Aur. Do it boldly;
You shall have both our hearty loves, and hearings.
Niger. This Aper then, this too much honour'd Villain,
(For he deserves no mention of a good man)
Great Sir, give ear; this most ungrateful, spightful,
Above the memory of mankind, mischievous,
With his own bloody hands.
Char. Take heed.
Nig. I am in, Sir;
And if I make not good my story.
Aur. Forward;
I see a truth would break out; be not fearful.
Nig. I say this Aper, and his damn'd Ambition,
Cut off your Brothers hopes, his life, and fortunes;
The honour'd Numerianus fell by him,
Fell basely, most untimely, and most treacherously:
For in his Litter, as he bore him company,
Most privately and cunningly he kill'd him;
Yet still he fills the faithful Souldiers ears
With stories of his weakness, of his life,
That he dare not venture to appear in open,
And shew his warlike face among the Souldiers;
The tenderness and weakness of his eyes
Being not able to endure the Sun yet.
Slave that he is, he gives out this infirmity
(Because he would dispatch his honour too)
To arise from wantonness, and love of women,
And thus he juggles still.
Aur. O most pernicious,
Most bloody, and most base! Alas, dear Brother,
Art thou accus'd, and after death thy memory
Loaden with shames and lies? Those pious tears
Thou daily shower'st upon my Fathers monument,
(When in the Persian Expedition
He fell unfortunately by a stroke of Thunder)
Made thy defame and sins? those wept out eyes,
The fair examples of a noble nature,
Those holy drops of Love, turn'd by depravers
(Malicious poyson'd tongues) to thy abuses?
We must not suffer this.
Char. It shows a truth now;
And sure this Aper is not right nor honest,
He will not [now] come near me.
Nig. No, he dare not;
He has an inmate here, that's call'd a conscience,
Bids him keep off.
Char. My Brother honour'd him,
Made him first Captain of his Guard, his next friend;
Then to my Mother (to assure him nearer)
He made him Husband.