Sardou's Cleopatra — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

44 SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. reigned over a people without number. Kings and gods were driven mad with her beauty. I was a slave, and I loved her in secret. I could never approach, nor hear her, but I followed her everywhere to catch a glimpse of her vail or her ~ hand. One day I was brought into her presence. Oh! Aphrodite! all thy flames burned in my veins. ‘To find favor in her eyes one must bea hero; but I said: ‘Queen, I ama slave, but I love you, and I ask for death.’ And the new Isis whom Egypt worships deigned to smile upon the slave of the port. Come, then, Death! I am ready to depart for thy somber shores. Take my youth, my life, and my future, but let me bear away to the shades the memory of her smile. Cleopatra is so beautiful! Save me from forget- fulness! ‘Torture me as thou wilt in Hades, but let me suffer for her, let my love be my torment. Leave to my eyes her adored image, leave to my lips her cherished name! I place myself in thy hands, oh, Death! but on my icy forehead let the print remain of the kisses of her who made mea king!” He ceased, and the first bright beam of the rising sun glided through the roof, and rested _ full upon his fair, upturned face, 'COomIIc boo (S,cO