cleopatra-第10章

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men　with　greed　and　evil　on　their　faceswho　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

millionsloving；　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　fellsilence　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　puremy　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　thennothingness！



/I　was　dead！/



A　changelife　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　Noth