Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

But the main grief of all springs from the loss
Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

Lys. May we not see him, then?

Hel.

You may indeed, sir,

But bootless is your sight; he will not speak
To any.

Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish.

Hel. Behold him, sir: [Pericles discovered.] this was a goodly person,

Till the disaster, that, one mortal* night,
Drove him to this.

Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you!
Hail,

Hail, royal sir!

Hel. It is in vain; he will not speak to you.

1 Lord. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I durst

wager,

Would win some words of him.

Lys.

"Tis well bethought.

- She, questionless, with her sweet harmony
And other choice attractions, would allure,
And make a battery through his deafen'd partst,
Which now are midway stopp'd;

She, all as happy as of all the fairest,

Is, with her fellow maidens, now within

The leafy shelter that abuts against

The island's side.

[He whispers one of the attendant Lords.Exit Lord, in the barge of Lysimachus. Hel. Sure, all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit That bears recovery's name. But, since your kind

ness

We have stretch'd thus far, let us beseech you fur. ther,

That for our gold we may provision have,

Wherein we are not destitute for want,

But weary for the staleness.

Lys.

* Destructive.

O, sir, a courtesy,

ti. e. Ears.

Which if we should deny, the most just God
For every graff would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province.-Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king's sorrow.

Hel.

But see, I am prevented.

Sit, sir, I will recount it;—

Enter, from the barge, Lord, Marina, and a

[blocks in formation]

The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!
Is't not a goodly presence?

Hel.

A gallant lady.

Lys. She's such, that were I well assur'd she came

Of gentle kiud, and noble stock, I'd wish

No better choice, and think me rarely wed.
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect even here, where is a kingly patient:
If that thy prosperous-artificial feat

Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physick shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.

Mar.

Sir, I will use

My utmost skill in his recovery,

Provided none but I and my companion
Be suffer'd to come near hini.

Lys.

And the gods make her prosperous! [Marina sings.

Lys.

Come, let us leave her,

Mark'd he your musick?

See, she will speak to him.

Mar. No, nor look'd on us,

Lys.

Mar. Hail, sir! my lord, lend ear:-
Per. Hum! ha!

[blocks in formation]

My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,

But have been gaz'd on, comet-like: she speaks
My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.

Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors

Who stood equivalent with mighty kings:
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and aukward casualties
Bound me in servitude.-I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, Go not till he speak.
[Aside.

Per. My fortunes-parentage-good parentageTo equal mine;-was it not thus? what say you? Mar. I said, my lord, if you did know my parent.

age,

You would not do me violence.

I

Per.

I do think so.

pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.You are like something that-What country woman? Here of these shores?

Mar.

No, nor of any shores:

Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am

No other than I appear.

Per. I am great with woe, and shall deliver weep.

ing.

My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one My daughter might have been: my queen's square

brows;

Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight;

As silver-voic'd; her eyes as jewel-like,

And cas'd as richly in pace another Juno;

Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them

hungry,

The more she gives them speech.-Where do you live?

Mar. Where I am but a stranger; from the deck You may discern the place.

Per.

Where were you bred!

And how achiev'd you these endowments, which
You make more rich to owe* ?

• Possess.

Mar.

Should I tell my history,

'Twould seem like lies disdain'd in the reporting.

Per. Pr'ythee speak;

Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace

For the crown'd truth to dweil ia: I'll believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation,

To poiuts that seem impossible; for thou look'st
Like one I lov'd indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back,
(Which was when I perceiv'd thee), that thou cam'st
From good descending?

Mar.

So indeed I did.

Per. Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury,

And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal

mine,

If both were open'd.

Mar.

Some such thing indeed

I said, and said no more but what my thoughts
Did warrant me was likely.

Per.

Tell thy story;

If thiue consider'd prove the thousandth part
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I

Have suffer'd like a girl: yet thou dost look

Like Patience, gazing on kings' graves, and smiling
Extremity out of act. What were thy friends?
How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind vir-

gin?

Recount, I do beseech thee; come, sit by me.

Mar. My name, sir, is Marina.

Per.

O, I am mock'd,

And thou by some incensed god sent hither

To make the world laugh at me.

Mar.

Or here I'll cease.

Per.

Patience, good sir,

Nay, I'll be patient:

Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,

To call thyself Marina.

Ματ.

The name Marina,

Was given me by one that had some power;

My father, and a king.

Per.

And call'd Marina?

Mar.

How! a king's daughter?

But, not to be a troubler of your peace,

I will end here.

Per.

You said you would believe me;

But are you flesh and blood?

Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?
No motion?-Well; speak on. Where were you

[blocks in formation]

Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Who died the very minute I was boru,

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft

Deliver'd weeping.

Per.

O, stop there a little!

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be.

My daughter's buried. [4side.] Well:-where were you bred?

I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,

And never interrupt you.

Mar. You'll scarce believe me; 'twere best I did give o'er.

Per. I will believe you by the syllable

Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave:-
How came you in these parts? where were you bred?
Mur. The king, my father, did in Tharsus leave me;
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,

Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd
A villain to attempt it, who having drawn,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me;
Brought me to Mitylene. But now, good sir,

i. e. No puppet dress'd up to deceive me.

« ZurückWeiter »