Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Then, tell me,

Claribel.

Who's the next heir of Naples ?

Seb. Ant. She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells

Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from
Naples

Can have no note, unless the sun were post-
The man i' the moon's too slow-till new-born chins
Be rough and razorable; she that-from whom?
We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast
again,

And by that destiny to perform an act
Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.

251

Seb. What stuff is this! how say you? 'Tis true, my brother's daughter's queen of Tunis; So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions There is some space.

Ant. A space whose every cubit Seems to cry out, 'How shall that Claribel Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis, And let Sebastian wake.' Say, this were death That now hath seized them; why, they were no

worse

261

Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate
As amply and unnecessarily

As this Gonzalo; I myself could make

A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
The mind that I do! what a sleep were this

For your advancement! Do you understand me?
Seb. Methinks I do.
Ant.

And how does your content

Tender* your own good fortune?

Seb.

*Esteem.

I remember 270

You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Ant.

True:

And look how well my garments sit upon me;

Much feater* than before: my brother's servants
Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
Seb. But, for your conscience?
*More neatly.

Ant. Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe,* 'Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences, That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they And melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother, No better than the earth he lies upon, 281

If he were that which now he's like, that's dead;
Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put
This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
They'll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.

*Chilblain.

Seb.
Thy case, dear friend, 290
Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st Milan,
I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest:
And I the king shall love thee.

Ant.
Draw together;
And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
To fall* it on Gonzalo.

Seb.

*Let fall.

O, but one word. [They talk apart. Re-enter ARIEL, invisible.

Ari. My master through his art foresees the danger

That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forthFor else his project dies-to keep them living.

[Sings in Gonzalo's ear.

While you here do snoring lie,

Open-eyed conspiracy

His time doth take.

If of life you keep a care,

Shake off slumber, and beware:

Awake, awake!

Ant. Then let us both be sudden.

300

Gon.

Preserve the king.

Now, good angels [They wake.

Alon. Why, how now? ho, awake! Why are

you drawn?*

Wherefore this ghastly looking?

*Drunk.

Gon. What's the matter? Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose, Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing Like bulls, or rather lions: did't not wake you? It struck mine ear most terribly.

Alon.

I heard nothing. Ant. O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear, To make an earthquake! sure, it was the roar Of a whole herd of lions.

Alon.

Heard you this, Gonzalo ? Gon. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,

And that a strange one too, which did awake me: I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open'd, I saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise, 320 That's verily. Tis best we stand upon our guard, Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons. Alon. Lead off this ground; and let's make further search

For my poor son.

Gon. Heavens keep him from these beasts! For he is, sure, i' the island.

Alon.

Lead away.

Ari. Prospero my lord shall know what I have done:

So, king, go safely on to seek thy son. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. Another part of the island.

Enter CALIBAN with a burden of wood. A
noise of thunder heard.

Cal. All the infections that the sun sucks up From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall and make him

By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me
And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire,
Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but
For every trifle are they set upon me;

Sometime like apes that mow* and chatter at me

And after bite me, then like hedgehogs which 10 Lie tumbling in my barefoot way and mount Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I

All wound+ with adders who with cloven tongues Do hiss me into madness.

*Grimace.

Enter TRINCULO.

Lo, now, lo!

†Twisted.

Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me
For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat;
Perchance he will not mind me.

Trin. Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it sing i' the wind: yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard* that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls. What have we here? a man or a fish? dead or alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of not of the newest Poor-John. A strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit‡ to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian. Legged like a man! and his fins like arms! Warm o' my troth! I do now let loose my opinion; hold it no longer: this is no fish, but an islander, that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt. [Thunder.] Alas, the storm is come again! my best way is to creep under his gaberdine there is no other shelter hereabout: misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows. I will here shroud|| till the dregs of the storm be past. *Drunkard. †Herring. Dutch coin.

Loose coat. Cover up.

Enter STEPHANO, singing: a bottle in his hand.

Ste. I shall no more to sea, to sea,

Here shall I die ashore--

This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral: well, here's my comfort.

[Sings.

[Drinks.

The master, the swabber, the boatswain and I, The gunner and his mate

Loved Mall, Meg and Marian and Margery, 50
But none of us cared for Kate;

For she had a tongue with a tang,*
Would cry to a sailor, Go hang!

*Sound.

She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch, Yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch:

Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang!

This is a scurvy tune too: but here's my comfort. [Drinks.

Cal. Do not torment me: Oh!

Ste. here?

What's the matter? Have we devils Do you put tricks upon's with savages and men of Ind,* ha? I have not 'scaped drowning to be afeard now of your four legs; for it hath been said, As proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground; and it shall be said so again while Stephano breathes at nostrils. Cal. The spirit torments me; Oh!

*India.

Ste. This is some monster of the isle with four legs, who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but for that. If I can recover him and keep him tame and get to Naples with him, he's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's-leather.

Cal. Do not torment me, prithee; I'll bring my wood home faster.

Ste. He's in his fit now and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle: if he have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit. If I can recover him and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him; he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly. Cal. Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling: now Pros per works upon thee.

« AnteriorContinuar »