Sardou's Cleopatra — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU'’S CLEOPATRA. 259 “Halt!” cried Proculeius. ‘What is your business ?” “The queen |’? he answered, shortly. Cleopatra heard the loud answer, and recognized the voice. “It is Pharon,” she whispered to herself, with a sudden revulsion from despair to hope. “It is Pharon. Jam saved!” “It is Pharon!” thought Iras, with a shiver of dread. “He is lost!” Breathlessly the two women awaited the result. “What do you wish, priest ?” continued Procu- leius. “What is your name?” “I am a servant of the holy temple of Ammon,” replied Pharon, calmly. “Every evening, after the sacrifices, the fruits of the season are offered to the queen. It is the custom of the temple, and I come to-day to fulfill my duty.” Proculeius, half doubting, stretched out his hand to take the basket; but the pretended priest started back with an assumption of horror. “What!” he cried, “touch the sacred fruit! Roman, do you wish by a vain sacrilege to shock Egypt and render yourself odious? You will not rule this land save by respecting its gods. Of such Eomicboo