Boats. Work you, then. Ant. Hang, cur, hang! you whoreson, insolent noise-maker, we are less afraid to be drowned than thou art. Gon. I'll warrant him from drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nut-shell, and as leaky as an unstaunched* wench. Boats. Lay her a-hold, a-hold; set her two courses; off to sea again, lay her off. Enter Mariners, wet. Mar. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost! [Exeunt. Boats. What, must our mouths be cold? sist them, For our case is as theirs. Seb. I am out of patience. Ant. We are merelyt cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chapped rascal;-'Would, thou might'st lie drowning, The washing of ten tides! Gon. He'll be hanged yet; Though every drop of water swear against it, And gape at wid'st to glut him. [A confused noise within.] Mercy on us!-We split, we split!-Farewell, my wife and children!-Fare well, brother!-We split, we split, we split. Ant. Let's all sink with the king. Seb. Let's take leave of him. [Exit. [Exit. Gon. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for au acre of barren ground; long heath, brown furze, any thing: the wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exit. • Incontinent. + Absolutely. SCENE II. The island: before the cell of Prospero. Enter Prospero and Miranda. Mira. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them: The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, With those that I saw suffer! a brave vessel, Have sunk the sea within the earth, or e'er* It should the good ship so have swallow'd, and Pro. Be collected; No more amazement: tell your piteous heart, Mira. Pro. O, woe the day! No harm. I have done nothing but in care of thee, (Of thee, my dear one! thee, my daughter!) who Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing Of whence I am; nor that I am more better Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell, Mira. More to know 'Tis time Did never meddle with my thoughts. Pro. I should inform thee further. Lend thy hand, And pluck my magic garment from me.-So; [Lays down his mantle. • Before. Lie there my art.-Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort. The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch'd Betid to any creature in the vessel Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink. Sit down; For thou must now know further. You have often Mira. Pro. The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; Obey, and be attentive. Can'st thou remember I do not think thou can'st; for then thou wast not Mira. Certainly, sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or person? Of any thing the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Miru. "Tis far off; And rather like a dream than an assurance Pro. Thou had'st, and more, Miranda: but how is it, That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysmt of time? If thou remember'st aught, ere thou cam'st here, How thou cam'st here, thou may'st. 1 The duke of Milan, and a prince of power. Mira. Sir, are not you my father? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was duke of Milan; and his only heir A princess;-no worse issued. Mira. O, the heavens! What foul play had we, that we came from thence? Pro. Both, both, my girl: By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence; Mira. O, my heart bleeds Without a parallel; those being all my study, And to my state grew stranger, being transported, Mira. Sir, most heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant suits, How to deny them; whom to advance, and whom To trasht for over-topping; new created The creatures that were mine; I say, or chang'd them, Of officer and office, set all hearts To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was, And suck'd my verdure out on't.-Thou attend'st not: I pray thee, mark me. Mira. O good sir, I do. Pro. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicate To closeness, and the bettering of my mind With that, which, but by being so retir'd, O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother, Awak'd an evil nature: and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood, in its contrary as great As my trust was; which had, indeed, no limit, Made such a sinner of his memory, To credit his own lie,-he did believe Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd, And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Mira. O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then |