Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/67

Rh ladies, Roman and Egyptian officers, and ministers and gentlemen from Greece, Parthia, Carthage, and Asia Minor. When they were assembled, the Queen commanded in a sharp, shrill voice, 'Bring wine!'

A large leaden goblet full of the blood-coloured fluid was brought and presented to her by her Mayor of the Palace. She unclasped from her throat a pearl necklace of immense value, threw it into the goblet, stirred the foaming fluid furiously with the end of her sceptre, then lifted it to her lips, and swallowed every drop. Then Antony approached in a cringing posture, and said:

'What, my Queen! what, my Empress! not one drop left for me? I gave you that necklace; I won it in a game of balls and rackets from the Queen of Cappadocia, who is more spirited and far handsomer than you are.'

The courtiers laughed. The Queen looked at the impudent Antony with spiteful ferocity, and, darting from her seat, struck him on the face, and screamed:

'Out, slave—out, hypocrite—away from my sight, cruel, false, barbarous monster!'

Then she threw herself on the floor in her rage, and several of her ladies, rushing to her, pushed Antony away, calling him with echoing voices a cruel, false, barbarous monster. They lifted up their afflicted mistress, and administered the needful consolation.

'She charges him with cruelty,' whispered the Demon to me, while the laugh of the courtiers at the discomfiture of the hero began to ring again through the room. 'Why, she poisoned a brother of her own, and dragged a sister to death from the sanctuary of Diana; he bestowed kingdoms upon her as well as pearls, and made her his goddess, and see how she treats him now. But she is a fine woman—a good, sweet creature, and a daughter after my own heart, although she is wantonness and avarice beaten together