n set. Red! red! It seemed as if
a torrent of blood was pouring over the city.

"Night followed. A scanty fire was glimmering on the strand. Where had
the wood been gathered in this desert? How had it been kindled? A
wrecked, mouldering boat had lain close beside the scene of the murder.
The freedman and his companions had broken it up and fed the flames with
withered boughs, the torn garments of the murdered man, and dry sea-weed.
A blaze soon rose, and a body was carefully placed upon the wretched
funeral pyre. It was the corpse of the great Pompey. One of the
Imperator's veterans aided the faithful servant."

Here Archibius sank back again among the cushions, adding in explanation:

"Cordus, the man's name was Servius Cordus. He fared well later. The
Queen provided for him. The others? Fate overtook them all soon enough.
Theodotus was condemned by Brutus to a torturing death. Amid his loud
shrieks of agony one of Pompey's veterans shouted, 'Dead dogs no longer
bite, but they howl when dying!'

"It was worthy of Caesar that he averted his face in horror from the head
of his enemy, which Theodotus sent to him. Pothinus, too, vainly awaited
the reward of his infamous deed.

"Julius Caesar had cast anchor before Alexandria shortly after the King's
return. Not until after his arrival in Egypt did he learn how Pompey had
been received there. You know that he remained nine months. How often I
have heard it said that Cleopatra understood how to chain him here! This
is both true and false. He was obliged to stay half a year; the following
three months he did indeed give to the woman whom he loved. Ay, the heart
of the man of fifty-four had again opened to a great passion. Like all
wounds, those inflicted by the arrows of Eros heal more slowly when youth
lies behind the stricken one. It was not only the eyes and the senses
which attracted a couple so widely separated by years, but far more the
mental characteristics of both. Two winged intellects had met. The genius
of one had recognized that of the other. The highest type of manhood had
met perfect womanhood. They could not fail to attract each other. I
expected it; for Cleopatra had long watched breathlessly the flight of
this eagle who soared so far above the others, and she was strong enough
to keep at his side.

"We succeeded in joining Cleopatra, and heard that, spite of the
hostility of our citizens, Caesar had occupied the palace of the
Ptolemies and was engaged