Sardou's Cleopatra — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

- SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. 261 the asps of the Nile. ‘Their venom will make you drowsy with the last sleep, without distortion, without suffering.” “Must she die?’ murmured Charmian. ‘Is there no hope ?”’ Cleopatra motioned Pharon to place the basket: near the couch upon which Antony lay. Then she extended to him her white hand. He bent over, and his lips touched it, lingeringly, passionately. He caught his breath with a shud- dering gasp, and, turning, hurried away, without one glance at the golden-haired girl, whose soft lips trembled in a grievous quiver and whose blue eyes filled with tears. “So!” said Cleopatra, her face illumined with a radiance that was almost supernatural. ‘Let us give to my death an aspect of triumph. Char- mian, the crown and the royal mantle!” -Charmian brought from the heap of treasure the purple mantle, heavy with embroidery, and © the sparkling diadem of Egypt. With Iras’ aid, she attached the mantle to the shoulders of the queen and placed the crown upon her royal head. Proculeius looked on at the proceedings without EOMICcbDOO ‘Ss (E(@)