FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   >>  
last, When urged with long unkindness and disdain: Take her again, whom you prefer to me; She stays but to be called. Poor cozened man! Let a feigned parting give her back your heart, Which a feigned love first got; for injured me, Though my just sense of wrongs forbid my stay, My duty shall be yours. To the dear pledges of our former love, My tenderness and care shall be transferred, And they shall cheer, by turns, my widowed nights: So, take my last farewell; for I despair To have you whole, and scorn to take you half. [_Exit._ _Vent._ I combat heaven, which blasts my best designs: My last attempt must be to win her back; But Oh, I fear in vain. [_Exit._ _Ant._ Why was I framed with this plain honest heart, Which knows not to disguise its griefs and weakness. But bears its workings outward to the world? I should have kept the mighty anguish in, And forced a smile at Cleopatra's falsehood: Octavia had believed it, and had staid. But I am made a shallow-forded stream, Seen to the bottom: all my clearness scorned, And all my faults exposed.--See where he comes. _Enter_ DOLABELLA. Who has profaned the sacred name of friend, And worn it into vileness! With how secure a brow, and specious form, He gilds the secret villain! Sure that face Was meant for honesty; but heaven mis-matched it, And furnished treason out with Nature's pomp, To make its work more easy. _Dola._ O, my friend! _Ant._ Well, Dolabella, you performed my message? _Dola._ I did, unwillingly. _Ant._ Unwillingly? Was it so hard for you to bear our parting? You should have wished it. _Dola._ Why? _Ant._ Because you love me. And she received my message, with as true, With as unfeigned a sorrow, as you brought it? _Dola._ She loves you, even to madness. _Ant._ Oh, I know it. You, Dolabella, do not better know How much she loves me. And should I Forsake this beauty? This all-perfect creature? _Dola._ I could not, were she mine. _Ant._ And yet you first Persuaded me: How come you altered since? _Dola._ I said at first I was not fit to go: I could not bear her sighs, and see her tears, But pity must prevail: And so, perhaps, It may again with you; for I have promised, That she should take her last farewell: And, see, She comes to claim my word. _Enter_ CLEOPATRA. _Ant._ False Dolabella! _Dola._ What's false, my lord? _Ant._ Why, Dolabella's false, A
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   >>  



Top keywords:

Dolabella

 

heaven

 
farewell
 

friend

 

message

 
parting
 

feigned

 

performed

 

called

 

cozened


unwillingly

 

received

 
Because
 

wished

 
Unwillingly
 
prefer
 
villain
 

secret

 

honesty

 

Nature


treason

 

matched

 
furnished
 

unfeigned

 

prevail

 

promised

 
CLEOPATRA
 

altered

 

unkindness

 

disdain


madness

 

sorrow

 

brought

 

Forsake

 

beauty

 

Persuaded

 

perfect

 
creature
 

specious

 

forbid


wrongs

 

framed

 
disguise
 
injured
 

griefs

 

weakness

 

Though

 
honest
 

attempt

 

designs