“Not for nay sake, but to save her from injury.  Away with everything which can cloud her intellect in these decisive days!  First, away with Barine, who spoiled her return home; and then let us take care of the man who would be capable, for this woman’s sake, of causing an insurrection in Alexandria.  The great cares associated with the state and the throne are hers; for the minor ones of the toilet and the heart I will provide.”

Here she was interrupted by one of Cleopatra’s waiting-maids.  The Queen had awakened, and Iras hastened to her post.

As she passed Charmian’s apartments and saw two handsome soldiers, belonging to the Macedonian body-guard, pacing to and fro on duty before them, her face darkened.  It was against her alone that Charmian was protecting Barine.  She had been harshly reproved by the older woman on account of the artist’s daughter, who had been the source of so many incidents which had caused her pain, and Iras regretted that she had ever confided to her aunt her love for Dion.  But, no matter what might happen, the upas-tree whence emanated all these tortures, anxieties, and vexations, must be rooted out—­stricken from the ranks of the living.

Ere she entered the Queen’s anteroom she had mentally pronounced sentence of death on her enemy.  Her inventive brain was now busy in devising means to induce the Syrian to undertake its execution.  If this stone of offence was removed it would again be possible to live in harmony with Charmian.  Dion would be free, and then, much as he had wounded her, she would defend him from the hatred of Philostratus and his brother.

She entered the Queen’s presence with a lighter heart.  The death of a condemned person had long since ceased to move her deeply.  While rendering the first services to her mistress, who had been much refreshed by her sleep, her face grew brighter and brighter; for Cleopatra voluntarily told her that she was glad to have her attendance, and not be constantly annoyed by the same disagreeable matter, which must soon be settled.

In fact, Charmian, conscious that no one else at court would have ventured to do so, had never grown weary, spite of many a rebuff, of pleading Barine’s cause until, the day before, Cleopatra, in a sudden fit of anger, had commanded her not to mention the mischief-maker again.

When Charmian soon after requested permission to let Iras take her place the following day, the Queen already regretted the harsh reproof she had given her friend, and, while cordially granting the desired leave, begged her to attribute her angry impatience to the cares which burdened her.  “And when you show me your kind, faithful face again,” she concluded, “you will have remembered that a true friend withholds from an unhappy woman whom she loves whatever will shadow more deeply her already clouded life.  This Barine’s very name sounds like a jeer at the composure I maintain with so much difficulty.  I do not wish to hear it again.”