Sardou's Cleopatra — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

122 SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. Serapion crossed his arms upon his breast in token of reverence and submission, and with downeast eyes passed Kephren, and, slowly de- scending the stairs, soon vanished from sight. Cleopatra threw herself wearily back upon the couch and fixed her eyes upon the glittering stars. Oh! would that their predictions might come true! Anything was better than this sus- pense. What did this strange silence portend? What stupid pride, what inconceivable folly had prompted her to send him to Italy? And for what? For his own glory, to receive the plau- dits of the Romans. Fool, fool that she had been! Now, what cared she for ambition? She would give half her kingdom to be able to call this truant bird back again and imprison him once more in his gilded cage. But, while the queen is lost 1n contemplation of the heavens, and Iras and Charmian, with- drawn to alittle distance, are talking low together, a puff of dust arises upon the horizon. For once, the stars have spoken true. A messenger of weal or woe is on his way, and the end of his journey is close at hand, ‘The queen’s long, weary vigil will soon be over, and the truth as to Antony’s mysterious silence be known. Gomicbooks