Octavianus, and when he is here let him take what he will if he only spares the lives of my mother, the twins, and little Alexander, whom I love, and bestows on me the estate—­the main thing is that it must be full of fishponds—­of which I spoke.  The private citizen Caesarion, who devotes his time to fishing and the books he likes to read, will gladly be allowed to choose a wife to suit his own taste.  The more humble her origin, the more easily I shall win the consent of the Roman guardian.”

“Do you know, Caesarion,” interrupted Antony’s unruly son, leaning back on the cushions and stretching his feet farther in front of him, “if you were not the King of kings I should be inclined to call you a base, mean-natured fellow!  One who has the good fortune to be the son of Julius Caesar ought not to forget it so disgracefully.  My gall overflows at your whimpering.  By the dog!  It was one of my most senseless pranks to take you to the singer.  I should think there would be other things to occupy the mind of the King of kings.  Besides, Barine cares no more for you than the last fish you caught.  She showed that plainly enough.  I say once more, if Derketaeus’s men succeed in capturing the beauty who has robbed you of your senses, she won’t go with you to your miserable estate to cook the fish you catch, for if we have her again, and my father holds out his hand to her, all your labour will be in vain.  He saw the fair enchantress only twice, and had no time to become better acquainted, but she captured his fancy and, if I remind him of her, who knows what will happen?”

Here Cleopatra beckoned to her companion and returned to her apartments with drooping head.  On reaching them, she broke the silence, saying:  “Listening, Charmian, is unworthy of a Queen; but if all listeners heard things so painful, one need no longer guard keyholes and chinks of doors.  I must recover my calmness ere I receive Eros.  One thing more.  Is Barine’s hiding-place secure?”

“I don’t know—­Archibius says so.”

“Very well.  They are searching for her zealously enough, as you heard, and she must not be found.  I am glad that she did not set a snare for the boy.  How a jealous heart leads us astray!  Were she here, I would grant her anything to make amends for my unjust suspicion of her and Antony.  And to think that Alexas—­but for your interposition he would have succeeded—­meant to send her to the mines!  It is a terrible warning to be on my guard.  Against whom?  First of all, my own weakness.  This is a day of recognition.  A noble aim, but on the way the feet bleed, and the heart—­ah!  Charmian, the poor, weak, disappointed heart!”

She sighed heavily, and supported her head on the arm resting upon the table at her side.  The polished, exquisitely grained surface of thya-wood was worth a large estate; the gems in the rings and bracelets which glittered on her hand and arm would have purchased a principality.  This thought entered her mind and, overpowered by a feeling of angry disgust, she would fain have cast all the costly rubbish into the sea or the destroying flames.