Twelfth Night

Act 2, Scene 1

Enter ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN

ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN enter.

ANTONIO

Will you stay no longer, nor will you not that I go with you?

ANTONIO

You won’t stay any longer? And you don’t want me to come with you?

SEBASTIAN

By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly over me. The malignancy of my fate might perhaps distemper yours. Therefore I shall crave of you your leave that I may bear my evils alone. It were a bad recompense for your love to lay any of them on you.

SEBASTIAN

No, I’d rather you stayed here. My luck is pretty bad right now, and it might rub off on you. So just let me say goodbye and face the bad stuff alone—otherwise I wouldn’t be thanking you very well for all you’ve done for me.

ANTONIO

Let me yet know of you whither you are bound.

ANTONIO

At least tell me where you’re going.

SEBASTIAN

No, sooth, sir. My determinate voyage is mere extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent a touch of modesty that you will not extort from me what I am willing to keep in. Therefore it charges me in manners the rather to express myself. You must know of me then, Antonio, my name is Sebastian, which I called Roderigo. My father was that Sebastian of Messaline, whom I know you have heard of. He left behind him myself and a sister, both born in an hour. If the heavens had been pleased, would we had so ended! But you, sir, altered that, for some hour before you took me from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned.

SEBASTIAN

Honestly, I can’t. I’m just wandering, with no particular destination. But I know you’d never force me to tell you things I don’t want to, so I should be polite and tell you what I can. My name’s Sebastian, though I’ve been calling myself Roderigo. My father was Sebastian of Messaline. I know you’ve heard of him. He’s dead now. He left behind myself and my twin sister, who was born in the same hour as me. If God had been willing, I wish we had died in the same hour too! But you kept that from happening. An hour before you pulled me out of the breaking waves, my sister drowned.

ANTONIO

Alas the day!

ANTONIO

How tragic!

SEBASTIAN

A lady, sir, though it was said she much resembled me, was yet of many accounted beautiful. But though I could not with such estimable wonder overfar believe that, yet thus far I will boldly publish her: she bore a mind that envy could not but call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with more.

SEBASTIAN

Although many people said she looked like me, she was considered beautiful. And though I can’t believe everything people said about her beauty, I’ll be so bold as to say she had a beautiful mind. Even those who were jealous of her would have to admit that. She’s been drowned in salty sea water, and now my salty tears are about to drown her memory all over again.

ANTONIO

Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment.

ANTONIO

I’m sorry I wasn’t a better host for you, sir.

SEBASTIAN

O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble.

SEBASTIAN

Oh, Antonio, I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble.

ANTONIO

If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant.

ANTONIO

I care about you a lot. Please let me be your servant so I can be with you. You’ll be killing me if you don’t.

SEBASTIAN

If you will not undo what you have done—that is, kill him whom you have recovered—desire it not. Fare you well at once. My bosom is full of kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino’s court. Farewell.

SEBASTIAN

If you don’t want to break my heart, then say goodbye to me right now. I like you very much. I’m really about to cry, just like my mother would do. I’m going to Count Orsino’s court. Goodbye.

Exit

SEBASTIAN exits.

ANTONIO

The gentleness of all the gods go with thee!

I have many enemies in Orsino’s court,

Else would I very shortly see thee there.

But, come what may, I do adore thee so

That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.

ANTONIO

I wish you all the best. If I didn’t have so many enemies in Orsino’s court, I’d go join you there. But who cares. I’m so crazy about you that danger doesn’t bother me. I’ll go anyway.

Exit

ANTONIO exits.