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النشر الإلكتروني

For the like loss I have her sovereign aid,
And rest myself content.

Alon.

You the like loss!

Pros. As great to me as late; and, súpportable To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker Than you may call to comfort you; for I

Have lost my daughter.

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O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there! that they were, I wish
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed

Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
Pros. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
At this encounter do so much admire,

That they devour their reason, and scarce think

Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howso'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain

That I am Prospero, and that very duke

Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,

Not a relation for a breakfast, nor

Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants,
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you've given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing;
At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye
As much as me my dukedom.

The cell opens, and discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing

at chess.

Mir. Sweet lord, you play me false.

Fer.

I would not for the world.

No, my dear'st love,

Mir. Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play.

Alon.

If this prove

A vision of the island, one dear son

Shall I twice lose.

Seb.

A most high miracle!

Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful: I've curs'd them without cause.

[Kneels to Alon.

Now all the blessings

Alon.
Of a glad father compass thee about!

Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.

Mir.

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!

Pros.

"Tis new to thee.

Alon. What is this maid with whom thou wast at play? Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:

Is she the goddess that hath sever'd
And brought us thus together?

us,

Fer.
Sir, she's mortal;
But by immortal Providence she's mine:
I chose her when I could not ask my father
For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Receiv'd a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.

Alon.

I am hers: But, O, how oddly will it sound that I Must ask my child forgiveness!

Pros.

There, sir, stop:

Let us not burden our remembrance with

A heaviness that's gone.

Gon.

I've inly wept,

Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods,

And on this couple drop a blessed crown!
For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
Which brought us hither.

Alon.

I say, Amen, Gonzalo!

Gon. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice

Beyond a common joy! and set it down

With gold on lasting pillars,

In one voyage

Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis;

And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife

Where he himself was lost; Prospero, his dukedom
In a poor isle; and all of us, ourselves

When no man was his own.

Alon. [to Fer. and Mir.] Give me your hands: Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart

That doth not wish you joy!

Gon.

Be't so! Amen!

Re-enter ARIEL, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following.

O, look, sir, look, sir! here is more of us:
I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,
This fellow could not drown.

Now, blasphemy,

That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?

Boats. The best news is, that we have safely found Our king and company; the next, our ship Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split Is tight, and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when We first put out to sea.

Ari. [aside to Pros.] Sir, all this service

Have I done since I went.

Pros. [aside to Ari.] My tricksy spirit!

Alon. These are not natural events; they strengthen

From strange to stranger.

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Boats. If I did think, sir, I were well awake, I'd strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,

And how we know not

all clapp'd under hatches;
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awak'd; straightway, at liberty:
When we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our master
Capering to eye her: on a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.

Ari. [aside to Pros.]

Was't well done?

Pros. [aside to Ari.] Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt

be free.

Alon. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod;

And there is in this business more than nature

Was ever conduct of: some oracle

Must rectify our knowledge.

Pros.

Sir, my liege,

Do not infest your mind with beating on

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The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure,
Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you
Which to you shall seem probable

of every

These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful,

And think of each thing well. [Aside to Ari.] Come hither,

spirit:

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Set Caliban and his companions free;

Untie the spell. [Exit Ariel.] — How fares my gracious sir? There are yet missing of your company

Some few odd lads that you remember not.

Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel.

Ste. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself; for all is but fortune. Coragio, bully

monster, coragio!

Trin. If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here's a goodly sight.

Cal. O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed! How fine my master is! I am afraid

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What things are these, my lord Antonio?
Will money buy 'em?

Ant.

Very like; one of them Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.

Pros. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
Then say if they be true. — This mis-shapen knave, -
His mother was a witch; and one so strong

That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command, without her power.
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil —
For he's a bastard one — had plotted with them
To take my life: two of these fellows you
Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.

Cal.

I shall be pinch'd to death.

Alon. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb. He is drunk now: where had he wine?

Alon. And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em? —

How cam'st thou in this pickle?

Trin. I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

Seb. Why, how now, Stephano!

Ste. O, touch me not; - I am not Stephano, but a cramp.

Pros. You'd be king o' the isle, sirrah?

Ste. I should have been a sore one, then.

Alon. This is as strange a thing as e'er I look'd on.

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Go, sirrah, to my cell;

Take with you your companions; as you look
To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

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