Sardou's Cleopatra — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU’S CLEUPATRA. a, The physician folded his arms across his breast, and bowed his head in deep humility. “There is no drug,” he said, “but——” “But? Speak, slave!” “But there is a worm of the Nile, whose sting is death. The victim dies without changing a muscle. ‘The roses still linger on the cheek, and the soul takes its flight in a smile.” ‘Is the death painless ?” “Absolutely.” “It is well. I shall remember. Retire.” Olympus bowed low, and turned away. Cleopatra raised her lovely eyes to the face of her lover, who had listened in amazement to this conversation, and, taking his hand, pressed it convulsively to her lips. “If I should lose you, my beloved,” she mur- mured, “I would follow you even into the shades of death. In the scales of Amenti, our souls will be weighed together. But youareright. To-day, let us drive the grim specter from us. Char- mian, a lute!” With her white fingers, she struck a few, faint, lingering chords, and then, in a voice, as sweet and vibrating as a crystal bell, she sang as fol- lows: rer hte Gomichoo CS (E(O}