Sardou's Cleopatra — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

166 - SARDOU’S CLEOPA TRA. of the old soldier had detected a series of little black spots that were, in all probability, a fleet of vessels. Could it be Cleopatra, with her war- ships? If so, the resolution of the general would be but short-lived. In a struggle between the simple Roman matron and the wily Egyptian queen, what hope would there be for the former ? If Cleopatra appeared upon the scene, all was lost. With a prayer that the evil might be averted, Ventidius followed in the footsteps of his master. In the meanwhile, with a light heart, Octavia was hurrying down the path to the seashore. As she reached the foot of the promontory she saw coming toward her a tall, dark, heavily bearded man, accompanied by two women, dressed in white robes of Grecian fashion. One, the taller, who moved with a grace that attracted at once Octavia’s attention, was heavily vailed, and only the outline of her features could be seen through the thick covering. The other, however, had thrown back her vail,and revealed a delicate face, with blue eyes and golden hair. The man car- ried, thrown across his shoulder, a heavy rug. The trio had evidently just landed from a small boat, which two oarsmen were slowly pulling away from the shore. comicbooks.co