Prosp. Thy mother was all virtue, and she said Thou wast my daughter, and thy sister too. Mir. O heavens! what foul play had we, that We hither came? or was't a blessing that we did? Prosp. Both, both, my girl. Mir. But, sir, I pray, proceed. Prosp. My brother, and thy uncle, called Antonio, To whom I trusted then the manage of my state, While I was wrapped with secret studies,-that false uncle, Having attained the craft of granting suits, Prosp. I thus neglecting worldly ends, and bent To closeness, and the bettering of my mind, Waked in my false brother an evil nature: He did believe He was indeed the duke, because he then Did execute the outward face of sovereignty- Mir. Your story would cure deafness. Needs would be absolute in Milan, and confeder ate With Savoy's duke, to give him tribute, and To do him homage. Mir. False man! Prosp. This duke of Savoy, being an enemy To me inveterate, strait grants my brother's suit; And on a night, mated to his design, Antonio opened the gates of Milan, and Mir. But wherefore did they not that hour destroy us? Prosp. They durst not, girl, in Milan, for the love My people bore me; in short, they hurried us Away to Savoy, and thence aboard a bark at Nissa's port, Bore us some leagues to sea, where they prepared Instinctively had quit it. Mir. Alack! what trouble Was I then to you? Prosp. Thou and thy sister were Two cherubim, which did preserve me: You both Some food we had, and some fresh water, which Gave us; with rich garments, and all necessaries, Which since have steaded much: And of his gentleness (Knowing I loved my books) he furnished me, From mine own library, with volumes, which I prize above my dukedom. Mir. Would I might see that man! Prosp. Here in this island we arrived, and here Have I your tutor been. But by my skill I find, that my mid-heaven doth depend On a most happy star, whose influence If I now court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop: Here cease more questions; Thou art inclined to sleep: 'Tis a good dulness, And give it way; I know thou can'st not chuse. [She falls asleep. Come away, my spirit: I am ready now; approach, My Ariel, come. Enter ARIEL. Ariel. All hail, great master, grave Sir, hail! I come to answer thy best pleasure, Be it to fly, to swim, to shoot into the fire, To ride into the curled clouds; to thy strong bidding Task Ariel, and all his qualities. Prosp. Hast thou, spirit, performed to point The tempest, that I bade thee? Ariel. To every article. I boarded the duke's ship; now on the beak, Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil Ariel. Not a soul, But felt a fever of the mind, and played But mariners, plunged in the foaming brine, Prosp. Why, that's my spirit!— But, was not this nigh shore? Ariel. Close by, my master. Ariel. Not a hair perished. In troops I have dispersed them round this isle: Whom I have left warming the air with sighs, Prosp. Say how thou hast disposed the mariners Of the duke's ship, and all the rest o'the fleet? Ariel. Safely in harbour Is the duke's ship; in the deep nook, where once Thou called'st me up, at midnight, to fetch dew From the still vexed Bermoothes, there she's hid; The mariners all under hatches stowed; Whom, with a charm, joined to their suffered labour, I have left asleep: And for the rest o'the fleet, Supposing that they saw the duke's ship wrecked, Prosp. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is performed: But there's more work ;- The time 'tween six and now must by us both Ariel. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, let me remember Thee what thou hast promised, which is not yet Performed me. Prosp. How now, moody! What is't thou canst demand? Ariel. My liberty. Prosp. Before the time be out?-no more! Remember I have done thee faithful service; Thou didst promise to bate me a full year. From what a torment I did free thee? Ariel. No. Prosp. Thou dost; and think'st it much to tread the ooze Of the salt deep; To run against the sharp wind of the north; Ariel. I do not, sir. Prosp. Thou liest, malignant thing!-Hast thou forgot The foul witch Sycorax, who, with age and envy, Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her? Ariel. No, sir. Prosp. Thou hast! Where was she born? Speak, tell me. Ariel. Sir, in Argier. Prosp. Oh, was she so!-I must, Once every month, recount what thou hast been, Which thou forgettest. This damned witch Syco rax, For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries Too terrible to enter human hearing, From Argier, thou know'st, was banished: But, for one thing she did, They would not take her life.-Is not this true? Prosp. This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child, And here was left by the sailors: Thou, my slave, |