there were councillors, lords,
captains, eunuchs, and waiting-women, all save Charmion. The house
passed, but Cleopatra and Charmion came not. At length Charmion entered
gently by a side entrance, and took her place among the waiting-ladies
about the throne. Even as she did so she cast a glance at me, and there
was triumph in her eyes, though I knew not over what she triumphed. I
little guessed that she had but now brought about my ruin and sealed the
fate of Egypt.

Then presently the trumpets blared, and, clad in her robes of state, the
uraeus crown upon her head, and on her breast, flashing like a star, that
great emerald scarabaeus which she had dragged from dead Pharaoh's heart,
Cleopatra swept in splendour to her throne, followed by a glittering
guard of Northmen. Her lovely face was dark, dark were her slumbrous
eyes, and none might read their message, though all that Court searched
them for a sign of what should come. She seated herself slowly as one
who may not be moved, and spoke to the chief of the heralds in the Greek
tongue:

"Does the Ambassador of the noble Antony wait?"

The herald bowed low and made assent.

"Let him come in and hear our answer."

The doors were flung wide, and, followed by his train of knights,
Dellius, clad in his golden armour and his purple mantle, walked with
cat-like step up the great hall, and made obeisance before the throne.

"Most royal and beauteous Egypt," he said, in his soft voice, "as thou
hast graciously been pleased to bid me, thy servant, I am here to
take thy answer to the letter of the noble Antony the Triumvir, whom
to-morrow I sail to meet at Tarsus, in Cilicia. And I will say
this, royal Egypt, craving pardon the while for the boldness of my
speech--bethink thee well before words that cannot be unspoken fall from
those sweet lips. Defy Antony, and Antony will wreck thee. But, like
thy mother Aphrodite, rise glorious on his sight from the bosom of the
Cyprian wave, and for wreck he will give thee all that can be dear to
woman's royalty--Empire, and pomp of place, cities and the sway of men,
fame and wealth, and the Diadem of rule made sure. For mark: Antony
holds this Eastern World in the hollow of his warlike hand; at his will
kings are, and at his frown they cease to be."

And he bowed his head and, folding his hands meekly on his breast,
awaited answer.

For a while Cleopatra answered not, but sat like the Sphinx Horemkhu,
dumb and inscrutable, gazing