第96章

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 C？sar； but C？sar 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 C？sar.

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 Tápé 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 C？sar， for by C？sar'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 C？sar.

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 C？sar， 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. C？sar 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 C？sar， 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.