Cleo

“ Ant. ⁠Cleopatra,—
Cleo. Why should I think you can be mine and true,
Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, ⁠28
Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness,
To be entangled with those mouth-made vows,
Which break themselves in swearing!
Ant. ⁠Most sweet queen,—
Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, ⁠32
But bid farewell, and go: when you su'd staying
Then was the time for words; no going then:
Eternity was in our lips and eyes,
Bliss in our brows bent; none our parts so poor ⁠36
But was a race of heaven. ”

“ Cæsar. You are deceiv'd in all this,
Upon my life you are, 'tis your much tenderness.
Cleo. No, no, I love not that way; you are cozen'd:
I love with as much ambition as a Conquerour,
And where I love, will triumph.
Cæsar. So you shall:
My heart shall be the Chariot that shall bear ye,
All I have won shall wait upon ye: By the gods
The bravery of this womans mind, has fired me:
Dear Mistress shall I but this night?—
Cleo. ”

“ Looking down into her confused face upon which his kisses were yet warm, he said, with a quiet assurance that did much to convince her:
"Sweetheart, I have known Cleo all my life. I love her as a sister, for she is a noble woman; but I never have given and never could give her an iota of the idolatrous passion that has filled my heart for you. You have believed me before—trust me now. I live only in the hope of wiping out my shameful action of the past, and of winning you for my own. Are you satisfied?"
"But she cares for you, Roderic; your fair cousin!" ”

“ Cleo was in his arms that night at old Peeler's and he was stroking her hair as he would have smoothed the fur of a frightened kitten. That strange impulse was the beginning—he could see it now—and it had grown with daily contact, until the contagious animal magnetism of her nearness became resistless. And now he stood a shivering coward in the dark, afraid to enter his own house and look his wife in the face.
Yes, he was a coward. He acknowledged it with a grim smile—a coward! This boastful, high-strung, self-poised leader of men! ”

“ Ever see the hydrangeas grow there? But Cleo dear, you haven't been forgotten in the fog. You are rather peachy yourself."
"Nay, nay, false friend. Tempt me not—I shall not desert the ranks for movies," and Cleo struck one of her popular attitudes. "But about the sailing ship-ahoy! I'm ready. What time do we embark?"
"Julia will call us all up after lunch when she [115] gets a line on the wind. I believe it has to be in 'on high' to get us up the bay. All right," and Grace mounted her wheel. "We will all be ready, and hereafter little Captain, count me out on the program cards. ”

“ Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. Exit [Dolabella] .
Now, Iras, what think'st thou?
Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
In Rome, as well as I; mechanic slaves 208
With greasy aprons, rules and hammers, shall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapour.
Iras. The gods forbid! 212
Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras. Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets, and scald rimers
Ballad us out o' tune ”

“ The very first man he attacked was a man of vast power in Athens, named Cleo: for the purpose of exposing this man he wrote his comedy of the Equites. He could not, however prevail upon any of the actors to incur the danger of personating Cleo, so much were they intimidated by the [Pg 279] man's power, wealth and influence. He therefore resolutely determined to play the character himself; which he did with such diabolical ability that the Athenian multitude compelled the object of his defamation to reward him with no less a sum than five talents ”

“ Cleopatra enquired.
"Of course I did," replied Lord Henry, chuckling quite heartily now. "But is not a man entitled to kiss his future sister-in-law?"
Two tears rolled slowly down her face, and she fumbled hurriedly for her handkerchief.
"Come, come, my beloved Cleo," he exclaimed, taking her into his arms, "allow me to say that. Allow me to regard that kiss in that light. It makes it so perfectly innocent. Didn't you feel that that is what I was driving at? Oh, how easily I could have prevented all this if only Leonetta hadn't dragged so on the way home!" ”

“ I sent our pictures——"
"Mercy me, Cleo!" interrupted Grace, "I guess you will be a story writer. Just see how you have us all keyed up, and won't tell us what happened. What did your Uncle Guy say?" she demanded.
Cleo laughed triumphantly. "There, I knew I would get you excited——"
"Cleo Harris!" shouted Madaline, almost forgetting the presence of a sick person out on the enclosed side porch, where Reda was being fixed up for her journey over the mountain. "Cleo," repeated Madaline, "you tell us instantly what your Uncle Guy said!" ”

“ He wobbled to the door and Gaylord noticed, for the first time, he wore golden sandals.
"What's going on in here?" questioned a deep masculine voice from the hall.
"We're just having a mad daisy chain, officer," laughed Gene. "You wouldn't arrest a girl for having a little fun, would you?" He looked back into the room into the half frightened faces of Cleo and Paul. Then he laughed with delight, crying, "Don't look so death-like, girls. I'm only fooling ... Come on in kids before Miss Cleo has a miscarriage." ”

“ And make thy Fortunes proud: the blow thou had'st
Shall make thy peace, for mouing me to rage,
And I will boot thee with what guift beside
Thy modestie can begge
Mes. He's married Madam
Cleo. Rogue, thou hast liu'd too long.
Draw a knife.
Mes. Nay then Ile runne:
What meane you Madam, I haue made no fault.
Enter.
Char. Good Madam keepe your selfe within your selfe,
The man is innocent
Cleo. ”

“ Your proceedings will be reduced to the utmost simplicity. There will be no defence at all. I have been, watching affairs [Pg 304] patiently for three years now, and what has happened was bound to come. Do you know who sent your Cleo those bank-notes she had at Dover? ”

“ He hated you, Leosthenes, as his rival,
So high yet he prized my content, that, knowing
You were a man I favour'd, he disdain'd not,
Against himself, to serve you.
Leost. You conceal still
The owner of these excellencies.
Cleo. 'Tis Marullo,
My father's bondman.
[Pg 273] Leost. Ha, ha, ha!
Cleo. Why do you laugh?
Leost. To hear the labouring mountain of your praise
Deliver'd of a mouse.
Cleo. The man deserves not
This scorn, I can assure you. ”

“ Enter Antony, Cleopatra, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her.
Take but good note, and you shall see in him
The triple pillar of the world transform'd ⁠12
Into a strumpet's fool; behold and see.
Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.
Cleo. I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd. ⁠16
Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.
Enter a Messenger.
Att. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Ant. ⁠Grates me; the sum.
Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony:
Fulvia, perchance, is angry ”

“ He knew from the uneasy movement of the girl that he had said something to arouse a new train of thought in her mind.
"Cleo—she is on yonder boat which I can see through the darkness—your cousin Cleo. And after having passed days in her society, how do you find your heart, Senor Roderic—has she still failed to creep in?" she asked, with a peculiar quivering spasm of pain in her voice.
"My God, Georgia, how can I make you believe I love, [135] can love no woman on earth while you live? ”

“ As an ardent lover much allowance can be given so good a fellow.
Cleo was almost as eager—she felt a warm desire to [112] look upon her successful rival face to face. There was no mean design in this, no hope of being able to find fault, or discover that Roderic had made a wretched choice.
She realized how furiously in love with the girl from Porto Rico this cousin of hers was, and since she had been unable to arouse such a passion within his breast, naturally she experienced a genuine desire to look upon the lovely being who had awakened the sacred fire in his bachelor heart. ”

“ The fact you’re a preacher’s wife doesn’t keep you from being human! You’re a fine one to teach brats in Sunday School!” he said, and many other strong spirited things, while she wept, her hair disordered round her meek face, which he hated.
VI The discovery that Cleo would never be a lively lover threw him the more into ambition when they had returned to Banjo Crossing. ”

“ Its origin was a spring under a hill, and as it trickled along, in the tender growth of green, the girls felt instinctively the beauty of the little spot so hidden and isolated from the inhabitants of Sea Crest.
"Lovely!" breathed Cleo. "Little Royal could hardly be lonely here."
"Oh, yes, he could," contradicted Grace. "A child wants more than scenery to play with." ”

“ Walk'd crowns and crownets, realms and islands were
As plates dropp'd from his pocket.
Dol. Cleopatra,— 92
Cleo. Think you there was, or might be, such a man
As this I dreamt of?
Dol. Gentle madam, no.
Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were, one such, 96
It's past the size of dreaming; nature wants stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy ”

“ Ars. Yes: 'tis fit:
But then again you know what man.
Cleo. He is no man:
The shadow of a Greatness hangs upon him,
And not the vertue: he is no Conquerour,
H'as suffer'd under the base dross of Nature:
Poorly delivered up his power to wealth,
(The god of bed-rid men) taught his eyes treason
Against the truth of love: he has rais'd rebellion:
Defi'd his holy flames. ”

“ If her love for the boy [Pg 373] were genuine, if it belonged to the big things of the soul, and were not the mere animal impulse she had inherited from her mother, he would have a ground of most powerful appeal. Love seeks not its own. If she really loved she would sink her own life to save his.
It was a big divine thing to demand of her and his heart sank at the thought of her possible inheritance from Cleo. Yet he knew by an instinct deeper and truer than reason, that the ruling power in this sensitive, lonely creature was in the spirit, not the flesh. ”

“ I had rather seal my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.
Cleo. What have I kept back?
Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known.
Cæs. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve 148
Your wisdom in the deed.
Cleo. See! Cæsar! ”

“ Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die: 60
To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall
Under this plot; she dies for 't. Eros, ho! Exit.
Scene Eleven
[Alexandria. A Room in the Palace]
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian.
Cleo. Help me, my women! O! he is more mad
Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly
Was never so emboss'd.
Char. ⁠To the monument!
There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead. 4
The soul and body rive not more in parting
Than greatness going off. ”

“ But King Cleon would not be dissuaded, and so the news was soon heralded throughout the kingdom, and, as you might suppose, arrow sales shot up immediately and remarkably.
As when a child pounds the ground near an anthill, causing a good many of the residents instantly to surface and run around in massed panic, so on the day of the contest the world arrived in a swarm at the castle of Cleon the Modest and prepared to be a witness, if not the victor, in the winning of Jennifrella. ”

“ Thy Souldier, Seruant, making Peace or Warre,
As thou affects
Cleo. Cut my Lace, Charmian come,
But let it be, I am quickly ill, and well,
So Anthony loues
Ant. My precious Queene forbeare,
And giue true euidence to his Loue, which stands
An honourable Triall
Cleo. So Fuluia told me.
I prythee turne aside, and weepe for her,
Then bid adiew to me, and say the teares
Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one Scene
Of excellent dissembling, and let it looke
Like perfect Honor
Ant. You'l heat my blood no more?
Cleo. You can do better yet: but this is meetly
Ant. ”

“ He had never been under the influence of liquor and knew how to be a good fellow without being a fool. The first big lie of his life he was forced to act rather than speak when Cleo had entered his life. ”

“ What thou hast done, thy Master Caesar knowes,
And he hath sent for thee: for the Queene,
Ile take her to my Guard
Pro. So Dolabella,
It shall content me best: Be gentle to her,
To Caesar I will speake, what you shall please,
If you'l imploy me to him.
Exit Proculeius
Cleo. Say, I would dye
Dol. Most Noble Empresse, you haue heard of me
Cleo. I cannot tell
Dol. Assuredly you know me
Cleo. No matter sir, what I haue heard or knowne:
You laugh when Boyes or Women tell their Dreames,
Is't not your tricke?
Dol. I vnderstand not, Madam
Cleo. I dreampt there was an Emperor Anthony. ”

“ Madam, me thinkes if you did loue him deerly,
You do not hold the method, to enforce
The like from him
Cleo. What should I do, I do not?
Ch. In each thing giue him way, crosse him in nothing
Cleo. Thou teachest like a foole: the way to lose him
Char. Tempt him not so too farre. I wish forbeare,
In time we hate that which we often feare.
Enter Anthony.
But heere comes Anthony
Cleo. I am sicke, and sullen
An. I am sorry to giue breathing to my purpose
Cleo. Helpe me away deere Charmian, I shall fall,
It cannot be thus long, the sides of Nature
Will not sustaine it
Ant. ”

“ Exeunt, leading Hippolyta.
308 ACT V.
Scene I. A Garden.
Enter Cleonte, Clarinda weeping, and Dormida and Francisca.
Cleo. Fear not, I’ll use my Interest both with your
Mother and my Father, to set your Heart at rest,
Whose Pain I feel by something in my own.
Clar. The Gods reward your Bounty, fair Cleonte. ”