all for love-第12章

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VENTIDIUS。　　Would　you　believe　he　loved　you？　I　read　your　answer　in　your　eyes；　you　would。　Not　to　conceal　it　longer；　he　has　sent　A　messenger　from　Caesar's　camp；　with　letters。

ANTONY。　　Let　him　appear。

VENTIDIUS。　　I'll　bring　him　instantly。　　　　　　＇Exit　VENTIDIUS；　and　re…enters　immediately　with　DOLABELLA。＇

ANTONY。　　'Tis　he　himself！　himself；　by　holy　friendship！　　　　　　＇Runs　to　embrace　him。＇　Art　thou　returned　at　last；　my　better　half？　Come；　give　me　all　myself！　Let　me　not　live；　If　the　young　bridegroom；　longing　for　his　night；　Was　ever　half　so　fond。

DOLABELLA。　　I　must　be　silent；　for　my　soul　is　busy　About　a　nobler　work；　she's　new　come　home；　Like　a　long…absent　man；　and　wanders　o'er　Each　room；　a　stranger　to　her　own；　to　look　If　all　be　safe。

ANTONY。　　Thou　hast　what's　left　of　me；　For　I　am　now　so　sunk　from　what　I　was；　Thou　find'st　me　at　my　lowest　water…mark。　The　rivers　that　ran　in；　and　raised　my　fortunes；　Are　all　dried　up；　or　take　another　course：　What　I　have　left　is　from　my　native　spring；　I've　still　a　heart　that　swells；　in　scorn　of　fate；　And　lifts　me　to　my　banks。

DOLABELLA。　　Still　you　are　lord　of　all　the　world　to　me。

ANTONY。　　Why；　then　I　yet　am　so；　for　thou　art　all。　If　I　had　any　joy　when　thou　wert　absent；　I　grudged　it　to　myself；　methought　I　robbed　Thee　of　thy　part。　　But；　O　my　Dolabella！　Thou　has　beheld　me　other　than　I　am。　Hast　thou　not　seen　my　morning　chambers　filled　With　sceptred　slaves；　who　waited　to　salute　me？　With　eastern　monarchs；　who　forgot　the　sun；　To　worship　my　uprising？menial　kings　Ran　coursing　up　and　down　my　palace…yard；　Stood　silent　in　my　presence；　watched　my　eyes；　And；　at　my　least　command；　all　started　out；　Like　racers　to　the　goal。

DOLABELLA。　　Slaves　to　your　fortune。

ANTONY。　　Fortune　is　Caesar's　now；　and　what　am　I？

VENTIDIUS。　　What　you　have　made　yourself；　I　will　not　flatter。

ANTONY。　　Is　this　friendly　done？

DOLABELLA。　　Yes；　when　his　end　is　so；　I　must　join　with　him；　Indeed　I　must；　and　yet　you　must　not　chide；　Why　am　I　else　your　friend？

ANTONY。　　Take　heed；　young　man；　How　thou　upbraid'st　my　love：　　The　queen　has　eyes；　And　thou　too　hast　a　soul。　　Canst　thou　remember；　When；　swelled　with　hatred；　thou　beheld'st　her　first；　As　accessary　to　thy　brother's　death？

DOLABELLA。　　Spare　my　remembrance；　'twas　a　guilty　day；　And　still　the　blush　hangs　here。

ANTONY。　　To　clear　herself；　For　sending　him　no　aid；　she　came　from　Egypt。　Her　galley　down　the　silver　Cydnus　rowed；　The　tackling　silk；　the　streamers　waved　with　gold；　The　gentle　winds　were　lodged　in　purple　sails：　Her　nymphs；　like　Nereids；　round　her　couch　were　placed；　Where　she；　another　sea…born　Venus；　lay。

DOLABELLA。　　No　more；　I　would　not　hear　it。

ANTONY。　　Oh；　you　must！　She　lay；　and　leant　her　cheek　upon　her　hand；　And　cast　a　look　so　languishingly　sweet；　As　if；　secure　of　all　beholders'　hearts；　Neglecting；　she　could　take　them：　　boys；　like　Cupids；　Stood　fanning；　with　their　painted　wings；　the　winds。　That　played　about　her　face。　　But　if　she　smiled　A　darting　glory　seemed　to　blaze　abroad；　That　men's　desiring　eyes　were　never　wearied；　But　hung　upon　the　object：　　To　soft　flutes　The　silver　oars　kept　time；　and　while　they　played；　The　hearing　gave　new　pleasure　to　the　sight；　And　both　to　thought。　　'Twas　heaven；　or　somewhat　more；　For　she　so　charmed　all　hearts；　that　gazing　crowds　Stood　panting　on　the　shore；　and　wanted　breath　To　give　their　welcome　voice。　Then；　Dolabella；　where　was　then　thy　soul？　Was　not　thy　fury　quite　disarmed　with　wonder？　Didst　thou　not　shrink　behind　me　from　those　eyes　And　whisper　in　my　earOh；　tell　her　not　That　I　accused　her　with　my　brother's　death？

DOLABELLA。　　And　should　my　weakness　be　a　plea　for　yours？　Mine　was　an　age　when　love　might　be　excused；　When　kindly　warmth；　and　when　my　springing　youth　Made　it　a　debt　to　nature。　　Yours

VENTIDIUS。　　Speak　boldly。　Yours；　he　would　say；　in　your　declining　age；　When　no　more　heat　was　left　but　what　you　forced；　When　all　the　sap　was　needful　for　the　trunk；　When　it　went　down；　then　you　constrained　the　course；　And　robbed　from　nature；　to　supply　desire；　In　you　（I　would　not　use　so　harsh　a　word）　'Tis　but　plain　dotage。

ANTONY。　　Ha！

DOLABELLA。　　'Twas　urged　too　home。　But　yet　the　loss　was　private；　that　I　made；　'Twas　but　myself　I　lost：　　I　lost　no　legions；　I　had　no　world　to　lose；　no　people's　love。

ANTONY。　　This　from　a　friend？

DOLABELLA。　　Yes；　Antony；　a　true　one；　A　friend　so　tender；　that　each　word　I　speak　Stabs　my　own　heart；　before　it　reach　your　ear。　Oh；　judge　me　not　less　kind；　because　I　chide！　To　Caesar　I　excuse　you。

ANTONY。　　O　ye　gods！　Have　I　then　lived　to　be　excused　to　Caesar？

DOLABELLA。　　As　to　your　equal。

ANTONY。　　Well；　he's　but　my　equal：　While　I　wear　this　he　never　shall　be　more。

DOLABELLA。　　I　bring　conditions　from　him。

ANTONY。　　Are　they　noble？　Methinks　thou　shouldst　not　bring　them　else；　yet　he　Is　full　of　deep　dissembling；　knows　no　honour　Divided　from　his　interest。　　Fate　mistook　him；　For　nature　meant　him　for　an　usurer：　He's　fit　indeed　to　buy；　not　conquer　kingdoms。

VENTIDIUS。　　Then；　granting　this；　What　power　was　theirs；　who　wrought　so　hard　a　temper　To　honourable　terms？

ANTONY。　　I　was　my　Dolabella；　or　some　god。

DOLABELLA。　　Nor　I；　nor　yet　Maecenas；　nor　Agrippa：　They　were　your　enemies；　and　I；　a　friend；　Too　weak　alone；　yet　'twas　a　Roman's　deed。

ANTONY。　　'Twas　like　a　Roman　done：　　show　me　that　man；　Who　has　preserved　my　life；　my　love；　my　honour；　Let　me　but　see　his　face。

VENTIDIUS。　　That　task　is　mine；　And；　Heaven；　thou　know'st　how　pleasing。　　　　　　＇Exit　VENTIDIUS。＇

DOLABELLA。　　You'll　remember　To　whom　you　stand　obliged？

ANTONY。　　When　I　forget　it　Be　thou　unkind；　and　that's　my　greatest　curse。　My　queen　shall　thank　him　too；

DOLABELLA。　　I　fear　she　will　not。

ANTONY。　　But　she　shall　do　it：　　The　queen；　my　Dolabella！　Hast　thou　not　still　some　grudgings　of　thy　fever？

DOLABELLA。　　I　would　not　see　her　lost。

ANTONY。　　When　I　forsake　her；　Leave　me　my　better　stars！　for　she　has　truth　Beyond　her　beauty。　　Caesar　tempted　her；　At　no　less　price　than　kingdoms；　to　betray　me；　But　she　resisted　all：　　and　yet　thou　chidest　me　For　loving　her　too　well。　　Could　I　do　so？

DOLABELLA。　　Yes；　there's　my　reason。

　　　　　Re…enter　VENTIDIUS；　with　OCTAVIA；　　　　　　leading　ANTONY'S　two　little　DAUGHTERS

ANTONY。　　Where？Octavia　there！　　　　　　＇Starting　back。＇

VENTIDIUS。　　What；　is　she　poison　to　you？a　disease？　Look　on　her；　view　her　well；　and　those　she　brings：　Are　they　all　strangers　to　your　eyes？　has　nature　No　secret　call；　no　whisper　they　are　yours？

DOLABELLA。　　For　shame；　my　lord；　if　not　for　love；　receive　them　With　kinder　eyes。　　If　you　confess　a　man；　Meet　them；　embrace　them；　bid　them　welcome　to　you。　Your　arms　should　open；　even　without　your　knowledge；　To　clasp　them　in；　your　feet　should　turn　to　wings；　To　bear　you　to　them；　and　your　eyes　dart　out　And　aim　a　kiss；　ere　you　could　reach　the　lips。

ANTONY。　　I　stood　amazed；　to　think　how　they　came　hither。

VENTIDIUS。　　I　sent　for　them；　I　brought　them　in　unknown　To　Cleopatra's　guards。

DOLABELLA。　　Yet；　are　you　cold？

OCTAVIA。　　Thus　long　I　have　attended　for　my　welcome；　Which；　as　a　stranger；　sure　I　might　expect。　Who　am　I？

ANTONY。　　Caesar's　sister。

OCTAVIA。　　That's　unkind。　Had　I　been　nothing　more　than　Caesar's　sister；　Know；　I　had　still　remained　in　Caesar's　camp：　But　your　Octavia；　your　much　injured　wife；　Though　banished　from　your　bed；　driven　from　your　house；　In　spite　of　Caesar's　sister；　still　is　yours。　'Tis　true；　I　have　a　heart　disdains　your　coldness；　And　prompts　me　not　to　seek　what　you　should　offer；　But　a　wife's　virtue　still　surmounts　that　pride。　I　come　to　claim　you　as　my　own；　to　show　My　duty　first；　to　ask；　nay　beg；　your　kindness：　Your　hand；　my　lord；　'tis　mine；　and　I　will　have　it。　　　　　　＇Taking　his　hand。＇

VENTIDIUS。　　Do；　take　it；　thou　deserv'st　it。

DOLABELLA。　　On　my　soul；　And　so　she　does：　　she's　neither　too　submissive；　Nor　yet　too　haughty；　but　so　just　a　mean　Shows；　as　it　ought；　a　wife　and　Roman　too。

ANTONY。　　I　fear；　Octavia；　you　have　begged　my　life。

OCTAVIA。　　Begged　it；　my　lord？

ANTONY。　　Yes；　begged　it；　my　ambassadress；　Poorly　and　basely　begged　it　of　your　brother。

OCTAVIA。　　Poorly　and　basely　I　could　never　beg：　Nor　could　my　brother　grant。

ANTONY。　　Shall　I；　who；　to　my　kneeling　slave；　could　say；　Rise　up；　and　be　a　king；　shall　I　fall　down　And　cry；Forgive　me；　Caesar！　　Shall　I　set　A　man；