CAESAR. On your knees, woman: am I also a child that you dare trifle with me? (_He points to the floor at Cleopatra's feet. Ftatateeta, half cowed, half savage, hesitates. Caesar calls to the Nubian_) Slave. (_The Nubian comes to him._) Can you cut off a head? (_The Nubian nods and grins ecstatically, showing all his teeth. Caesar takes his sword by the scabbard, ready to offer the hilt to the Nubian, and turns again to Ftatateeta, repeating his gesture._) Have you remembered yourself, mistress? _Ftatateeta, crushed, kneels before Cleopatra, who can hardly believe her eyes._ FTATATEETA (_hoarsely_). O Queen, forget not thy servant in the days of thy greatness. CLEOPATRA (_blazing with excitement_). Go. Begone. Go away. (_Ftatateeta rises with stooped head, and moves backwards towards the door. Cleopatra watches her submission eagerly, almost clapping her hands, which are trembling. Suddenly she cries_) Give me something to beat her with. (_She snatches a snake-skin from the throne and dashes after Ftatateeta, whirling it like a scourge in the air. Caesar makes a bound and manages to catch her and hold her while Ftatateeta escapes._) CAESAR. You scratch, kitten, do you? CLEOPATRA (_breaking from him_). I _will_ beat somebody. I will beat _him_. (_She attacks the slave._) There, there, there! (_The slave flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes. She throws the snake-skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms waving, crying_) I am a real Queen at last--a real, real Queen! Cleopatra the Queen! (_Caesar shakes his head dubiously, the advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point of view of the general welfare of Egypt. She turns and looks at him exultantly. Then she jumps down from the step, runs to him, and flings her arms round him rapturously, crying_) Oh, I love you for making me a Queen. CAESAR. But queens love only kings. CLEOPATRA. I will make all the men I love kings. I will make you a king. I will have many young kings, with round, strong arms; and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death; but you shall always be my king: my nice, kind, wise, good old king. CAESAR. Oh, my wrinkles, my wrinkles! And my child's heart! You will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conquests. CLEOPATRA (_appalled_). Caesar! I forgot Caesar. (_Anxiously_) You will tell him that I am a Queen, will you not?--a real Queen. Listen! (_stealthily coaxing him_) let us run away and hide until Caesar is gone. CAESAR. If you fear Caesar, you are no true Queen; and though you were to hide beneath a pyramid, he would go straight to it and lift it with one hand. And then--! (_He chops his teeth together._) CLEOPATRA (_trembling_). Oh!