Sardou's Cleopatra — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOUW’S CLEOPATRA. CHAPTER. I. AT THE MERCY OF THE CONQUEROR. It was close upon mid-day. ‘The sun, nearly at its height, poured down its rays upon the little city of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, flooding with light the broad streets, courts, and quays, and gleaming upon the polished marble of the temples and buildings. The Cydnus, like a ribbon of molten silver, rippled and sparkled between its banks, lined with cypresses, pomegranate trees, and laurel roses. Beyond rose the wooded sum- mits of Mount Taurus, outlined against the deep blue of the cloudless sky. Exquisite as the day was, it brought no cheer to the heavy hearts of the inhabitants of Tarsus, EOmMicboo «Siri