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Well； well： let us have him。
RUFIO （calling）。 Ho there； guard！ Release your man and send him
up。 （Beckoning） Come along！
Pothinus enters and stops mistrustfully between the two； looking
from one to the other。
CAESAR （graciously）。 Ah； Pothinus！ You are welcome。 And what is
the news this afternoon？
POTHINUS。 Caesar： I come to warn you of a danger； and to make you
an offer。
CAESAR。 Never mind the danger。 Make the offer。
RUFIO。 Never mind the offer。 What's the danger？
POTHINUS。 Caesar： you think that Cleopatra is devoted to you。
CAESAR （gravely）。 My friend： I already know what I think。 Come to
your offer。
POTHINUS。 I will deal plainly。 I know not by what strange gods
you have been enabled to defend a palace and a few yards of beach
against a city and an army。 Since we cut you off from Lake
Mareotis； and you dug wells in the salt sea sand and brought up
buckets of fresh water from them； we have known that your gods
are irresistible； and that you are a worker of miracles。 I no
longer threaten you。
RUFIO （sarcastically）。 Very handsome of you； indeed。
POTHINUS。 So be it： you are the master。 Our gods sent the north
west winds to keep you in our hands； but you have been too strong
for them。
CAESAR （gently urging him to come to the point）。 Yes； yes； my
friend。 But what then？
RUFIO。 Spit it out； man。 What have you to say？
POTHINUS。 I have to say that you have a traitress in your camp。
Cleopatra。
THE MAJOR…DOMO （at the table； announcing）。 The Queen！ （Caesar and
Rufio rise。）
RUFIO （aside to Pothinus）。 You should have spat it out sooner；
you fool。 Now it is too late。
Cleopatra； in gorgeous raiment； enters in state through the
gap in the colonnade； and comes down past the image of Ra
and past the table to Caesar。 Her retinue； headed by Ftatateeta；
joins the staff at the table。 Caesar gives Cleopatra his seat；
which she takes。
CLEOPATRA （quickly； seeing Pothinus）。 What is HE doing here？
CAESAR （seating himself beside her； in the most amiable of
tempers）。 Just going to tell me something about you。 You shall
hear it。 Proceed； Pothinus。
POTHINUS （disconcerted）。 Caesar （He stammers。）
CAESAR。 Well； out with it。
POTHINUS。 What I have to say is for your ear； not for the
Queen's。
CLEOPATRA （with subdued ferocity）。 There are means of making you
speak。 Take care。
POTHINUS （defiantly）。 Caesar does not employ those means。
CAESAR。 My friend： when a man has anything to tell in this world；
the difficulty is not to make him tell it； but to prevent him
from telling it too often。 Let me celebrate my birthday by
setting you free。 Farewell： we'll not meet again。
CLEOPATRA （angrily）。 Caesar： this mercy is foolish。
POTHINUS （to Caesar）。 Will you not give me a private audience？
Your life may depend on it。 （Caesar rises loftily。）
RUFIO （aside to Pothinus）。 Ass！ Now we shall have some heroics。
CAESAR （oratorically）。 Pothinus
RUFIO （interrupting him）。 Caesar： the dinner will spoil if you
begin preaching your favourite sermon about life and death。
CLEOPATRA （priggishly）。 Peace； Rufio。 I desire to hear Caesar。
RUFIO （bluntly）。 Your Majesty has heard it before。 You repeated
it to Apollodorus last week； and he thought it was all your own。
（Caesar's dignity collapses。 Much tickled； he sits down again and
looks roguishly at Cleopatra； who is furious。 Rufio calls as
before） Ho there； guard！ Pass the prisoner out。 He is released。
（To Pothinus） Now off with you。 You have lost your chance。
POTHINUS （his temper overcoming his prudence）。 I WILL speak。
CAESAR （to Cleopatra）。 You see。 Torture would not have wrung a
word from him。
POTHINUS。 Caesar： you have taught Cleopatra the arts by which the
Romans govern the world。
CAESAR。 Alas！ They cannot even govern themselves。 What then？
POTHINUS。 What then？ Are you so besotted with her beauty that you
do not see that she is impatient to reign in Egypt alone； and
that her heart is set on your departure？
CLEOPATRA （rising）。 Liar！
CAESAR （shocked）。 What！ Protestations！ Contradictions！
CLEOPATRA （ashamed； but trembling with suppressed rage）。 No。 I do
not deign to contradict。 Let him talk。 （She sits down again。）
POTHINUS。 From her own lips I have heard it。 You are to be her
catspaw： you are to tear the crown from her brother's head and
set it on her own； delivering us all into her handdelivering
yourself also。 And then Caesar can return to Rome； or depart
through the gate of death； which is nearer and surer。
CAESAR （calmly）。 Well； my friend； and is not this very natural？
POTHINUS （astonished）。 Natural！ Then you do not resent treachery？
CAESAR。 Resent！ O thou foolish Egyptian； what have I to do with
resentment？ Do I resent the wind when it chills me； or the night
when it makes me stumble in the darkness？ Shall I resent youth
when it turns from age； and ambition when it turns from
servitude？ To tell me such a story as this is but to tell me that
the sun will rise to…morrow。
CLEOPATRA （unable to contain herself）。 But it is falsefalse。 I
swear it。
CAESAR。 It is true； though you swore it a thousand times； and
believed all you swore。 （She is convulsed with emotion。 To screen
her； he rises and takes Pothinus to Rufio； saying） Come； Rufio：
let us see Pothinus past the guard。 I have a word to say to him。
（Aside to them） We must give the Queen a moment to recover
herself。 （Aloud） Come。 （He takes Pothinus and Rufio out with him；
conversing with them meanwhile。） Tell your friends； Pothinus；
that they must not think I am opposed to a reasonable settlement
of the country's affairs （They pass out of hearing。）
CLEOPATRA （in a stifled whisper）。 Ftatateeta； Ftatateeta。
FTATATEETA （hurrying to her from the table and petting her）。
Peace； child： be comforted
CLEOPATRA （interrupting her）。 Can they hear us？
FTATATEETA。 No； dear heart； no。
CLEOPATRA。 Listen to me。 If he leaves the Palace alive； never see
my face again。
FTATATEETA。 He？ Poth
CLEOPATRA （striking her on the mouth）。 Strike his life out as I
strike his name from your lips。 Dash him down from the wall。
Break him on the stones。 Kill； kill； KILL him。
FTATATEETA （showing all her teeth）。 The dog shall perish。
CLEOPATRA。 Fail in this； and you go out from before me forever。
FTATATEETA （resolutely）。 So be it。 You shall not see my face
until his eyes are darkened。
Caesar comes back； with Apollodorus； exquisitely dressed； and
Rufio。
CLEOPATRA （to Ftatateeta）。 Come soonsoon。 （Ftatateeta turns her
meaning eyes for a moment on her mistress； then goes grimly away
past Ra and out。 Cleopatra runs like a gazelle to Caesar。） So you
have come back to me； Caesar。 （Caressingly） I thought you were
angry。 Welcome； Apollodorus。 （She gives him her hand to kiss；
with her other arm about Caesar。）
APOLLODORUS。 Cleopatra grows more womanly beautiful from week to
week。
CLEOPATRA。 Truth； Apollodorus？
APOLLODORUS。 Far； far short of the truth！ Friend Rufio threw a
pearl into the sea： Caesar fished up a diamond。
CAESAR。 Caesar fished up a touch of rheumatism； my friend。 Come：
to dinner！ To dinner！ （They move towards the table。）
CLEOPATRA （skipping like a young fawn）。 Yes； to dinner。 I have
ordered SUCH a dinner for you； Caesar！
CAESAR。 Ay？ What are we to have？
CLEOPATRA。 Peacocks' brains。
CAESAR （as if his mouth watered）。 Peacocks' brains； Apollodorus！
APOLLODORUS。 Not for me。 I prefer nightingales' tongues。 （He goes
to one of the two covers set side by side。）
CLEOPATRA。 Roast boar； Rufio！
RUFIO （gluttonously）。 Good！ （He goes to the seat next
Apollodorus； on his left。）
CAESAR （looking at his seat； which is at the end of the table；
to Ra's left hand）。 What has become of my leathern cushion？
CLEOPATRA （at the opposite end）。 I have got new ones for you。
THE MAJOR…DOMO。 These cushions； Caesar； are of Maltese gauze；
stuffed with rose leaves。
CAESAR。 Rose leaves！ Am I a caterpillar？ （He throws the cushions
away and seats himself on the leather mattress underneath。）
CLEOPATRA。 What a shame！ My new cushions！
THE MAJOR…DOMO （at Caesar's elbow）。 What shall we serve to whet
Caesar's appetite？
CAESAR。 What have you got？
THE MAJOR…DOMO。 Sea hedgehogs； black and white sea acorns； sea
nettles； beccaficoes； purple shellfish
CAESAR。 Any oysters？
THE MAJOR…DOMO。 Assuredly。
CAESAR。 BRITISH oysters？
THE MAJOR…DOMO （assenting）。 British oysters； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Oysters； then。 （The Major…Domo signs to a slave at each
order； and the slave goes out to execute it。） I have been in
Britainthat western land of romancethe last piece of earth on
the edge of the ocean that surrounds the world。 I went there in
search of its famous pearls。 The British pearl was a fable； but
in searching for it I found the British oyster。
APOLLODORUS。 All posterity will bless you for it。 （To the
Major…Domo） Sea hedgehogs for me。
RUFIO。 Is there nothing solid to begin with？
THE MAJOR…DOMO。 Fieldfares with asparagus…
CLEOPATRA （interrupting）。 Fattened fowls！ Have some fattened
fowls； Rufio。
RUFIO。 Ay； that will do。
CLEOPATRA （greedily）。 Fieldfares for me。
THE MAJOR…DOMO。 Caesar will deign to choose his wine？ Sicilian；
Lesbian； Chian
RUFIO （contemptuously）