Complete Plays, The (52 page)

Thunder

Alas, the storm is come again! my best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabouts: misery acquaints a man with strange bed-fellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.

Enter Stephano, singing: a bottle in his hand

Stephano

 
I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die ashore —
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man’s funeral: well, here’s my comfort.

Drinks

Sings

The master, the swabber, the boatswain and I,
The gunner and his mate
Loved Mall, Meg and Marian and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate;
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor, Go hang!
She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch,
Yet a tailor might scratch her where’er she did itch:
Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang!
This is a scurvy tune too: but here’s my comfort.

Drinks

Caliban

Do not torment me: Oh!

Stephano

What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon’s with savages and men of Ind, ha? I have not scaped drowning to be afeard now of your four legs; for it hath been said, As proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground; and it shall be said so again while Stephano breathes at’s nostrils.

Caliban

The spirit torments me; Oh!

Stephano

This is some monster of the isle with four legs, who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but for that. if I can recover him and keep him tame and get to Naples with him, he’s a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat’s leather.

Caliban

Do not torment me, prithee; I’ll bring my wood home faster.

Stephano

He’s in his fit now and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle: if he have never drunk wine afore will go near to remove his fit. If I can recover him and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him; he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.

Caliban

Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling: now Prosper works upon thee.

Stephano

Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is that which will give language to you, cat: open your mouth; this will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and that soundly: you cannot tell who’s your friend: open your chaps again.

Trinculo

I should know that voice: it should be — but he is drowned; and these are devils: O defend me!

Stephano

Four legs and two voices: a most delicate monster! His forward voice now is to speak well of his friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague. Come. Amen! I will pour some in thy other mouth.

Trinculo

Stephano!

Stephano

Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy! This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him; I have no long spoon.

Trinculo

Stephano! If thou beest Stephano, touch me and speak to me: for I am Trinculo — be not afeard — thy good friend Trinculo.

Stephano

If thou beest Trinculo, come forth: I’ll pull thee by the lesser legs: if any be Trinculo’s legs, these are they. Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How camest thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? can he vent Trinculos?

Trinculo

I took him to be killed with a thunder-stroke. But art thou not drowned, Stephano? I hope now thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf’s gaberdine for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans ’scaped!

Stephano

Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant.

Caliban

[Aside]
 
These be fine things, an if they be not sprites. That’s a brave god and bears celestial liquor. I will kneel to him.

Stephano

How didst thou ’scape? How camest thou hither? swear by this bottle how thou camest hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack which the sailors heaved o’erboard, by this bottle; which I made of the bark of a tree with mine own hands since I was cast ashore.

Caliban

I’ll swear upon that bottle to be thy true subject; for the liquor is not earthly.

Stephano

Here; swear then how thou escapedst.

Trinculo

Swum ashore. man, like a duck: I can swim like a duck, I’ll be sworn.

Stephano

Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.

Trinculo

O Stephano. hast any more of this?

Stephano

The whole butt, man: my cellar is in a rock by the sea-side where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf! how does thine ague?

Caliban

Hast thou not dropp’d from heaven?

Stephano

Out o’ the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man i’ the moon when time was.

Caliban

I have seen thee in her and I do adore thee:
My mistress show’d me thee and thy dog and thy bush.

Stephano

Come, swear to that; kiss the book: I will furnish it anon with new contents swear.

Trinculo

By this good light, this is a very shallow monster! I afeard of him! A very weak monster! The man i’ the moon! A most poor credulous monster! Well drawn, monster, in good sooth!

Caliban

I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’ th’ island;
And I will kiss thy foot: I prithee, be my god.

Trinculo

By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster! when ’s god’s asleep, he’ll rob his bottle.

Caliban

I’ll kiss thy foot; I’ll swear myself thy subject.

Stephano

Come on then; down, and swear.

Trinculo

I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster. A most scurvy monster! I could find in my heart to beat him,—

Stephano

Come, kiss.

Trinculo

But that the poor monster’s in drink: an abominable monster!

Caliban

I’ll show thee the best springs; I’ll pluck thee berries;
I’ll fish for thee and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
I’ll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
Thou wondrous man.

Trinculo

A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder of a
Poor drunkard!

Caliban

I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts;
Show thee a jay’s nest and instruct thee how
To snare the nimble marmoset; I’ll bring thee
To clustering filberts and sometimes I’ll get thee
Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?

Stephano

I prithee now, lead the way without any more talking. Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drowned, we will inherit here: here; bear my bottle: fellow Trinculo, we’ll fill him by and by again.

Caliban

[Sings drunkenly]
Farewell master; farewell, farewell!

Trinculo

A howling monster: a drunken monster!

Caliban

 
No more dams I’ll make for fish
Nor fetch in firing
At requiring;
Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish
’Ban, ’Ban, Cacaliban
Has a new master: get a new man.
Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom, hey-day, freedom!

Stephano

O brave monster! Lead the way.

Exeunt

A
CT
III

S
CENE
I. B
EFORE
P
ROSPERO
’
S
C
ELL
.

Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log

Ferdinand

There be some sports are painful, and their labour
Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task
Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
The mistress which I serve quickens what’s dead
And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is
Ten times more gentle than her father’s crabbed,
And he’s composed of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness
Had never like executor. I forget:
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
Most busy lest, when I do it.

Enter Miranda; and Prospero at a distance, unseen

Miranda

Alas, now, pray you,
Work not so hard: I would the lightning had
Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin’d to pile!
Pray, set it down and rest you: when this burns,
’Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;
He’s safe for these three hours.

Ferdinand

O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.

Miranda

If you’ll sit down,
I’ll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;
I’ll carry it to the pile.

Ferdinand

No, precious creature;
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

Miranda

It would become me
As well as it does you: and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against.

Prospero

Poor worm, thou art infected!
This visitation shows it.

Miranda

You look wearily.

Ferdinand

No, noble mistress;’tis fresh morning with me
When you are by at night. I do beseech you —
Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers —
What is your name?

Miranda

 
Miranda.— O my father,
I have broke your hest to say so!

Ferdinand

Admired Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration! worth
What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so fun soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature’s best!

Miranda

I do not know
One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you,
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
Something too wildly and my father’s precepts
I therein do forget.

Ferdinand

I am in my condition
A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;
I would, not so!— and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to suffer
The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it; and for your sake
Am I this patient log — man.

Miranda

Do you love me?

Ferdinand

O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound
And crown what I profess with kind event
If I speak true! if hollowly, invert
What best is boded me to mischief! I
Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world
Do love, prize, honour you.

Miranda

I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.

Prospero

Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between ’em!

Ferdinand

Wherefore weep you?

Miranda

At mine unworthiness that dare not offer
What I desire to give, and much less take
What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, it you will marry me;
If not, I’ll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I’ll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

Ferdinand

My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.

Miranda

My husband, then?

Ferdinand

Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.

Miranda

And mine, with my heart in’t; and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.

Ferdinand

A thousand thousand!

Exeunt Ferdinand and Miranda severally

Prospero

So glad of this as they I cannot be,
Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I’ll to my book,
For yet ere supper-time must I perform
Much business appertaining.

Exit

S
CENE
I. E
LSINORE
. A
PLATFORM
BEFORE
THE
CASTLE
.

Francisco at his post. Enter to him Bernardo

Bernardo

Who’s there?

Francisco

Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.

Bernardo

Long live the king!

Francisco

Bernardo?

Bernardo