The sun will set before I shall discharge

What I must strive to do.

Mir.

If you'll sit down,

I'll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;
I'll carry 't to the pile.

Fer.

No, precious creature;
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

Mir.

It would become me

As well as it does you: and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours 'tis 'gainst.

Pros. [aside]

Poor worm, thou art infected!

This visitation shows it.

Mir.

You look wearily.

Fer. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me When you are by at night. I do beseech you, Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,

What is your name?

I've ey'd with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I lik'd several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best!

One of my sex; no woman's face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen

More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I'm skilless of; but, by my modesty, -

-

The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you;
Nor can imagination form a shape,

Besides yourself, to like of.

But I prattle Something too wildly, and my father's precepts I therein do forget.

Fer.

I am,

in my condition,

A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king,

I would not so! and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to suffer tamely

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:
The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service; there resides,

To make me slave to it; and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.

Mir.

Do you love me?

Fer. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,

And crown what I profess with kind event,

If I speak true! if hollowly, invert

What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i' the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

Mir.

I am a fool

To weep at what I'm glad of.

Pros. [aside]

Fair encounter

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between 'em!

Fer.

Wherefore weep you?

Mir. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give; and much less take
What I shall die to want. But this is trifling:
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,

The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!

I am your wife, if you will marry me;
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Fer.

And I thus humble ever.

Mir.

My mistress, dearest;

My husband, then?

Fer. Ay, with a heart as willing

As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

Mir. And mine, with my heart in't: and now farewell Till half an hour hence.

Fer.

A thousand thousand!

[Exeunt Fer. and Mir. severally.

Pros. So glad of this as they I cannot be, Who are surpris'd withal; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform Much business appertaining.

SCENE II. Another part of the island.

[Exit.

Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, with a bottle. Ste. Tell not me; - when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em. - Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trin. Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if th' other two be brained like us, the state totters.

Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost set in thy head. [Caliban drinks. Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

Ste. My man-monster bath drowned his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues off and on, by this light. Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

Trin.

Ste. We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.

Trin.

Nor go neither: but you'll lie, like dogs; and yet say nothing neither.

Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

Cal. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

Trin. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? 1 Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish and half a monster?

Cal. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord? Trin. "Lord," quoth he! - that a monster should be such a natural!

Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.

Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a mutineer, the next tree! The poor monster's my

subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd

To hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?

Ste. Marry, will I: kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invisible.

Cal. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island. Ari. Thou liest.

Cal.

Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou:

I would my valiant master would destroy thee!

I do not lie.

Ste. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in 's tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin. Why, I said nothing.

[To Caliban] Proceed.

Ste. Mum, then, and no more.
Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will

Revenge it on him,

for I know thou dar'st,

But this thing dare not,

Ste. That's most certain.

Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

Ste. How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party?

Cal. Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

Ari. Thou liest; thou canst not.
Cal. What a pied ninny's this!

- Thou scurvy patch!

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,

And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink naught but brine; for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.

Ste. Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go further off.

Ste. Didst thou not say he lied?

Ste. Do I so? take thou that [Strikes Trin.]. As you like this, give me the lie another time.

Trin. I did not give thee the lie.

Out o' your wits, and hearing too?—A pox o' your bottle! this can sack and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!

Cal. Ha, ha, ha!

Ste. Now, forward with your tale.-Prithee, 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 I' th' afternoon to sleep: then thou mayst brain him, Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log

Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,