cleopatra-第2章

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man。　I　took　it　up　and　looked　at　it。　It　had　been　closely　shavedafter

death；　I　should　say；　from　the　general　indicationsand　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…woodnot　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　eyesand　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　feetas　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　tibi？I　forget　if　it　was　the　right　or　the　lefthad

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？　CleCleoCleopatra　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　heresix

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　translateI'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　agothe　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　water