Sardou's Cleopatra — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. 125 age, a great fear sprang up in the queen’s heart. Her cheeks paled, and, in a hollow whisper, she asked, tremulously : ‘What means this mournful countenance? Is —is Antony—dead ?” “No, he lives—is well.” With a wild cry of joy, she stripped her fingers of their blazing jewels, and showered them upon the messenger. “Here! ‘Take this! And this! And this! I could give thee all the jewels of the Orient for news like this! Praised be Isis! He lives! He lives! And victorious ?” “Yes, the sea has been delivered from the pirates. The fleet of Sextus Pompey has been . captured.” Again fell a shower of glittering jewels; brace- lets and necklaces this time fell at the feet of the messenger, while Cleopatra’s face flushed and her breast heaved with triumphant joy. : But the messenger did not stoop to pick up the rewards thus lavishly flung to him. He seemed embarassed and wofully ill at ease. ‘“But——”’ he said, at last, and then hesitated, as if fearful to proceed. Instantly the queen’s face changed. 3 | | comicbooks (E(0)