按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
We stood within a small arched chamber； paved and lined with great
blocks of the granite stone of Syene。 There before ushewn from a
single mass of basalt shaped like a wooden house and resting on a
sphinx with a face of goldwas 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 Horusthousands 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 stoneseven 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 thuseven 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 againyes； 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 naughtnaught but the mind that； in such a house of Horror；
bodies forth those shadowy forms of fear it dreads to see。 Nay； I must