But blessedly holp hither. MIR. O, my heart bleeds Be so perfidious!—he whom next thyself Without a parallel; those being all my study, And to my state grew stranger, being transported MIR. Sir, most heedfully. PROS. Being once perfected how to grant suits, The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed 'em, And suck'd my verdure out on 't. Thou attend'st not. MIR. O, good sir, I do. PROS. I pray thee, mark me. I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated Like a good parent, did beget of him 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 He was indeed the duke; out o' the substitution, And executing the outward face of royalty, With all prerogative: hence his ambition growing— Dost thou hear? MIR. 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 He thinks me now incapable; confederatesSo 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 The dukedom yet unbow'd-alas, poor Milan !To most ignoble stooping. MIR. O the heavens ! PROS. 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 : PROS. Now the condition. This King of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Of homage and I know not how much tribute, The gates of Milan, and, i' the dead of darkness, MIR. Alack, for pity! I, not remembering how I cried out then, cry it o'er again: it is a hint 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, Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats To Instinctively had quit it: there they hoist us, to the sea that roar'd to us, to sigh To the winds whose pity, sighing back again, cry 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 burthen groan'd; which raised in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up 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, 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, Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd me From mine own library with volumes that MIR. But ever see that man! PROS. Would I might Now I arise: [Resumes his mantle. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit MIR. Heavens thank you for 't! And now, I pray you, sir, For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason PROS. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune, A most auspicious star, whose influence Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions: Enter ARIEL. ARI. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, |