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！
and minister to the luxury of the Macedonian Lagid？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
Aulêtes 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 C？sar； 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； C？sar seized Ptolemy； the young
King； and his sister Arsino？； 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 C？sar； 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 madein 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 C？sar。 And when the rugs were unbound in the
palace； behold！ within them was the fairest girl on all the earthay；
and the most witty and the most learned。 And she seduced the great
C？sareven his weight of years did not avail to protect him from her
charmsso 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？ C？sar； with the world hanging on his word！ C？sar； at whose
breath forty legions marched and changed the fate of peoples！ C？sar
the cold！ the far…seeing！ the hero！C？sar to fall like a ripe fruit
into a false girl's lap！ Why； in the issue； of what common clay was
this Roman C？sar； 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 C？sar was a fool。 Had I stood where C？sar 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 tonguethou knowest not！ The world where thou
must mix is not a sanctuary as that of the Divine Isis。 But thereit
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 talethou seest； Harmachis； even in so grave a story woman claims
her place。 The young Ptolemy； Cleopatra's brother； being loosed of
C？sar； treacherously turned on him。 Then C？sar 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； C？sarion； C？sar 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 Arsino？ to follow his
triumph in her chains。 But the great C？sar 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 C？sarion 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 C？sar 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； Harmachisact； 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
saf