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！
breastplates。 Every man of them flung his javelin： the one that
came my way drove through my shield as through a papyruslo
there！ （he points to the bandage on his left arm） and would have
gone through my neck had I not stooped。 They were charging at the
double then； and were upon us with short swords almost as soon as
their javelins。 When a man is close to you with such a sword； you
can do nothing with our weapons： they are all too long。
THE PERSIAN。 What did you do？
BEL AFFRIS。 Doubled my fist and smote my Roman on the sharpness
of his jaw。 He was but mortal after all： he lay down in a stupor；
and I took his sword and laid it on。 （Drawing the sword） Lo！ a
Roman sword with Roman blood on it！
THE GUARDSMEN （approvingly）。 Good！ （They take the sword and hand
it round； examining it curiously。）
THE PERSIAN。 And your men？
BEL AFFRIS。 Fled。 Scattered like sheep。
BELZANOR （furiously）。 The cowardly slaves！ Leaving the
descendants of the gods to be butchered！
BEL AFFRIS （with acid coolness）。 The descendants of the gods did
not stay to be butchered； cousin。 The battle was not to the
strong； but the race was to the swift。 The Romans； who have no
chariots； sent a cloud of horsemen in pursuit； and slew
multitudes。 Then our high priest's captain rallied a dozen
descendants of the gods and exhorted us to die fighting。 I said
to myself： surely it is safer to stand than to lose my breath and
be stabbed in the back； so I joined our captain and stood。 Then
the Romans treated us with respect； for no man attacks a lion
when the field is full of sheep； except for the pride and honor
of war； of which these Romans know nothing。 So we escaped with
our lives； and I am come to warn you that you must open your
gates to Caesar； for his advance guard is scarce an hour behind
me； and not an Egyptian warrior is left standing between you and
his legions。
THE SENTINEL。 Woe； alas！ （He throws down his javelin and flies
into the palace。）
BELZANOR。 Nail him to the door； quick！ （The guardsmen rush for
him with their spears； but he is too quick for them。） Now this
news will run through the palace like fire through stubble。
BEL AFFRIS。 What shall we do to save the women from the Romans？
BELZANOR。 Why not kill them？
PERSIAN。 Because we should have to pay blood money for some of
them。 Better let the Romans kill them： it is cheaper。
BELZANOR （awestruck at his brain power）。 O subtle one！ O
serpent！
BEL AFFRIS。 But your Queen？
BELZANOR。 True： we must carry off Cleopatra。
BEL AFFRIS。 Will ye not await her command？
BELZANOR。 Command！ A girl of sixteen！ Not we。 At Memphis ye deem
her a Queen： here we know better。 I will take her on the crupper
of my horse。 When we soldiers have carried her out of Caesar's
reach； then the priests and the nurses and the rest of them can
pretend she is a queen again； and put their commands into her
mouth。
PERSIAN。 Listen to me； Belzanor。
BELZANOR。 Speak； O subtle beyond thy years。
THE PERSIAN。 Cleopatra's brother Ptolemy is at war with her。 Let
us sell her to him。
THE GUARDSMEN。 O subtle one！ O serpent！
BELZANOR。 We dare not。 We are descended from the gods； but
Cleopatra is descended from the river Nile； and the lands of our
fathers will grow no grain if the Nile rises not to water them。
Without our father's gifts we should live the lives of dogs。
PERSIAN。 It is true： the Queen's guard cannot live on its pay。
But hear me further； O ye kinsmen of Osiris。
THE GUARDSMEN。 Speak； O subtle one。 Hear the serpent begotten！
PERSIAN。 Have I heretofore spoken truly to you of Caesar； when
you thought I mocked you？
GUARDSMEN。 Truly； truly。
BELZANOR （reluctantly admitting it）。 So Bel Affris says。
PERSIAN。 Hear more of him； then。 This Caesar is a great lover of
women： he makes them his friends and counselors。
BELZANOR。 Faugh！ This rule of women will be the ruin of Egypt。
THE PERSIAN。 Let it rather be the ruin of Rome！ Caesar grows old
now： he is past fifty and full of labors and battles。 He is too
old for the young women； and the old women are too wise to
worship him。
BEL AFFRIS。 Take heed； Persian。 Caesar is by this time almost
within earshot。
PERSIAN。 Cleopatra is not yet a woman： neither is she wise。 But
she already troubles men's wisdom。
BELZANOR。 Ay： that is because she is descended from the river
Nile and a black kitten of the sacred White Cat。 What then？
PERSIAN。 Why； sell her secretly to Ptolemy； and then offer
ourselves to Caesar as volunteers to fight for the overthrow of
her brother and the rescue of our Queen； the Great Granddaughter
of the Nile。
THE GUARDSMEN。 O serpent！
PERSIAN。 He will listen to us if we come with her picture in our
mouths。 He will conquer and kill her brother； and reign in Egypt
with Cleopatra for his Queen。 And we shall be her guard。
GUARDSMEN。 O subtlest of all the serpents！ O admiration！ O
wisdom！
BEL AFFRIS。 He will also have arrived before you have done
talking； O word spinner。
BELZANOR。 That is true。 （An affrighted uproar in the palace
interrupts him。） Quick： the flight has begun： guard the door。
（They rush to the door and form a cordon before it with their
spears。 A mob of women…servants and nurses surges out。 Those in
front recoil from the spears； screaming to those behind to keep
back。 Belzanor's voice dominates the disturbance as he shouts）
Back there。 In again； unprofitable cattle。
THE GUARDSMEN。 Back； unprofitable cattle。
BELZANOR。 Send us out Ftatateeta； the Queen's chief nurse。
THE WOMEN （calling into the palace）。 Ftatateeta； Ftatateeta。
Come； come。 Speak to Belzanor。
A WOMAN。 Oh； keep back。 You are thrusting me on the spearheads。
A huge grim woman； her face covered with a network of tiny
wrinkles； and her eyes old； large； and wise； sinewy handed； very
tall； very strong； with the mouth of a bloodhound and the jaws of
a bulldog； appears on the threshold。 She is dressed like a person
of consequence in the palace； and confronts the guardsmen
insolently。
FTATATEETA。 Make way for the Queen's chief nurse。
BELZANOR。 （with solemn arrogance）。 Ftatateeta： I am Belzanor； the
captain of the Queen's guard； descended from the gods。
FTATATEETA。 （retorting his arrogance with interest）。 Belzanor： I
am Ftatateeta； the Queen's chief nurse； and your divine ancestors
were proud to be painted on the wall in the pyramids of the kings
whom my fathers served。
The women laugh triumphantly。
BELZANOR （with grim humor） Ftatateeta： daughter of a
long…tongued； swivel…eyed chameleon； the Romans are at hand。 （A
cry of terror from the women： they would fly but for the spears。）
Not even the descendants of the gods can resist them； for they
have each man seven arms； each carrying seven spears。 The blood
in their veins is boiling quicksilver； and their wives become
mothers in three hours； and are slain and eaten the next day。
A shudder of horror from the women。 Ftatateeta； despising them
and scorning the soldiers； pushes her way through the crowd and
confronts the spear points undismayed。
FTATATEETA。 Then fly and save yourselves； O cowardly sons of the
cheap clay gods that are sold to fish porters； and leave us to
shift for ourselves。
BELZANOR。 Not until you have first done our bidding； O terror of
manhood。 Bring out Cleopatra the Queen to us and then go whither
you will。
FTATATEETA （with a derisive laugh）。 Now I know why the gods have
taken her out of our hands。 （The guardsmen start and look at one
another）。 Know； thou foolish soldier； that the Queen has been
missing since an hour past sun down。
BELZANOR （furiously）。 Hag： you have hidden her to sell to Caesar
or her brother。 （He grasps her by the left wrist； and drags her；
helped by a few of the guard； to the middle of the courtyard；
where； as they fling her on her knees； he draws a murderous
looking knife。） Where is she？ Where is she？ or （He threatens to
cut her throat。）
FTATATEETA （savagely）。 Touch me； dog； and the Nile will not rise
on your fields for seven times seven years of famine。
BELZANOR （frightened； but desperate）。 I will sacrifice： I will
pay。 Or stay。 （To the Persian） You； O subtle one： your father's
lands lie far from the Nile。 Slay her。
PERSIAN （threatening her with his knife）。 Persia has but one god；
yet he loves the blood of old women。 Where is Cleopatra？
FTATATEETA。 Persian： as Osiris lives； I do not know。 I chide her
for bringing evil days upon us by talking to the sacred cats of
the priests； and carrying them in her arms。 I told her she would
be left alone here when the Romans came as a punishment for her
disobedience。 And now she is gonerun awayhidden。 I speak the
truth。 I call Osiris to witness。
THE WOMEN （protesting officiously）。 She speaks the truth；
Belzanor。
BELZANOR。 You have frightened the child： she is hiding。 Search
quickinto the palacesearch every corner。
The guards； led by Belzanor； shoulder their way into the palace
through the flying crowd of women； who escape through the
courtyard gate。
FTATATEETA （screaming）。 Sacrilege！ Men in the Queen's chambers！
Sa （Her voice dies away as the Persian puts his knife to her
throat。）
BEL AFFRIS （laying a hand on Ftatateeta's left shoulder）。 Forbear
her