And that you will some good instruction give
How I may bear me here: my prime request,
Which I do last pronounce, is, O you wonder!
If you be maid or no?

MIR.

But certainly a maid.

FER.

No wonder, sir;

My language! heavens!

I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where 'tis spoken.

How? the best?

PROS. What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee? FER. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me ; And that he does I weep: myself am Naples, Who with mine eyes, never since at ebb, beheld The king my father wreck'd.

MIR.

Alack, for mercy!

FER. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the Duke of And his brave son being twain.

PROS.

[Milan

[Aside] The Duke of Milan And his more braver daughter could control thee,

If now 'twere fit to do't.

They have changed eyes.

At the first sight

Delicate Ariel,

I'll set thee free for this. [TO FER.] A word, good sir;
I fear you have done yourself some wrong: a word.
MIR. Why speaks my father so ungently? This
Is the third man that e'er I saw, the first

That e'er I sigh'd for: pity move my father
To be inclined my way!

FER.

O, if a virgin,

And

your affection not gone forth, I'll make you The queen of Naples.

PROS.

Soft, sir! one word more.

[Aside] They are both in either's powers; but this swift business

I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light. [To FER.] One word more ;
I charge thee

That thou attend me: thou dost here usurp

The name thou owest not; and hast put thyself Upon this island as a spy, to win it

From me, the lord on 't.

FER.

No, as I am a man.

[temple:

MIR. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with 't.

PROS.

Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.

Follow me.

I'll manacle thy neck and feet together:

Come ;

Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be
The fresh-brook muscles, wither'd roots and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow.

FER.

I will resist such entertainment till

Mine enemy has more power.

MIR.

No;

[Draws, and is charmed from moving.

O dear father,

Make not too rash a trial of him, for

He's gentle and not fearful.

PROS.

What? I say,

My foot

my tutor? Put thy sword up, traitor; Who makest a show but darest not strike, thy

conscience

Is so possess'd with guilt: come from thy ward, For I can here disarm thee with this stick

And make thy weapon drop.

MIR.

PROS. Hence! hang not on my garments.

MIR.

I'll be his surety.

PROS.

Beseech you, father.

Sir, have pity;

Silence! one word more

Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What! An advocate for an impostor! hush!

Thou think'st there is no more such shapes as he, Having seen but him and Caliban: foolish wench! To the most of men this is a Caliban

And they to him are angels.

MIR.

My affections

Are then most humble; I have no ambition

To see a goodlier man.

PROS.

Come on; obey:

Thy nerves are in their infancy again

And have no vigour in them.

FER.

So they are;

My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.
My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,
The wreck of all my friends, nor this man's threats,
To whom I am subdued, are but light to me,
Might I but through my prison once a day
Behold this maid: all corners else o' the earth

Let liberty make use of; space enough
Have I in such a prison.

PROS. [Aside] It works. [To FER.] Come on. Thou hast done well, fine Ariel! [To FER.] Follow

me.

[TO ARI.] Hark what thou else shalt do me.

MIR.

My father's of a better nature, sir,

Be of comfort;

Than he appears by speech: this is unwonted

Which now came from him.

PROS.

Thou shalt be as free

As mountain winds: but then exactly do
All points of my command.

ARI.

To the syllable.

PROS. Come, follow. Speak not for him. [Exeunt.

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

Another part of the island.

Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO,
ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and others.

GON. Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause, So have we all, of joy; for our escape

Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
Is common; every day some sailor's wife,

The masters of some merchant and the merchant
Have just our theme of woe; but for the miracle

I mean our preservation, few in millions

Can speak like us: then wisely, good sir, weigh Our sorrow with our comfort.

ALON.

Prithee, peace.

SEB. He receives comfort like cold porridge.
ANT. The visitor will not give him o'er so.

SEB. Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike.

GON. Sir,

SEB. One: tell.

GON. When every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd, Comes to the entertainer

SEB. A dollar.

GON. Dolour comes to him, indeed: you have spoken truer than you purposed.

SEB. You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should.

GON. Therefore, my lord,

ANT. Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue! ALON. I prithee, spare.

GON. Well, I have done: but yet,—

SEB. He will be talking.

ANT. Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager,

first begins to crow?

SEB. The old cock.

ANT. The cockerel.

SEB. Done. The wager?

ANT. A laughter.

SEB. A match!

ADR. Though this island seem to be desert,—