she had the power of intoxicating herself, so to speak, with
her own words, and now just as her brothers and Aristarchus were at the
height of their excited and eager question and answer--she raised her
cup, touched it with her lips and handed it to Publius, while at the
same time she took hold of his.

The young Roman knew well enough all the significance of this hasty
action; it was thus that in his own country a woman when in love was
wont to exchange her cup with her lover, or an apple already bitten by
her white teeth.

Publius was seized with a cold shudder--like a wanderer who carelessly
pursues his way gazing up at the moon and stars, and suddenly perceives
an abyss yawning; at his feet. Recollections of his mother and of
her warnings against the seductive wiles of the Egyptian women,
and particularly of this very woman, flashed through his mind like
lightning; she was looking at him--not royally by any means, but with
anxious and languishing gaze, and he would gladly have kept his eyes
fixed on the ground, and have left the cup untouched; but her eye held
his fast as though fettering it with ties and bonds; and to put aside
the cup seemed to the most fearless son of an unconquered nation a deed
too bold to be attempted. Besides, how could he possibly repay this
highest favor with an affront that no woman could ever forgive--least of
all a Cleopatra?

Aye, many a life's happiness is tossed away and many a sin committed,
because the favor of women is a grace that does honor to every man, and
that flatters him even when it is bestowed by the unloved and unworthy.
For flattery is a key to the heart, and when the heart stands half open
the voice of the tempter is never wanting to whisper: "You will hurt her
feelings if you refuse."

These were the deliberations which passed rapidly and confusedly through
the young Roman's agitated brain, as he took the queen's cup and set his
lips to the same spot that hers had touched. Then, while he emptied the
cup in long draughts, he felt suddenly seized by a deep aversion to the
over-talkative, overdressed and capricious woman before him, who thus
forced upon him favors for which he had not sued; and suddenly there
rose before his soul the image, almost tangibly distinct, of the humble
water-bearer; he saw Klea standing before him and looking far more
queenly as, proud and repellent, she avoided his gaze, than the
sovereign by his side could ever have done, though crowned