guard.

CENTURION. What now? Has the old woman attacked you again? (Seeing
Apollodorus) Are YOU here still?

APOLLODORUS (pointing as before). See there. The Egyptians are moving.
They are going to recapture the Pharos. They will attack by sea and
land: by land along the great mole; by sea from the west harbor. Stir
yourselves, my military friends: the hunt is up. (A clangor of trumpets
from several points along the quay.) Aha! I told you so.

CENTURION (quickly). The two extra men pass the alarm to the south
posts. One man keep guard here. The rest with me--quick.

The two auxiliary sentinels run off to the south. The Centurion and his
guard run of northward; and immediately afterwards the bucina sounds.
The four porters come from the palace carrying a carpet, followed by
Ftatateeta.

SENTINEL (handling his pilum apprehensively). You again! (The porters
stop.)

FTATATEETA. Peace, Roman fellow: you are now single-handed. Apollodorus:
this carpet is Cleopatra's present to Caesar. It has rolled up in it ten
precious goblets of the thinnest Iberian crystal, and a hundred eggs of
the sacred blue pigeon. On your honor, let not one of them be broken.

APOLLODORUS. On my head be it. (To the porters) Into the boat with them
carefully.

The porters carry the carpet to the steps.

FIRST PORTER (looking down at the boat). Beware what you do, sir. Those
eggs of which the lady speaks must weigh more than a pound apiece. This
boat is too small for such a load.

BOATMAN (excitedly rushing up the steps). Oh thou injurious porter! Oh
thou unnatural son of a she-camel! (To Apollodorus) My boat, sir, hath
often carried five men. Shall it not carry your lordship and a bale of
pigeons' eggs? (To the porter) Thou mangey dromedary, the gods shall
punish thee for this envious wickedness.

FIRST PORTER (stolidly). I cannot quit this bale now to beat thee; but
another day I will lie in wait for thee.

APPOLODORUS (going between them). Peace there. If the boat were but a
single plank, I would get to Caesar on it.

FTATATEETA (anxiously). In the name of the gods, Apollodorus, run no
risks with that bale.

APOLLODORUS. Fear not, thou venerable grotesque: I guess its great
worth. (To the porters) Down with it, I say; and gently; or ye shall eat
nothing but stick for ten days.

The boatman goes down the steps, followed by the porters with the bale:
Ftatateeta and Apollodorus watching from the edge.

APOLLODORUS. Gently, my sons,