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release。
CENTURION （sneering at him）； And you will sell the Queen the
present； no doubt。
APOLLODORUS。 Centurion： the Queen shall have from me； without
payment； as the unforced tribute of Sicilian taste to Egyptian
beauty； the richest of these carpets for her present to Caesar。
CLEOPATRA （exultantly； to the Centurion）。 Now you see what an
ignorant common creature you are！
CENTURION （curtly）。 Well； a fool and his wares are soon parted
（He turns to his men）。 Two more men to this post here； and see
that no one leaves the palace but this man and his merchandize。
If he draws his sword again inside the lines； kill him。 To your
posts。 March。
He goes out； leaving two auxiliary sentinels with the other。
APOLLODORUS （with polite goodfellowship）。 My friends： will you
not enter the palace and bury our quarrel in a bowl of wine？ （He
takes out his purse； jingling the coins in it。） The Queen has
presents for you all。
SENTINEL （very sulky）。 You heard our orders。 Get about your
business。
FIRST AUXILIARY。 Yes： you ought to know better。 Off with you。
SECOND AUXILIARY （looking longingly at the pursethis sentinel
is a hooknosed man； unlike his comrade； who is squab faced）。 Do
not tantalize a poor man。
APOLLODORUS （to Cleopatra）。 Pearl of Queens： the Centurion is at
hand； and the Roman soldier is incorruptible when his officer is
looking。 I must carry your word to Caesar。
CLEOPATRA （who has been meditating among the carpets）。 Are these
carpets very heavy？
APOLLODORUS。 It matters not how heavy。 There are plenty of
porters。
CLEOPATRA。 How do they put the carpets into boats？ Do they throw
them down？
APOLLODORUS。 Not into small boats； majesty。 It would sink them。
CLEOPATRA。 Not into that man's boat； for instance？ （Pointing to
the boatman。）
APOLLODORUS。 No。 Too small。
CLEOPATRA。 But you can take a carpet to Caesar in it if I send
one？
APOLLODORUS。 Assuredly。
CLEOPATRA。 And you will have it carried gently down the steps and
take great care of it？
APOLLODORUS。 Depend on me。
CLEOPATRA。 Great； GREAT care？
APOLLODORUS。 More than of my own body。
CLEOPATRA。 You will promise me not to let the porters drop it or
throw it about？
APOLLODORUS。 Place the most delicate glass goblet in the palace
in the heart of the roll； Queen； and if it be broken； my head
shall pay for it。
CLEOPATRA。 Good。 Come； Ftatateeta。 （Ftatateeta comes to her。
Apollodorus offers to squire them into the palace。） No；
Apollodorus； you must not come。 I will choose a carpet for
myself。 You must wait here。 （She runs into the palace。）
APOLLODORUS （to the porters）。 Follow this lady （indicating
Ftatateeta）； and obey her。
The porters rise and take up their bales。
FTATATEETA （addressing the porters as if they were vermin）。
This way。 And take your shoes off before you put your feet on
those stairs。
She goes in； followed by the porters with the carpets。 Meanwhile
Apollodorus goes to the edge of the quay and looks out over the
harbor。 The sentinels keep their eyes on him malignantly。
APOLLODORUS （addressing the sentinel）。 My friend
SENTINEL （rudely）。 Silence there。
FIRST AUXILIARY。 Shut your muzzle； you。
SECOND AUXILIARY （in a half whisper； glancing apprehensively
towards the north end of the quay）。 Can't you wait a bit？
APOLLODORUS。 Patience； worthy three…headed donkey。 （They mutter
ferociously； but he is not at all intimidated。） Listen： were you
set here to watch me； or to watch the Egyptians？
SENTINEL。 We know our duty。
APOLLODORUS。 Then why don't you do it？ There's something going on
over there。 （Pointing southwestward to the mole。）
SENTINEL （sulkily）。 I do not need to be told what to do by the
like of you。
APOLLODORUS。 Blockhead。 （He begins shouting） Ho there； Centurion。
Hoiho！
SENTINEL。 Curse your meddling。 （Shouting） Hoiho！ Alarm！ Alarm！
FIRST AND SECOND AUXILIARIES。 Alarm！ alarm！ Hoiho！
The Centurion comes running in with his 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 mequick。
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； my children（with sudden alarm）
gently； ye dogs。 Lay it level in the sternso'tis well。
FTATATEETA （screaming down at one of the porters）。 Do not step on
it； do not step on it。 Oh thou brute beast！
FIRST PORTER （ascending）。 Be not excited； mistress： all is well。
FTATATEETA （panting）。 All well！ Oh； thou hast given my heart a
turn！ （She clutches her side； gasping。）
The four porters have now come up and are waiting at the
stairhead to be paid。
APOLLODORUS。 Here； ye hungry ones。 （He gives money to the first
porter； who holds it in his hand to show to the others。 They
crowd greedily to see how much it is； quite prepared； after the
Eastern fashion； to protest to heaven against their patron's
stinginess。 But his liberality overpowers them。）
FIRST PORTER。