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Mir. Then let heaven punish him.

Prosp. It will, by me.

Mir. Grant him, at least, some respite for my

sake.

Prosp. I, by deferring justice, should incense The deity against myself and

you.

Mir. Yet I have heard you say, the powers above Are slow in punishing; and should not you Resemble them?

Prosp. The argument is weak.

But I want time to let you see your errors;
Retire, and, if you love him, pray for him.

[He's going. Mir. And can you be his judge and executioner? Prosp. I cannot force Gonzalo or my brother, Much less the father to destroy the son;

It must be then the monster Caliban,

And he's not here; but Ariel strait shall fetch him.

Enter ARIEL.

Ariel. My potent lord, before thou callest I

come,

To serve thy will.

Prosp. Then, spirit, fetch me here my savage slave.

Ariel. My lord, it does not need.

Prosp. Art thou then prone to mischief, wilt

thou be

Thyself the executioner?

Ariel. Think better of thy airy minister, Who, for thy sake, unbidden, this night has flown O'er almost all the habitable world.

Prosp. But to what purpose was all thy diligence? Ariel. When I was chidden by my mighty lord, For my neglect of young Hippolito,

I went to view his body, and soon found
His soul was but retired, not sallied out :

Then I collected

The best of simples underneath the moon,
The best of balms, and to the wound applied
The healing juice of vulnerary herbs.

His only danger was his loss of blood,

But now he's waked, my lord, and just this hour He must be dressed again, as I have done it. Anoint the sword which pierced him with this weapon-salve, and wrap it close from air, till I have time to visit him again.

Prosp. Thou art my faithful servant;

It shall be done: be it your task, Miranda,
Because your sister is not present here;
While I go visit your dear Ferdinand,

From whom I will a while conceal the news,
That it may be more welcome.

Mir. I obey you,

And with a double duty, sir: For now,

You twice have given me life.

Prosp. My Ariel, follow me.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt severally.

HIPPOLITO discovered on a couch, DORINDA by him.

Dor. How do you find yourself?

Hip. I'm somewhat cold;

Can you not draw me nearer to the sun?

I am too weak to walk.

Dor. My love, I'll try.

[She draws the chair nearer to the audience.

I thought you never would have walked again;

They told me you were gone to heaven;

Have you been there?

Hip. I know not where I was.

Dor. I will not leave you, till you promise me,

You will not die again.

Hip. Indeed, I will not.

Dor. You must not go to heaven, unless we go

Together; for I have heard my father say,
That we must strive to be each other's guide,
The way to it will else be difficult,

Especially to those who are so young;

But I much wonder what it is to die.

Hip. Sure 'tis to dream, a kind of breathless sleep, When once the soul's gone out.

Dor. What is the soul?

Hip. A small blue thing, that runs about within

us.

Dor. Then I have seen it in a frosty morning, Run smoaking from my mouth.

Hip. But, dear Dorinda,

What is become of him who fought with me?
Dor. O! I can tell you joyful news of him;
My father means to make him die to-day,
For what he did to you.

Hip. That must not be,

My dear Dorinda; go, and beg your father,
He may not die; it was my fault he hurt me,
I urged him to it first.

Dor. But if he live, he'll never leave killing you. Hip. O no! I just remember when I fell asleep, I heard him calling me a great way off,

And crying over me as you would do ;
Besides, we have no cause of quarrel now.

Dor. Pray, how began your difference first?
Hip. I fought with him, for all the women in
the world.

Dor. That hurt you had, was justly sent from heaven,

For wishing to have any more but ine.

Hip. Indeed I think it was, but I repent it;
The fault was only in my blood, for now
'Tis gone, I find I do not love so many.

Dor. In confidence of this, I'll beg my father
That he may live; I'm glad the naughty blood,
That made you love so many, is
gone out.

Hip. My dear, go quickly, lest you come too

late.

[Exit DOR. Enter MIRANDA at the other door, with HIPPOLITo's sword wrapt up.

Hip. Who's this, who looks so fair and beautiful, As nothing but Dorinda can surpass her?

O! I believe it is that angel woman,

Whom she calls sister.

Mir. Sir, I am sent hither

To dress your wound; how do you find your strength?

Hip. Fair creature, I am faint with loss of blood. Mir. I am sorry for it.

Hip. Indeed, and so am I,

For if I had that blood, I then should find

A great delight in loving you.

Mir. But, sir,

I am another's, and your love is given

Already to my sister.

Hip. Yet I find,

That, if you please, I can love still a little.

Mir. I cannot be inconstant, nor should you.

Hip. O my wound pains me.

Mir. I am come to ease you.

Hip. Alas! I feel the cold air come to me;

[She unwraps the sword.

[She wipes, and anoints the sword.

My wound shoots worse than ever.

Mir. Does it still grieve you?

Hip. Now, methinks, there's something

Laid just upon it.

Mir. Do you find no ease?

Hip. Yes, yes, upon the sudden, all the pain Is leaving me: Sweet heaven, how I am eased!

VOL. III.

N

Enter FERDINAND and DORINDA to them.

Ferd. [to Dor.] Madam, I must confess my life is yours,

I owe it to your generosity.

Dor. I am overjoyed my father lets you live, And proud of my good fortune, that he gave Your life to me.

Mir. How? gave his life to her!

Hip. Alas! I think she said so, and he said, He owed it to her generosity.

Ferd. But is not that your sister with Hippolito? Dor. So kind already?

Ferd. I came to welcome life, and I have met The cruellest of deaths.

Hip. My dear Dorinda with another man?
Dor. Sister, what business have you here?
Mir. You see I dress Hippolito.

Dor. You're very charitable to a stranger.
Mir. You are not much behind in charity,
To beg a pardon for a man, whom you
Scarce ever saw before.

Dor. Henceforward let your surgery alone,
For I had rather he should die, than you
Should cure his wound.

Mir. And I wish Ferdinand had died, before He owed his life to your entreaty.

Ferd. to Hip. Sir, I am glad you are so well recovered.

You keep your humour still to have all women? Hip. Not all, sir; you except one of the number, Your new love there, Dorinda.

Mir. Ah, Ferdinand! can you become inconstant? If I must lose you, I had rather death

Should take you from me, than you take yourself. Ferd. And if I might have chose, I would have wished

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