And he's composed of harshness. I must remove [ness But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours; Most busy, least when I do it. Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance. Mira. Alas! now, pray you, Work not so hard: I would the lightning had Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile. Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns, 'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself: He's safe for these three hours. Fer. O, most dear mistress! The sun will set, before I shall discharge What I must strive to do. Mira. If you'll sit down, Pray, give me that: No, precious creature: I'll bear your logs the while. I'll carry it to the pile. Fer. I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Than you should such dishonour undergo, While I sit lazy by. Mira. It would become me I have broke your hest to say so. Fer. Admir'd Miranda! Indeed, the top of admiration; worth What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues Have I liked several women; never any With so full soul, but some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd, And put it to the foil: but you, O you! So perfect, and so peerless, are created Of every creature's best. Mira. I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember, Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen More that I may call men, than you, good friend, And my dear father: how features are abroad, I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty, (The jewel in my dower) I would not wish Any companion in the world but you; Nor can imagination form a shape, Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle Something too wildly, and my father's precepts I therein do forget. Fer. I am, in my condition, A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king; (I would, not so!) and would no more endure This wooden slavery, than to suffer The flesh-fly blow my mouth.-Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did Wherefore weep you? Fer. The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning! If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow Fer. And I thus humble ever. Mira. My mistress, dearest, My husband, then? Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand. Mira. And mine, with my heart in't: and now Till half-an-hour hence, [farewell, A thousand thousand! [Exeunt FER. and MIR. Fer. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surpris'd with all; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere supper time, must I perform Much business appertaining. [Exit. SCENE II.-Another part of the Isiand. Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO. Ste. Tell not me:-when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em.-Servant-monster, drink to me. Trin. Servant-monster? the folly of this island! they say, there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters. Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost set in thy head. Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail. Ste. My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues, off and on, by this light.-Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standSte. We'll not run, monsieur monster. [ard. Trin. Nor go neither: but you'll lie, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither. Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf. Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I'll not serve him, he is not valiant. Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish, and half a monster? Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord? Trin. Lord, quoth he!-that a monster should be such a natural! Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I pr'ythee. Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a mutineer, the next tree-The poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity. Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee? Ste. Marry, will I; kneel and repeat it: I will stand, and so shall Trinculo. Enter ARIEL, invisible. Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island. Ari. Thou liest. [thou; Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, I would my valiant master would destroy thee: I do not lie. Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth. Trin. Why, I said nothing. Ste. Mum then, and no more.-[To CALIBAN.] Proceed. Cal. I say by sorcery he got this isle; From me he got it: if thy greatness will, Ste. That's most certain. Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him The beauty of his daughter; he himself Ste. Ste. Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king and queen, (save our graces!) and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys.-Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo? Trin. Excellent. Ste. Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head. Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep; Wilt thou destroy him then? Ste. Ay, on mine honour. Ari. This will I tell my master. Cal. Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure. Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch You taught me but while-ere? Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. reason. [Sings. Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em; Thought is free. Cal. That's not the tune. [ARIEL plays the tune on a Tabor and Pipe. Stc. What is this same? Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of Nobody. Ste. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take 't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins! Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee.Mercy upon us! Cal. Art thou afeared? Ste. No, monster, not I. Cal. Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments [not. 1 Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming, The clouds, methought, would open, and show riches Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd, I cried to dream again. Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing. Cal. When Prospero is destroyed. Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the story. Trin. The sound is going away: let's follow it, and after do our work. Ste. Lead, monster; we'll follow.-I would I could see this taborer! he lays it on. Trin. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Another part of the Island. Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, Adrian, FRANCISCO, and Others. Gon. By'r la'kin, I can go no farther, Sir; My old bones ache: here's a maze trod, indeed, Through forth-rights, and meanders! by your paI needs must rest me. [tience, Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest. Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown'd, Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go. Ant. [Aside to SEB.] I am right glad that he's so out of hope. Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose That you resolv'd to effect. Seb. [Aside to ANT.] Will we take throughly. Ant. [Aside to SEB.] The next advantage Let it be to-night; Is For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! Seb. A living drollery. Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia [hark! What And what does else want credit, come to me, If in Naples Pro. [Aside.] Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there prescnt Are worse than devils. Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men, Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find, Each putter-out of five for one will bring us Alon. Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL like a harpy: claps his wings upon the table: and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes. Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny (That hath to instrument this lower world, And what is in 't) the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up; and on this island, Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad; [Seeing ALON., SEB., &c., draw their swords. And even with such like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of fate: the elements, Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well [from He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mocks and mowes, and carry out the table. Pro. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring. Gon. I' the name of something holy, Sir, why SCENE I.-Before PROSPERO'S Cell. Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven, Fer. Against an oracle. I do believe it Pro. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purchas'd, take my daughter: but If thou dost break her virgin knot before All sanctimonious ceremonies may With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall To make this contract grow; but barren hate, Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew The union of your bed with weeds so loathly, That you shall hate it both: therefore, take heed, As Hymen's lamps shall light you. Fer. As I hope For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust, to take away The edge of that day's celebration, When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Or night kept chain'd below. Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; Thy banks with peonied and lilied brims, Which spungy April at thy hest betrims, To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves, Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves, Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace, Enter CERES. Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er Cer. Iris. Of her society Be not afraid: I met her deity Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done Some wanton charm upon this man and maid, Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, Cer. |