all for love-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



ANTONY。　　We　must。

CLEOPATRA。　　Who　says　we　must？

ANTONY。　　Our　own　hard　fates。

CLEOPATRA。　　We　make　those　fates　ourselves。

ANTONY。　　Yes；　we　have　made　them；　we　have　loved　each　other；　Into　our　mutual　ruin。

CLEOPATRA。　　The　gods　have　seen　my　joys　with　envious　eyes；　I　have　no　friends　in　heaven；　and　all　the　world；　As　'twere　the　business　of　mankind　to　part　us；　Is　armed　against　my　love：　　even　you　yourself　Join　with　the　rest；　you；　you　are　armed　against　me。

ANTONY。　　I　will　be　justified　in　all　I　do　To　late　posterity；　and　therefore　hear　me。　If　I　mix　a　lie　With　any　truth；　reproach　me　freely　with　it；　Else；　favour　me　with　silence。

CLEOPATRA。　　You　command　me；　And　I　am　dumb。

VENTIDIUS。　　I　like　this　well；　he　shows　authority。

ANTONY。　　That　I　derive　my　ruin　》From　you　alone

CLEOPATRA。　　O　heavens！　　I　ruin　you！

ANTONY。　　You　promised　me　your　silence；　and　you　break　it　Ere　I　have　scarce　begun。

CLEOPATRA。　　Well；　I　obey　you。

ANTONY。　　When　I　beheld　you　first；　it　was　in　Egypt。　Ere　Caesar　saw　your　eyes；　you　gave　me　love；　And　were　too　young　to　know　it；　that　I　settled　Your　father　in　his　throne；　was　for　your　sake；　I　left　the　acknowledgment　for　time　to　ripen。　Caesar　stept　in；　and；　with　a　greedy　hand；　Plucked　the　green　fruit；　ere　the　first　blush　of　red；　Yet　cleaving　to　the　bough。　　He　was　my　lord；　And　was；　beside；　too　great　for　me　to　rival；　But；　I　deserved　you　first；　though　he　enjoyed　you。　When；　after；　I　beheld　you　in　Cilicia；　An　enemy　to　Rome；　I　pardoned　you。

CLEOPATRA。　　I　cleared　myself

ANTONY。　　Again　you　break　your　promise。　I　loved　you　still；　and　took　your　weak　excuses；　Took　you　into　my　bosom；　stained　by　Caesar；　And　not　half　mine：　　I　went　to　Egypt　with　you；　And　hid　me　from　the　business　of　the　world；　Shut　out　inquiring　nations　from　my　sight；　To　give　whole　years　to　you。

VENTIDIUS。　　Yes；　to　your　shame　be't　spoken。　　　　　　＇Aside。＇

ANTONY。　　How　I　loved。　Witness；　ye　days　and　nights；　and　all　ye　hours；　That　danced　away　with　down　upon　your　feet；　As　all　your　business　were　to　count　my　passion！　One　day　passed　by；　and　nothing　saw　but　love；　Another　came；　and　still　'twas　only　love：　The　suns　were　wearied　out　with　looking　on；　And　I　untired　with　loving。　I　saw　you　every　day；　and　all　the　day；　And　every　day　was　still　but　as　the　first；　So　eager　was　I　still　to　see　you　more。

VENTIDIUS。　　'Tis　all　too　true。

ANTONY。　　Fulvia；　my　wife；　grew　jealous；　（As　she　indeed　had　reason）　raised　a　war　In　Italy；　to　call　me　back。

VENTIDIUS。　　But　yet　You　went　not。

ANTONY。　　While　within　your　arms　I　lay；　The　world　fell　mouldering　from　my　hands　each　hour；　And　left　me　scarce　a　graspI　thank　your　love　for't。

VENTIDIUS。　　Well　pushed：　　that　last　was　home。

CLEOPATRA。　　Yet　may　I　speak？

ANTONY。　　If　I　have　urged　a　falsehood；　yes；　else；　not。　Your　silence　says；　I　have　not。　　Fulvia　died；　（Pardon；　you　gods；　with　my　unkindness　died）；　To　set　the　world　at　peace；　I　took　Octavia；　This　Caesar's　sister；　in　her　pride　of　youth；　And　flower　of　beauty；　did　I　wed　that　lady；　Whom　blushing　I　must　praise；　because　I　left　her。　You　called；　my　love　obeyed　the　fatal　summons：　This　raised　the　Roman　arms；　the　cause　was　yours。　I　would　have　fought　by　land；　where　I　was　stronger；　You　hindered　it：　　yet；　when　I　fought　at　sea；　Forsook　me　fighting；　and　（O　stain　to　honour！　O　lasting　shame！）　I　knew　not　that　I　fled；　But　fled　to　follow　you。

VENTIDIUS。　　What　haste　she　made　to　hoist　her　purple　sails！　And；　to　appear　magnificent　in　flight；　Drew　half　our　strength　away。

ANTONY。　　All　this　you　caused。　And；　would　you　multiply　more　ruins　on　me？　This　honest　man；　my　best；　my　only　friend；　Has　gathered　up　the　shipwreck　of　my　fortunes；　Twelve　legions　I　have　left；　my　last　recruits。　And　you　have　watched　the　news；　and　bring　your　eyes　To　seize　them　too。　　If　you　have　aught　to　answer；　Now　speak；　you　have　free　leave。

ALEXAS。　　＇aside。＇　　She　stands　confounded：　Despair　is　in　her　eyes。

VENTIDIUS。　　Now　lay　a　sigh　in　the　way　to　stop　his　passage：　Prepare　a　tear；　and　bid　it　for　his　legions；　'Tis　like　they　shall　be　sold。

CLEOPATRA。　　How　shall　I　plead　my　cause；　when　you；　my　judge；　Already　have　condemned　me？　　Shall　I　bring　The　love　you　bore　me　for　my　advocate？　That　now　is　turned　against　me；　that　destroys　me；　For　love；　once　past；　is；　at　the　best；　forgotten；　But　oftener　sours　to　hate：　　'twill　please　my　lord　To　ruin　me；　and　therefore　I'll　be　guilty。　But；　could　I　once　have　thought　it　would　have　pleased　you；　That　you　would　pry；　with　narrow　searching　eyes；　Into　my　faults；　severe　to　my　destruction；　And　watching　all　advantages　with　care；　That　serve　to　make　me　wretched？　　Speak；　my　lord；　For　I　end　here。　　Though　I　deserved　this　usage；　Was　it　like　you　to　give　it？

ANTONY。　　Oh；　you　wrong　me；　To　think　I　sought　this　parting；　or　desired　To　accuse　you　more　than　what　will　clear　myself；　And　justify　this　breach。

CLEOPATRA。　　Thus　low　I　thank　you；　And；　since　my　innocence　will　not　offend；　I　shall　not　blush　to　own　it。

VENTIDIUS。　　After　this；　I　think　she'll　blush　at　nothing。

CLEOPATRA。　　You　seem　grieved　（And　therein　you　are　kind）　that　Caesar　first　Enjoyed　my　love；　though　you　deserved　it　better：　I　grieve　for　that；　my　lord；　much　more　than　you；　For；　had　I　first　been　yours；　it　would　have　saved　My　second　choice：　　I　never　had　been　his；　And　ne'er　had　been　but　yours。　　But　Caesar　first；　You　say；　possessed　my　love。　　Not　so；　my　lord：　He　first　possessed　my　person；　you；　my　love：　Caesar　loved　me；　but　I　loved　Antony。　If　I　endured　him　after；　'twas　because　I　judged　it　due　to　the　first　name　of　men；　And；　half　constrained；　I　gave；　as　to　a　tyrant；　What　he　would　take　by　force。

VENTIDIUS。　　O　Syren！　　Syren！　Yet　grant　that　all　the　love　she　boasts　were　true；　Has　she　not　ruined　you？　　I　still　urge　that；　The　fatal　consequence。

CLEOPATRA。　　The　consequence　indeed　For　I　dare　challenge　him；　my　greatest　foe；　To　say　it　was　designed：　　'tis　true；　I　loved　you；　And　kept　you　far　from　an　uneasy　wife；　Such　Fulvia　was。　Yes；　but　he'll　say；　you　left　Octavia　for　me；　And；　can　you　blame　me　to　receive　that　love；　Which　quitted　such　desert；　for　worthless　me？　How　often　have　I　wished　some　other　Caesar；　Great　as　the　first；　and　as　the　second　young；　Would　court　my　love；　to　be　refused　for　you！

VENTIDIUS。　　Words；　words；　but　Actium；　sir；　remember　Actium。

CLEOPATRA。　　Even　there；　I　dare　his　malice。　　True；　I　counselled　To　fight　at　sea；　but　I　betrayed　you　not。　I　fled；　but　not　to　the　enemy。　　'Twas　fear；　Would　I　had　been　a　man；　not　to　have　feared！　For　none　would　then　have　envied　me　your　friendship；　Who　envy　me　your　love。

ANTONY。　　We　are　both　unhappy：　If　nothing　else；　yet　our　ill　fortune　parts　us。　Speak；　would　you　have　me　perish　by　my　stay？

CLEOPATRA。　　If；　as　a　friend；　you　ask　my　judgment；　go；　If；　as　a　lover；　stay。　　If　you　must　perish　'Tis　a　hard　wordbut　stay。

VENTIDIUS。　　See　now　the　effects　of　her　so　boasted　love！　She　strives　to　drag　you　down　to　ruin　with　her；　But；　could　she　'scape　without　you；　oh；　how　soon　Would　she　let　go　her　hold；　and　haste　to　shore；　And　never　look　behind！

CLEOPATRA。　　Then　judge　my　love　by　this。　　　　　　＇Giving　ANTONY　a　writing。＇　Could　I　have　borne　A　life　or　death；　a　happiness　or　woe；　》From　yours　divided；　this　had　given　me　means。

ANTONY。　　By　Hercules；　the　writing　of　Octavius！　I　know　it　well：　　'tis　that　proscribing　hand；　Young　as　it　was；　that　led　the　way　to　mine；　And　left　me　but　the　second　place　in　murder。　See；　see；　Ventidius！　here　he　offers　Egypt；　And　joins　all　Syria　to　it；　as　a　present；　So；　in　requital；　she　forsake　my　fortunes；　And　join　her　arms　with　his。

CLEOPATRA。　　And　yet　you　leave　me！　You　leave　me；　Antony；　and　yet　I　love　you；　Indeed　I　do：　　I　have　refused　a　kingdom；　That　is　a　trifle；　For　I　could　part　with　life；　with　anything；　But　only　you。　　Oh；　let　me　die　but　with　you！　Is　that　a　hard　request？

ANTONY。　　Next　living　with　you；　'Tis　all　that　Heaven　can　give。

ALEXAS。　　He　melts；　we　conquer。　　　　　　＇Aside。＇

CLEOPATRA。　　No；　you　shall　go：　　your　interest　calls　you　hence；　Yes；　your　dear　interest　pulls　too　strong；　for　these　Weak　arms　to　hold　you　here。　　　　　　＇Takes　his　hand。＇　Go；　leave　me；　soldier　（For　you're　no　more　a　lover）：　　leave　me　dying：　Push　me；　all　pale　and　panting；　from　your　bosom；　And；　when　your　march　begins；　let　one　run　after；　Breathless　almost　for　joy；　and　cryShe's　dead。　The　soldiers　shout；　you　then；　perhaps；　may　sigh；　And　muster　all　your　Roman　gravity：　Ventidius　chides；　and　straight　your　brow　clears　up；　As　I　had　never　been。

ANTONY。　　Gods；　'tis　too　much；　too　much　for　man　to　bear。

CLEOPATRA。　　What　is't　for　me　then；　A　weak；　forsaken　woman；　and　a　lover？　Here　let　me　breathe　my　last：　　envy　me　not　This　minute　in　your　arms：　　I'll　die　apace；　As　fast　as　e'er　I　can；　and　end　your　trouble。

ANTONY。　　Die！　rather　let　me　perish；　loosened　nature　Leap　from　its　hinges；　sink　the　props　of　heaven；　And　fall　the　skies；　to　crush　the　nether　world！　My　eyes；　my　soul；　my　all！　　　　　　＇Embraces　her。＇

VENTIDIUS。　　And　what's　this　toy；　In　balance　with　your　fortune；　honour；　fame？

ANTONY。　　What　is't；　Ventidius？it　outweighs　them　all；　Why；　we　have　more　than　conquered　Caesar　now：　My　queen's　not　only　innocent；　but　loves　me。　This；　this　is　she；　who　drags　me　down　to　ruin！　〃But；　could　she　'scape　without　me；　with　what　haste　Would　she　let　slip　her　hold；　and　make　to　shore；　And　never　look　behind！〃　Down　on　thy　knees；　blasphemer　as　thou　art；　And　ask　forgiveness　of　wronged　inno