Aloft, aloft, behold the blue That never shone in woman's eyes-- Easy there: stop her. (_He ceases to rise._) Further round! (_The chain comes forward above the platform._) RUFIO (_calling up_). Lower away there. (_The chain and its load begin to descend._) APOLLODORUS (_calling up_). Gently--slowly--mind the eggs. RUFIO (_calling up_). Easy there--slowly--slowly. _Apollodorus and the bale are deposited safely on the flags in the middle of the platform. Rufio and Caesar help Apollodorus to cast off the chain from the bale._ RUFIO. Haul up. _The chain rises clear of their heads with a rattle. Britannus comes from the lighthouse and helps them to uncord the carpet._ APOLLODORUS (_when the cords are loose_). Stand off, my friends: let Caesar see. (_He throws the carpet open._) RUFIO. Nothing but a heap of shawls. Where are the pigeons' eggs? APOLLODORUS. Approach, Caesar; and search for them among the shawls. RUFIO (_drawing his sword_). Ha, treachery! Keep back, Caesar: I saw the shawl move: there is something alive there. BRITANNUS (_drawing his sword_). It is a serpent. APOLLODORUS. Dares Caesar thrust his hand into the sack where the serpent moves? RUFIO (_turning on him_). Treacherous dog---- CAESAR. Peace. Put up your swords. Apollodorus: your serpent seems to breathe very regularly. (_He thrusts his hand under the shawls and draws out a bare arm._) This is a pretty little snake. RUFIO (_drawing out the other arm_). Let us have the rest of you. _They pull Cleopatra up by the wrists into a sitting position. Britannus, scandalized, sheathes his sword with a drive of protest._ CLEOPATRA (_gasping_). Oh, I'm smothered. Oh, Caesar; a man stood on me in the boat; and a great sack of something fell upon me out of the sky; and then the boat sank, and then I was swung up into the air and bumped down. CAESAR (_petting her as she rises and takes refuge on his breast_). Well, never mind: here you are safe and sound at last. RUFIO. Ay; and now that she is here, what are we to do with her? BRITANNUS. She cannot stay here, Caesar, without the companionship of some matron. CLEOPATRA (_jealously, to Caesar, who is obviously perplexed_). Aren't you glad to see me? CAESAR. Yes, yes; _I_ am very glad. But Rufio is very angry; and Britannus is shocked. CLEOPATRA (_contemptuously_). You can have their heads cut off, can you not? CAESAR. They would not be so useful with their heads cut off as they are now, my sea bird. RUFIO (_to Cleopatra_). We shall have to go away presently and cut some of your Egyptians' heads off. How will you like being left here with the chance of being captured by that little brother of yours if we are beaten? CLEOPATRA. But you mustn't leave me alone. Caesar you will not leave me alone, will you? RUFIO. What! Not when the trumpet sounds and all our lives depend on Caesar's being at the barricade before the Egyptians reach it? Eh? CLEOPATRA. Let them lose their lives: they are only soldiers.