Sardou's Cleopatra — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

134 SARDOU'S CLEOPATRA. “Listen, then, to my commands, and carry them out to the letter. ‘To-night, good Kephren, you, Iras, and myself set sail for Rome.” A cry of horrified amazement broke simul- taneously from the lips of the captain of the guard and the two women. Charmian started forward and was about to speak, but, with an im- perious gesture, Cleopatra commanded silence. ‘“Kephren,” she continued, with calm decision, ‘send at once a trusted messenger to the port to inquire what vessel can take us on board and weigh anchor at once. Do not mention me. I shall pass as a Greek slave, like Iras here, and we will all three depart, protected by the gods and the silence and darkness of the night.” When Kephren had departed, Charmian threw herself on her knees beside the queen in an attt- tude of supplication. “Oh, beloved queen!” she exclaimed, “do not, do not, I implore, depart in this way without a guard, without friends, without ships, without an army! What! would you confide yourself to strange gods? Think of the perils and the dan- gers you must undergo!” Cleopatra smiled scornfully, but, at the same _ Gomicbooks (ele) 3