For a full minute the tall man and I struggled furiously, and then, so great was my strength in those days, I lifted him like a toy and dashed him down upon the marble floor in such fashion that his bones were shattered so that he spoke no more.  But I could not save myself and fell upon him, and as I fell the Captain Brennus, whom I had smitten to earth with my fist, having once more found his sense, came up behind me and smote me upon the head and shoulders with the sword of one of those whom I had slain.  But I being on the ground, the blow did not fall with all its weight, also my thick hair and broidered cap broke its force; and thus it came to pass that, though sorely wounded, the life was yet whole in me.  But I could struggle no more.

Then the cowardly eunuchs, who had gathered at the sound of blows and stood huddled together like a herd of cattle, seeing that I was spent, threw themselves upon me, and would have butchered me with their knives.  But Brennus, now that I was down, would strike no more, but stood waiting.  And the eunuchs had surely slain me, for Cleopatra watched like one who watches in a dream and made no sign.  Already my head was dragged back, and their knife-points were at my throat, when Charmion, rushing forward, threw herself upon me and, calling them “Dogs!” desperately thrust her body before them in such fashion that they could not smite.  Now Brennus with an oath seized first one and then another and cast them from me.

“Spare his life, Queen!” he cried in his barbarous Latin.  “By Jupiter, he is a brave man!  Myself felled like an ox in the shambles, and three of my boys finished by a man without armour and taken unawares!  I grudge them not to such a man!  A boon, Queen! spare his life, and give him to me!”

“Ay, spare him! spare him!” cried Charmion, white and trembling.

Cleopatra drew near and looked upon the dead and him who lay dying as I had dashed him to the ground, and on me, her lover of two days gone, whose wounded head rested now on Charmion’s white robes.

I met the Queen’s glance.  “Spare not!” I gasped; “vae victis!” Then a flush gathered on her brow—­methinks it was a flush of shame!

“Dost after all love this man at heart, Charmion,” she said with a little laugh, “that thou didst thrust thy tender body between him and the knives of these sexless hounds?” and she cast a look of scorn upon the eunuchs.

“Nay!” the girl answered fiercely; “but I cannot stand by to see a brave man murdered by such as these.”

“Ay!” said Cleopatra, “he is a brave man, and he fought gallantly; I have never seen so fierce a fight even in the games at Rome!  Well, I spare his life, though he is weak of me—­womanish weak.  Take him to his own chamber and guard him there till he is healed or—­dead.”

Then my brain reeled, a great sickness seized upon me, and I sank into the nothingness of a swoon.