ANTONIO

Nay, good my lord, be not angry.

GONZALO

No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?

Go sleep, and hear us.

ANTONIO

[All sleep except ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, and ANTONIO.

ALONSO

What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes

Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I find
They are inclin'd to do so.

Nor I; my spirits are nimble.

They fell together all, as by consent;

They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke.

What might,

Worthy Sebastian ?—Oh, what might ?-No more :

And yet methinks I see it in thy face,

What thou shouldst be: the occasion speaks thee; and
My strong imagination sees a crown
Dropping upon thy head.

It is a sleepy language, and thou speak'st

Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
This is a strange repose, to be asleep

With eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving,
And yet so fast asleep.

ANTONIO

Noble Sebastian,

Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die, rather; wink'st

Whiles thou art waking.

SEBASTIAN

Thou dost snore distinctly;

There's meaning in thy snores.

ANTONIO

you

I am more serious than my custom

Must be so too, if heed me; which to do

Trebles thee o'er.

SEBASTIAN

Well, I am standing water.

ANTONIO

I'll teach you how to flow.

SEBASTIAN

Do so to ebb

Hereditary sloth instructs me.

ANTONIO

Oh,

If you but knew how you the purpose cherish

Whiles thus you mock it! how, in stripping it,
You more invest it! Ebbing men, indeed,

Most often do so near the bottom run

By their own fear or sloth.

SEBASTIAN

Prithee, say on:

The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed,
Which throes thee much to yield.

ANTONIO

Thus, sir.

Although this lord of weak remembrance, this,
Who shall be of as little memory

When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuaded,

(For he's a spirit of persuasion, only

Professes to persuade) the king his son 's alive, "Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd

As he that sleeps here swims.

SEBASTIAN

That he's undrown'd.

I have no hope

ANTONIO

Oh, out of that "no hope

What great hope have you! no hope that way is

Another way so high a hope that even

Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,

But doubt discovery there. Will
Will you grant with me
That Ferdinand is drown'd ?

SEBASTIAN

He's gone.

ANTONIO

Then, tell me,

Who's the next heir of Naples?

SEBASTIAN

Claribel.

ANTONIO

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.

SEBASTIAN

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.

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 seiz'd them; why, they were no worse
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. Oh, that you bore
The mind that I do! what a sleep were this

For

your advancement! Do you understand me?