range and out of the common to distract her mind, so she
desired Zoe to open the book of the Hebrews, of which the translation
was considered by the Hellenic Jews in Alexandria as an admirable
work--nay, even as inspired by God himself; it had long been known to
her through her Israelite friends and guests.

Cleopatra had been listening for about a quarter of an hour to Zoe's
reading when the blast of a trumpet rang out on the steps which led
up her tent, announcing a visitor of the male sex. The queen glanced
angrily round, signed to her lady to stop reading, and exclaimed:

"I will not see my husband now! Go, Thais, and tell the eunuchs on the
steps, that I beg Philometor not to disturb me just now. Go on, Zoe."

Ten more psalms had been read, and a few verses repeated twice or thrice
by Cleopatra's desire, when the pretty Athenian returned with flaming
cheeks, and said in an excited tone:

"It is not your husband, the king, but your brother Euergetes, who asks
to speak with you."

"He might have chosen some other hour," replied Cleopatra, looking round
at her maid. Thais cast down her eyes, and twitched the edge of her robe
between her fingers as she addressed her mistress; but the queen, whom
nothing could escape that she chose to see, and who was not to-day
in the humor for laughing or for letting any indiscretion escape
unreproved, went on at once in an incensed and cutting tone, raising her
voice to a sharp pitch:

"I do not choose that my messengers should allow themselves to be
detained, be it by whom it may--do you hear! Leave Me this instant
and go to your room, and stay there till I want you to undress me this
evening. Andromeda--do you hear, old woman?--you can bring my brother to
me, and he will let you return quicker than Thais, I fancy. You need
not leer at yourself in the glass, you cannot do anything to alter your
wrinkles. My head-dress is already done. Give me that linen wrapper,
Olympias, and then he may come! Why, there he is already! First you ask
permission, brother, and then disdain to wait till it is given you."

"Longing and waiting," replied Euergetes, "are but an ill-assorted
couple. I wasted this evening with common soldiers and fawning
flatterers; then, in order to see a few noble countenances, I went into
the prison, after that I hastily took a bath, for the residence of your
convicts spoils one's complexion more, and in a less pleasant manner,
than this little shrine, where everyt