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Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

Ant.

Who's the next heir of Naples?

Claribel.

She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from
Naples

Can have no note, unless the sun were post-
The man the moon's too slow-till new-born
chins

Be rough and razorable; she that-from whom?
We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast

again,

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And by that destiny to perform an act

Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.

251

What stuff is this! how say you?
'Tis true, my brother's daughter 's queen of Tunis ;
So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions
There is some space.

A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, "How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake." Say, this were death
That now hath seized them; why, they were no

worse

261

Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate
As amply and unnecessarily

As this Gonzalo; I myself could make

A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
The mind that I do! what a sleep were this
For your advancement! Do you understand me?
Methinks I do,

And how does your content

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

Tender your own good fortune?

I remember 270

You did supplant your brother Prospero.

True:

And look how well my garments sit upon me;
Much feater than before: my brother's servants
Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
But, for your conscience?

Ant. Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe,
'Twould put me to my slipper: but I feel not
This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they
And melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
No better than the earth he lies upon,

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

281

If he were that which now he 's like, that's dead;
Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put

This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course.

For all the rest,

They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
They'll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.

Thy case, dear friend, 290
Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st Milan,
I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest:
And I the king shall love thee.

And when I rear my hand, do
To fall it on Gonzalo.

Draw together;

you

the like,

O, but one word. [They talk apart.

Ari.

Re-enter Ariel, invisible.

My master through his art foresees the danger
That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth-
For else his project dies-to keep them living.
[Sings in Gonzalo's ear.

While you here do snoring lie,
Open-eyed conspiracy

His time doth take.

If of life you keep a care,

Shake off slumber, and beware :
Awake, awake!

300

Ant.

Then let us both be sudden.

Gon.

Now, good angels

[They wake.

Why are you

Preserve the king.

Alon. Why, how now? ho, awake!

Gon.

Seb.

Alon.
Ant.

Alon.

Gon.

drawn?

Wherefore this ghastly looking?

What's the matter?
Whiles we stood here securing your repose, 310
Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
Like bulls, or rather lions: did 't not wake you?
It struck mine ear most terribly.

I heard nothing.
O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,
To make an earthquake! sure, it was the roar
Of a whole herd of lions.

Heard you this, Gonzalo?
Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open'd,
I saw their weapons drawn there was a noise, 320

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