Journeys Through Bookland Volume Viii Part 41

_Alon._ Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach'd with[430-4] weariness, To th' dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest.

Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown'd Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks Our frustrate[430-5] search on land. Well, let him go.

_Anto._ [_Aside to SEBAS._] I am right glad that he's so out of hope.

Do not, for one repulse, forgo the purpose That you resolved t' effect.

_Sebas._ [_Aside to ANTO._] The next advantage Will we take throughly.[430-6]

_Anto._ [_Aside to SEBAS._] Let it be to-night.

For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance As when they're fresh.

_Sebas._ [_Aside to ANTO._] I say, to-night: no more.

[_Solemn and strange music._

_Alon._ What harmony is this? My good friends, hark!

_Gonza._ Marvellous sweet music!

_Enter PROSPERO above, invisible. Enter, below, several strange Shapes, bringing in a Banquet: they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting the KING, &c., to eat, they depart._

_Alon._ Give us kind keepers, Heavens!-- What were these?

_Sebas._ A living drollery.[431-7] Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix throne;[431-8] one phoenix At this hour reigning there.

_Anto._ I'll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, And I'll be sworn 'tis true; travellers ne'er did lie, Though fools at home condemn 'em.

_Gonza._ If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me?

If I should say I saw such islanders,-- For, certes,[431-9] these are people of the island,-- Who, though they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Their manners are more gentle-kind than of Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any.

_Pros._ [_Aside._] Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there present Are worse than devils.

_Alon._ I cannot too much muse[432-10]

Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing-- Although they want the use of tongue--a kind Of excellent dumb discourse.

_Pros._ [_Aside._] Praise in departing.[432-11]

_Fran._ They vanish'd strangely.

_Sebas._ No matter, since They've left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.-- Will't please you taste of what is here?

_Alon._ Not I.

_Gonza._ Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys, Who would believe that there were mountaineers Dew-lapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at 'em Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men Whose heads stood in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s?[432-12] which now we find, Each putter-out of one for five[432-13] will bring us Good warrant of.

_Alon._ I will stand to, and feed, Although my last: no matter, since I feel The best is past.--Brother, my lord the Duke, Stand to, and do as we.

_Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and by a quaint device, the banquet vanishes._

_Ari._ You are three men of sin, whom Destiny-- That hath to instrument[433-14] this lower world And what is in't--the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up; yea, and on this island Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I've made you mad; And even with such like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves.

[_Seeing ALON., SEBAS., &c., draw their swords._ You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate: the elements, Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs Kill the still-closing[433-15] waters, as diminish One dowle[434-16] that's in my plume: my fellow-ministers Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt, Your swords are now too ma.s.sy for your strengths, And will not be uplifted. But remember,-- For that's my business to you,--that you three From Milan did supplant good Prospero; Exposed unto the sea, which hath requit[434-17] it, Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have Incensed the seas and sh.o.r.es, yea, all the creatures, Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso, They have bereft; and do p.r.o.nounce, by me, Lingering perdition--worse than any death Can be at once--shall step by step attend You and your ways; whose[434-18] wraths to guard you from,-- Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls Upon your heads,--is nothing, but heart-sorrow And a clear life ensuing.

_He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance with mocks and mowes, and carry out the table._

_Pros._ [_Aside._] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my instruction hast thou nothing 'bated In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life, And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done.[435-19] My high charms work, And these mine enemies are all knit up In their distractions: they now are in my power; And in these fits I leave them, while I visit Young Ferdinand,--who they suppose is drown'd,-- And his and my loved darling. [_Exit from above._

_Gonza._ I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you In this strange stare?

_Alon._ O, it is monstrous, monstrous!

Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;[435-20]

The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ pipe, p.r.o.nounced The name of Prosper: it did ba.s.s my trespa.s.s.[435-21]

Therefore my son i' the ooze is bedded;[435-22] and I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded, And with him there lie mudded.[435-23] [_Exit._

_Sebas._ But one fiend at a time, I'll fight their legions o'er.

_Anto._ I'll be thy second.

[_Exeunt SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO._

_Gonza._ All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a long time after,[436-24]

Now 'gins to bite the spirits.--I do beseech you, That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly, And hinder them from what this ecstasy[436-25]

May now provoke them to.

_Adri._ Follow, I pray you. [_Exeunt._

ACT IV

SCENE I.--_Before PROSPERO'S Cell._

_Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, AND MIRANDA. PROSPERO speaks._

If I have too austerely punish'd you, Your compensation makes amends; for I Have given you here a thread of mine own life, Or that for which I live; who once again I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love, and thou Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven, I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand, Do not smile at me that I boast her off, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise And make it halt behind her.

_Ferd._ I do believe it Against an oracle.

_Pros._ Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Worthily purchased, take my daughter, thou.

Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own.-- What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!

_Enter ARIEL._

_Ari._ What would my potent master? Here I am.

_Pros._ Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place: Incite them to quick motion; for I must Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple Some vanity[437-1] of mine art: it is my promise, And they expect it from me.

_Ari._ Presently?

_Pros._ Ay, with a twink.[437-2]

_Ari._ Before you can say _Come_ and _Go_, And breathe twice, and cry _So, so_.