SCENE I. Before PROSPERO'S cell
[Enter FERDINAND, bearing a
log.]
FERDINAND.
There be some sports are painful,
and their labour
Delight in them sets off: some
kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone, and most
poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean
task
Would be as heavy to me as odious;
but
The mistress which I serve quickens
what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures:
O! she is
Ten times more gentle than her
father's crabbed,
And he's compos'd of harshness.
I must remove
Some thousands of these logs,
and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: my sweet
mistress
Weeps when she sees me work,
and says such baseness
Had never like executor. I forget:
But these sweet thoughts do even
refresh my labours,
Most busy, least when I do it.
[Enter MIRANDA: and PROSPERO
behind.]
MIRANDA.
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.
FERDINAND.
O most dear mistress,
The sun will set, before I shall
discharge
What I must strive to do.
MIRANDA.
If you'll sit down,
I'll bear your logs the while.
Pray give me that;
I'll carry it to the pile.
FERDINAND.
No, precious creature:
I had rather crack my sinews,
break my back,
Than you should such dishonour
undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
MIRANDA.
It would become me
As well as it does you: and I
should do it
With much more ease; for my good
will is to it,
And yours it is against.
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Poor worm! thou art infected:
This visitation shows it.
MIRANDA.
You look wearily.
FERDINAND.
No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh
morning with me
When you are by at night. I do
beseech you--
Chiefly that I might set it in
my prayers--
What is your name?
MIRANDA.
Miranda--O my father!
I have broke your hest to say
so.
FERDINAND.
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 lik'd 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.
MIRANDA.
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.
FERDINAND.
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
My heart fly to your service;
there resides,
To make me slave to it; and for
your sake
Am I this patient log-man.
MIRANDA.
Do you love me?
FERDINAND.
O heaven! O earth! bear witness
to this sound,
And crown what I profess with
kind event,
If I speak true: if hollowly,
invert
What best is boded me to mischief!
I,
Beyond all limit of what else
i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.
MIRANDA.
I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections!
Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between
them!
FERDINAND.
Wherefore weep you?
MIRANDA.
At mine unworthiness, that dare
not offer
What I desire to give; and much
less take
What I shall die to want. But
this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to
hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence,
bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy
innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry
me;
If not, I'll die your maid: to
be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be
your servant,
Whether you will or no.
FERDINAND.
My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.
MIRANDA.
My husband, then?
FERDINAND.
Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's
my hand.
MIRANDA.
And mine, with my heart in't:
and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.
FERDINAND.
A thousand thousand!
[Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA
severally.]
PROSPERO.
So glad of this as they, I cannot
be,
Who are surpris'd withal; 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
island
[Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle,
STEPHANO, and TRINCULO.]
STEPHANO.
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.
TRINCULO.
Servant-monster! The folly of
this island! They
say there's but five upon this
isle; we are three of
them; if th' other two be brained
like us, the state
totters.
STEPHANO.
Drink, servant-monster, when
I bid thee: thy
eyes are almost set in thy head.
TRINCULO.
Where should they be set else?
He were a brave
monster indeed, if they were
set in his tail.
STEPHANO.
My man-monster hath drown'd 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.
TRINCULO.
Your lieutenant, if you list;
he's no standard.
STEPHANO.
We'll not run, Monsieur monster.
TRINCULO.
Nor go neither: but you'll lie
like dogs, and
yet say nothing neither.
STEPHANO.
Moon-calf, speak once in thy
life, if thou beest
a good moon-calf.
CALIBAN.
How does thy honour? Let me lick
thy shoe.
I'll not serve him: he is not
valiant.
TRINCULO.
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 fish and half a monster?
CALIBAN.
Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou
let him, my lord?
TRINCULO.
'Lord' quoth he!--That a monster
should be such
a natural!
CALIBAN.
Lo, lo again! bite him to death,
I prithee.
STEPHANO.
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.
CALIBAN.
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou
be pleas'd to
hearken once again to the suit
I made to thee?
STEPHANO.
Marry will I; kneel, and repeat
it: I will stand,
and so shall Trinculo.
[Enter ARIEL, invisible]
CALIBAN.
As I told thee before, I am subject
to a tyrant,
sorcerer, that by his cunning
hath cheated me of the
island.
ARIEL.
Thou liest.
CALIBAN.
Thou liest, thou jesting monkey,
thou;
I would my valiant master would
destroy thee;
I do not lie.
STEPHANO.
Trinculo, if you trouble him
any more in his tale,
by this hand, I will supplant
some of your teeth.
TRINCULO.
Why, I said nothing.
STEPHANO.
Mum, then, and no more.--[To
CALIBAN] Proceed.
CALIBAN.
I say, by sorcery he got this
isle;
From me he got it: if thy greatness
will ,
Revenge it on him,--for I know,
thou dar'st;
But this thing dare not,--
STEPHANO.
That's most certain.
CALIBAN.
Thou shalt be lord of it and
I'll serve thee.
STEPHANO.
How now shall this be compassed?
Canst thou
bring me to the party?
CALIBAN.
Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield
him thee asleep,
Where thou may'st knock a nail
into his head.
ARIEL.
Thou liest: thou canst not.
CALIBAN.
What a pied ninny's this! Thou
scurvy patch!--
I do beseech thy greatness, give
him blows,
And take his bottle from him:
when that's gone
He shall drink nought but brine;
for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.
STEPHANO.
Trinculo, run into no further
danger: interrupt the
monster one word further and,
by this hand, I'll turn
my mercy out o' doors, and make
a stock-fish of thee.
TRINCULO.
Why, what did I? I did nothing.
I'll go farther off.
STEPHANO.
Didst thou not say he lied?
ARIEL.
Thou liest.
STEPHANO.
Do I so? Take thou that. [Strikes
TRINCULO.] As you
like this, give me the lie another
time.
TRINCULO.
I did not give the lie:--out
o' your wits and
hearing too?--A pox o' your bottle!
this can sack and
drinking do.--A murrain on your
monster, and the devil
take your fingers!
CALIBAN.
Ha, ha, ha!
STEPHANO.
Now, forward with your tale.--Prithee
stand
further off.
CALIBAN.
Beat him enough: after a little
time, I'll beat
him too.
STEPHANO.
Stand farther.--Come, proceed.
CALIBAN.
Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom
with him
I' th' afternoon to sleep: there
thou may'st brain him,
Having first seiz'd his books;
or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him
with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife.
Remember
First to possess his books; for
without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor
hath not
One spirit to command: they all
do hate him
As rootedly as I. Burn but his
books;
He has brave utensils,--for so
he calls them,--
Which, when he has a house, he'll
deck withal:
And that most deeply to consider
is
The beauty of his daughter; he
himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I never
saw a woman
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.
STEPHANO.
Is it so brave a lass?
CALIBAN.
Ay, lord: she will become thy
bed, I warrant,
And bring thee forth brave brood.
STEPHANO.
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?
TRINCULO.
Excellent.
STEPHANO.
Give me thy hand: I am sorry
I beat thee; but
while thou livest, keep a good
tongue in thy head.
CALIBAN.
Within this half hour will he
be asleep;
Wilt thou destroy him then?
STEPHANO.
Ay, on mine honour.
ARIEL.
This will I tell my master.
CALIBAN.
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?
STEPHANO.
At thy request, monster, I will
do reason, any
reason. Come on, Trinculo, let
us sing.
[Sings]
Flout 'em and scout 'em; and
scout 'em and flout 'em:
Thought is free.
CALIBAN.
That's not the tune.
[ARIEL plays the tune on a Tabor
and Pipe.]
STEPHANO.
What is this same?
TRINCULO.
This is the tune of our catch,
played by the
picture of Nobody.
STEPHANO.
If thou beest a man, show thyself
in thy
likeness: if thou beest a devil,
take't as thou list.
TRINCULO.
O, forgive me my sins!
STEPHANO.
He that dies pays all debts:
I defy thee.--Mercy
upon us!
CALIBAN.
Art thou afeard?
STEPHANO.
No, monster, not I.
CALIBAN.
Be not afeard: the isle is full
of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that
give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling
instruments
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.
STEPHANO.
This will prove a brave kingdom
to me, where I
shall have my music for nothing.
CALIBAN.
When Prospero is destroyed.
STEPHANO.
That shall be by and by: I remember
the story.
TRINCULO.
The sound is going away: let's
follow it, and
after do our work.
STEPHANO.
Lead, monster: we'll follow.--I
would I could see
this taborer! he lays it on.
Wilt come?
TRINCULO.
I'll follow, Stephano.
[Exeunt]
SCENE III. Another part of the
island
[Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO,
GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO,
and OTHERS.]
GONZALO.
By'r lakin, I can go no further,
sir;
My old bones ache: here's a maze
trod, indeed,
Through forth-rights and meanders!
By your patience,
I needs must rest me.
ALONSO.
Old lord, I cannot blame thee,
Who am myself attach'd with weariness
To th' 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.
ANTONIO.
[Aside to SEBASTIAN] I am right
glad that he's
so out of hope.
Do not, for one repulse, forgo
the purpose
That you resolv'd to effect.
SEBASTIAN.
[Aside to ANTONIO] The next advantage
Will we take throughly.
ANTONIO.
[Aside to SEBASTIAN] Let it be
to-night;
For, now they are oppress'd with
travel, they
Will not, nor cannot, use such
vigilance
As when they are fresh.
SEBASTIAN.
[Aside to ANTONIO] I say, to-night:
no more.
[Solemn and strange music: and
PROSPERO above,
invisible. Enter several strange
Shapes,
bringing in a banquet: they dance
about it with
gentle actions of salutation;
and inviting the
KING, &c., to eat, they depart.]
ALONSO.
What harmony is this? my good
friends, hark!
GONZALO.
Marvellous sweet music!
ALONSO.
Give us kind keepers, heavens!
What were these?
SEBASTIAN.
A living drollery. Now I will
believe
That there are unicorns; that
in Arabia
There is one tree, the phoenix'
throne; one phoenix
At this hour reigning there.
ANTONIO.
I'll believe both;
And what does else want credit,
come to me,
And I'll be sworn 'tis true:
travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn
them.
GONZALO.
If in Naples
I should report this now, would
they believe me?
If I should say, I saw such islanders,--
For, certes, these are people
of the island,--
Who, though, they are of monstrous
shape, yet, note,
Their manners are more gentle-kind
than of
Our human generation you shall
find
Many, nay, almost any.
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Honest lord,
Thou hast said well; for some
of you there present
Are worse than devils.
ALONSO.
I cannot too much muse
Such shapes, such gesture, and
such sound, expressing,--
Although they want the use of
tongue,--a kind
Of excellent dumb discourse.
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Praise in departing.
FRANCISCO.
They vanish'd strangely.
SEBASTIAN.
No matter, since
They have left their viands behind;
for we have stomachs.--
Will't please you taste of what
is here?
ALONSO.
Not I.
GONZALO.
Faith, sir, you need not fear.
When we were boys,
Who would believe that there
were mountaineers
Dewlapp'd like bulls, whose throats
had hanging at them
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
Good warrant of.
ALONSO.
I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last; no matter,
since I feel
The best is past.--Brother, my
lord the duke,
Stand to and do as we.
[Thunder and lightning. Enter
ARIEL, like a harpy;
claps his wings upon the table;
and, with a quaint
device, the banquet vanishes]
ARIEL.
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 you;
and on this island
Where man doth not inhabit; you
'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. I have
made you mad:
[Seeing ALONSO,
SEBASTIAN, &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
Wound the loud winds, or with
bemock'd-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters,
as diminish
One dowle that's in my plume;
my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable. If you
could hurt,
Your swords are now too massy
for your strengths,
And will not be uplifted. But,
remember--
For that's my business to you,--that
you three
From Milan did supplant good
Prospero;
Expos'd unto the sea, which hath
requit it,
Him, and his innocent child:
for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting,
have
Incens'd the seas and shores,
yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee of thy
son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce,
by me
Lingering perdition,--worse than
any death
Can be at once,--shall step by
step attend
You and your ways; whose wraths
to guard you from--
Which here, in this most desolate
isle, else falls
Upon your heads,--is nothing
but heart-sorrow,
And a clear life ensuing.
[He vanishes in thunder: then,
to soft music, enter
the Shapes again, and dance,
with mocks and mows,
and carry out the table]
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Bravely the figure of
this harpy hast thou
Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace
it had, devouring;
Of my instruction hast thou nothing
bated
In what thou hadst to say: so,
with good life
And observation strange, my meaner
ministers
Their several kinds have done.
My high charms work,
And these mine enemies are all
knit up
In their distractions; they now
are in my power;
And in these fits I leave them,
while I visit
Young Ferdinand,--whom they suppose
is drown'd,--
And his and mine lov'd darling.
[Exit above]
GONZALO.
I' the name of something holy,
sir, why stand you
In this strange stare?
ALONSO.
O, it is monstrous! monstrous!
Methought the billows spoke,
and told me of it;
The winds did sing it to me;
and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ-pipe,
pronounc'd
The name of Prosper: it did bass
my trespass.
Therefore my son i' th' ooze
is bedded; and
I'll seek him deeper than e'er
plummet sounded,
And with him there lie mudded.
[Exit]
SEBASTIAN.
But one fiend at a time,
I'll fight their legions o'er.
ANTONIO.
I'll be thy second.
[Exeunt SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO]
GONZALO.
All three of them are desperate:
their great guilt,
Like poison given to work a great
time after,
Now 'gins to bite the spirits.
I do beseech you
That are of suppler joints, follow
them swiftly
And hinder them from what this
ecstasy
May now provoke them to.
ADRIAN.
Follow, I pray you.
[Exeunt]
|