The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 495

FERDINAND. There be some sports are painful, and their labour Delight in them sets off; some kinds of baseness Are n.o.bly undergone, and most poor matters Point to rich ends. This my mean task Would be as heavy to me as odious, but The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead, And makes my labours pleasures. O, she is Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed; And he's compos'd of harshness. I must remove Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up, Upon a sore injunction; my sweet mistress Weeps when she sees me work, and says such baseness Had never like executor. I forget; But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours, Most busy, least when I do it.

Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance, unseen

MIRANDA. Alas, now; pray you, Work not so hard; I would the lightning had Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile.

Pray, set it down and rest you; when this burns, 'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself; He's safe for these three hours.

FERDINAND. O most dear mistress, The sun will set before I shall discharge What I must strive to do.

MIRANDA. If you'll sit down, I'll bear your logs the while; pray give me that; I'll carry it to the pile.

FERDINAND. No, precious creature; I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Than you should such dishonour undergo, While I sit lazy by.

MIRANDA. It would become me As well as it does you; and I should do it With much more ease; for my good will is to it, And yours it is against.

PROSPERO. [Aside] Poor worm, thou art infected!

This visitation shows it.

MIRANDA. You look wearily.

FERDINAND. No, n.o.ble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me When you are by at night. I do beseech you, Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers, What is your name?

MIRANDA. Miranda-O my father, I have broke your hest to say so!

FERDINAND. Admir'd Miranda!

What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time Th' harmony of their tongues hath into bondage Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues Have I lik'd several women, never any With so full soul, but some defect in her Did quarrel with the n.o.blest grace she ow'd, And put it to the foil; but you, O you, So perfect and so peerless, are created Of every creature's best!

MIRANDA. I do not know One of my s.e.x; no woman's face remember, Save, from my gla.s.s, mine own; nor have I seen More that I may call men than you, good friend, And my dear father. How features are abroad, I am skilless of; but, by my modesty, The jewel in my dower, I would not wish Any companion in the world but you; Nor can imagination form a shape, Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle Something too wildly, and my father's precepts I therein do forget.

FERDINAND. I am, in my condition, A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king- I would not so!-and would no more endure This wooden slavery than to suffer The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak: The very instant that I saw you, did My heart fly to your service; there resides To make me slave to it; and for your sake Am I this patient log-man.

MIRANDA. Do you love me?

FERDINAND. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound, And crown what I profess with kind event, If I speak true! If hollowly, invert What best is boded me to mischief! I, Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world, Do love, prize, honour you.

MIRANDA. I am a fool To weep at what I am glad of.

PROSPERO. [Aside] Fair encounter Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace On that which breeds between 'em!

FERDINAND. Wherefore weep you?

MIRANDA. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give, and much less take What I shall die to want. But this is trifling; And all the more it seeks to hide itself, The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!

And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!

I am your wife, if you will marry me; If not, I'll die your maid. To be your fellow You may deny me; but I'll be your servant, Whether you will or no.

FERDINAND. My mistress, dearest; And I thus humble ever.

MIRANDA. My husband, then?

FERDINAND. Ay, with a heart as willing As bondage e'er of freedom. Here's my hand.

MIRANDA. And mine, with my heart in't. And now farewell Till half an hour hence.

FERDINAND. A thousand thousand!

Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally PROSPERO. So glad of this as they I cannot be, Who are surpris'd withal; but my rejoicing At nothing can be more. I'll to my book; For yet ere supper time must I perform Much business appertaining. Exit

SCENE 2

Another part of the island

Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO

STEPHANO. Tell not me-when the b.u.t.t is out we will drink water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board 'em. Servant-monster, drink to me.

TRINCULO. Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if th' other two be brain'd like us, the state totters.

STEPHANO. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

TRINCULO. Where should they be set else? He were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

STEPHANO. My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in sack. For my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the sh.o.r.e, five and thirty leagues, off and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.

TRINCULO. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

STEPHANO. We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.

TRINCULO. Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.

STEPHANO. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

CALIBAN. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.

I'll not serve him; he is not valiant.

TRINCULO. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou debosh'd fish, thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half fish and half a monster?

CALIBAN. Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my lord?

TRINCULO. 'Lord' quoth he! That a monster should be such a natural!

CALIBAN. Lo, lo again! Bite him to death, I prithee.

STEPHANO. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if you prove a mutineer-the next tree! The poor monster's my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

CALIBAN. I thank my n.o.ble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?

STEPHANO. Marry will I; kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invisible

CALIBAN. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

ARIEL. Thou liest.

CALIBAN. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou; I would my valiant master would destroy thee.

I do not lie.

STEPHANO. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

TRINCULO. Why, I said nothing.

STEPHANO. Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.

CALIBAN. I say, by sorcery he got this isle; From me he got it. If thy greatness will Revenge it on him-for I know thou dar'st, But this thing dare not- STEPHANO. That's most certain.

CALIBAN. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

STEPHANO. How now shall this be compa.s.s'd? Canst thou bring me to the party?

CALIBAN. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep, Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

ARIEL. Thou liest; thou canst not.

CALIBAN. What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows, And take his bottle from him. When that's gone He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him Where the quick freshes are.

STEPHANO. Trinculo, run into no further danger; interrupt the monster one word further and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

TRINCULO. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther off.

STEPHANO. Didst thou not say he lied?

ARIEL. Thou liest.

STEPHANO. Do I so? Take thou that. [Beats him] As you like this, give me the lie another time.

TRINCULO. I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits and hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! This can sack and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!

CALIBAN. Ha, ha, ha!

STEPHANO. Now, forward with your tale.-Prithee stand further off.

CALIBAN. Beat him enough; after a little time, I'll beat him too.

STEPHANO. Stand farther. Come, proceed.

CALIBAN. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him I' th' afternoon to sleep; there thou mayst brain him, Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake, Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember First to possess his books; for without them He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not One spirit to command; they all do hate him As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.

He has brave utensils-for so he calls them- Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.

And that most deeply to consider is The beauty of his daughter; he himself Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman But only Sycorax my dam and she; But she as far surpa.s.seth Sycorax As great'st does least.

STEPHANO. Is it so brave a la.s.s?

CALIBAN. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood.

STEPHANO. Monster, I will kill this man; his daughter and I will be King and Queen-save our Graces!-and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?

TRINCULO. Excellent.

STEPHANO. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee; but while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.

CALIBAN. Within this half hour will he be asleep.

Wilt thou destroy him then?

STEPHANO. Ay, on mine honour.