Cleopatra

by H. Rider Haggard

  On the morrow the Court met in the great hall one hour before mid-day,and I went thither with a trembling heart to hear Cleopatra's answerto Dellius, and to hear myself also named King-consort to the Queen ofEgypt. It was a full and splendid Court; there were councillors, lords,captains, eunuchs, and waiting-women, all save Charmion. The housepassed, but Cleopatra and Charmion came not. At length Charmion enteredgently by a side entrance, and took her place among the waiting-ladiesabout the throne. Even as she did so she cast a glance at me, and therewas triumph in her eyes, though I knew not over what she triumphed. Ilittle guessed that she had but now brought about my ruin and sealed thefate of Egypt.

  Then presently the trumpets blared, and, clad in her robes of state, theuraeus crown upon her head, and on her breast, flashing like a star, thatgreat emerald scarabaeus which she had dragged from dead Pharaoh's heart,Cleopatra swept in splendour to her throne, followed by a glitteringguard of Northmen. Her lovely face was dark, dark were her slumbrouseyes, and none might read their message, though all that Court searchedthem for a sign of what should come. She seated herself slowly as onewho may not be moved, and spoke to the chief of the heralds in the Greektongue:

  "Does the Ambassador of the noble Antony wait?"

  The herald bowed low and made assent.

  "Let him come in and hear our answer."

  The doors were flung wide, and, followed by his train of knights,Dellius, clad in his golden armour and his purple mantle, walked withcat-like step up the great hall, and made obeisance before the throne.

  "Most royal and beauteous Egypt," he said, in his soft voice, "as thouhast graciously been pleased to bid me, thy servant, I am here totake thy answer to the letter of the noble Antony the Triumvir, whomto-morrow I sail to meet at Tarsus, in Cilicia. And I will saythis, royal Egypt, craving pardon the while for the boldness of myspeech--bethink thee well before words that cannot be unspoken fall fromthose sweet lips. Defy Antony, and Antony will wreck thee. But, likethy mother Aphrodite, rise glorious on his sight from the bosom of theCyprian wave, and for wreck he will give thee all that can be dear towoman's royalty--Empire, and pomp of place, cities and the sway of men,fame and wealth, and the Diadem of rule made sure. For mark: Antonyholds this Eastern World in the hollow of his warlike hand; at his willkings are, and at his frown they cease to be."

  And he bowed his head and, folding his hands meekly on his breast,awaited answer.

  For a while Cleopatra answered not, but sat like the Sphinx Horemkhu,dumb and inscrutable, gazing with lost eyes down the length of thatgreat hall.

  Then, like soft music, her answer came; and trembling I listened forEgypt's challenge to the Roman:

  "Noble Dellius,--We have bethought us much of the matter of thy messagefrom great Antony to our poor Royalty of Egypt. We have bethought usmuch, and we have taken counsel from the oracles of the Gods, from thewisest among our friends, and from the teachings of our heart, thatever, like a nesting bird, broods over our people's weal. Sharp arethe words that thou has brought across the sea; methinks they had beenbetter fitted to the ears of some petty half-tamed prince than to thoseof Egypt's Queen. Therefore we have numbered the legions that we cangather, and the triremes and the galleys wherewith we may breast thesea, and the moneys which shall buy us all things wanting to our war.And we find this, that, though Antony be strong, yet has Egypt naught tofear from the strength of Antony."

  She paused, and a murmur of applause of her high words ran down thehall. Only Dellius stretched out his hand as though to push them back.Then came the end!

  "Noble Dellius,--Half are we minded there to bid our tongue stop, and,strong in our fortresses of stone, and our other fortresses built of thehearts of men, abide the issue. And yet thou shalt not go thus. We areguiltless of those charges against us that have come to the ears ofnoble Antony, and which now he rudely shouts in ours; nor will wejourney into Cilicia to answer them."

  Here the murmur arose anew, while my heart beat high in triumph; and inthe pause that followed, Dellius spoke once more.

  "Then, royal Egypt, my word to Antony is word of War?"

  "Nay," she answered; "it shall be one of Peace. Listen; we said that wewould not come to make answer to these charges, nor will we. But"--andshe smiled for the first time--"we will gladly come, and that swiftly,in royal friendship to make known our fellowship of peace upon the banksof Cydnus."

  I heard, and was bewildered. Could I hear aright? Was it thus thatCleopatra kept her oaths? Moved beyond the hold of reason, I lifted upmy voice and cried:

  "O Queen, _remember!_"

  She turned upon me like a lioness, with a flashing of the eyes and aswift shake of her lovely head.

  "Peace, Slave!" she said; "who bade thee break in upon our counsels?Mind thou thy stars, and leave matters of the world to the rulers of theworld!"

  I sank back shamed, and, as I did so, once more I saw the smile oftriumph on the face of Charmion, followed by what was, perhaps, theshadow of pity for my fall.

  "Now that yon brawling charlatan," said Dellius, pointing at me with hisjewelled finger, "has been rebuked, grant me leave, O Egypt, to thankthee from my heart for these gentle words----"

  "We ask no thanks from thee, noble Dellius; nor lies it in thy mouth tochide our servant," broke in Cleopatra, frowning heavily; "we will takethanks from the lips of Antony alone. Get thee to thy master, and sayto him that before he can make ready a fitting welcome our keels shallfollow in the track of thine. And now, farewell! Thou shalt find somesmall token of our bounty upon thy vessel."

  Dellius bowed thrice and withdrew, while the Court stood waiting theQueen's word. And I, too, waited, wondering if she would yet make goodher promise, and name me royal Spouse there in the face of Egypt. Butshe said nothing. Only, still frowning heavily, she rose, and, followedby her guards, left the throne, and passed into the Alabaster Hall. Thenthe Court broke up, and as the lords and councillors went by they lookedon me with mockery. For though none knew all my secret, nor how it stoodbetween me and Cleopatra, yet they were jealous of the favour shown meby the Queen, and rejoiced greatly at my fall. But I took no heed oftheir mocking as I stood dazed with misery and felt the world of Hopeslip from beneath my feet.