the napkin on the table and comes down again
into the colonnade.) Away, Britannus: tell Petronius that within an hour
half our forces must take ship for the western lake. See to my horse and
armor. (Britannus runs out.) With the rest I shall march round the lake
and up the Nile to meet Mithridates. Away, Lucius; and give the word.

Lucius hurries out after Britannus.

RUFIO. Come: this is something like business.

CAESAR (buoyantly). Is it not, my only son? (He claps his hands. The
slaves hurry in to the table.) No more of this mawkish reveling: away
with all this stuff: shut it out of my sight and be off with you. (The
slaves begin to remove the table; and the curtains are drawn, shutting
in the colonnade.) You understand about the streets, Rufio?

RUFIO. Ay, I think I do. I will get through them, at all events.

The bucina sounds busily in the courtyard beneath.

CAESAR. Come, then: we must talk to the troops and hearten them. You
down to the beach: I to the courtyard. (He makes for the staircase.)

CLEOPATRA (rising from her seat, where she has been quite neglected all
this time, and stretching out her hands timidly to him). Caesar.

CAESAR (turning). Eh?

CLEOPATRA. Have you forgotten me?

CAESAR. (indulgently). I am busy now, my child, busy. When I return your
affairs shall be settled. Farewell; and be good and patient.

He goes, preoccupied and quite indifferent. She stands with clenched
fists, in speechless rage and humiliation.

RUFIO. That game is played and lost, Cleopatra. The woman always gets
the worst of it.

CLEOPATRA (haughtily). Go. Follow your master.

RUFIO (in her ear, with rough familiarity). A word first. Tell your
executioner that if Pothinus had been properly killed--IN THE THROAT--he
would not have called out. Your man bungled his work.

CLEOPATRA (enigmatically). How do you know it was a man?

RUFIO (startled, and puzzled). It was not you: you were with us when it
happened. (She turns her back scornfully on him. He shakes his head, and
draws the curtains to go out. It is now a magnificent moonlit night. The
table has been removed. Ftatateeta is seen in the light of the moon and
stars, again in prayer before the white altar-stone of Ra. Rufio starts;
closes the curtains again softly; and says in a low voice to Cleopatra)
Was it she? With her own hand?

CLEOPATRA (threateningly). Whoever it was, let my enemies beware of her.
Look to it, Rufio, you who dare make the Queen of Egy