breathe in order to live--a mere obnoxious vapor, a
whirl of dust which the traveller would gladly avoid, but which he must
nevertheless encounter in order to proceed on his way.

The queen had expected that the few guests, invited by her selection
and that of her brother Euergetes to the evening's feast, would have
welcomed her here at the steps; she thought they would have seen her--as
she felt herself--like a goddess borne aloft in her shell, and that
she might have exulted in the admiring astonishment of the Roman and of
Lysias, the Corinthian: and now the most critical instant in the part
she meant to play that evening had proved a failure, and it suggested
itself to her mind that she might be borne back to her roof-tent, and be
floated down once more when she was sure of the presence of the company.
But there was one thing she dreaded more even than pain and remorse,
and that was any appearance of the ridiculous; so she only commanded the
bearers to stand still, and while the master of the ceremonies, waiving
his dignity, hurried off to announce to her husband that she was
approaching, she signed to the nobles highest in rank to approach, that
she might address a few gracious words to them, with distant amiability.
Only a few however, for the doors of thyia wood leading into the
banqueting hall itself, presently opened, and the king with his friends
came forward to meet Cleopatra.

"How were we to expect you so early?" cried Philometor to his wife.

"Is it really still early?" asked the queen, "or have I only taken you
by surprise, because you had forgotten to expect me?"

"How unjust you are!" replied the king. "Must you now be told that, come
as early as you will, you always come too late for my desires."

"But for ours," cried Lysias, "neither too early nor too late, but
at the very right time--like returning health and happiness, or the
victor's crown."

"Health as taking the place of sickness?" asked Cleopatra, and her
eyes sparkled keenly and merrily. "I perfectly understand Lysias," said
Publius, intercepting the Greek. "Once, on the field of Mars, I was
flung from my horse, and had to lie for weeks on my couch, and I know
that there is no more delightful sensation than that of feeling our
departed strength returning as we recover. He means to say that in your
presence we must feel exceptionally well."

"Nay rather," interrupted Lysias, "our queen seems to come to us like
returning health, since so