FTATATEETA. They are at hand; and the guard has fled.

THE WOMEN (wailing subduedly). Woe to us!

The Nubian comes running down the hall.

NUBIAN. The Romans are in the courtyard. (He bolts through the
door. With a shriek, the women fly after him. Ftatateeta's jaw
expresses savage resolution: she does not budge. Cleopatra can
hardly restrain herself from following them. Caesar grips her
wrist, and looks steadfastly at her. She stands like a martyr.)

CAESAR. The Queen must face Caesar alone. Answer "So be it."

CLEOPATRA (white). So be it.

CAESAR (releasing her). Good.

A tramp and tumult of armed men is heard. Cleopatra's terror
increases. The bucina sounds close at hand, followed by a
formidable clangor of trumpets. This is too much for Cleopatra:
she utters a cry and darts towards the door. Ftatateeta
stops her ruthlessly.

FTATATEETA. You are my nursling. You have said "So be it"; and if
you die for it, you must make the Queen's word good. (She hands
Cleopatra to Caesar, who takes her back, almost beside herself
with apprehension, to the throne.)

CAESAR. Now, if you quail--! (He seats himself on the throne.)