itting guests--than the ruler of a kingdom. Now, is it
not worthy of note to those who, like you and me, sister, love to
investigate the phenomena of our spiritual life, that this man--who in
peace is as yielding as wax, as week as a reed--is as tough and as keen
in battle as a finely tempered sword? We hacked bravely at each other's
shields, and I owe this slash here on my shoulder to him. If Hierax--who
is in pursuit of him with his horsemen--is lucky and catches him in
time, he will no doubt give up the crown of his own free will."

"Then he is not yet in your power, and he had time to mount a horse!"
cried Cleopatra, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction; "then all is
not yet lost for us. If Philometor can but reach Rome, and lay our case
before the Senate--"

"Then he might certainly have some prospect of help from the Republic,
for Rome does not love to see a strong king on the throne of Egypt,"
said Euergetes. "But you have lost your mainstay by the Tiber, and I
am about to make all the Scipios and the whole gens Cornelia my stanch
allies, for I mean to have the deceased Roman burnt with the finest
cedar-wood and Arabian spices; sacrifices shall be slaughtered at the
same time as if he had been a reigning king, and his ashes shall be sent
to Ostia and Rome in the costliest specimen of Vasa murrina that graces
my treasure-house, and on a ship specially fitted, and escorted by the
noblest of my friends. The road to the rampart of a hostile city lies
over corpses, and I, as general and king--"

Euergetes suddenly broke off in his sentence, for a loud noise and
vehement talking were heard outside the door. Cleopatra too had not
failed to observe it, and listened with alert attention; for on such a
day and in these apartments every dialogue, every noise in the king's
antechamber might be of grave purport.

Euergetes did not deceive himself in this matter any more than his
sister, and he went towards the door holding the sacrificial sickle,
which formed part of his regalia, in his right hand. But he had not
crossed the room when Eulaeus rushed in, as pale as death, and calling
out to his sovereign:

"The murderers have betrayed us; Publius Scipio is alive, and insists on
being admitted to speak with you."

The king's armed hand fell by his side, and for a moment he gazed
blankly into vacancy, but the next instant he had recovered himself, and
roared in a voice which filled the room like rolling thunder:

"Who da