CHAPTER XIII.

During these hours of rest Iras and Charmian had watched in turn beside Cleopatra.  When she rose, the younger attendant rendered her the necessary services.  She was to devote herself to her mistress until the evening; for her companion, who now stood in her way, was not to return earlier.  Before Charmian left, she had seen that her apartments—­in which Barine, since the Queen had placed her in her charge, had been a welcome guest—­were carefully watched.  The commander of the Macedonian guard, who years before had vainly sought her favour, and finally had become the most loyal of her friends, had promised to keep them closely.

Yet Iras knew how to profit by her mistress’s sleep and the absence of her aunt.  She had learned that she would be shut out of her apartments, and therefore from Barine also.  Ere any step could be taken against the prisoner, she must first arrange the necessary preliminaries with Alexas.  The failure of her expectation of seeing her rival trampled in the dust had transformed her jealous resentment into hatred, and though she was her niece, she even transferred a portion of it to Charmian, who had placed herself between her and her victim.

She had sent for the Syrian, but he, too, had gone to rest at a late hour and kept her waiting a long time.  The reception which the impatient girl bestowed was therefore by no means cordial, but her manner soon grew more friendly.

First Alexas boasted of having induced the Queen to commit Barine’s fate to him.  If he should try her at noon and find her guilty, there was nothing to prevent him from compelling her to drink the poisoned cup or having her strangled before evening.  But the matter would be dangerous, because the singer’s friends were numerous and by no means powerless.  Yet, in the depths of her heart, Cleopatra desired nothing more ardently than to rid herself of her dangerous rival.  But he knew the great ones of the earth.  If he acted energetically and brought matters to a speedy close, the Queen, to avoid evil gossip, would burden him with her own act.  Antony’s mood could not be predicted, and the Syrian’s weal or woe depended on his favour.  Besides, the execution of the singer at the last Adonis festival might have a dangerous effect upon the people of Alexandria.  They were already greatly excited, and his brother, who knew them, said that some were overwhelmed with sorrow, and others ready, in their fury, to rise in a bloody rebellion.  Everything was to be feared from this rabble, but Philostratus understood how to persuade them to many things, and Alexas had just secured his aid.