Archibius kissed her robe, and Charmian her hands; but Cleopatra, drawing
a long breath, said: "The mother has already taken too much time from the
Queen. I have ordered the news of my arrival to be kept from Caesarion.
This was well. The most important matters will be settled before our
meeting. Everything relating to me and to the state must be decided
within an hour. But, first, I am something more than mother and Queen.
The woman also asserts her claim. I will find time for you, my friend,
to-morrow!-To my chamber first, Charmian. But you need rest still more
than I. Go with your brother. Send Iras to me. She will be glad to use
her skilful fingers again in her mistress's service."




CHAPTER XI.

The Queen had left her bath. Iras had arranged the still abundant waves
of her hair, now dark-brown in hue, and robed her magnificently to
receive the dignitaries whom, spite of the late hour of the night, she
expected.

How wonderfully she had retained her beauty! It seemed as if Time had
not ventured to touch this masterpiece of feminine loveliness; yet the
Greek's keen eye detected here and there some token of the vanishing
spell of youth. She loved her mistress, yet her inmost soul rejoiced
whenever she detected in her the same changes which began to appear in
herself, the woman of seven-and-twenty, so many years her sovereign's
junior. She would gladly have given Cleopatra everything at her
command, yet she felt as if she must praise Nature for an act of justice,