Sardou's Cleopatra — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. 23 “How shall I plead my cause, when you, my judge, already have condemned me ?” It was unaccountable that his heart should have bounded so at her voice. He passed his hand over his eyes as one dazzled at the rays of the sun god; and it was with a softness of tone and manner which belied the words themselves, that he replied: “You have instigated the inhabitants of this city of Tarsus to rebellion; you have been in league with the conspirators and aided them by all the means in your power.” “If it pleases my lord to believe this and ruin me, then I’ll be guilty.” “Guilty! Ah! would that it were otherwise!” Her lips parted, showing two rows of gleaming pearls, as she flashed upon him an intoxicating smile; with sinuous, panther-like grace, she moved a step or two nearer. “I thank my lord,” she said, in the same mel- lifluous tones, “and since my innocence will not offend, I will not blush to own it.” Her eyes were still fixed upon his face, and as she stood there in an attitude of supreme grace, she looked, in her gleaming draperies, like some beautiful golden bird who watches nonchalantly Eomichbooks Go m