第 8 节
作者:扑火      更新:2022-04-08 21:01      字数:9322
  statesmanshipfollies and fictions ten times bloodier than
  honest vengeance! What a fool was I then! To think that
  men's lives should be at the mercy of such fools! (Humbly) Lucius
  Septimius; pardon me: why should the slayer of Vercingetorix
  rebuke the slayer of Pompey? You are free to go with the rest。 Or
  stay if you will: I will find a place for you in my service。
  LUCIUS。 The odds are against you; Caesar。 I go。 (He turns to go
  out through the loggia。)
  RUFIO (full of wrath at seeing his prey escaping)。 That means
  that he is a Republican。
  LUCIUS (turning defiantly on the loggia steps)。 And what are you?
  RUFIO。 A Caesarian; like all Caesar's soldiers。
  CAESAR (courteously)。 Lucius: believe me; Caesar is no Caesarian。
  Were Rome a true republic; then were Caesar the first of
  Republicans。 But you have made your choice。 Farewell。
  LUCIUS。 Farewell。 Come; Achillas; whilst there is yet time。
  Caesar; seeing that Rufio's temper threatens to get the worse of
  him; puts his hand on his shoulder and brings him down the hall
  out of harm's way; Britannus accompanying them and posting
  himself on Caesar's right hand。 This movement brings the three in
  a little group to the place occupied by Achillas; who moves
  haughtily away and joins Theodotus on the other side。 Lucius
  Septimius goes out through the soldiers in the loggia。 Pothinus;
  Theodotus and Achillas follow him with the courtiers; very
  mistrustful of the soldiers; who close up in their rear and go
  out after them; keeping them moving without much ceremony。 The
  King is left in his chair; piteous; obstinate; with twitching
  face and fingers。 During these movements Rufio maintains an
  energetic grumbling; as follows:
  RUFIO (as Lucius departs)。 Do you suppose he would let us go if
  he had our heads in his hands?
  CAESAR。 I have no right to suppose that his ways are any baser
  than mine。
  RUFIO。 Psha!
  CAESAR。 Rufio: if I take Lucius Septimius for my model; and
  become exactly like him; ceasing to be Caesar; will you serve me
  still?
  BRITANNUS。 Caesar: this is not good sense。 Your duty to Rome
  demands that her enemies should be prevented from doing further
  mischief。 (Caesar; whose delight in the moral eye…to…business of
  his British secretary is inexhaustible; smiles intelligently。)
  RUFIO。 It is no use talking to him; Britannus: you may save your
  breath to cool your porridge。 But mark this; Caesar。 Clemency is
  very well for you; but what is it for your soldiers; who have to
  fight tomorrow the men you spared yesterday? You may give what
  orders you please; but I tell you that your next victory will be
  a massacre; thanks to your clemency。 I; for one; will take no
  prisoners。 I will kill my enemies in the field; and then you can
  preach as much clemency as you please: I shall never have to
  fight them again。 And now; with your leave; I will see these
  gentry off the premises。 (He turns to go。)
  CAESAR (turning also and seeing Ptolemy)。 What! Have they left
  the boy alone! Oh shame; shame!
  RUFIO (taking Ptolemy's hand and making him rise)。 Come; your
  majesty!
  PTOLEMY (to Caesar; drawing away his hand from Rufio)。 Is he
  turning me out of my palace?
  RUFIO (grimly)。 You are welcome to stay if you wish。
  CAESAR (kindly)。 Go; my boy。 I will not harm you; but you will be
  safer away; among your friends。 Here you are in the lion's mouth。
  PTOLEMY (turning to go)。 It is not the lion I fear; but (looking
  at Rufio) the jackal。 (He goes out through the loggia。)
  CAESAR (laughing approvingly)。 Brave boy!
  CLEOPATRA (jealous of Caesar's approbation; calling after
  Ptolemy)。 Little silly。 You think that very clever。
  CAESAR。 Britannus: Attend the King。 Give him in charge to that
  Pothinus fellow。 (Britannus goes out after Ptolemy。)
  RUFIO (pointing to Cleopatra)。 And this piece of goods? What is
  to be done with HER? However; I suppose I may leave that to you。
  (He goes out through the loggia。)
  CLEOPATRA (flushing suddenly and turning on Caesar)。 Did you mean
  me to go with the rest?
  CAESAR (a little preoccupied; goes with a sigh to Ptolemy's
  chair; whilst she waits for his answer with red cheeks and
  clenched fists)。 You are free to do just as you please;
  Cleopatra。
  CLEOPATRA。 Then you do not care whether I stay or not?
  CAESAR (smiling)。 Of course I had rather you stayed。
  CLEOPATRA。 Much; MUCH rather?
  CAESAR (nodding)。 Much; much rather。
  CLEOPATRA。 Then I consent to stay; because I am asked。 But I do
  not want to; mind。
  CAESAR。 That is quite understood。 (Calling) Totateeta。
  Ftatateeta; still seated; turns her eyes on him with a sinister
  expression; but does not move。
  CLEOPATRA (with a splutter of laughter)。 Her name is not
  Totateeta: it is Ftatateeta。 (Calling) Ftatateeta。 (Ftatateeta
  instantly rises and comes to Cleopatra。)
  CAESAR (stumbling over the name)。 Ftatafeeta will forgive the
  erring tongue of a Roman。 Tota: the Queen will hold her state
  here in Alexandria。 Engage women to attend upon her; and do all
  that is needful。
  FTATATEETA。 Am I then the mistress of the Queen's household?
  CLEOPATRA (sharply)。 No: I am the mistress of the Queen's
  household。 Go and do as you are told; or I will have you thrown
  into the Nile this very afternoon; to poison the poor crocodiles。
  CAESAR (shocked)。 Oh no; no。
  CLEOPATRA。 Oh yes; yes。 You are very sentimental; Caesar; but you
  are clever; and if you do as I tell you; you will soon learn to
  govern。
  Caesar; quite dumbfounded by this impertinence; turns in his
  chair and stares at her。
  Ftatateeta; smiling grimly; and showing a splendid set of teeth;
  goes; leaving them alone together。
  CAESAR。 Cleopatra: I really think I must eat you; after all。
  CLEOPATRA (kneeling beside him and looking at him with eager
  interest; half real; half affected to show how intelligent she
  is)。 You must not talk to me now as if I were a child。
  CAESAR。 You have been growing up since the Sphinx introduced us
  the other night; and you think you know more than I do already。
  CLFOPATRA (taken down; and anxious to justify herself)。 No: that
  would be very silly of me: of course I know that。 But; (suddenly)
  are you angry with me?
  CAESAR。 No。
  CLEOPATRA (only half believing him)。 Then why are you so
  thoughtful?
  CAESAR (rising)。 I have work to do; Cleopatra。
  CLEOPATRA (drawing back)。 Work! (Offended) You are tired of
  talking to me; and that is your excuse to get away from me。
  CAESAR (sitting down again to appease her)。 Well; well: another
  minute。 But thenwork!
  CLFOPATRA。 Work! What nonsense! You must remember that you are a
  King now: I have made you one。 Kings don't work。
  CAESAR。 Oh! Who told you that; little kitten? Eh?
  CLEOPATRA。 My father was King of Egypt; and he never worked。 But
  he was a great King; and cut off my sister's head because she
  rebelled against him and took the throne from him。
  CAESAR。 Well; and how did he get his throne back again?
  CLEOPATRA (eagerly; her eyes lighting up)。 I will tell you。 A
  beautiful young man; with strong round arms; came over the desert
  with many horsemen; and slew my sister's husband and gave my
  father back his throne。 (Wistfully) I was only twelve then。 Oh; I
  wish he would come again; now that I am a Queen。 I would
  make him my husband。
  CAESAR。 It might be managed; perhaps; for it was I who sent that
  beautiful young man to help your father。
  CLEOPATRA (enraptured)。 You know him!
  CAESAR (nodding)。 I do。
  CLEOPATRA。 Has he come with you? (Caesar shakes his head: she is
  cruelly disappointed。) Oh; I wish he had; I wish he had。 If only
  I were a little older; so that he might not think me a mere
  kitten; as you do! But perhaps that is because YOU are old。 He is
  many; MANY years younger than you; is he not?
  CAESAR (as if swallowing a pill)。 He is somewhat younger。
  CLEOPATRA。 Would he be my husband; do you think; if I asked him?
  CAESAR。 Very likely。
  CLEOPATRA。 But I should not like to ask him。 Could you not
  persuade him to ask mewithout knowing that I wanted him to?
  CAESAR (touched by her innocence of the beautiful young
  man's character)。 My poor child!
  CLEOPATRA。 Why do you say that as if you were sorry for me? Does
  he love anyone else?
  CAESAR。 I am afraid so。
  CLEOPATRA (tearfully)。 Then I shall not be his first love。
  CAESAR。 Not quite the first。 He is greatly admired by women。
  CLEOPATRA。 I wish I could be the first。 But if he loves me; I
  will make him kill all the rest。 Tell me: is he still beautiful?
  Do his strong round arms shine in the sun like marble?
  CAESAR。 He is in excellent conditionconsidering how much he
  eats and drinks。
  CLEOPATRA。 Oh; you must not say common; earthly things about him;
  for I love him。 He is a god。
  CAESAR。 He is a great captain of horsemen; and swifter of foot
  than any other Roman。
  CLEOPATRA。 What is his real name?
  CAESAR (puzzled)。 His REAL name?
  CLEOPATRA。 Yes。 I always call him Horus; because Horus is the
  most beautiful of our gods。 But I want to know his real name。
  CAESAR。 His name is Mark Antony。
  CLEOPATRA (musically)。 Mark Antony; Mark Antony; Mark Antony!
  What a beautiful name! (She throws her arms round Caesar's neck。)
  Oh; how I love you for sending him to help my father! Did y