Sardou's Cleopatra — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. country fora young woman to live in, fora yoting queen to rule over!” Charmian smiled, a little maliciously. She had been so often the queen’s confidant, that, spoiled favorite that she was, she permitted her- self little liberties of speech which no one else would have dared venture. “If Egypt is hated now,” she said, “it was loved once. Ah! if this beautiful country has lost all its claims to affection, it is because Asia has -been seen and remembered, because a tender re- gret renders the heart unfaithful, because the cold Cydnus has dethroned the Nile. What a charm- ing voyage that was. Do you remember, Iras? I was at the prow, dressed as a siren.” Thus addressed, Iras, who had been listlessly listening, with her thoughts far away, started and said, with an effort: “I? You forget. I was not there.” The queen’s eyes sparkled as she remembered that day of her victory. Egypt for the moment was forgotten. Once more she was on the waters ‘of the Cydnus, bearing away in triumph her will- ing prey. “Ah,” she said, a smile wreathing her red lips, “and he accused me, treated me as a rebel !” S comicbooks.co