Being awake, enforce them to this place:
And presently, I pr'ythee.

Ari. I drink the air before me, and return

Or e'er1 your pulse twice beat.

[Exit Ariel.

Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder, and amaze

ment

Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us

Out of this fearful 2 country!

Pro.

Behold, sir king,
The wronged duke of Milan, Prospero :

For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
And to thee, and thy company,

A hearty welcome.

Alon.

bid

Whe'r 3 thou beest he, or no,

Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,

As late I have been, I not know thy pulse

Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
The affliction of my mind amends, with which,
I fear, a madness held me: this must crave
(An if this be at all) a most strange story.

Thy dukedom I resign; and do entreat

Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero

Be living, and be here?

Pro.

First, noble friend,

Let me embrace thine age; whose honor cannot

Be measured or confined.

1 Before.

* Frightful.

• Whether.

Gon.

Whether this be

You do yet taste

Or be not, I'll not swear.

Pro. Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all. But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,

[aside to Seb. and Ant. I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you, And justify you traitors: at this time

I'll tell no tales.

Seb.

Pro.

The devil speaks in him.

No.

[aside.

For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require
My dukedom of thee, which, perforce, I know
Thou must restore.

Alon.

If thou beest Prospero,

Give us particulars of thy preservation :

How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost
(How sharp the point of this remembrance is!)
My dear son Ferdinand.

Pro.

I am woe1 for 't, sir.

Alon. Irreparable is the loss; and Patience Says, it is past her cure.

You have not sought her help; of whose soft grace,

1 Sorry.

For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid,

And rest myself content.

Alon.

You the like loss?

Pro. As great to me, as late; 1 and, portable To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker Than you may call to comfort you; for I

O heavens! that they were living both in Naples, The king and queen there! That they were, I

wish

Myself were mudded in that oozy bed

Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?

Pro. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords At this encounter do so much admire,3

That they devour their reason; and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain,
That I am Prospero, and that very duke

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most

strangely,

Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was

landed,

To be the lord on 't. No more yet of this:

For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,

My loss is as great as yours, and has happened to me as lately. 2 Bearable.

3 Are so much surprised at this meeting.

Wheatley del

TEMPEST

Ferdinana & Miranda playing

AaV Scena I

at Chess

Starling se