether +lost nor utterly rejected of Her whom I had forsaken, but whom I yet +loved. And then weariness overpowered me, and I slept. + + + +I woke, the faint lights of dawn were creeping from the opening in the +roof. Ghastly they lay upon the shadowy sculptured walls and ghastly +upon the dead face and white beard of my father, the gathered to Osiris. +I started up, remembering all things, and wondering in my heart what +I should do, and as I rose I heard a faint footfall creeping down the +passage of the names of the Pharaohs. + +"_La! La! La!_" mumbled a voice that I knew for the voice of the old +wife, Atoua. "Why, 'tis dark as the House of the Dead! The Holy Ones +who built this Temple loved not the blessed sun, however much they +worshipped him. Now, where's the curtain?" + +Presently it was drawn, and Atoua entered, a stick in one hand and a +basket in the other. Her face was somewhat more wrinkled, and her scanty +locks were somewhat whiter than aforetime, but for the rest she was +as she had ever been. She stood and peered around with her sharp black +eyes, for as yet she could see nothing because of the shadows. + +"Now where is he?" she muttered. "Osiris--glory to His name--send that +he has not wandered in the night, and he blind! Alack! that I could not +return before the dark. Alack! and alack! what times have we fallen on, +when the Holy High Priest and the Governor, by descent, of Abouthis, is +left with one aged crone to minister to his infirmity! O Harmachis, my +poor boy, thou hast laid trouble at our doors! Why, what's this? Surely +he sleeps not, there upon the ground?--'twill be his death! Prince! Holy +Father! Amenemhat! awake, arise!" and she hobbled towards the +corpse. "Why, how is it! By Him who sleeps, he's dead! untended and +alone--_dead! dead!_" and she sent her long wail of grief ringing up the +sculptured walls. + +"Hush! woman, be still!" I said, gliding from the shadows. + +"Oh, what art thou?" she cried, casting down her basket. "Wicked man, +hast thou murdered this Holy One, the only Holy One in Egypt? Surely the +curse will fall on thee, for though the Gods do seem to have forsaken us +now in our hour of trial, yet is their arm long, and certainly they will +be avenged on him who hath slain their anointed!" + +"Look on me, Atoua," I cried. + +"Look! ay, I look--thou wicked wanderer who hast dared this cruel deed! +Harmachis is a traitor and lost far away, and Amenemhat his holy father +is murdered, and now I'm all alone without kith or kin. I gave them for +him. I gave them for Harmachis, the traitor! Come, slay me also, thou +wicked one!" + +I took a step toward her, and she, thinking that I was about to smite +her, cried out in fear: + +"Nay, good Sir, spare me! Eighty and six, by the Holy Ones, eighty and +six, come next flood of Nile, and yet I would not die, though Osiris is +merciful to the old who served him! Come no nearer--help! help!" + +"Thou fool, be silent," I said; "knowest thou me not?" + +"Know thee? Can I know every wandering boatman to whom Sebek grants +to earn a livelihood till Typhon claims his own? And yet--why, 'tis +strange--that changed countenance!--that scar!--that stumbling gait! It +is thou, Harmachis!--'tis thou, O my boy! Art come back to glad mine old +eyes? I hoped thee dead! Let me kiss thee?--nay, I forget. Harmachis is +a traitor, ay, and a murderer! Here lies the holy Amenemhat, murdered by +the traitor, Harmachis! Get thee gone! I'll have none of traitors and of +parricides! Get thee to thy wanton!--it is not thou whom I did nurse." + +"Peace! woman; peace! I slew not my father--he died, alas!--he died even +in my arms." + +"Ay, surely, and cursing thee, Harmachis! Thou hast given death to him +who gave thee life! _La! la!_ I am old, and I've seen many a trouble; +but this is the heaviest of them all! I never liked the looks of +mummies; but I would I were one this hour! Get thee gone, I pray thee!" + +"Old nurse, reproach me not! Have I not enough to bear?" + +"Ah! yes, yes!--I did forget! Well; and what is thy sin? A woman was +thy bane, as women have been to those before thee, and shall be to those +after thee. And what a woman! _La! la!_ I saw her, a beauty such as +never was--an arrow pointed by the evil Gods for destruction! And thou, +a young man bred as a priest--an ill training--a very ill training! +'Twas no fair match. Who can wonder that she mastered thee? Come, +Harmachis; let me kiss thee! It is not for a woman to be hard on a man +because he loved our sex too much. Why, that is but nature; and Nature +knows her business, else she had made us otherwise. But here is an evil +case. Knowest thou that this Macedonian Queen of thine hath seized the +temple lands and revenues, and driven away the priests--all, save the +holy Amenemhat, who lies here, and whom she left, I know not why; ay, +and caused the worship of the Gods to cease within these walls. Well, +he's gone!--he's gone! and indeed he is better with Osiris, for his life +was a sore burden to him. And hark thou, Harmachis: he hath not left +thee empty-handed; for, so soon as the plot failed, he gathered all his +wealth, and it is large, and hid it--where, I can show thee--and it is +thine by right of descent." + +"Talk not to me of wealth, Atoua. Where shall I go and how shall I hide +my shame?" + +"Ah! true, true; here mayst thou not abide, for if they found thee, +surely they would put thee to the dreadful death--ay, to the death by +the waxen cloth. Nay, I will hide thee, and, when the funeral rites of +the holy Amenemhat have been performed, we will fly hence, and cover us +from the eyes of men till these sorrows are forgotten. _La! la!_ it is a +sad world, and full of trouble as the Nile mud is full of beetles. Come, +Harmachis, come." + + + +CHAPTER III + +OF THE LIFE OF HIM WHO WAS NAMED THE LEARNED OLYMPUS, IN THE TOMB OF THE +HARPERS THAT IS BY TAPE; OF HIS COUNSEL TO CLEOPATRA; OF THE MESSAGE OF +CHARMION; AND OF THE PASSING OF OLYMPUS DOWN TO ALEXANDRIA + +These things then came to pass. For eighty days I was hidden of the old +wife, Atoua, while the body of the Prince, my father, was made ready for +burial by those skilled in the arts of embalming. And when at last +all things were done in order, I crept from my hiding-place and made +offerings to the spirit of my father, and placing lotus-flowers on his +breast went thence sorrowing. And on the following day, from where I lay +hid, I saw the Priests of the Temple of Osiris and of the holy shrine of +Isis come forth, and in slow procession bear his painted coffin to the +sacred lake and lay it beneath the funeral tent in the consecrated boat. +I saw them celebrate the symbol of the trial of the dead, and name him +above all men just, and then bear him thence to lay him by his wife, +my mother, in the deep tomb that he had hewn in the rock near to the +resting-place of the Holy Osiris, where, notwithstanding my sins, I, +too, hope to sleep ere long. And when all these things were done and the +deep tomb sealed, the wealth of my father having been removed from the +hidden treasury and placed in safety, I fled, disguised, with the old +wife, Atoua, up the Nile till we came to Tape,[*] and here in this great +city I lay a while, till a place could be found where I should hide +myself. + + [*] Thebes.--Editor. + +And such a place I found. For to the north of the great city are brown +and rugged hills, and desert valley blasted of the sun, and in this +place of desolation the Divine Pharaohs, my forefathers, hollowed out +their tombs in the solid rock, the most part of which are lost to this +day, so cunningly have they been hidden. But some are open, for the +accursed Persians and other thieves broke into them in search +of treasure. And one night--for by night only did I leave my +hiding-place--just as the dawn was breaking on the mountain tops, I +wandered alone in this sad valley of death, like to which there is +no other, and presently came to the mouth of a tomb hidden amid great +rocks, which afterwards I knew for the place of the burying of the +Divine Rameses, the third of that name, now long gathered to Osiris. And +by the faint light of the dawn creeping through the entrance I saw that +it was spacious and that within were chambers. + +On the following night, therefore, I returned, bearing lights, with +Atoua, my nurse, who ever ministered faithfully to me as when I was +little and without discretion. And we searched the mighty tomb and came +to the great Hall of the Sarcophagus of granite, in which the Divine +Rameses sleeps, and saw the mystic paintings on the walls: the symbol +of the Snake unending, the symbol of Ra resting upon the Scarabaeus, the +symbol of Ra resting upon Nout, the symbol of the Headless men, and many +others, whereof, being initiated, well I read the mysteries. And +opening from the long descending passage I found chambers in which were +paintings beautiful to behold, and of all manner of things. For beneath +each chamber is entombed the master of the craft of which the paintings +tell, he who was the chief of the servants of that craft in the house +of this Divine Rameses. And on the walls of the last chamber--on +the left-hand side, looking toward the Hall of the Sarcophagus--are +paintings exceedingly beautiful, and two blind harpers playing upon +their bent harps before the God Mou; and beneath the flooring these +harpers, who harp no more, are soft at sleep. Here, then, in this gloomy +place, even in the tomb of the Harpers and the company of the dead, I +took up my abode; and here for eight long years I worked out my penance +and made atonement for my sin. But Atoua, because she loved to be near +the light, abode in the chamber of the Boats--that is, the first chamber +on the right-hand side of the gallery looking toward the Hall of the +Sarcophagus. + +And this was the manner of my life. On every second day the old wife, +Atoua, went forth and brought water from the city and such food as is +necessary to keep the life from failing, and also tapers made from fat. +And one hour at the time of sunrise and one hour at the time of sunset +I did go forth also to wander in the valley for my health's sake and to +save my sight from failing in the great darkness of the tomb. But the +other hours of the day and night, except when I climbed the mountain +to watch the course of the stars, I spent in prayer and meditation and +sleep, till the cloud of sin lifted from my heart and once more I drew +near to the Gods, though with Isis, my heavenly Mother, I might speak no +more. And I grew exceedingly wise also, pondering on all those mysteries +to which I held the key. For abstinence and prayer and sorrowful +solitude wore away the grossness of my flesh, and with the eyes of the +Spirit I learned to look deep into the heart of things till the joy of +Wisdom fell like dew upon my soul. + +Soon the rumour was wafted about the city that a certain holy man named +Olympus abode in solitude in the tombs of the awful Valley of the Dead; +and hither came people bearing sick that I might cure them. And I gave +my mind to the study of simples, in which Atoua instructed me; and by +lore and the weight of my thought I gained great skill in medicine, and +healed many sick. And thus ever, as time went on, my fame was noised +abroad; for it was said that I was also a magician and that in the +tombs I had commune with the Spirits of the Dead. And this, indeed, I +did--though it is not lawful for me to speak of these matters. Thus, +then, it came to pass that no more need Atoua go forth to seek food and +water, for the people brought it--more than was needful, for I would +receive no fee. Now at first, fearing lest some in the hermit Olympus +might know the lost Harmachis, I would only meet those who came in the +darkness of the tomb. But afterwards, when I learned how it was held +through all the land that Harmachis was certainly no more, I came forth +and sat in the mouth of the tomb, and ministered to the sick, and +at times calculated nativities for the great. And thus my fame grew +continually, till at length folk journeyed even from Memphis and +Alexandria to visit me; and from them I learned how Antony had left +Cleopatra for a while, and, Fulvia being dead, had married Octavia, the +sister of Caesar. Many other things I learned also. + +And in the second year I did this: I despatched the old wife, Atoua, +disguised as a seller of simples, to Alexandria, bidding her seek out +Charmion, and, if yet she found her faithful, reveal to her the secret +of my way of life. So she went, and in the fifth month from her sailing +returned, bearing Charmion's greetings and a token. And she told me that +she had found means to see Charmion, and, in talk, had let fall the name +of Harmachis, speaking of me as one dead; at which Charmion, unable to +control her grief, wept aloud. Then, reading her heart--for the old +wife was very clever, and held the key of knowledge--she told her that +Harmachis yet lived, and sent her greetings. Thereon Charmion wept yet +more with joy, and kissed the old wife, and made her gifts, bidding her +tell me that she had kept her vow, and waited for my coming and the hour +of vengeance. So, having learned many secrets, Atoua returned again to +Tape. + +And in the following year messengers came to me from Cleopatra, bearing +a sealed roll and great gifts. I opened the roll, and read this in it: + +"Cleopatra to Olympus, the learned Egyptian who dwells in the Valley of +Death by Tape-- + +"The fame of thy renown, O learned Olympus, hath reached our ears. Tell +thou, then, this to us, and if thou tellest aright greater honour and +wealth shalt thou have than any in Egypt: How shall we win back the love +of noble Antony, who is bewitched of cunning Octavia, and tarries long +from us?" + +Now, in this I saw the hand of Charmion, who had made my renown known to +Cleopatra. + +All that night I took counsel with my wisdom, and on the morrow wrote my +answer as it was put into my heart to the destruction of Cleopatra and +Antony. And thus I wrote: + +"Olympus the Egyptian to Cleopatra the Queen-- + +"Go forth into Syria with one who shall be sent to lead thee; thus shalt +thou win Antony to thy arms again, and with him gifts more great than +thou canst dream." + +And with this letter I dismissed the messengers, bidding them share the +presents sent by Cleopatra among their company. + +So they went wondering. + +But Cleopatra, seizing on the advice to which her passion prompted her, +departed straightway with Fonteius Capito into Syria, and there the +thing came about as I had foretold, for Antony was subdued of her +and gave her the greater part of Cilicia, the ocean shore of Arabia +Nabathaea, the balm-bearing provinces of Judaea, the province of Phoenicia, +the province of Coele-Syria, the rich isle of Cyprus, and all the library +of Pergamus. And to the twin children that, with the son Ptolemy, +Cleopatra had borne to Antony, he impiously gave the names of "Kings, +the Children of Kings"--of Alexander Helios, as the Greeks name the sun, +and of Cleopatra Selene, the moon, the long-winged. + +These things then came to pass. + +Now on her return to Alexandria Cleopatra sent me great gifts, of which +I would have none, and prayed me, the learned Olympus, to come to her at +Alexandria; but it was not yet time, and I would not. But thereafter she +and Antony sent many times to me for counsel, and I ever counselled them +to their ruin, nor did my prophecies fail. + + + +Thus the long years rolled away, and I, the hermit Olympus, the dweller +in a tomb, the eater of bread and the drinker of water, by strength of +the wisdom that was given me of the avenging Power, became once more +great in Khem. For I grew ever wiser as I trampled the desires of the +flesh beneath my feet and turned my eyes to heaven. + +At length eight full years were accomplished. The war with the Parthians +had come and gone, and Artavasdes, King of Armenia, had been led in +triumph through the streets of Alexandria. Cleopatra had visited Samos +and Athens; and, by her counselling, the noble Octavia had been driven, +like some discarded concubine, from the house of Antony at Rome. And +now, at the last, the measure of the folly of Antony was full even to +the brim. For this Master of the World had no longer the good gift of +reason; he was lost in Cleopatra as I had been lost. Therefore, in the +event, Octavianus declared war against him. + +And as I slept upon a certain day in the chamber of the Harpers, in the +tomb of Pharaoh that is by Tape, there came to me a vision of my father, +the aged Amenemhat, and he stood over me, leaning on his staff, and +spoke, saying: + +"Look forth, my son." + +Then I looked forth, and with the eyes of my spirit saw the sea, and +two great fleets grappling in war hard by a rocky coast. And the emblems +were those of Octavian, and of the other those of Cleopatra and Antony. +The ships of Antony and Cleopatra bore down upon the ships of Caesar, and +drove them on, for victory inclined to Antony. + +I looked again. There sat Cleopatra in a gold-decked galley watching the +fight with eager eyes. Then I cast my Spirit on her so that she seemed +to hear the voice of dead Harmachis crying in her ear. + +"_Fly, Cleopatra,_" it seemed to say, "_fly or perish!_" + +She looked up wildly, and again she heard my Spirit's cry. Now a mighty +fear took hold of her. She called aloud to the sailors to hoist the +sails and make signal to her fleet to put about. This they did wondering +but little loath, and fled in haste from the battle. + +Then a great roar went up from friend and foe. + +"Cleopatra is fled! Cleopatra is fled!" And I saw wreck and red ruin +fall upon the fleet of Antony and awoke from my trance. + +The days passed, and again a vision of my father came to me and spoke, +saying: + +"Arise, my son!--the hour of vengeance is at hand! Thy plots have not +failed; thy prayers have been heard. By the bidding of the Gods, as she +sat in her galley at the fight of Actium, the heart of Cleopatra was +filled with fears, so that, deeming she heard thy voice bidding her fly +or perish, she fled with all her fleet. Now the strength of Actium is +broken on the sea. Go forth, and as it shall be put into thy mind, so do +thou." + +In the morning I awoke, wondering, and went to the mouth of the tomb, +and there, coming up the valley, I saw the messengers of Cleopatra, and +with them a Roman guard. + +"What will ye with me now?" I asked, sternly. + +"This is the message of the Queen and of great Antony," answered the +Captain, bowing low before me, for I was much feared by all men. "The +Queen commands thy presence at Alexandria. Many times has she sent, and +thou wouldst not come; now she bids thee to come, and that swiftly, for +she has need of thy counsel." + +"And if I say Nay, soldier, what then?" + +"These are my orders, most holy Olympus; that I bring thee by force." + +I laughed aloud. "By force, thou fool! Use not such talk to me, lest I +smite thee where thou art. Know, then, that I can kill as well as cure!" + +"Pardon, I beseech thee!" he answered, shrinking. "I say but those +things that I am bid." + +"Well, I know it, Captain. Fear not; I come." + +So on that very day I departed, together with the aged Atoua. Ay, I went +as secretly as I had come; and the tomb of the Divine Rameses knew me no +more. And with me I took all the treasures of my father, Amenemhat, for +I was not minded to go to Alexandria empty-handed and as a suppliant, +but rather as a man of much wealth and condition. Now, as I went, I +learned that Antony, following Cleopatra, had, indeed, fled from Actium, +and knew that the end drew nigh. For this and many other things had +I foreseen in the darkness of the tomb of Tape, and planned to bring +about. + + + +Thus, then, I came to Alexandria, and entered into a house which had +been made ready for me at the palace gates. + +And that very night Charmion came to me--Charmion whom I had not seen +for nine long years. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +OF THE MEETING OF CHARMION WITH THE LEARNED OLYMPUS; OF HER SPEECH WITH +HIM; OF THE COMING OF OLYMPUS INTO THE PRESENCE OF CLEOPATRA; AND OF THE +COMMANDS OF CLEOPATRA. + +Clad in my plain black robe, I sat in the guest-chamber of the house +that had been made ready for me. I sat in a carven lion-footed chair, +and looked upon the swinging lamps of scented oil, the pictured +tapestries, the rich Syrian rugs--and, amidst all this luxury, bethought +me of that tomb of the Harpers which is at Tape, and of the nine long +years of dark loneliness and preparation. I sat; and crouched upon a rug +near to the door, lay the aged Atoua. Her hair was white as snow, and +shrivelled with age was the wrinkled countenance of the woman who, when +all deserted me, had yet clung to me, in her great love forgetting my +great sins. Nine years! nine long years! and now, once again, I set my +foot in Alexandria! Once again in the appointed circle of things I came +forth from the solitude of preparation to be a fate to Cleopatra; and +this second time I came not forth to fail. + +And yet how changed the circumstance! I was out of the story: my part +now was but the part of the sword in the hands of Justice; I might no +more hope to make Egypt free and great and sit upon my lawful throne. +Khem was lost, and lost was I, Harmachis. In the rush and turmoil of +events, the great plot of which I had been the pivot was covered up and +forgotten; scarce a memory of it remained. The curtain of dark night +was closing in upon the history of my ancient Race; its very Gods were +tottering to their fall; I could already, in the spirit, hear the shriek +of the Roman eagles as they flapped their wings above the furthest banks +of Sihor. + +Presently I roused myself and bade Atoua go seek a mirror and bring it +to me, that I might look therein. + +And I saw this: a face shrunken and pallid, on which no smile came; +great eyes grown wan with gazing into darkness looking out beneath +the shaven head, emptily, as the hollow eye-pits of a skull; a wizened +halting form wasted by abstinence, sorrow, and prayer; a long wild beard +of iron grey; thin blue-veined hands that ever trembled like a leaf; +bowed shoulders and lessened limbs. Time and grief had done their +work indeed; scarce could I think myself the same as when, the royal +Harmachis--in all the splendour of my strength and youthful beauty--I +first had looked upon the woman's loveliness that did destroy me. And +yet within me burned the same fire as of yore; yet I was not changed, +for time and grief have no power to alter the immortal spirit of man. +Seasons may come and go; Hope, like a bird, may fly away; Passion may +break its wings against the iron bars of Fate; Illusions may crumble +as the cloudy towers of sunset flame; Faith, as running water, may slip +from beneath our feet; Solitude may stretch itself around us like the +measureless desert sand; Old Age may creep as the gathering night over +our bowed heads grown hoary in their shame--yea, bound to Fortune's +wheel, we may taste of every turn of chance--now rule as Kings, now +serve as Slaves; now love, now hate; now prosper, and now perish. But +still, through all, we are the same; for this is the marvel of Identity. + + + +And as I sat and thought these things in bitterness of heart, there came +a knocking at the door. + +"Open, Atoua!" I said. + +She rose and did my bidding; and a woman entered, clad in Grecian robes. +It was Charmion, still beautiful as of old, but sad faced now and very +sweet to see, with a patient fire slumbering in her downcast eyes. + +She entered unattended; and, speaking no word, the old wife pointed to +where I sat, and went. + +"Old man," she said, addressing me, "lead me to the learned Olympus. I +come upon the Queen's business." + +I rose, and, lifting my head, looked upon her. + +She gazed, and gave a little cry. + +"Surely," she whispered, glancing round, "surely thou art not that----" +And she paused. + +"That Harmachis whom once thy foolish heart did love, O Charmion? Yes, +I am he and what thou seest, most fair lady. Yet is Harmachis dead +whom thou didst love; but Olympus, the skilled Egyptian, waits upon thy +words!" + +"Cease!" she said, "and of the past but one word, and then--why, let +it lie. Not well, with all thy wisdom, canst thou know a true woman's +heart, if thou dost believe, Harmachis, that it can change with the +changes of the outer form, for then assuredly could no love follow its +beloved to that last place of change--the Grave. Know thou, learned +Physician, I am of that sort who, loving once, love always, and being +not beloved again, go virgin to the death." + +She ceased, and having naught to say, I bowed my head in answer. Yet +though I said nothing and though this woman's passionate folly had been +the cause of all our ruin, to speak truth, in secret I was thankful +to her who, wooed of all and living in this shameless Court, had still +through the long years poured out her unreturned love upon an outcast, +and who, when that poor broken slave of Fortune came back in such +unlovely guise, held him yet dear at heart. For what man is there who +does not prize that gift most rare and beautiful, that one perfect thing +which no gold can buy--a woman's unfeigned love? + +"I thank thee that thou dost not answer," she said; "for the bitter +words which thou didst pour upon me in those days that long are dead, +and far away in Tarsus, have not lost their poisonous sting, and in my +heart is no more place for the arrows of thy scorn, new venomed through +thy solitary years. So let it be. Behold! I put it from me, that wild +passion of my soul," and she looked up and stretched out her hands as +though to press some unseen presence back, "I put it from me--though +forget it I may not! There, 'tis done, Harmachis; no more shall my love +trouble thee. Enough for me that once more my eyes behold thee, before +sleep seals thee from their sight. Dost remember how, when I would have +died by thy dear hand, thou wouldst not slay, but didst bid me live to +pluck the bitter fruit of crime, and be accursed by visions of the evil +I had wrought and memories of thee whom I have ruined?" + +"Ay, Charmion, I remember well." + +"Surely the cup of punishment has been filled. Oh! couldst thou see +into the record of my heart, and read in it the suffering that I +have borne--borne with a smiling face--thy justice would be satisfied +indeed!" + +"And yet, if report be true, Charmion, thou art the first of all the +Court, and therein the most powerful and beloved. Does not Octavianus +give it out that he makes war, not on Antony, nor even on his mistress, +Cleopatra, but on Charmion and Iras?" + +"Yes, Harmachis, and think what it has been to me thus, because of my +oath to thee, to be forced to eat the bread and do the tasks of one whom +so bitterly I hate!--one who robbed me of thee, and who, through the +workings of my jealousy, brought me to be that which I am, brought +thee to shame, and all Egypt to its ruin! Can jewels and riches and the +flattery of princes and nobles bring happiness to such a one as I, who +am more wretched than the meanest scullion wench? Oh, I have often wept +till I was blind; and then, when the hour came, I must arise and tire +me, and, with a smile, go do the bidding of the Queen and that heavy +Antony. May the Gods grant me to see them dead--ay, the twain of +them!--then myself I shall be content to die! Thy lot has been hard, +Harmachis; but at least thou have been free, and many is the time that I +have envied thee the quiet of thy haunted cave." + +"I do perceive, O Charmion, that thou art mindful of thy oaths; and it +is well, for the hour of vengeance is at hand." + +"I am mindful, and in all things I have worked for thee in secret--for +thee, and for the utter ruin of Cleopatra and the Roman. I have fanned +his passion and her jealousy, I have egged her on to wickedness and +him to folly, and of all have I caused report to be brought to Caesar. +Listen! thus stands the matter. Thou knowest how went the fight at +Actium. Thither went Cleopatra with her fleet, sorely against the will +of Antony. But, as thou sentest me word, I entreated him for the Queen, +vowing to him, with tears, that, did he leave her, she would die of +grief; and he, poor slave, believed me. And so she went, and in the +thick of the fight, for what cause I know not, though perchance thou +knowest, Harmachis, she made signal to her squadron, and, putting about +fled from the battle, sailing for Peloponnesus. And now, mark the end! +When Antony saw that she was gone, he, in his madness, took a galley, +and deserting all, followed hard after her, leaving his fleet to be +shattered and sunk, and his great army in Greece, of twenty legions +and twelve thousand horse, without a leader. And all this no man would +believe, that Antony, the smitten of the Gods, had fallen so deep in +shame. Therefore for a while the army tarried, and but now to-night +comes news brought by Canidius, the General, that, worn with doubt and +being at length sure that Antony had deserted them, the whole of his +great force has yielded to Caesar." + +"And where, then, is Antony?" + +"He has built him a habitation on a little isle in the Great Harbour and +named it Timonium; because, forsooth, like Timon, he cries out at the +ingratitude of mankind that has forsaken him. And there he lies smitten +by a fever of the mind, and thither thou must go at dawn, so wills the +Queen, to cure him of his ills and draw him to her arms; for he will +not see her, nor knows he yet the full measure of his woe. But first +my bidding is to lead thee instantly to Cleopatra, who would ask thy +counsel." + +"I come," I answered, rising. "Lead thou on." + +And so we passed the palace gates and along the Alabaster Hall, and +presently once again I stood before the door of Cleopatra's chamber, and +once again Charmion left me to warn her of my coming. + +Presently she came back and beckoned to me. "Make strong thy heart," she +whispered, "and see that thou dost not betray thyself, for still are the +eyes of Cleopatra keen. Enter!" + +"Keen, indeed, must they be to find Harmachis in the learned Olympus! +Had I not willed it, thyself thou hadst not known me, Charmion," I made +answer. + +Then I entered that remembered place and listened once more to the plash +of the fountain, the song of the nightingale, and the murmur of the +summer sea. With bowed head and halting gait I came, till at length I +stood before the couch of Cleopatra--that same golden couch on which +she had sat the night she overcame me. Then I gathered my strength, and +looked up. There before me was Cleopatra, glorious as of old, but, oh! +how changed since that night when I saw Antony clasp her in his arms at +Tarsus! Her beauty still clothed her like a garment; the eyes were yet +deep and unfathomable as the blue sea, the face still splendid in its +great loveliness. And yet all was changed. Time, that could not touch +her charms, had stamped upon her presence such a look of weary grief as +may not be written. Passion, beating ever in that fierce heart of hers, +had written his record on her brow, and in her eyes shone the sad lights +of sorrow. + +I bowed low before this most royal woman, who once had been my love and +destruction, and yet knew me not. + +She looked up wearily, and spoke in her slow, well remembered voice: + +"So thou art come at length, Physician. How callest thou +thyself?--Olympus? 'Tis a name of promise, for surely now that the Gods +of Egypt have deserted us, we do need aid from Olympus. Well, thou hast +a learned air, for learning goes not with beauty. Strange, too, there is +that about thee which recalls what I know not. Say, Olympus, have we met +before?" + +"Never, O Queen, have my eyes fallen on thee in the body," I answered +in a feigned voice. "Never till this hour, when I come forth from my +solitude to do thy bidding and cure thee of thy ills!" + +"Strange! and even in the voice--Pshaw! 'tis some memory that I cannot +catch. In the body, thou sayest? then, perchance, I knew thee in a +dream?" + +"Ay, O Queen; we have met in dreams." + +"Thou art a strange man, who talkest thus, but, if what I hear be true, +one well learned; and, indeed, I mind me of thy counsel when thou didst +bid me join my Lord Antony in Syria, and how things befell according to +thy word. Skilled must thou be in the casting of nativities and in the +law of auguries, of which these Alexandrian fools have little knowledge. +Once I knew such another man, one Harmachis," and she sighed: "but he is +long dead--as I would I were also!--and at times I sorrow for him." + +She paused, while I sank my head upon my breast and stood silent. + +"Interpret me this, Olympus. In the battle at that accursed Actium, just +as the fight raged thickest and Victory began to smile upon us, a great +terror seized my heart, and thick darkness seemed to fall before +my eyes, while in my ears a voice, ay, the voice of that long dead +Harmachis, cried '_Fly! fly, or perish!_' and I fled. But from my heart +the terror leapt to the heart of Antony, and he followed after me, and +thus was the battle lost. Say, then, what God brought this evil thing +about?" + +"Nay, O Queen," I answered, "it was no God--for wherein hast thou +angered the Gods of Egypt? Hast thou robbed the temples of their Faith? +Hast thou betrayed the trust of Egypt? Having done none of these things, +how, then, can the Gods of Egypt be wroth with thee? Fear not, it was +nothing but some natural vapour of the mind that overcame thy gentle +soul, made sick with the sight and sound of slaughter; and as for the +noble Antony, where thou didst go needs must that he should follow." + +And as I spoke, Cleopatra turned white and trembled, glancing at me +the while to find my meaning. But I well knew that the thing was of the +avenging Gods, working through me, their instrument. + +"Learned Olympus," she said, not answering my words; "my Lord Antony is +sick and crazed with grief. Like some poor hunted slave he hides himself +in yonder sea-girt Tower and shuns mankind--yes, he shuns even me, who, +for his sake, endure so many woes. Now, this is my bidding to thee. +To-morrow, at the coming of the light, do thou, led by Charmion, my +waiting-lady, take boat and row thee to the Tower and there crave entry, +saying that ye bring tidings from the army. Then he will cause you to +be let in, and thou, Charmion, must break this heavy news that Canidius +bears; for Canidius himself I dare not send. And when his grief is past, +do thou, Olympus, soothe his fevered frame with thy draughts of value, +and his soul with honeyed words, and draw him back to me, and all will +yet be well. Do thou this, and thou shalt have gifts more than thou +canst count, for I am yet a Queen and yet can pay back those who serve +my will." + +"Fear not, O Queen," I answered, "this thing shall be done, and I ask no +reward, who have come hither to do thy bidding to the end." + +So I bowed and went and, summoning Atoua, made ready a certain potion. + + + +CHAPTER V + +OF THE DRAWING FORTH OF ANTONY FROM THE TIMONIUM BACK TO CLEOPATRA; OF +THE FEAST MADE BY CLEOPATRA; AND OF THE MANNER OF THE DEATH OF EUDOSIUS +THE STEWARD + +Ere it was yet dawn Charmion came again, and we walked to the private +harbour of the palace. There, taking boat, we rowed to the island mount +on which stands the Timonium, a vaulted tower, strong, small, and round. +And, having landed, we twain came to the door and knocked, till at +length a grating was thrown open in the door, and an aged eunuch, +looking forth, roughly asked our business. + +"Our business is with the Lord Antony," said Charmion. + +"Then it is no business, for Antony, my master, sees neither man nor +woman." + +"Yet will he see us, for we bring tidings. Go tell him that the Lady +Charmion brings tidings from the army." + +The man went, and presently returned. + +"The Lord Antony would know if the tidings be good or ill, for, if ill, +then will he none of it, for with evil tidings he has been overfed of +late." + +"Why--why, it is both good and ill. Open, slave, I will make answer to +thy master!" and she slipped a purse of gold through the bars. + +"Well, well," he grumbled, as he took the purse, "the times are hard, +and likely to be harder; for when the lion's down who will feed the +jackal? Give thy news thyself, and if it do but draw the noble Antony +out of this hall of Groans, I care not what it be. Now the palace door +is open, and there's the road to the banqueting-chamber." + +We passed on, to find ourselves in a narrow passage, and, leaving the +eunuch to bar the door, advanced till we came to a curtain. Through this +entrance we went, and found ourselves in a vaulted chamber, ill-lighted +from the roof. On the further side of this rude chamber was a bed of +rugs, and on them crouched the figure of a man, his face hidden in the +folds of his toga. + +"Most noble Antony," said Charmion drawing near, "unwrap thy face and +hearken to me, for I bring thee tidings." + +Then he lifted up his head. His face was marred by sorrow; his tangled +hair, grizzled with years, hung about his hollow eyes, and white on his +chin was the stubble of an unshaven beard. His robe was squalid, and +his aspect more wretched than that of the poorest beggar at the temple +gates. To this, then, had the love of Cleopatra brought the glorious and +renowned Antony, aforetime Master of half the World! + +"What will ye with me, Lady," he asked, "who would perish here alone? +And who is this man who comes to gaze on fallen and forsaken Antony?" + +"This is Olympus, noble Antony, that wise physician, the skilled in +auguries, of whom thou hast heard much, and whom Cleopatra, ever mindful +of thy welfare, though but little thou dost think of hers, has sent to +minister to thee." + +"And, can thy physician minister to a grief such as my grief? Can his +drugs give me back my galleys, my honour, and my peace? Nay! Away +with thy physician! What are thy tidings?--quick!--out with it! Hath +Canidius, perchance, conquered Caesar? Tell me but that, and thou shalt +have a province for thy guerdon--ay! and if Octavianus be dead, twenty +thousand sestertia to fill its treasury. Speak--nay--speak not! I fear +the opening of thy lips as never I feared an earthly thing. Surely the +wheel of fortune has gone round and Canidius has conquered? Is it not +so? Nay--out with it! I can no more!" + +"O noble Antony," she said, "steel thy heart to hear that which I needs +must tell thee! Canidius is in Alexandria. He has fled far and fast, and +this is his report. For seven whole days did the legions wait the coming +of Antony, to lead them to victory, as aforetime, putting aside the +offers of the envoys of Caesar. But Antony came not. And then it was +rumoured that Antony had fled to Taenarus, drawn thither by Cleopatra. +The man who first brought that tale to the camp the legionaries cried +shame on--ay, and beat him to the death! But ever it grew, until at +length there was no more room to doubt; and then, O Antony, thy officers +slipped one by one away to Caesar, and where the officers go there +the men follow. Nor is this all the story; for thy allies--Bocchus of +Africa, Tarcondimotus of Cilicia, Mithridates of Commagene, Adallas of +Thrace, Philadelphus of Paphlagonia, Archelaus of Cappadocia, Herod +of Judaea, Amyntas of Galatia, Polemon of Pontus, and Malchus of +Arabia--all, all have fled or bid their generals fly back to whence they +came; and already their ambassadors crave cold Caesar's clemency." + +"Hast done thy croakings, thou raven in a peacock's dress, or is there +more to come?" asked the smitten man, lifting his white and trembling +face from the shelter of his hands. "Tell me more; say that Egypt's dead +in all her beauty; say that Octavianus lowers at the Canopic gate; and +that, headed by dead Cicero, all the ghosts of Hell do audibly shriek +out the fall of Antony! Yea, gather up every woe that can o'erwhelm +those who once were great, and loose them on the hoary head of him +whom--in thy gentleness--thou art still pleased to name 'the noble +Antony'!" + +"Nay, my Lord, I have done." + +"Ay, and so have I done--done, quite done! It is altogether finished, +and thus I seal the end," and snatching a sword from the couch, he +would, indeed, have slain himself had I not sprung forward and grasped +his hand. For it was not my purpose that he should die as yet; since had +he died at that hour Cleopatra had made her peace with Caesar, who rather +wished the death of Antony than the ruin of Egypt. + +"Art mad, Antony? Art, indeed, a coward?" cried Charmion, "that thou +wouldst thus escape thy woes, and leave thy partner to face the sorrow +out alone?" + +"Why not, woman? Why not? She would not be long alone. There's Caesar +to keep her company. Octavianus loves a fair woman in his cold way, and +still is Cleopatra fair. Come now, thou Olympus! thou hast held my hand +from dealing death upon myself, advise me of thy wisdom. Shall I, then, +submit myself to Caesar, and I, Triumvir, twice Consul, and aforetime +absolute Monarch of all the East, endure to follow in his triumph along +those Roman ways where I myself have passed in triumph?" + +"Nay, Sire," I answered. "If thou dost yield, then art thou doomed. All +last night I questioned of the Fates concerning thee, and I saw this: +when thy star draws near to Caesar's it pales and is swallowed up; but +when it passes from his radiance, then bright and big it shines, equal +in glory to his own. All is not lost, and while some part remains, +everything may be regained. Egypt can yet be held, armies can still +be raised. Caesar has withdrawn himself; he is not yet at the gates of +Alexandria, and perchance may be appeased. Thy mind in its fever has +fired thy body; thou art sick and canst not judge aright. See, here, I +have a potion that shall make thee whole, for I am well skilled in the +art of medicine," and I held out the phial. + +"A potion, thou sayest man!" he cried. "More like it is a poison, and +thou a murderer, sent by false Egypt, who would fain be rid of me now +that I may no more be of service to her. The head of Antony is the peace +offering she would send to Caesar--she for whom I have lost all! Give me +thy draught. By Bacchus! I will drink it, though it be the very elixir +of Death!" + +"Nay, noble Antony; it is no poison, and I am no murderer. See, I will +taste it, if thou wilt," and I held forth the subtle drink that has the +power to fire the veins of men. + +"Give it me, Physician. Desperate men are brave men. There!----Why, what +is this? Yours is a magic draught! My sorrows seem to roll away like +thunder-clouds before the southern gale, and the spring of Hope blooms +fresh upon the desert of my heart. Once more I am Antony, and once again +I see my legions' spears asparkle in the sun, and hear the thunderous +shout of welcome as Antony--beloved Antony--rides in pomp of war along +his deep-formed lines! There's hope! there's hope! I may yet see +the cold brows of Caesar--that Caesar who never errs except from +policy--robbed of their victor bays and crowned with shameful dust!" + +"Ay," cried Charmion, "there still is hope, if thou wilt but play the +man! O my Lord! come back with us; come back to the loving arms of +Cleopatra! All night she lies upon her golden bed, and fills the hollow +darkness with her groans for 'Antony!' who, enamoured now of Grief, +forgets his duty and his love!" + +"I come! I come! Shame upon me, that I dared to doubt her! Slave, bring +water, and a purple robe: not thus can I be seen of Cleopatra. Even now +I come." + + + +In this fashion, then, did we draw Antony back to Cleopatra, that the +ruin of the twain might be made sure. + + + +We led him up the Alabaster Hall and into Cleopatra's chamber, where she +lay, her cloudy hair about her face and breast, and tears flowing from +her deep eyes. + +"O Egypt!" he cried, "behold me at thy feet!" + +She sprang from the couch. "And art thou here, my love?" she murmured; +"then once again are all things well. Come near, and in these arms +forget thy sorrows and turn my grief to joy. Oh, Antony, while love is +left to us, still have we all!" + +And she fell upon his breast and kissed him wildly. + + + +That same day, Charmion came to me and bade me prepare a poison of +the most deadly power. And this at first I would not do, fearing that +Cleopatra would therewith make an end of Antony before his time. But +Charmion showed me that this was not so, and told me also for what +purpose was the poison. Therefore I summoned Atoua, the skilled in +simples, and all that afternoon we laboured at the deadly work. And +when it was done, Charmion came once more, bearing with her a chaplet of +fresh roses, that she bade me steep in the poison. + +This then I did. + +That night at the great feast of Cleopatra, I sat near Antony, who was +at her side, and wore the poisoned wreath. Now as the feast went on, the +wine flowed fast, till Antony and the Queen grew merry. And she told him +of her plans, and of how even now her galleys were being drawn by the +canal that leads from Bubastis on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, to +Clysma at the head of the Bay of Heroopolis. For it was her design, +should Caesar prove stubborn, to fly with Antony and her treasure down +the Arabian Gulf, where Caesar had no fleet, and seek some new home in +India, whither her foes might not follow. But, indeed, this plan came to +nothing, for the Arabs of Petra burnt the galleys, incited thereto by +a message sent by the Jews of Alexandria, who hated Cleopatra and were +hated of her. For I caused the Jews to be warned of what was being done. + +Now, when she had made an end of telling him, the Queen called on him to +drink a cup with her, to the success of this new scheme, bidding him, as +she did so, steep his wreath of roses in the wine, and make the draught +more sweet. This, then, he did, and it being done, she pledged him. +But when he was about to pledge her back, she caught his hand, crying +"_Hold!_" whereat he paused, wondering. + +Now, among the servants of Cleopatra was one Eudosius, a steward; and +this Eudosius, seeing that the fortunes of Cleopatra were at an end, had +laid a plan to fly that very night to Caesar, as many of his betters +had done, taking with him all the treasure in the palace that he could +steal. But this design being discovered to Cleopatra, she determined to +be avenged upon Eudosius. + +"Eudosius," she cried, for the man stood near; "come hither, thou +faithful servant! Seest thou this man, most noble Antony; through +all our troubles he has clung to us and been of comfort to us. Now, +therefore, he shall be rewarded according to his deserts and the measure +of his faithfulness, and that from thine own hand. Give him thy golden +cup of wine, and let him drink a pledge to our success; the cup shall be +his guerdon." + +And still wondering, Antony gave it to the man, who, stricken in his +guilty mind, took it, and stood trembling. But he drank not. + +"Drink! thou slave; drink!" cried Cleopatra, half rising from her seat +and flashing a fierce look on his white face. "By Serapis! so surely as +I yet shall sit in the Capitol at Rome, if thou dost thus flout the Lord +Antony, I'll have thee scourged to the bones, and the red wine poured +upon thy open wounds to heal them! _Ah!_ at length thou drinkest! Why, +what is it, good Eudosius? art sick? Surely, then, this wine must be as +the water of jealousy of those Jews, that has power to slay the false +and strengthen the honest only. Go, some of you, search this man's room; +methinks he is a traitor!" + +Meanwhile the man stood, his hands to his head. Presently he began to +tremble, and then fell, clutching at his bosom, as though to tear +out the fire in his heart. He staggered, with livid, twisted face and +foaming lips, to where Cleopatra lay watching him with a slow and cruel +smile. + +"Ah, traitor! thou hast it now!" she said. "Prithee, is death sweet?" + +"Thou wanton!" yelled the dying man, "thou hast poisoned me! Thus mayst +thou also perish!" and with one shriek he flung himself upon her. She +saw his purpose, and swift and supple as a tiger sprang to one side, +so that he did but grasp her royal cloak, tearing it from its emerald +clasp. Down he fell upon the ground, rolling over and over in the purple +chiton, till presently he lay still and dead, his tormented face and +frozen eyes peering ghastly from its folds. + +"Ah!" said the Queen, with a hard laugh, "the slave died wondrous hard, +and fain would have drawn me with him. See, he has borrowed my garment +for a pall! Take him away and bury him in his livery." + +"What means Cleopatra?" said Antony, as the guards dragged the corpse +away; "the man drank of my cup. What is the purpose of this most sorry +jest?" + +"It serves a double end, noble Antony! This very night that man would +have fled to Octavianus, bearing of our treasure with him. Well, I have +lent him wings, for the dead fly fast! Also this: thou didst fear that +I should poison thee, my Lord; nay, I know it. See now, Antony, how easy +it were that I should slay thee if I had the will. That wreath of roses +which thou didst steep within the cup is dewed with deadly bane. Had +I, then, a mind to make an end of thee, I had not stayed thy hand. O +Antony, henceforth trust me! Sooner would I slay myself than harm one +hair of thy beloved head! See, here come my messengers! Speak, what did +ye find?" + +"Royal Egypt, we found this. All things in the chamber of Eudosius are +made ready for flight, and in his baggage is much treasure." + +"Thou hearest?" she said, smiling darkly. "Think ye, my loyal servants +all, that Cleopatra is one with whom it is well to play the traitor? Be +warned by this Roman's fate!" + + + +Then a great silence of fear fell upon the company, and Antony sat also +silent. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OF THE WORKINGS OF THE LEARNED OLYMPUS AT MEMPHIS; OF THE POISONINGS OF +CLEOPATRA; OF THE SPEECH OF ANTONY TO HIS CAPTAINS; AND OF THE PASSING +OF ISIS FROM THE LAND OF KHEM + +Now I, Harmachis, must make speed with my task, setting down that which +is permitted as shortly as may be, and leaving much untold. For of this +I am warned, that Doom draws on and my days are wellnigh sped. After the +drawing forth of Antony from the Timonium came that time of heavy quiet +which heralds the rising of the desert wind. Antony and Cleopatra +once again gave themselves up to luxury, and night by night feasted in +splendour at the palace. They sent ambassadors to Caesar; but Caesar would +have none of them; and, this hope being gone, they turned their minds +to the defence of Alexandria. Men were gathered, ships were built, and a +great force was made ready against the coming of Caesar. + +And now, aided by Charmion, I began my last work of hate and vengeance. +I wormed myself deep into the secrets of the palace, counselling all +things for evil. I bade Cleopatra keep Antony gay, lest he should brood +upon his sorrows: and thus she sapped his strength and energy with +luxury and wine. I gave him of my draughts--draughts that sank his +soul in dreams of happiness and power, leaving him to wake to a heavier +misery. Soon, without my healing medicine he could not sleep, and thus, +being ever at his side, I bound his weakened will to mine, till at last +he would do little if I said not "It is well." Cleopatra, also grown +very superstitious, leaned much upon me; for I prophesied falsely to her +in secret. + +Moreover, I wove other webs. My fame was great throughout Egypt, for +during the long years that I had dwelt in Tape it had spread through all +the land. Therefore many men of note came to me, both for their health's +sake and because it was known that I had the ear of Antony and the +Queen; and, in these days of doubt and trouble, they were fain to learn +the truth. All these men I worked upon with doubtful words, sapping +their loyalty; and I caused many to fall away, and yet none could bear +an evil report of what I had said. Also, Cleopatra sent me to Memphis, +there to move the Priests and Governors that they should gather men in +Upper Egypt for the defence of Alexandria. And I went and spoke to the +priests with such a double meaning and with so much wisdom that they +knew me to be one of the initiated in the deeper mysteries. But how I, +Olympus the physician, came thus to be initiated none might say. And +afterwards they sought me secretly, and I gave them the holy sign of +brotherhood; and thereunder bade them not to ask who I might be, but +send no aid to Cleopatra. Rather, I said, must they make peace with +Caesar, for by Caesar's grace only could the worship of the Gods endure in +Khem. So, having taken counsel of the Holy Apis, they promised in public +to give help to Cleopatra, but in secret sent an embassy to Caesar. + +Thus, then, it came to pass that Egypt gave but little aid to its hated +Macedonian Queen. Thence from Memphis I came once more to Alexandria, +and, having made favourable report, continued my secret work. And, +indeed, the Alexandrians could not easily be stirred, for, as they say +in the marketplace, "The ass looks at its burden and is blind to its +master." Cleopatra had oppressed them so long that the Roman was like a +welcome friend. + +Thus the time passed on, and every night found Cleopatra with fewer +friends than that which had gone before, for in evil days friends fly +like swallows before the frost. Yet she would not give up Antony, whom +she loved; though to my knowledge Caesar, by his freedman, Thyreus, made +promise to her of her dominions for herself and for her children if she +would but slay Antony, or even betray him bound. But to this her woman's +heart--for still she had a heart--would not consent, and, moreover, we +counselled her against it, for of necessity we must hold him to her, +lest, Antony escaping or being slain, Cleopatra might ride out the storm +and yet be Queen of Egypt. And this grieved me, because Antony, though +weak, was still a brave man, and a great; and, moreover, in my own heart +I read the lesson of his woes. For were we not akin in wretchedness? Had +not the same woman robbed us of Empire, Friends, and Honour? But pity +has no place in politics, nor could it turn my feet from the path of +vengeance it was ordained that I should tread. Caesar drew nigh; Pelusium +fell; the end was at hand. It was Charmion who brought the tidings to +the Queen and Antony, as they slept in the heat of the day, and I came +with her. + +"Awake!" she cried. "Awake! This is no time for sleep! Seleucus hath +surrendered Pelusium to Caesar, who marches straight on Alexandria!" + +With a great oath, Antony sprang up and clutched Cleopatra by the arm. + +"Thou hast betrayed me--by the Gods I swear it! Now thou shalt pay the +price!" And snatching up his sword he drew it. + +"Stay thy hand, Antony!" she cried. "It is false--I know naught of +this!" And she sprang upon him, and clung about his neck, weeping. "I +know naught, my Lord. Take thou the wife of Seleucus and his little +children, whom I hold in guard, and avenge thyself. O Antony, Antony! +why dost thou doubt me?" + +Then Antony threw down his sword upon the marble, and, casting himself +upon the couch, hid his face, and groaned in bitterness of spirit. + +But Charmion smiled, for it was she who had sent secretly to Seleucus, +her friend, counselling him to surrender forthwith, saying that no fight +would be made at Alexandria. And that very night Cleopatra took all her +great store of pearls and emeralds--those that remained of the treasure +of Menkau-ra--all her wealth of gold, ebony, ivory, and cinnamon, +treasure without price, and placed it in the mausoleum of granite which, +after our Egyptian fashion, she had built upon the hill that is by the +Temple of the Holy Isis. These riches she piled up upon a bed of flax, +that, when she fired it, all might perish in the flame and escape the +greed of money-loving Octavianus. And she slept henceforth in this tomb, +away from Antony; but in the daytime she still saw him at the palace. + +But a little while after, when Caesar with all his great force +had already crossed the Caponic mouth of the Nile and was hard on +Alexandria, I came to the palace, whither Cleopatra had summoned me. +There I found her in the Alabaster Hall, royally clad, a wild light in +her eyes, and, with her, Iras and Charmion, and before her guards; and +stretched here and there upon the marble, bodies of dead men, among whom +lay one yet dying. + +"Greeting, thou Olympus!" she cried. "Here is a sight to glad a +physician's heart--men dead and men sick unto death!" + +"What doest thou, O Queen?" I said affrighted. + +"What do I? I wreak justice on these criminals and traitors; and, +Olympus, I learn the ways of death. I have caused six different poisons +to be given to these slaves, and with an attentive eye have watched +their working. That man," and she pointed to a Nubian, "he went mad, and +raved of his native deserts and his mother. He thought himself a child +again, poor fool! and bade her hold him close to her breast and save +him from the darkness which drew near. And that Greek, he shrieked, and, +shrieking, died. And this, he wept and prayed for pity, and in the end, +like a coward, breathed his last. Now, note the Egyptian yonder, he who +still lives and groans; first he took the draught--the deadliest draught +of all, they swore--and yet the slave so dearly loves his life he will +not leave it! See, he yet strives to throw the poison from him; twice +have I given him the cup and yet he is athirst. What a drunkard we have +here! Man, man, knowest thou not that in death only can peace be found? +Struggle no more, but enter into rest." And even as she spoke, the man, +with a great cry, gave up the spirit. + +"There!" she cried, "at length the farce is played--away with those +slaves whom I have forced through the difficult gates of Joy!" and she +clapped her hands. But when they had borne the bodies thence she drew me +to her, and spoke thus: + +"Olympus, for all thy prophecies, the end is at hand. Caesar must +conquer, and I and my Lord Antony be lost. Now, therefore, the play +being wellnigh done, I must make ready to leave this stage of earth in +such fashion as becomes a Queen. For this cause, then, I do make trial +of these poisons, seeing that in my person I must soon endure those +agonies of death that to-day I give to others. These drugs please me +not; some wrench out the soul with cruel pains, and some too slowly work +their end. But thou art skilled in the medicines of death. Now, do thou +prepare me such a draught as shall, pangless, steal my life away." + +And as I listened the sense of triumph filled my bitter heart, for +I knew now that by my own hand should this ruined woman die and the +justice of the Gods be done. + +"Spoken like a Queen, O Cleopatra!" I said. "Death shall cure thy ills, +and I will brew such a wine as shall draw him down a sudden friend and +sink thee in a sea of slumber whence, upon this earth, thou shalt never +wake again. Oh! fear not Death: Death is thy hope; and, surely, thou +shalt pass sinless and pure of heart into the dreadful presence of the +Gods!" + +She trembled. "And if the heart be not altogether pure, tell me--thou +dark man--what then? Nay, I fear not the Gods! for if the Gods of Hell +be men, there I shall Queen it also. At the least, having once been +royal, royal I shall ever be." + +And, as she spoke, suddenly from the palace gates came a great clamour, +and the noise of joyful shouting. + +"Why, what is this?" she said, springing from her couch. + +"Antony! Antony!" rose the cry; "Antony hath conquered!" + +She turned swiftly and ran, her long hair streaming on the wind. I +followed her, more slowly, down the great hall, across the courtyards, +to the palace gates. And here she met Antony, riding through them, +radiant with smiles and clad in his Roman armour. When he saw her +he leapt to the ground, and, all armed as he was, clasped her to his +breast. + +"What is it?" she cried; "is Caesar fallen?" + +"Nay, not altogether fallen, Egypt: but we have beat his horsemen back +to their trenches, and, like the beginning, so shall be the end, for, +as they say here, 'Where the head goes, the tail will follow.' Moreover, +Caesar has my challenge, and if he will but meet me hand to hand, the +world shall soon see which is the better man, Antony or Octavian." +And even as he spoke and the people cheered there came the cry of "A +messenger from Caesar!" + +The herald entered, and, bowing low, gave a writing to Antony, bowed +again, and went. Cleopatra snatched it from his hand, broke the silk and +read aloud: + +"Caesar to Antony, greeting. + +"This answer to thy challenge: Can Antony find no better way of death +than beneath the sword of Caesar? Farewell!" + +And thereafter they cheered no more. + + + +The darkness came, and before it was midnight, having feasted with his +friends who to-night went over his woes and to-morrow should betray him, +Antony went forth to the gathering of the captains of the land-forces +and of the fleet, attended by many, among whom was I. + +When all were come together, he spoke to them, standing bareheaded in +their midst, beneath the radiance of the moon. And thus he most nobly +spoke: + +"Friends and companions in arms! who yet cling to me, and whom many a +time I have led to victory, hearken to me now, who to-morrow may lie in +the dumb dust, disempired and dishonoured. This is our design: no +longer will we hang on poised wings above the flood of war, but will +straightway plunge, perchance thence to snatch the victor's diadem, or, +failing, there to drown. Be now but true to me, and to your honour's +sake, and you may still sit, the most proud of men, at my right hand in +the Capitol of Rome. Fail me now, and the cause of Antony is lost and so +are ye. To-morrow's battle must be hazardous indeed, but we have stood +many a time and faced a fiercer peril, and ere the sun had sunk, once +more have driven armies like desert sands before our gale of valour and +counted the spoil of hostile kings. What have we to fear? Though allies +be fled, still is our array as strong as Caesar's! And show we but as +high a heart, why, I swear to you, upon my princely word, to-morrow +night I shall deck yonder Canopic gate with the heads of Octavian and +his captains! + +"Ay, cheer, and cheer again! I love that martial music which swells, +not as from the indifferent lips of clarions, now 'neath the breath of +Antony and now of Caesar, but rather out of the single hearts of men who +love me. Yet--and now I will speak low, as we do speak o'er the bier of +some beloved dead--yet, if Fortune should rise against me and if, borne +down by the weight of arms, Antony, the soldier, dies a soldier's death, +leaving you to mourn him who ever was your friend, this is my will, +that, after our rough fashion of the camp, I here declare to you. You +know where all my treasure lies. Take it, most dear friends; and, in the +memory of Antony, make just division. Then go to Caesar and speak thus: +'Antony, the dead, to Caesar, the living, sends greeting; and, in the +name of ancient fellowship and of many a peril dared, craves this boon: +the safety of those who clung to him and that which he hath given them.' + +"Nay, let not my tears--for I must weep--overflow your eyes! Why, it is +not manly; 'tis most womanish! All men must die, and death were welcome +were it not so lone. Should I fall, I leave my children to your +tender care--if, perchance, it may avail to save them from the fate +of helplessness. Soldiers, enough! to-morrow at the dawn we spring on +Caesar's throat, both by land and sea. Swear that ye will cling to me, +even to the last issue!" + +"We swear!" they cried. "Noble Antony, we swear!" + +"It is well! Once more my star grows bright; to-morrow, set in the +highest heaven, it yet may shine the lamp of Caesar down! Till then, +farewell!" + +He turned to go. As he went they caught his hand and kissed it; and so +deeply were they moved that many wept like children; nor could Antony +master his grief, for, in the moonlight, I saw tears roll down his +furrowed cheeks and fall upon that mighty breast. + +And, seeing all this, I was much troubled. For I well knew that if these +men held firm to Antony all might yet go well for Cleopatra; and though +I bore no ill-will against Antony, yet he must fall, and in that fall +drag down the woman who, like some poisonous plant, had twined herself +about his giant strength till it choked and mouldered in her embrace. + +Therefore, when Antony went I went not, but stood back in the shadow +watching the faces of the lords and captains as they spoke together. + +"Then it is agreed!" said he who should lead the fleet. "And this we +swear to, one and all, that we will cling to noble Antony to the last +extremity of fortune!" + +"Ay! ay!" they answered. + +"Ay! ay!" I said, speaking from the shadow; "cling, and _die!_" + +They turned fiercely and seized me. + +"Who is he?" quoth one. + +"'Tis that dark-faced dog, Olympus!" cried another. "Olympus, the +magician!" + +"Olympus, the traitor!" growled another; "put an end to him and his +magic!" and he drew his sword. + +"Ay! slay him; he would betray the Lord Antony, whom he is paid to +doctor." + +"Hold a while!" I said in a slow and solemn voice, "and beware how ye +try to murder the servant of the Gods. I am no traitor. For myself, +I abide the event here in Alexandria, but to you I say, Flee, flee to +Caesar! I serve Antony and the Queen--I serve them truly; but above all +I serve the Holy Gods; and what they make known to me, that, Lords, I do +know. And I know this: that Antony is doomed, and Cleopatra is doomed, +for Caesar conquers. Therefore, because I honour you, noble gentlemen, +and think with pity on your wives, left widowed, and your little +fatherless children, that shall, if ye hold to Antony, be sold as +slaves--therefore, I say, cling to Antony if ye will and die; or flee +to Caesar and be saved! And this I say because it is so ordained of the +Gods." + +"The Gods!" they growled; "what Gods? Slit the traitor's throat, and +stop his ill-omened talk!" + +"Let him show us a sign from his Gods or let him die: I do mistrust this +man," said another. + +"Stand back, ye fools!" I cried. "Stand back--free mine arms--and I will +show you a sign;" and there was that in my face which frightened them, +for they freed me and stood back. Then I lifted up my hands and putting +out all my strength of soul searched the depths of space till my Spirit +communed with the Spirit of my Mother Isis. Only the Word of Power I +uttered not, as I had been bidden. And the holy mystery of the Goddess +answered to my Spirit's cry, falling in awful silence upon the face of +the earth. Deeper and deeper grew the terrible silence; even the dogs +ceased to howl, and in the city men stood still afeared. Then, from far +away, there came the ghostly music of the sistra. Faint it was at first, +but ever as it came it grew more loud, till the air shivered with the +unearthly sound of terror. I said naught, but pointed with my hand +toward the sky. And behold! bosomed upon the air, floated a vast veiled +Shape that, heralded by the swelling music of the sistra, drew slowly +near, till its shadow lay upon us. It came, it passed, it went toward +the camp of Caesar, till at length the music died away, and the awful +Shape was swallowed in the night. + +"It is Bacchus!" cried one. "Bacchus, who leaves lost Antony!" and, as +he spoke, there rose a groan of terror from all the camp. + +But I knew that it was not Bacchus, the false God, but the Divine Isis +who deserted Khem, and, passing over the edge of the world, sought her +home in space, to be no more known of men. For though her worship is +still upheld, though still she is here and in all Earths, Isis manifests +herself no more in Egypt. I hid my face and prayed, but when I lifted it +from my robe, lo! all had fled and I was alone. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +OF THE SURRENDER OF THE TROOPS AND FLEET OF ANTONY BEFORE THE CANOPIC +GATE; OF THE END OF ANTONY, AND OF THE BREWING OF THE DRAUGHT OF DEATH + +On the morrow, at dawn, Antony came forth and gave command that his +fleet should advance against the fleet of Caesar, and that his cavalry +should open the land-battle with the cavalry of Caesar. Accordingly, the +fleet advanced in a triple line, and the fleet of Caesar came out to +meet it. But when they met, the galleys of Antony lifted their oars in +greeting, and passed over to the galleys of Caesar; and they sailed away +together. And the cavalry of Antony rode forth beyond the Hippodrome +to charge the cavalry of Caesar; but when they met, they lowered their +swords and passed over to the camp of Caesar, deserting Antony. Then +Antony grew mad with rage and terrible to see. He shouted to his legions +to stand firm and wait attack; and for a little while they stood. +One man, however--that same officer who would have slain me on the +yesternight--strove to fly; but Antony seized him with his own hand, +threw him to the earth, and, springing from his horse, drew his sword to +slay him. He held his sword on high, while the man, covering his face, +awaited death. But Antony dropped his sword and bade him rise. + +"Go!" he said. "Go to Caesar, and prosper! I did love thee once. Why, +then, among so many traitors, should I single thee out for death?" + +The man rose and looked upon him sorrowfully. Then, shame overwhelming +him, with a great cry he tore open his shirt of mail, plunged his sword +into his own heart and fell down dead. Antony stood and gazed at him, +but he said never a word. Meanwhile the ranks of Caesar's legions drew +near, and so soon as they crossed spears the legions of Antony turned +and fled. Then the soldiers of Caesar stood still mocking them; but +scarce a man was slain, for they pursued not. + +"Fly, Lord Antony! fly!" cried Eros, his servant, who alone with me +stayed by him. "Fly ere thou art dragged a prisoner to Caesar!" + +So he turned and fled, groaning heavily. I went with him, and as we rode +through the Canopic gate, where many folk stood wondering, Antony spoke +to me: + +"Go, thou, Olympus; go to the Queen and say: 'Antony sends greeting to +Cleopatra, who hath betrayed him! To Cleopatra he sends greeting and +farewell!'" + +And so I went to the tomb, but Antony fled to the palace. When I came +to the tomb I knocked upon the door, and Charmion looked forth from the +window. + +"Open," I cried, and she opened. + +"What news, Harmachis?" she whispered. + +"Charmion," I said, "the end is at hand. Antony is fled!" + +"It is well," she answered; "I am aweary." + +And there on her golden bed sat Cleopatra. + +"Speak, man!" she cried. + +"Antony has fled, his forces are fled, Caesar draws near. To Cleopatra +the great Antony sends greeting and farewell. Greeting to Cleopatra who +betrayed him, and farewell." + +"It is a lie!" she screamed; "I betrayed him not! Thou, Olympus, go +swiftly to Antony and answer thus: 'To Antony, Cleopatra, who hath not +betrayed him, sends greeting and farewell. Cleopatra is no more.'" + +And so I went, following out my purpose. In the Alabaster Hall I found +Antony pacing to and fro, tossing his hands toward heaven, and with him +Eros, for of all his servants Eros alone remained by this fallen man. + +"Lord Antony," I said, "Egypt bids thee farewell. Egypt is dead by her +own hand." + +"Dead! dead!" he whispered, "and is Egypt dead? and is that form of +glory now food for worms? Oh, what a woman was this! E'en now my heart +goes out towards her. And shall she outdo me at the last, I who have +been so great; shall I become so small that a woman can overtop my +courage and pass where I fear to follow? Eros, thou hast loved me from a +boy--mindest thou how I found thee starving in the desert, and made thee +rich, giving thee place and wealth? Come, now pay me back. Draw that +sword thou wearest and make an end of the woes of Antony." + +"Oh, Sire," cried the Greek, "I cannot! How can I take away the life of +godlike Antony?" + +"Answer me not, Eros; but in the last extreme of fate this I charge +thee. Do thou my bidding, or begone and leave me quite alone! No more +will I see thy face, thou unfaithful servant!" + +Then Eros drew his sword and Antony knelt before him and bared his +breast, turning his eyes to heaven. But Eros, crying "I cannot! oh, I +cannot!" plunged the sword to his own heart, and fell dead. + +Antony rose and gazed upon him. "Why, Eros, that was nobly done," he +said. "Thou art greater than I, yet I have learned thy lesson!" and he +knelt down and kissed him. + +Then, rising of a sudden, he drew the sword from the heart of Eros, +plunged it into his bowels, and fell, groaning, on the couch. + +"O thou, Olympus," he cried, "this pain is more than I can bear! Make an +end of me, Olympus!" + +But pity stirred me, and I could not do this thing. + +Therefore I drew the sword from his vitals, staunched the flow of blood, +and, calling to those who came crowding in to see Antony die, I bade +them summon Atoua from my house at the palace gates. Presently she came, +bringing with her simples and life-giving draughts. These I gave to +Antony, and bade Atoua go with such speed as her old limbs might to +Cleopatra, in the tomb, and tell her of the state of Antony. + +So she went, and after a while returned, saying that the Queen yet lived +and summoned Antony to die in her arms. And with her came Diomedes. When +Antony heard, his ebbing strength came back, for he was fain to look +upon Cleopatra's face again. So I called to the slaves--who peeped and +peered through curtains and from behind pillars to see this great man +die--and together, with much toil, we bore him thence till we came to +the foot of the Mausoleum. + +But Cleopatra, being afraid of treachery, would no more throw wide the +door; so she let down a rope from the window and we made it fast +beneath the arms of Antony. Then did Cleopatra, who the while wept most +bitterly, together with Charmion and Iras the Greek, pull on the rope +with all their strength, while we lifted from below till the dying +Antony swung in the air, groaning heavily, and the blood dropped from +his gaping wound. Twice he nearly fell to earth: but Cleopatra, striving +with the strength of love and of despair, held him till at length she +drew him through the windowplace, while all who saw the dreadful sight +wept bitterly, and beat their breasts--all save myself and Charmion. + +When he was in, once more the rope was let down, and, with some aid from +Charmion, I climbed into the tomb, drawing up the rope after me. There I +found Antony, laid upon the golden bed of Cleopatra; and she, her breast +bare, her face stained with tears, and her hair streaming wildly about +him, knelt at his side and kissed him, wiping the blood from his wounds +with her robes and hair. And let all my shame be written: as I stood +and watched her the old love awoke once more within me, and mad jealousy +raged in my heart because--though I could destroy these twain--I could +not destroy their love. + +"O Antony! my Sweet, my Husband, and my God!" she moaned. "Cruel Antony, +hast thou the heart to die and leave me to my lonely shame? I will +follow thee swiftly to the grave. Antony, awake! awake!" + +He lifted up his head and called for wine, which I gave him, mixing +therein a draught that might allay his pain, for it was great. And when +he had drunk he bade Cleopatra lie down on the bed beside him, and put +her arms about him; and this she did. Then was Antony once more a man; +for, forgetting his own misery and pain, he counselled her as to her own +safety: but to this talk she would not listen. + +"The hour is short," she said; "let us speak of this great love of ours +that hath been so long and may yet endure beyond the coasts of Death. +Mindest thou that night when first thou didst put thine arms about me +and call me 'Love'? Oh! happy, happy night! Having known that night it +is well to have lived--even to this bitter end!" + +"Ay, Egypt, I mind it well and dwell upon its memory, though from that +hour fortune has fled from me--lost in my depth of love for thee, thou +Beautiful. I mind it!" he gasped; "then didst thou drink the pearl +in wanton play, and then did that astrologer of thine call out his +hour--'The hour of the coming of the curse of Menkau-ra.' Through all +the after-days those words have haunted me, and now at the last they +ring in my ears." + +"He is long dead, my love," she whispered. + +"If he be dead, then I am near him. What meant he?" + +"He is dead, the accursed man!--no more of him! Oh! turn and kiss me, +for thy face grows white. The end is near!" + +He kissed her on the lips, and for a little while so they stayed, to +the moment of death, babbling their passion in each other's ears, like +lovers newly wed. Even to my jealous heart, it was a strange and awful +thing to see. + + + +Presently, I saw the Change of Death gather on his face. His head fell +back. + +"Farewell, Egypt; farewell!--I die!" + +Cleopatra lifted herself upon her hands, gazed wildly on his ashen face, +and then, with a great cry, she sank back swooning. + + + +But Antony yet lived, though the power of speech had left him. Then +I drew near and, kneeling, made pretence to minister to him. And as I +ministered I whispered in his ear: + +"Antony," I whispered, "Cleopatra was my love before she passed from me +to thee. I am Harmachis, that astrologer who stood behind thy couch at +Tarsus; and I have been the chief minister of thy ruin. + +"_Die, Antony!--the curse of Menkau-ra hath fallen!_" + +He raised himself, and stared upon my face. He could not speak, but, +gibbering, he pointed at me. Then with a groan his spirit fled. + +Thus did I accomplish my revenge upon Roman Antony, the World-loser. + + + +Thereafter, we recovered Cleopatra from her swoon, for not yet was +I minded that she should die. And taking the body of Antony, Caesar +permitting, I and Atoua caused it to be most skilfully embalmed after +our Egyptian fashion, covering the face with a mask of gold fashioned +like to the features of Antony. Also I wrote upon his breast his name +and titles, and painted his name and the name of his father within his +inner coffin, and drew the form of the Holy Nout folding her wings about +him. + +Then with great pomp Cleopatra laid him in that sepulchre which had been +made ready, and in a sarcophagus of alabaster. Now, this sarcophagus was +fashioned so large that place was left in it for a second coffin, for +Cleopatra would lie by Antony at the last. + +These things then happened. And but a little while after I learned +tidings from one Cornelius Dolabella, a noble Roman who waited upon +Caesar, and, moved by the beauty that swayed the souls of all who looked +upon her, had pity for the woes of Cleopatra. He bade me warn her--for, +as her physician, it was allowed me to pass in and out of the tomb where +she dwelt--that in three days she would be sent away to Rome, together +with her children, save Caesarion, whom Octavian had already slain, that +she might walk in the triumph of Caesar. Accordingly I went in, and found +her sitting, as now she always sat, plunged in a half stupor, and before +her that blood-stained robe with which she had staunched the wounds of +Antony. For on this she would continually feast her eyes. + +"See how faint they grow, Olympus," she said, lifting her sad face and +pointing to the rusty stains, "and he so lately dead! Why, Gratitude +could not fade more fast. What is now thy news? Evil tidings is writ +large in those dark eyes of thine, which ever bring back to me something +that still slips my mind." + +"The news is ill, O Queen," I answered. "I have this from the lips of +Dolabella, who has it straight from Caesar's secretary. On the third day +from now Caesar will send thee and the Princes Ptolemy and Alexander and +the Princess Cleopatra to Rome, there to feast the eyes of the Roman +mob, and be led in triumph to that Capitol where thou didst swear to set +thy throne!" + +"Never, never!" she cried, springing to her feet. "Never will I walk in +chains in Caesar's triumph! What must I do? Charmion, tell me what I can +do!" + +And Charmion, rising, stood before her, looking at her through the long +lashes of her downcast eyes. + +"Lady, thou canst die," she said quietly. + +"Ay, of a truth I had forgotten; I can die. Olympus, hast thou the +drug?" + +"Nay; but if the Queen wills it, by to-morrow morn it shall be brewed--a +drug so swift and strong that not the Gods themselves can hold him who +drinks it back from sleep." + +"Let it be made ready, thou Master of Death!" + +I bowed, and withdrew myself; and all that night I and old Atoua +laboured at the distilling of the deadly draught. At length it was done, +and Atoua poured it into a crystal phial, and held it to the light of +the fire; for it was white as the purest water. + +"_La! la!_" she sang, in her shrill voice; "a drink for a Queen! When +fifty drops of that water of my brewing have passed those red lips of +hers, thou wilt indeed be avenged of Cleopatra, O Harmachis! Ah, that +I could be there to see thy Ruin ruined! _La! la!_ it would be sweet to +see!" + +"Vengeance is an arrow that oft-times falls upon the archer's head," I +answered, bethinking me of Charmion's saying. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OF THE LAST SUPPER OF CLEOPATRA; OF THE SONG OF CHARMION; OF THE +DRINKING OF THE DRAUGHT OF DEATH; OF THE REVEALING OF HARMACHIS; OF THE +SUMMONING OF THE SPIRITS BY HARMACHIS; AND OF THE DEATH OF CLEOPATRA + +On the morrow Cleopatra, having sought leave of Caesar, visited the tomb +of Antony, crying that the Gods of Egypt had deserted her. And when she +had kissed the coffin and covered it with lotus-flowers she came back, +bathed, anointed herself, put on her most splendid robes, and, together +with Iras, Charmion, and myself, she supped. Now as she supped her +spirit flared up wildly, even as the sky lights up at sunset; and once +more she laughed and sparkled as in bygone years, telling us tales of +feasts which she and Antony had eaten of. Never, indeed, did I see her +look more beauteous than on that last fatal night of vengeance. And thus +her mind drew on to that supper at Tarsus when she drank the pearl. + +"Strange," she said; "strange that at the last the mind of Antony should +have turned back to that night among all the nights and to the saying of +Harmachis. Charmion, dost thou remember Harmachis the Egyptian?" + +"Surely, O Queen," she answered slowly. + +"And who, then, was Harmachis?" I asked; for I would learn if she +sorrowed o'er my memory. + +"I will tell thee. It is a strange tale, and now that all is done it may +well be told. This Harmachis was of the ancient race of the Pharaohs, +and, having, indeed, been crowned in secret at Abydus, was sent hither +to Alexandria to carry out a great plot that had been formed against the +rule of us royal Lagidae. He came and gained entry to the palace as my +astrologer, for he was very learned in all magic--much as thou art, +Olympus--and a man beautiful to see. Now this was his plot--that he +should slay me and be named Pharaoh. In truth it was a strong one, for +he had many friends in Egypt, and I had few. And on that very night when +he should carry out his purpose, yea, at the very hour, came Charmion +yonder, and told the plot to me; saying that she had chanced upon its +clue. But, in after days--though I have said little thereon to thee, +Charmion--I misdoubted me much of that tale of thine; for, by the Gods! +to this hour I believe that thou didst love Harmachis, and because he +scorned thee thou didst betray him; and for that cause also hast all thy +days remained a maid, which is a thing unnatural. Come, Charmion, tell +us; for naught matters now at the end." + +Charmion shivered and made answer: "It is true, O Queen; I also was of +the plot, and because Harmachis scorned me I betrayed him; and because +of my great love for him I have remained unwed." And she glanced up at +me and caught my eyes, then let the modest lashes veil her own. + +"So! I thought it. Strange are the ways of women! But little cause, +methinks, had that Harmachis to thank thee for thy love. What sayest +thou, Olympus? Ah, and so thou also wast a traitor, Charmion? How +dangerous are the paths which Monarchs tread! Well, I forgive thee, for +thou hast served me faithfully since that hour. + +"But to my tale. Harmachis I dared not slay, lest his great party should +rise in fury and cast me from the throne. And now mark the issue. Though +he must murder me, in secret this Harmachis loved me, and something +thereof I guessed. I had striven a little to draw him to me, for the +sake of his beauty and his wit; and for the love of man Cleopatra never +strove in vain. Therefore when, with the dagger in his robe, he came +to slay me, I matched my charms against his will, and need I tell you, +being man and woman, how I won? Oh, never can I forget the look in +the eyes of that fallen prince, that forsworn priest, that discrowned +Pharaoh, when, lost in the poppied draught, I saw him sink into +a shameful sleep whence he might no more wake with honour! And, +thereafter--till, in the end, I wearied of him, and his sad learned +mind, for his guilty soul forbade him to be gay--a little I came to care +for him, though not to love. But he--he who loved me--clung to me as a +drunkard to the cup which ruins him. Deeming that I should wed him, +he betrayed to me the secret of the hidden wealth of the pyramid of +_Her_--for at the time I much needed treasure--and together we dared the +terrors of the tomb and drew it forth, even from dead Pharaoh's breast. +See, this emerald was a part thereof!"--and she pointed to the great +scarabaeus that she had drawn from the holy heart of Menkau-ra. + +"And because of what was written in the tomb, and of that Thing which +we saw in the tomb--ah, pest upon it! why does its memory haunt me +now?--and also because of policy, for I would fain have won the love +of the Egyptians, I was minded to marry this Harmachis and declare his +place and lineage to the world--ay, and by his aid hold Egypt from the +Roman. For Dellius had then come to call me to Antony, and after much +thought I determined to send him back with sharp words. But on that very +morning, as I tired me for the Court, came Charmion yonder, and I told +her this, for I would see how the matter fell upon her mind. Now mark, +Olympus, the power of jealousy, that little wedge which yet has strength +to rend the tree of Empire, that secret sword which can carve the fate +of Kings! This she could in no wise bear--deny it, Charmion, if thou +canst, for now it is clear to me!--that the man she loved should be +given to me as husband--me, whom _he_ loved! And therefore, with more +skill and wit than I can tell, she reasoned with me, showing that I +should by no means do this thing, but journey to Antony; and for that, +Charmion, I thank thee, now that all is come and gone. And by a very +little, her words weighed down my scale of judgment against Harmachis, +and I went to Antony. Thus it is through the jealous spleen of yonder +fair Charmion and the passion of a man on which I played as on a lyre, +that all these things have come to pass. For this cause Octavian sits +a King in Alexandria; for this cause Antony is discrowned and dead; and +for this cause I, too, must die to-night! Ah! Charmion! Charmion! thou +hast much to answer, for thou hast changed the story of the world; and +yet, even now--I would not have it otherwise!" + +She paused awhile, covering her eyes with her hand; and, looking, I saw +great tears upon the cheek of Charmion. + +"And of this Harmachis," I asked; "where is he now, O Queen?" + +"Where is he? In Amenti, forsooth--making his peace with Isis, +perchance. At Tarsus I saw Antony, and loved him; and from that moment I +loathed the sight of the Egyptian, and swore to make an end of him; for +a lover done with should be a lover dead. And, being jealous, he spoke +some words of evil omen, even at that Feast of the Pearl; and on the +same night I would have slain him, but before the deed was done, he was +gone." + +"And whither was he gone?" + +"Nay; that know not I. Brennus--he who led my guard, and last year +sailed North to join his own people--Brennus swore he saw him float to +the skies; but in this matter I misdoubted me of Brennus, for methinks +he loved the man. Nay, he sank off Cyprus, and was drowned; perchance +Charmion can tell us how?" + +"I can tell thee nothing, O Queen; Harmachis is lost." + +"And well lost, Charmion, for he was an evil man to play with--ay, +although I bettered him I say it! Well he served my purpose; but I loved +him not, and even now I fear him; for it seemed to me that I heard +his voice summoning me to fly, through the din of the fight at Actium. +Thanks be to the Gods, as thou sayest, he is lost, and can no more be +found." + + + +But I, listening, put forth my strength, and, by the arts I have, cast +the shadow of my Spirit upon the Spirit of Cleopatra so that she felt +the presence of the lost Harmachis. + +"Nay, what is it?" she said. "By Serapis! I grow afraid! It seems to +me that I feel Harmachis here! His memory overwhelms me like a flood of +waters, and he these ten years dead! Oh! at such a time it is unholy!" + +"Nay, O Queen," I answered, "if he be dead then he is everywhere, and +well at such a time--the time of thy own death--may his Spirit draw near +to welcome thine at its going." + +"Speak not thus, Olympus. I would see Harmachis no more; the count +between us is too heavy, and in another world than this more evenly, +perchance should we be matched. Ah, the terror passes! I was but +unnerved. Well the fool's story hath served to wile away the heaviest of +our hours, the hour which ends in death. Sing to me, Charmion, sing, for +thy voice is very sweet, and I would soothe my soul to sleep. The memory +of that Harmachis has wrung me strangely! Sing, then, the last song I +shall hear from those tuneful lips of thine, the last of so many songs." + +"It is a sad hour for song, O Queen!" said Charmion; but, nevertheless, +she took her harp and sang. And thus she sang, very soft and low, the +dirge of the sweet-tongued Syrian Meleager: + + Tears for my lady dead, + Heliodore! + Salt tears and strange to shed, + Over and o'er; + Go tears and low lament + Fare from her tomb, + Wend where my lady went, + Down through the gloom-- + Sighs for my lady dead, + Tears do I send, + Long love remembered, + Mistress and friend! + Sad are the songs we sing, + Tears that we shed, + Empty the gifts we bring-- + Gifts to the dead! + Ah, for my flower, my Love, + Hades hath taken, + Ah, for the dust above, + Scattered and shaken! + Mother of blade and grass, + Earth, in thy breast + Lull her that gentlest was, + Gently to rest! + +The music of her voice died away, and it was so sweet and sad that Iras +began to weep and the bright tears stood in Cleopatra's stormy eyes. +Only I wept not; my tears were dry. + +"'Tis a heavy song of thine, Charmion," said the Queen. "Well, as thou +saidst, it is a sad hour for song, and thy dirge is fitted to the hour. +Sing it over me once again when I lie dead, Charmion. And now farewell +to music, and on to the end. Olympus, take yonder parchment and write +what I shall say." + +I took the parchment and the reed, and wrote thus in the Roman tongue: + +"Cleopatra to Octavianus, greeting. + +"This is the state of life. At length there comes an hour when, rather +than endure those burdens that overwhelm us, putting off the body we +would take wing into forgetfulness. Caesar, thou hast conquered: take +thou the spoils of victory. But in thy triumph Cleopatra cannot walk. +When all is lost, then we must go to seek the lost. Thus in the desert +of Despair the brave do harvest Resolution. Cleopatra hath been great +as Antony was great, nor shall her fame be minished in the manner of +her end. Slaves live to endure their wrong; but Princes, treading with a +firmer step, pass through the gates of Wrong into the royal Dwellings of +the Dead. This only doth Egypt ask of Caesar--that he suffer her to lie +in the tomb of Antony. Farewell!" + +This I wrote, and having sealed the writing, Cleopatra bade me go find a +messenger, despatch it to Caesar, and then return. So I went, and at the +door of the tomb I called a soldier who was not on duty, and, giving him +money, bade him take the letter to Caesar. Then I went back, and there in +the chamber the three women stood in silence, Cleopatra clinging to the +arm of Iras, and Charmion a little apart watching the twain. + +"If indeed thou art minded to make an end, O Queen," I said, "the time +is short, for presently Caesar will send his servants in answer to thy +letter," and I drew forth the phial of white and deadly bane and set it +upon the board. + +She took it in her hand and gazed thereon. "How innocent it seems!" she +said; "and yet therein lies my death. 'Tis strange." + +"Ay, Queen, and the death of ten other folk. No need to take so long a +draught." + +"I fear," she gasped--"how know I that it will slay outright? I have +seen so many die by poison and scarce one has died outright. And +some--ah, I cannot think on them!" + +"Fear not," I said, "I am a master of my craft. Or, if thou dost +fear, cast this poison forth and live. In Rome thou mayst still find +happiness; ay, in Rome, where thou shalt walk in Caesar's triumph, while +the laughter of the hard-eyed Latin women shall chime down the music of +thy golden chains." + +"Nay, I will die, Olympus. Oh, if one would but show the path." + +Then Iras loosed her hand and stepped forward. "Give me the draught, +Physician," she said. "I go to make ready for my Queen." + +"It is well," I answered; "on thy own head be it!" and I poured from the +phial into a little golden goblet. + +She raised it, curtsied low to Cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed +her on the brow, and Charmion she also kissed. This done, tarrying not +and making no prayer, for Iras was a Greek, she drank, and, putting her +hand to her head, instantly fell down and died. + +"Thou seest," I said, breaking in upon the silence, "it is swift." + +"Ay, Olympus; thine is a master drug! Come now, I thirst; fill me the +bowl, lest Iras weary in waiting at the gates!" + +So I poured afresh into the goblet; but this time, making pretence +to rinse the cup, I mixed a little water with the bane, for I was not +minded that she should die before she knew me. + +Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the goblet in her hand, turn her +lovely eyes to heaven and cry aloud: + +"O ye Gods of Egypt! who have deserted me, to you no longer will I pray, +for your ears are shut unto my crying and your eyes blind to my griefs! +Therefore, I make entreaty of that last friend whom the Gods, departing, +leave to helpless man. Sweep hither, Death, whose winnowing wings +enshadow all the world, and give me ear! Draw nigh, thou King of Kings! +who, with an equal hand, bringest the fortunate head of one pillow with +the slave, and by thy spiritual breath dost waft the bubble of our life +far from this hell of earth! Hide me where winds blow not and waters +cease to roll; where wars are done and Caesar's legions cannot march! +Take me to a new dominion, and crown me Queen of Peace! Thou art my +Lord, O Death, and in thy kiss I have conceived. I am in labour of a +Soul: see--it stands new-born upon the edge of Time! Now--now--go, Life! +Come, Sleep! Come, Antony!" + +And, with one glance to heaven, she drank, and cast the goblet to the +ground. + + + +Then at last came the moment of my pent-up vengeance, and of the +vengeance of Egypt's outraged Gods, and of the falling of the curse of +Menkau-ra. + +"What's this?" she cried; "I grow cold, but I die not! Thou dark +physician, thou hast betrayed me!" + +"Peace, Cleopatra! Presently shalt thou die and know the fury of the +Gods! _The curse of Menkau-ra hath fallen!_ It is finished! Look upon +me, woman! Look upon this marred face, this twisted form, this living +mass of sorrow! _Look! look!_ Who am I?" + +She stared upon me wildly. + +"Oh! oh!" she shrieked, throwing up her arms; "at last I know thee! By +the Gods, thou art Harmachis!--Harmachis risen from the dead!" + +"Ay, Harmachis risen from the dead to drag thee down to death and agony +eternal! See, thou Cleopatra; _I_ have ruined thee as thou didst ruin +me! I, working in the dark, and helped of the angry Gods, have been thy +secret spring of woe! I filled thy heart with fear at Actium; I held the +Egyptians from thy aid; I sapped the strength of Antony; I showed the +portent of the Gods unto thy captains! By my hand at length thou diest, +for I am the instrument of Vengeance! Ruin I pay thee back for ruin, +Treachery for treachery, Death for death! Come hither, Charmion, partner +of my plots, who betrayed me, but, repenting, art the sharer of my +triumph, come watch this fallen wanton die!" + +Cleopatra heard, and sank back upon the golden bed, groaning "And thou, +too, Charmion!" + +A moment so she sat, then her Imperial spirit burnt up glorious before +she died. + +She staggered from the bed, and, with arms outstretched, she cursed me. + +"Oh! for one hour of life!" she cried--"one short hour, that therein I +might make thee die in such fashion as thou canst not dream, thou and +that false paramour of thine, who betrayed both me and thee! And thou +didst love me! Ah, _there_ I have thee still! See, thou subtle, plotting +priest"--and with both hands she rent back the royal robes from her +bosom--"see, on this fair breast once night by night thy head was +pillowed, and thou didst sleep wrapped in these same arms. Now, put away +their memory _if thou canst!_ I read it in thine eyes--that mayst thou +not! No torture which I bear can, in its sum, draw nigh to the rage of +that deep soul of thine, rent with longings never, never to be reached! +Harmachis, thou slave of slaves, from thy triumph-depths I snatch a +deeper triumph, and conquered yet I conquer! I spit upon thee--I defy +thee--and, dying, doom thee to the torment of thy deathless love! O +Antony! I come, my Antony!--I come to thy own dear arms! Soon I shall +find thee, and, wrapped in a love undying and divine, together we will +float through all the depths of space, and, lips to lips and eyes to +eyes, drink of desires grown more sweet with every draught! Or if I find +thee not, then I shall sink in peace down the poppied ways of Sleep: and +for me the breast of Night, whereon I shall be softly cradled, will yet +seem thy bosom, Antony! Oh, I die!--come, Antony--and give me peace!" + +Even in my fury I had quailed beneath her scorn, for home flew the +arrows of her winged words. Alas! and alas! it was _true_--the shaft of +my vengeance fell upon my own head; never had I loved her as I loved her +now. My soul was rent with jealous torture, and thus I swore she should +not die. + +"Peace!" I cried; "what peace is there for thee? Oh! ye Holy Three, +hear now my prayer. Osiris, loosen Thou the bonds of Hell and send +forth those whom I shall summon! Come Ptolemy, poisoned of thy sister +Cleopatra; come Arsinoe, murdered in the sanctuary by thy sister +Cleopatra; come Sepa, tortured to death of Cleopatra; come Divine +Menkau-ra, whose body Cleopatra tore and whose curse she braved for +greed; come one, come all who have died at the hands of Cleopatra! Rush +from the breast of Nout and greet her who murdered you! By the link of +mystic union, by the symbol of the Life, Spirits, I summon you!" + +Thus I spoke the spell; while Charmion, affrighted, clung to my robe, +and the dying Cleopatra, resting on her hands, swung slowly to and fro, +gazing with vacant eyes. + +Then the answer came. The casement burst asunder, and on flittering +wings that great bat entered which last I had seen hanging to the +eunuch's chin in the womb of the pyramid of _Her_. Thrice it circled +round, once it hovered o'er dead Iras, then flew to where the dying +woman stood. To her it flew, on her breast it settled, clinging to that +emerald which was dragged from the dead heart of Menkau-ra. Thrice the +grey Horror screamed aloud, thrice it beat its bony wings, and lo! it +was gone. + +Then suddenly within that chamber sprang up the Shapes of Death. There +was Arsinoe, the beautiful, even as she had shrunk beneath the butcher's +knife. There was young Ptolemy, his features twisted by the poisoned +cup. There was the majesty of Menkau-ra, crowned with the uraeus crown; +there was grave Sepa, his flesh all torn by the torturer's hooks; +there were those poisoned slaves; and there were others without number, +shadowy and dreadful to behold! who, thronging that narrow chamber, +stood silently fixing their glassy eyes upon the face of her who slew +them! + + + +"Behold! Cleopatra!" I said. "_Behold thy peace, and die!_" + +"Ay!" said Charmion. "Behold and die! thou who didst rob me of my +honour, and Egypt of her King!" + + + +She looked, she saw the awful Shapes--her Spirit, hurrying from the +flesh, mayhap could hear words to which my ears were deaf. Then her face +sank in with terror, her great eyes grew pale, and, shrieking, Cleopatra +fell and died: passing, with that dread company, to her appointed place. + + + +Thus, then, I, Harmachis, fed my soul with vengeance, fulfilling the +justice of the Gods, and yet knew myself empty of all joy therein. For +though that thing we worship doth bring us ruin, and Love being more +pitiless than Death, we in turn do pay all our sorrow back; yet we must +worship on, yet stretch out our arms towards our lost Desire, and pour +our heart's blood upon the shrine of our discrowned God. + +For Love is of the Spirit, and knows not Death. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +OF THE FAREWELL OF CHARMION; OF THE DEATH OF CHARMION; OF THE DEATH +OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA; OF THE COMING OF HARMACHIS TO ABOUTHIS; OF HIS +CONFESSION IN THE HALL OF SIX-AND-THIRTY PILLARS; AND OF THE DECLARING +OF THE DOOM OF HARMACHIS + +Charmion unclasped my arm, to which she had clung in terror. + +"Thy vengeance, thou dark Harmachis," she said, in a hoarse voice, "is +a thing hideous to behold! O lost Egypt, with all thy sins thou wast +indeed a Queen! + +"Come, aid me, Prince; let us stretch this poor clay upon the bed and +deck it royally, so that it may give its dumb audience to the messengers +of Caesar as becomes the last of Egypt's Queens." + +I spoke no word in answer, for my heart was very heavy, and now that all +was done I was weary. Together, then, we lifted up the body and laid it +on the golden bed. Charmion placed the uraeus crown upon the ivory brow, +and combed the night-dark hair that showed never a thread of silver, +and, for the last time, shut those eyes wherein had shone all the +changing glories of the sea. She folded the chill hands upon the breast +whence Passion's breath had fled, and straightened the bent knees +beneath the broidered robe, and by the head set flowers. And there at +length Cleopatra lay, more splendid now in her cold majesty of death +than in her richest hour of breathing beauty! + +We drew back and looked on her, and on dead Iras at her feet. + +"It is done!" quoth Charmion; "we are avenged, and now, Harmachis, +dost follow by this same road?" And she nodded towards the phial on the +board. + +"Nay, Charmion. I fly--I fly to a heavier death! Not thus easily may I +end my space of earthly penance." + +"So be it, Harmachis! And I, Harmachis--I fly also, but with swifter +wings. My game is played. I, too, have made atonement. Oh! what a bitter +fate is mine, to have brought misery on all I love, and, in the end, to +die unloved! To thee I have atoned; to my angered Gods I have atoned; +and now I go to find a way whereby I may atone to Cleopatra in that Hell +where she is, and which I must share! For she loved me well, Harmachis; +and, now that she is dead, methinks that, after thee, I loved her best +of all. So of her cup and the cup of Iras I will surely drink!" And +she took the phial, and with a steady hand poured what was left of the +poison into the goblet. + +"Bethink thee, Charmion," I said; "yet mayst thou live for many years, +hiding these sorrows beneath the withered days." + +"Yet I may, but I will not! To live the prey of so many memories, the +fount of an undying shame that night by night, as I lie sleepless, shall +well afresh from my sorrow-stricken heart!--to live torn by a love I +cannot lose!--to stand alone like some storm-twisted tree, and, sighing +day by day to the winds of heaven, gaze upon the desert of my life, +while I wait the lingering lightning's stroke--nay, that will not I, +Harmachis! I had died long since, but I lived on to serve thee; now no +more thou needest me, and I go. Oh, fare thee well!--for ever fare thee +well! For not again shall I look upon thy face, and where I go +thou goest not! For thou dost not love me who still dost love that +queenly woman thou hast hounded to the death! Her thou shalt never win, +and I thee shall never win, and this is the bitter end of Fate! See, +Harmachis: I ask one boon before I go and for all time become naught to +thee but a memory of shame. Tell me that thou dost forgive me so far as +thine is to forgive, and in token thereof kiss me--with no lover's kiss, +but kiss me on the brow, and bid me pass in peace." + +And she drew near to me with arms outstretched and pitiful trembling +lips and gazed upon my face. + +"Charmion," I answered, "we are free to act for good or evil, and yet +methinks there is a Fate above our fate, that, blowing from some strange +shore, compels our little sails of purpose, set them as we will, and +drives us to destruction. I forgive thee, Charmion, as I trust in turn +to be forgiven, and by this kiss, the first and the last, I seal our +peace." And with my lips I touched her brow. + +She spoke no more; only for a little while she stood gazing on me with +sad eyes. Then she lifted the goblet, and said: + +"Royal Harmachis, in this deadly cup I pledge thee! Would that I had +drunk of it ere ever I looked upon thy face! Pharaoh, who, thy sins +outworn, yet shalt rule in perfect peace o'er worlds I may not tread, +who yet shalt sway a kinglier sceptre than that I robbed thee of, for +ever, fare thee well!" + +She drank, cast down the cup, and for a moment stood with the wide eyes +of one who looks for Death. Then He came, and Charmion the Egyptian fell +prone upon the floor, dead. And for a moment more I stood alone with the +dead. + +I crept to the side of Cleopatra, and, now that none were left to see, +I sat down on the bed and laid her head upon my knee, as once before +it had been laid in that night of sacrilege beneath the shadow of the +everlasting pyramid. Then I kissed her chill brow and went from the +House of Death--avenged, but sorely smitten with despair! + + + +"Physician," said the officer of the Guard as I went through the gates, +"what passes yonder in the Monument? Methought I heard the sounds of +death." + +"Naught passes--all hath passed," I made reply, and went. + +And as I went in the darkness I heard the sound of voices and the +running of the feet of Caesar's messengers. + +Flying swiftly to my house I found Atoua waiting at the gates. She drew +me into a quiet chamber and closed the doors. + +"Is it done?" she asked, and turned her wrinkled face to mine, while the +lamplight streamed white upon her snowy hair. "Nay, why ask I--I know +that it is done!" + +"Ay, it is done, and well done, old wife! All are dead! Cleopatra, Iras, +Charmion--all save myself!" + +The aged woman drew up her bent form and cried: "Now let me go in peace, +for I have seen my desire upon thy foes and the foes of Khem. _La! +la!_--not in vain have I lived on beyond the years of man! I have seen +my desire upon thy enemies---I have gathered the dews of Death, and thy +foe hath drunk thereof! Fallen is the brow of Pride! the Shame of Khem +is level with the dust! Ah, would that I might have seen that wanton +die!" + +"Cease, woman! cease! The Dead are gathered to the Dead! Osiris holds +them fast, and everlasting silence seals their lips! Pursue not the +fallen great with insults! Up!--let us fly to Abouthis, that all may be +accomplished!" + +"Fly thou, Harmachis!--Harmachis, fly--but I fly not! To this end only +I have lingered on the earth. Now I untie the knot of life and let my +spirit free! Fare thee well, Prince, the pilgrimage is done! Harmachis, +from a babe have I loved thee, and love thee yet!--but no more in this +world may I share thy griefs--I am spent. Osiris, take thou my Spirit!" +and her trembling knees gave way and she sank to the ground. + +I ran to her side and looked upon her. She was already dead, and I was +alone upon the earth without a friend to comfort me! + +Then I turned and went, no man hindering me, for all was confusion in +the city, and departed from Alexandria in a vessel I had made ready. +On the eighth day, I landed, and, in the carrying out of my purpose, +travelled on foot across the fields to the Holy Shrine of Abouthis. And +here, as I knew, the worship of the Gods had been lately set up again +in the Temple of the Divine Sethi: for Charmion had caused Cleopatra to +repent of her decree of vengeance and to restore the lands that she had +seized, though the treasure she restored not. And the temple having been +purified, now, at the season of the Feast of Isis, all the High Priests +of the ancient Temples of Egypt were gathered together to celebrate the +coming home of the Gods into their holy place. + +I gained the city. It was on the seventh day of the Feast of Isis. Even +as I came the long array wended through the well-remembered streets. +I joined in the multitude that followed, and with my voice swelled the +chorus of the solemn chant as we passed through the pylons into the +imperishable halls. How well known were the holy words: + + "Softly we tread, our measured footsteps falling + Within the Sanctuary Sevenfold; + Soft on the Dead that liveth are we calling: + 'Return, Osiris, from thy Kingdom cold! + Return to them that worship thee of old!'" + +And then, when the sacred music ceased, as aforetime on the setting of +the majesty of Ra, the High Priest raised the statue of the living God +and held it on high before the multitude. + +With a joyful shout of + +"Osiris! our hope, Osiris! Osiris!" + +the people tore the black wrappings from their dress, showing the white +robes beneath, and, as one man, bowed before the God. + +Then they went to feast each at his home; but I stayed in the court of +the temple. + +Presently a priest of the temple drew near, and asked me of my business. +And I answered him that I came from Alexandria, and would be led before +the council of the High Priests, for I knew that the Holy Priests were +gathered together debating the tidings from Alexandria. + +Thereon the man left, and the High Priests, hearing that I was from +Alexandria, ordered that I should be led into their presence in the Hall +of Columns--and so I was led in. It was already dark, and between the +great pillars lights were set, as on that night when I was crowned +Pharaoh of the Upper and the Lower Land. There, too, was the long +line of Dignitaries seated in their carven chairs, and taking counsel +together. All was the same; the same cold images of Kings and Gods gazed +with the same empty eyes from the everlasting walls. Ay, more; among +those gathered there were five of the very men who, as leaders of the +great plot, had sat here to see me crowned, being the only conspirators +who had escaped the vengeance of Cleopatra and the clutching hand of +Time. + +I took my stand on the spot where once I had been crowned and made me +ready for the last act of shame with such bitterness of heart as cannot +be written. + +"Why, it is the physician Olympus," said one. "He who lived a hermit in +the Tombs of Tape, and who but lately was of the household of Cleopatra. +Is it, then, true that the Queen is dead by her own hand, Physician?" + +"Yea, holy Sirs, I am that physician; also Cleopatra is dead by _my_ +hand." + +"By thy hand? Why, how comes this?--though well is she dead, forsooth, +the wicked wanton!" + +"Your pardon, Sirs, and I will tell you all, for I am come hither +to that end. Perchance among you there may be some--methinks I see +some--who, nigh eleven years ago, were gathered in this hall to secretly +crown one Harmachis, Pharaoh of Khem?" + +"It is true!" they said; "but how knowest thou these things, thou +Olympus?" + +"Of the rest of those seven-and-thirty nobles," I went on, making no +answer, "are two-and-thirty missing. Some are dead, as Amenemhat is +dead; some are slain, as Sepa is slain; and some, perchance, yet labour +as slaves within the mines, or live afar, fearing vengeance." + +"It is so," they said: "alas! it is so. Harmachis the accursed betrayed +the plot, and sold himself to the wanton Cleopatra!" + +"It is so," I went on, lifting up my head. "Harmachis betrayed the plot +and sold himself to Cleopatra; and, holy Sirs--_I am that Harmachis!_" + +The Priests and Dignitaries gazed astonished. Some rose and spoke; some +said naught. + +"I am that Harmachis! I am that traitor, trebly steeped in crime!--a +traitor to my Gods, a traitor to my Country, a traitor to my Oath! I +come hither to say that I have done this. I have executed the Divine +vengeance on her who ruined me and gave Egypt to the Roman. And now +that, after years of toil and patient waiting, this is accomplished +by my wisdom and the help of the angry Gods, behold I come with all my +shame upon my head to declare the thing I am, and take the traitor's +guerdon!" + +"Mindest thou of the doom of him who hath broke the oath that may not be +broke?" asked he who first had spoken, in heavy tones. + +"I know it well," I answered; "I court that awful doom." + +"Tell us more of this matter, thou who wast Harmachis." + +So, in cold clear words, I laid bare all my shame, keeping back nothing. +And ever as I spoke I saw their faces grow more hard, and knew that for +me there was no mercy; nor did I ask it, nor, had I asked, could it have +been granted. + +When, at last, I had done, they put me aside while they took counsel. +Then they drew me forth again, and the eldest among them, a man very old +and venerable, the Priest of the Temple of the Divine Hatshepu at Tape, +spoke, in icy accents: + +"Thou Harmachis, we have considered this matter. Thou hast sinned the +threefold deadly sin. On thy head lies the burden of the woe of Khem, +this day enthralled of Rome. To Isis, the Mother Mystery, thou hast +offered the deadly insult, and thou hast broken thy holy oath. For all +of these sins there is, as well thou knowest, but one reward, and that +reward is thine. Naught can it weigh in the balance of our justice that +thou hast slain her who was thy cause of stumbling; naught that thou +comest to name thyself the vilest thing who ever stood within these +walls. On thee also must fall the curse of Menkau-ra, thou false priest! +thou forsworn patriot! thou Pharaoh shameful and discrowned! Here, where +we set the Double Crown upon thy head, we doom thee to the doom! Go to +thy dungeon and await the falling of its stroke! Go, remembering what +thou mightest have been and what thou art, and may those Gods who +through thy evil doing shall perchance ere long cease to be worshipped +within these holy temples, give to thee that mercy which we deny! Lead +him forth!" + + + +So they took me and led me forth. With bowed head I went, looking not +up, and yet I felt their eyes burn upon my face. + +Oh! surely of all my shames this is the heaviest! + + + +CHAPTER X + +OF THE LAST WRITING OF HARMACHIS, THE ROYAL EGYPTIAN + +They led me to the prison chamber that is high in the pylon tower and +here I wait my doom. I know not when the sword of Fate shall fall. Week +grows to week, and month to month, and still it is delayed. Still it +quivers unseen above my head. I know that it will fall, but when I know +not. Perchance, I shall wake in some dead hour of midnight to hear the +stealthy steps of the slayers and be hurried forth. Perchance, they are +now at hand. Then will come the secret cell! the horror! the nameless +coffin! and at last it will be done! Oh, let it come! let it come +swiftly! + + +All is written; I have held back nothing--my sin is sinned--my vengeance +is finished. Now all things end in darkness and in ashes, and I prepare +to face the terrors that are to come in other worlds than this. I go, +but not without hope I go: for, though I see Her not, though no more She +answers to my prayers, still I am aware of the Holy Isis, who is with me +for evermore, and whom I shall yet again behold face to face. And then +at last in that far day I shall find forgiveness; then the burden of +my guilt will roll from me and innocency come back and wrap me round, +bringing me holy Peace. + + +Oh! dear land of Khem, as in a dream I see thee! I see Nation after +Nation set its standard on thy shores, and its yoke upon thy neck! I +see new Religions without end calling out their truths upon the banks of +Sihor, and summoning thy people to their worship! I see thy temples--thy +holy temples--crumbling in the dust: a wonder to the sight of men +unborn, who shall peer into thy tombs and desecrate the great ones +of thy glory! I see thy mysteries a mockery to the unlearned, and thy +wisdom wasted like waters on the desert sands! I see the Roman Eagles +stoop and perish, their beaks yet red with the blood of men, and the +long lights dancing down the barbarian spears that follow in their +wake! And then, at last, I see Thee once more great, once more free, and +having once more a knowledge of thy Gods--ay, thy Gods with a changed +countenance, and called by other names, but still thy Gods! + + +The sun sinks over Abouthis. The red rays of Ra flame on temple roofs, +upon green fields, and the wide waters of father Sihor. So as a child +I watched him sink; just so his last kiss touched the further pylon's +frowning brow; just that same shadow lay upon the tombs. All is +unchanged! I--I only am changed--so changed, and yet the same! + + +Oh, Cleopatra! Cleopatra! thou Destroyer! if I might but tear thy vision +from my heart! Of all my griefs, this is the heaviest grief--still must +I love thee! Still must I hug this serpent to my heart! Still in my +ears must ring that low laugh of triumph--the murmur of the falling +fountain--the song of the nightinga---- + +[Here the writing on the third roll of papyrus abruptly ends. It would +almost seem that the writer was at this moment broken in upon by those +who came to lead him to his doom.] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cleopatra, by H. 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