Sardou's Cleopatra — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

110 SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. traitor to your country and your queen, your time has come, and you shall pay the penalty of your crime !”’ The terror-stricken victim attempted to cry out, but the terrible pressute on his throat strangled his voice. His face was purple and distorted, and in a moment more he would undoubtedly have been crossing the dark stream in charge of the erim ferryman, had not a muscular arm inter- vened and wrenched away the Greek’s hands from their clutch. Ei, ene a ae Serapion, in his priestly robes, stood cen them. ; ‘“Sacriligious vandals!” he cried. “Would you desecrate the temple of our Holy Mother? Desist, I command you, in the name of Cleopatra, the Queen !” Thus adjured, although his blood was roused to fever heat, Pharon made no resistance. With one contemptuous glance at Diomedes, who, half strangled and thoroughly terrified, leaned, shak- ing like a leaf, against the wall, he turned, and, followed by Serapion, who saw that the wily cour- tier had sustained no serious injury, made his way to the priests’ cell. “Pharon,” said Serapion, closing the door be- comicbooks.co