85 And left me to a bootless inquisition, Concluding, Stay: not yet. Pro. The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember A time before we came unto this cell? 40 I do not think thou canst; for then thou wast not Out three years old. Mir. Certainly, Sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or person? Of any thing the image tell me that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Mir. 'Tis far off 45 And rather like a dream than an assurance That my remembrance warrants. Had I not Four or five women once, that tended me? Pro. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it, That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else 50 In the dark backward and abysm of time? If thou remember'st aught ere thou cam'st here, How thou cam'st here thou mayst. Mir. But that I do not. Pro. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since, Thy father was the Duke of Milan and 55 A prince of power. Mir. Sir, are not you my father? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan; thou his only heir, And princess; no worse issued. Mir. O, the heavens! 60 What foul play had we, that we came from thence? Or blessed was 't we did? 41 Out F, Quite Collier's Corr. Pope. 58 thou Steevens, and F A Pope. Pro. Both, both, my girl: 53 yere F (in both places), years (and thou Johnson). 59 And F, By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence, But blessedly holp hither. Mir. O, my heart bleeds To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to, 65 Which is from my remembrance! Please you, farther. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Antonio, I pray thee, mark me,-that a brother should Without a parallel; those being all my study, 75 The government I cast upon my brother, And to my state grew stranger, being transported Mir. Sir, most heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant suits, 80 How to deny them, who to advance, and who To trash for over-topping, new-created The creatures that were mine; I say, or changed 'em Or else new-form'd 'em: having both the key Of officer and office, set all hearts i̇' the state 85 To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was The ivy, which had hid my princely trunk, 90 And suck'd my verdure out on't.-Thou attend'st not. Pro. I pray thee, mark me.. rapt F, wrapt many Edd. 80 who (in both places) F, whom F2 and most Edd. 81 plash Hanmer cj. 84 The words i' the state should, perhaps, be omitted. 88 Oyes Capell cj. 89 dedicate Ritson cj., dedicated F. O'erpriz'd all popular rate, in my false brother Like a good parent, did beget of him 95 A. falsehood, in its contrary as great 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 - Mir. Your tale, Sir, would cure deafness. Pro. 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 110 Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties He thinks me now incapable: confederates (So dry he was for sway) wi' the King of Naples, To give him annual tribute, do him homage, Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend 115 The dukedom, yet unbow'd (alas, poor Milan!) To most ignoble stooping. Mir. O, the heavens! Pro. Mark his condition and the event; then tell me If this might be a brother. Mir. I should sin To think but nobly of my grandmother: 120 Good wombs have borne bad sons. Pro. Now the condition. We should probably follow 103 indeed the duke sq. Ambition growing Do'st thou 112 with King F, corr. by Capell. 100 into F., corr. by Warburton. Hanmer in reading who, loving an untruth. F, indeed om. Steevens. heare F, corr. by Steevens, 105 This King of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan, Fated to the purpose did Antonio open 130 The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, The ministers for the purpose hurried thence Me and thy crying self. Mir. Alack, for pity! I, not remembering how I cried out then, 135 That wrings mine eyes to 't. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business That hour destroy us? Mir. Wherefore did they not Pro. Well demanded, wench; 140 My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not With colours fairer painted their foul ends. 145 Bore us some leagues to sea, where they prepared Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Instinctively have quit it: there they hoist us, To cry to the sea that roar'd to us, to sigh 150 To the winds whose pity, sighing back again, Did us but loving wrong. 129 Mated Dryden. 144 a-boord F. 146 Butt F (see H. von Friesen, Shakspere-Studien, III. p. 536), boat Dryden. 148 have F, had Dryden. Mir. Alack! what trouble Was I then to you! Pro. O a cherubin Thou didst smile, Thou wast, that did preserve me! Infused with a fortitude from heaven, 155 When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt, Under my burthen groan'd; which rais'd in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up Against what should ensue. Mir. How came we ashore? Pro. By providence divine. 160 Some food we had, and some fresh water, that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity (who being then appointed Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, 165 Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me From mine own library with volumes that I prize above my dukedom. Mir. Would I might But ever see that man! Pro. Now I arise. [Resumes his mantle. 170 Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arriv'd, and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit Than other princess' can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. Mir. Heavens thank you for 't! And now I pray you, Sir (For still 'tis beating in my mind), your reason For raising this sea-storm? 175 Pro. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune 165 162 he being Steevens cj. steeded F. 156 burthen F, not burden. |