To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was And suck'd my verdure out on 't.-Thou attend'st not. Pro. 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 To credit his own lie,-he did believe He was indeed the duke; out of the substitution, Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd, And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Absolute Milan: Me, poor man! my library Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties (So dry he was for sway) with the king of Naples, The dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan !) Mira. O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me, If this might be a brother. I should sin Mira. Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples, being an enemy Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, Me, and thy crying self. Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, That wrings mine eyes to 't. 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. That hour destroy us? Pro. Wherefore did they not 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 Mira. Was I then to you! Pro. Alack what trouble O! a cherubin Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt; An undergoing stomach, to bear up Against what should ensue. Mira. How came we ashore? Pro. By Providence divine, Some food we had, and some fresh water, that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity (who being then appointed Master of this design) did give us; with Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, From mine own library, with volumes that I prize above my dukedom. Mira. But ever see that man! Pro. 'Would I might Now I arise: Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arriv'd; and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. Mira. Heavens thank you for 't! And now, I pray you, sir, (For still 't is beating in my mind,) your reason For raising this sea-storm? Pro. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune, Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies A most auspicious star; whose influence Come away, servant, come: I am ready now; Enter ARIEL. [MIRANDA sleeps. Ari. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding task Ariel, and all his quality. Pro. Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee? I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, I flam'd amazement: Sometime I'd divide And burn in many places; on the topmast, The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly, Pro. My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil Would not infect his reason? Not a soul Ari. Some tricks of desperation: All but mariners Pro. But was not this nigh shore? Why, that's my spirit! Close by, my master. Pro. But are they, Ariel, safe? Ari. Not a hair perish'd; On their sustaining garments not a blemish, Pro. Of the king's ship, The mariners, say, how thou hast dispos'd, Ari. Safely in harbour Whom, with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour, Supposing that they saw the king's ship wrack'd, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work: What is the time o' the day? Ari. Pro. At least two glasses. Past the mid season. The time 'twixt six and now Must by us both be spent most preciously. Ari. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, Let me remember thee what thou hast promis'd, Which is not yet perform'd me. Pro. What is 't thou canst demand? Ari. How now? moody? My liberty. Pro. Before the time be out? no more. I prithee Remember, I have done thee worthy service; Pro. Dost thou forget No. From what a torment I did free thee? Ari. Pro. Thou dost; and think'st it much to tread the ooze Of the salt deep; To run upon the sharp wind of the north; To do me business in the veins o' the earth, When it is bak'd with frost. Pro. Thou liest, malignant thing! Hast thou forgot The foul witch Sycorax, who, with age and envy, Was grown into a hoop? hast thou forgot her? Ari. No, sir. Thou hast: Where was she born? speak; tell me. Ari. Sir, in Argier. Pro. O, was she so? I must, Once in a month, recount what thou hast been, To enter human hearing, from Argier, Thou know'st, was banish'd; for one thing she did Ari. Ay, sir. Pro. This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child, And here was left by the sailors: Thou, my slave, As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant: And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands, Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee, Into a cloven pine; within which rift A dozen years, within which space she died, And left thee there; where thou didst vent thy groans, (Save for the son that she did litter here, A freckled whelp, hag-born) not honour'd with Pro. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban, When I arriv'd, and heard thee, that made gape Ari. Ari. Pardon, master: Do so; and after two days That's my noble master! What shall I do? say what? what shall I do? |