He thinks me now incapable: confederates (So dry he was for sway) with the king of Naples, To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend The dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan !) Mira. O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me, If this might be a brother. Mira. I should sin To think but 10 nobly of my grandmother : Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint, That wrings mine eyes. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which, this story My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not; (So dear the love my people bore me) nor set A mark so bloody on the business; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few, they hurried us aboard a bark; Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Mira. Was I then to you! Pro. Alack! what trouble O! a cherubim Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea " with drops full salt; Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up Against what should ensue. Mira. How came we ashore? Pro. By Providence divine. Some food we had, and some fresh water, that Out of his charity, (who being then appointed Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much: so, of his gentle ness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, From my own library, with volumes that I prize above my dukedom. Mira. But ever see that man! Pro. 'Would I might Now I arise: Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arrived; and here Have I, thy school-master, made thee more profit For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful. Mira. Heavens thank you for 't! And now, I pray you, sir, (For still 'tis beating in my mind) your reason For raising this sea-storm? Pro. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful fortune, VOL. I. Will ever after droop.-Here cease more questions; Thou art inclin'd to sleep; 'tis a good dulness, And give it way;-I know thou can'st not choose. [Miranda sleeps. Come away, servant, come: I am ready now; Approach, my Ariel; come. Enter ARIEL. Ari. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be 't to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding, task Pro. Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee? I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, cursors O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary Pro. My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil Would not infect his reason? Ari. Not a soul But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd Some tricks of desperation: All, but mariners, Plung'd in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel, Then all a-fire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand, With hair up-staring (then like reeds, not hair) Was the first man that leap'd; cried, Hell is empty, And all the devils are here. On their sustaining garments not a blemish, But fresher than before: and, as thou bad'st me, In an odd angle of the isle, and sitting, Pro. The mariners, say, how thou hast dispos'd, And all the rest o' the fleet? Ari. Of the king's ship, Safely in harbour Is the king's ship; in deep nook, where once Thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew From the still-vex'd Bermoothes 12, there she's hid: The mariners all under hatches stow'd; Whom, with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour |