Vent. My lord?
Ant. A word in private.—
When saw you Dolabella?
Vent. Now, my lord,
He parted hence; and Cleopatra with him.
Ant. Speak softly.—’Twas by my command he went,
To bear my last farewell.
Vent. It looked indeed
[Aloud.
Like your farewell.
Ant. More softly.—My farewell?
What secret meaning have you in those words
Of—My farewell? He did it
by my order.
Vent. Then he obeyed your order. I suppose
[Aloud.
You bid him do it with all gentleness,All kindness, and all—love.
Ant. How she mourned,
The poor forsaken creature!
Vent. She took it as she ought; she bore your parting
As she did Cæsar’s, as she would another’s,
Were a
new love to come.
Ant. Thou dost belie her;
[Aloud.
Most basely, and maliciously belie her.
Vent. I thought not to displease you; I have done.
Octav. You seemed disturbed, my lord.
[Coming up
Ant. A very trifle.
Retire, my love.
Vent. It was indeed a trifle.
He sent—
Ant. No more. Look how thou disobey’st me;
[Angrily.
Thy life shall answer it.Octav. Then ’tis no trifle.
Vent. [to Octav.]. ’Tis less; a very nothing: You too saw it,
As well as I, and therefore ’tis no secret.
Ant. She saw it!
Vent. Yes: She saw young Dolabella—
Ant. Young Dolabella!
Vent. Young, I think him young,
And handsome too; and so do others think him.
But what of that? He
went by your command,
Indeed ’tis probable, with some kind message;
For she received it graciously; she
smiled;
And then he grew familiar with her hand,
Squeezed it, and worried it with ravenous kisses;
She
blushed, and sighed, and smiled, and blushed again;
At last she took occasion to talk softly,
And brought