Ste. Now, forward with your tale. Pr'ythee stand further off. Cal. Beat him enough: after a little time, I'll beat him too. Ste. Stand further.-Come, proceed. Cal. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them,) The beauty of his daughter; he himself But only Sycorax my dam, and she; But she as far surpasseth Sycorax, As greatest does least. Ste. Is it so brave a lass? Cal. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood. Ste. 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? Trin. Excellent. Ste. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee: but while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head. Cal. Within this half hour will he be asleep; Wilt thou destroy him then? Ste. Ay, on mine honour. Ari. This will I tell my master. Cal. 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? Ste. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason: Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings. Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em ; Cal. That's not the tune. [ARIEL plays the tune on a tabor and pipe. Ste. What is this same? Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of No-body. Ste. If thou beest a man, shew thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins! Ste. He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee: Mercy upon us! Cal. Art thou afeard? Ste. No, monster, not I. Cal. Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices, Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming, The clouds, methought, would open, and shew riches Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing. Cal. When Prospero is destroyed. Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the story. Trin. The sound is going away: let's follow it, and after do our work. Ste. Lead, monster; we'll follow.-I would, I could see this taborer: he lays it on. Trin. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Another part of the Island. Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and others. Gon. 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. Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits: sit down and rest. Seb. The next advantage Ant. Let it be to-night; For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they Seb. 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 cat, they depart. Alon. What harmony is this? my good friends, hark! Gon. Marvellous sweet music! Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these? Seb. 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. Ant. 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. Gon. If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? (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. Pro. Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there present, Are worse than devils. Alon. I cannot too much muse, [Aside. Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing (Although they want the use of tongue,) a kind Of excellent dumb discourse. Pro. Praise in departing. Fran. They vanish'd strangely. Seb. No matter, since [Aside. They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs. Will't please you taste of what is here? Alon. Not I. Gon. Faith, sir, you need not fear: When we were boys, Who would believe that there were mountaineers, Dew-lapp'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, Alon. I will stand to, and feed, Although my last: no matter, since I feel The best is past:-Brother, my lord the duke, Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy, claps his wings upon the table, and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes. Ari. You are three men of sin, whom destiny |