Sardou's Cleopatra — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

120 _ SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. | that age had such implicit confidence, but still she was not without a vain of superstition, and, in this hour of doubt and suspicion, she was ready to seize upon anything that could give even an instant’s hope to her troubled heart. “Holy priest of our Holy Mother,” she said, “speak! What says Isis as to the future ?” At these words, although he had been expect- ing them, the priest trembled. His prophecies, in regard to Antony, had failed so often, that he did not dare to again risk incurring Cleopatra’s displeasure. To the Great Queen only the truth must be spoken,” he replied; “the oracle of Isis is strangely silent.” The queen made an impatient movement. “There are other methods of divination besides consulting the oracles of the gods,” she said. “The alites, for instance. What do the flight of the birds portend ?” “Great Queen,” replied Serapion, more and more troubled, “your summons came too late for that. Only in the light of the day can the sig- nificance of the noise and flight of winged crea- tures be interpreted.” Cleopatra’s brow grew dark. comicbooks.co