Trin. This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of Nobody. Ste. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list. Trin. O, forgive me my sins! Ste. He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee. Mercy upon us! Cal. Art thou afeard? Ste. No, monster, not I. Cal. Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices, Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming, I cried to dream again. Ste. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing. Cal. When Prospero is destroyed. Ste. That shall be by and by: I remember the story. Trin. The sound is going away; let's follow it, and after do our work. Ste. Lead, monster; we'll follow. this taborer! he lays it on. Wilt come? Trin. I'll follow, Stephano. I would I could see [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another part of the island. Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADrian, FranCISCO, and others. Gon. By'r lakin, I can go no further, sir; Through forth-rights and meanders! by your patience, Alon. Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with weariness, To the dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest. Ant. [aside to Seb.] I am right glad that he's so out of hope. Do not, for one repulse, forgo the purpose That you resolv'd t' effect. Seb. [aside to Ant.] The next advantage Ant. [aside to Seb.] Let it be to-night; Seb. [aside to Ant.] I say, to-night: no more. [Solemn and strange music. My good friends, hark! Enter PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter, below, several strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet: they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the King, &c. to eat, they depart. Alon. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these? Seb. A living drollery. Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix' throne; one phoenix At this hour reigning there. Ant. I'll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, Gon. If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? For, certes, these are people of the island, Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any. Pros. [aside] Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there present Alon. I cannot too much muse - a kind Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing — Pros. [aside] Praise in departing. Fran. They vanish'd strangely. No matter, since Seb. Alon. Not I. Gon. Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys, Who would believe that there were mountaineers Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at 'em Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find Alon. I will stand to, and feed, Although my last: no matter, since I feel The best is past. - Brother, my lord the duke, Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes. Ari. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, That hath to instrument this lower world And what is in't, the never-surfeited sea Hath caus'd to belch up you; and on this island, Where man doth not inhabit, you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I've made you mad; And even with such-like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves. [Alon., Seb., &c. draw their swords. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate: the elements, Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well One dowle that's in my plume: my fellow-ministers Can be at once any death shall step by step attend You and your ways; whose wrath to guard you from, Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls 's-sorrow Upon your heads, is nothing but heart's --- And a clear life ensuing. He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mocks and table. mows, and carry out the Pros. [aside] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life, And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done. My high charms work, In their distractions: they now are in my power; Young Ferdinand, - whom they suppose is drown'd, And his and mine lov'd darling. [Exit above, Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you In this strange stare? Alon. Seb. I'll fight their legions o'er. Ant. [Exit. But one fiend at a time, I'll be thy second. [Exeunt Seb. and Ant. Gon. All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you, That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly, May now provoke them to. Adr. Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. Before PROSPERO's cell. Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA. |