O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother 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 o' the substitution, With all prerogative: Dost thou hear? Mir. hence his ambition growing, Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pros. 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 To most ignoble stooping. alas, poor Milan! O the heavens! Pros. Mark his condition, and th' event; then tell me If this might be a brother. To think but nobly of my grandmother: Pros. Now the condition. This King of Naples, being an enemy Should presently extirpate me and mine The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, Me and thy crying self. Mir. Alack, for pity! I, not remembering how I cried on't then, That wrings mine eyes to't. Pros. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon 's; without the which, this story Were most impertinent. Mir. That hour destroy us? Pros. 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 In few, they hurried us aboard a bark, Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Mir. Was I then to you! Pros. Alack, what trouble O, a cherubin Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt, Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me Against what should ensue. Mir. How came we ashore? Pros. 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, From mine own library, with volumes that I prize above my dukedom Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Mir. Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you, sir, --- Pros. -- your reason Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune Brought to this shore; and by my prescience A most auspicious star, whose influence -- Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions: And give it way: I know thou canst not choose. [Miranda sleeps. Come away, servant, come! I'm ready now: Enter ARIEL. 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 Pros. Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee? I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, Pros. My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil Would not infect his reason? But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners With hair up-staring, - Then all a-fire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand, then like reeds, not hair, Was the first man that leap'd; cried, "Hell is empty, And all the devils are here." Pros. But was not this nigh shore? Ari. Why, that's my spirit! Close by, my master. Pros. But are they, Ariel, safe? Ari. Not a hair perish'd; Pros. Of the king's ship The mariners, say how thou hast dispos'd, Ari. Who, with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour, Supposing that they saw the king's ship wreck'd, Pros. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd: but there's more work. What is the time o' the day? Ari. Past the mid season. Pros. At least two glasses. 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. Pros. What is't thou canst demand? Ari. How now, moody! My liberty. Pros. Before the time be out? no more! |