Sardou's Cleopatra — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. $5 maids, Charmian and Iras, was returning in the royal cangia from the festival of Hermonthis, a man, rising from the rushes of the Nile, cast into the boat, at the feet of the royal occupant, masses of flowers, blue and white lilies. Then, plunging into the water, followed, swimming in the wake of the vessel. Cleopatra raised the flowers, and said, with a smile: “It is the Nile, the god of waters.” But Charmian was alarmed, and, fear- ing the man had some evil designs, prevailed upon her mistress to give orders to have the pre- sumptuous swimmer arrested as soon as they should land. ‘The command was carried out, and the young man was brought into the presence of the queen by Kephren, the captain of the royal guard. “Are you some assassin sent by Rome,” de- manded the queen, severely, “that you have thus persistently followed us?” | The young man sank on his knees, as if be- fore an altar of the gods, and stretched out his hands in supplication : “May Zeus punish me as I deserve,” he ex- claimed, passionately, “if I have, ever nourished any evil design toward you, Oh, queen !” Sincerity and truth were depicted upon his cComicbooks (E(0) m ;