Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance. Alas, now! pray you, Mir. 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. O most dear mistress Fer. What I must strive to do. Mir. If you 'll sit down, I'll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that; I'll carry it to the pile. Fer. No, precious creature ; I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, While I sit lazy by. Mir. 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, Pro. This visitation shows it. Mir Poor worm! thou art infected; You look wearily. Fer. 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? Mir. Miranda :-O my father, I have broke your hest1 to say so! Fer. Indeed, the top of admiration; Admired Miranda! worth Full many a lady I have eyed with best regard; and many a time With so full soul, but some defect in her Of every creature's best. Mir. I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember, I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty, 3 Made it doubtful whether the virtue or the defect preponderated. Alluding to the picture of Venus by Apelles. 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 My heart fly to your service; there resides, Mir. Do you love me? Fer. 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, Mir. To weep at what I am glad of. Pro. I am a fool, Fair encounter Heavens rain grace Wherefore weep you? Of two most rare affections! On that which breeds between them! Fer. Mir. 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, 1 Swell and inflame my mouth. 2 Of aught else. The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning! If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow Fer. My mistress, dearest ; And I thus humble ever. Mir. My husband then? Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand, farewell, Till half an hour hence. Fer. A thousand! thousand! [Exeunt Fer. and Mir. Pro. So glad of this as they, I cannot be, Who are surprised 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 island. Enter STEPHANO and TRINCULO; CALIBAN following with a bottle. 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 standard.1 Ste. We'll not run, monsieur monster. 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 honor? 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 2 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? Meaning, he is so much intoxicated, as not to be able to 2 Debauched. stand. |