And suck'd my verdure out o'nt.-Thou attend'st not: I pray thee, mark me. Mira. O good Sir, I do. Pro. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicate As my trust was; which had, indeed, no limit, To credit his own lie, he did believe Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Mira. O the heavens ! Pro, Mark his condition, and the event; then Mira. I should sin To think but nobly of my grandmother. Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples, being an enemy The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, cry it o'er again; it is a hint, Will That wrings mine eyes. Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which, this story Were most impertinent. Mira. That hour destroy us? Pro. Wherefore did they not Well demanded, wench; My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst (So dear the love my people bore me) nor set A mark so bloody on the business; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few, they hurried us aboard a bark; Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Mira. Was I then to you! Pro. Alack! what trouble O! a cherubim Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt; Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me An undergoing stomach,' to bear up Against what should ensue. Mira. How came we ashore? Pro. By Providence divine. Some food we had, and some fresh water, that Out of his charity, (who being then appointed - Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, I prize above my Mira. dukedom. 'Would I might Now I arise: But ever see that man! Pro. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Have I, thy school-master, made thee more profit (For still 'tis beating in my mind,) your reason pray Know thus far forth. Pro. 7 Stubborn resolution. I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star; whose influence Will ever after droop.-Here cease more questions; Enter ARIEL. Ari. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding, task Ariel, and all his quality. Pro. I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, Pro. Would not infect his reason? Ari. Not a soul But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd Some tricks of desperation: All, but mariners, Plung'd in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel, 8 The minutest article. 9 Bustle, tumult. Then all a-fire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand, With hair up-staring (then like reeds, not hair,) Was the first man that leap'd. Pro. But was not this nigh shore? Ari. Why, that's my spirit! Close by, my master. Pro. But are they, Ariel, safe? Not a hair perish'd; Pro. Of the king's ship, The mariners, say, how thou hast dispos'd, Ari. Whom, with a charm joined to their suffer'd labour, Supposing that they saw the king's ship wreck'd, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work: What is the time o' the day? Ari. Past the mid season. Pro. At least two glasses: The time 'twixt six and now, Must by us both be spent most preciously. ! Bermudas. VOL. I. 2 Wave. |