throat.)

BEL AFFRIS (laying a hand on Ftatateeta's left shoulder). Forbear
her yet a moment, Persian. (To Ftatateeta, very significantly)
Mother: your gods are asleep or away hunting; and the sword is at
your throat. Bring us to where the Queen is hid, and you shall
live.

FTATATEETA (contemptuously). Who shall stay the sword in the hand
of a fool, if the high gods put it there? Listen to me, ye young
men without understanding. Cleopatra fears me; but she fears the
Romans more. There is but one power greater in her eyes than the
wrath of the Queen's nurse and the cruelty of Caesar; and that is
the power of the Sphinx that sits in the desert watching the way
to the sea. What she would have it know, she tells into the ears
of the sacred cats; and on her birthday she sacrifices to it and
decks it with poppies. Go ye therefore into the desert and seek
Cleopatra in the shadow of the Sphinx; and on your heads see to
it that no harm comes to her.

BEL AFFRIS (to the Persian). May we believe this, O subtle one?

PERSIAN. Which way come the Romans?

BEL AFFRIS. Over the desert, from the sea, by this very Sphinx.

PERSIAN (to Ftatateeta). O mother of guile! O aspic's tongue! You
have made up this tale so that we two may go into the desert and
perish on the spears of the Romans. (Lifting his knife) Taste
death.