Sardou's Cleopatra — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

140 SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. In the flickering light she read these words: : “Arm your fleet of war and sail at once for ~ Actium. ANTONY.” The parchment fell fluttering from her nerve- less fingers. What could be the meaning of this strange summons? What! Antony demanded the aid of Egypt! Against whom, if not against Octavius? Yes, since sending the messenger to announce his reconciliation with Octavius and his marriage to Octavia, he had quarrelled with the brother, and, therefore, undoubtedly repudiated the sister. Under what other circumstances would he have dared appeal to Egypt’s Queen, whom he had so foully wronged ? Cleopatra’s beautiful face was aglow with an- ticipated triumph as she returned to’ where Kephren and the two women stood, still under the spell of the terror which had seized them on ac- count of the sacrilege that had been committed. ‘What is done, is done,” she said, noticing their downcast faces, ‘and cannot be recalled. It was the will of the gods, and the gods will pardon. Charmian, give the ibis to Phraor, the chief of the royal embalmers. ‘Tell him to spare neither per- fumes nor spices, and to adorn the body with the tichest of ornaments. I wish that the faithful comicbooks.co