Sardou's Cleopatra — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. | 59 Coyly, as if to a lover, the maid in the river advances: Gladly to welcome their mistress the wavelets caressingly rise. Gayly the swimmer snatches a lotus the currents give her, Binds it amongst the tresses that vie with the raven’s wing; Floats secure and at rest on the breast of the slow-moving river, Radiant and happy and fair—fair as the bride of a king. Hark? she has screamed in dismay. While into the blue above her, Risen on palpitant wings, with, light in his talons caught One little sandal of red, an eagle is seen to hover— Sandal as light as a leaf, yet with fortunes of Empire fraught. Tumbled it down at the foot of a prince—but a prince and a lover— Saucily tapered its heel and its pink toe curled in air. Swore he to marry the maid whose foot bore so dainty a cover; Found he the bather and crowned her—Nitocris the Fair! The lute dropped carelessly from her hand and the last word died away in one long, full note, when suddenly at the end of the vast hall arosea commotion. The revellers started from their couches, and two men in the armour of the Roman legions appeared from without and made their way hurriedly to the foot of the platform upon which reclined the queen and the triumvir. As Antony’s eyes fell on the scarred, grizzled face of the one in advance, he started to his feet with a cry: ‘“Ventidius |” Gboo =) CSi5) (Eo)