For thou must now know further. Mira. You have often Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd Pro. The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; I do not think thou can'st; for then thou wast not Mira. Certainly, sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or person? Of any thing the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Mira. 'Tis far off; And rather like a dream than an assurance Pro. Thou had'st, and more, Miranda: But how is it, That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else If thou remember'st aught, ere thou cam'st here, Mira. But that I do not. Pro. Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since, Thy father was the duke of Milan, and A prince of power. Mira. Sir, are not you my father? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father A princess;-no worse issued. Mira. O, the heavens ! What foul play had we, that we came from thence? Or blessed was't, we did? Pro. Both, both, my girl: By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence; But blessedly holp hither. Mira. O, my heart bleeds To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to, Which is from my remembrance! Please you, further. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Antonio,— I pray thee, mark me,-that a brother should Be so perfidious !—he whom, next thyself, Without a parallel; those being all my study, And to my state grew stranger, being transported, Mira. Sir, most heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant suits, How to deny them; whom to advance, and whom To trash for over-topping; new created The creatures that were mine; I say, or chang'd them, 144 To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was And suck'd my verdure out on't.-Thou attend'st not: Mira. O good sir, I do. Pro. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicate To closeness, and the bettering of my mind With that, which, but by being so retir'd, O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother Awak'd an evil nature: and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood, in its contrary as great As my trust was; which had, indeed, no limit, But what my power might else exact,-like one, Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. The dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan!) To most ignoble stooping. Mira. O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me, If this might be a brother. Mira. I should sin To think but nobly of my grandmother: Good wombs have borne bad sons. Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint, That wrings mine eyes. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which, this story Were most impertinent. Mira. Wherefore did they not That hour destroy us? Pro. Well demanded, wench: My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not; (So dear the love my people bore me) nor set A mark so bloody on the business; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Mira. Alack! what trouble Was I then to you! Pro. O a cherubim Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt; Against what should ensue. Mira. How came we ashore? Pro. By Providence divine. Some food we had, and some fresh water, that Out of his charity, (who being then appointed Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, I priz'd above my dukedom. |